Plants in a turtle terrarium: first of all, the plants should not be poisonous to turtles, and secondly, the terrarium/aquaterrarium should be suitable for the plants in terms of temperature, amount of light and humidity. Trying to grow light-loving plants without access to natural sunlight is useless. In addition, we must not forget to spray and water the plants. It’s best to replace plants from the terrarium with plants from the windowsill every 1-3 weeks, and vice versa. It is better to plant plants in a terrarium in pots.

Plants that can be given to turtles or planted in a terrarium:

Aloe, Anacharis, Agave (leaf part), Amaranth
- Okra
- Vallisneria spiralis, Vetch, Watercress (watercress), Water hyacinth
- Peas, Hibiscus (Chinese rose), Dahlias
- Turf with grass, oregano
- Wallflower
- Figs
- Medium chickweed, golden ball (rudbeckia)
- Clover, Clumps of filamentous algae, Cryptocoryne cordate, Nettle (young), Kalanchoe, Coreopsis, Cress, Kohlrabi leaves, Calendula, Cantaloupe, Salsify, Mullein (bear's ear)
- Onion, Ludwigia, Alfalfa, Foliage, Burdock
- My Javanese, Chard, Woodlice, Daisy, Monstera, Mallow (mallow) young leaves, Cuff
- Nasturtium
- Dandelion, sprouted oats, Comfrey
- Thai pterygoid fern, Petunia, Pistia corpus lettuce (water lettuce), Plantain, Purslane, Shepherd's purse, Bedstraw
- Rhubarb, Richia, Hornwort, Duckweed, Chamomile, Rose petals, Ryegrass
- Sagitaria, Sitnyag needle-shaped, Snitya, Spirogyra, Crepes, Snitya
- Timothy, Tradescantia, Turnip, Mulberry, Yarrow
- Funksia, Forest Violets, Ficus Benjamina, Fennel
- Khatma
- Ceraptopteris, Chicory, Chicory salad
- Thistle, China, Seed
- Sorrel, Schefflera, Sage, Rosehip
- Edogonium, Ellodea
- Barley, Jaskolka
- Scindapsus, Sanseviera, Schefflera, Zebrina, Eugenia, Hibiscus, Monstera, Nasturtium, as well as cacti and prickly pears [flowers, stems (remove spines) and young shoots].

Seed sprouts that can be sprouted at home must be kept in the dark (chlorophyll formed in the light and metabolic products give the sprouts an oily taste): beans, millet, cabbage, corn, wheat, barley, sunflower.
Medicinal plants are usually given to turtles, like other animals, in limited quantities.

Plants that are poisonous to turtles: Begonia (dies quickly), Prickly plants, Solanaceae, buttercups, medicinal plants containing alkaloids; Dieffenbachia (Diffenbachia spp.), Euphorbia (Euphorbia spp.), Azalia (Azalia spp.), Oleander, Lagenandra, Ambulia (Limnophila), Geranium, Bindweed, Valeriannella minor, narcissus, spurge, crocus, cyclamen, delphinium, foxglove, hydrangea , jasmine, lilies, lobelia, lupine, mistletoe, potato leaves, rhubarb leaves, rhododendron...

Greens, dandelions and sources of rough fiber

In the warm season, it is best to make the turtle’s diet based on dandelions and plantain - affordable and free food rich in vitamin A. If you have a summer house, the turtle can also be fed carrot tops and small amounts of beets (not treated with chemicals), but not potatoes! Animals also often enjoy eating hay, which is an excellent source of coarse fiber. Plants should be collected away from the road and washed thoroughly, especially if the dandelion is collected in dog walking areas, this will protect the turtle from worms.

In addition, turtles need to be offered twigs of fruiting plants, birch or willow - this way they will satisfy their need for fiber, and will also have the opportunity to gnaw on solid food, which prevents the regrowth of the beak.

In the winter, when there is no greenery, you can plant dandelions in ordinary pots, freeze the greens in the summer, dry them and use edible house plants for feeding - hibiscus, tradescantia, etc.

You don’t need a red-eared turtle if you are not ready to: a) fork out for an expensive and spacious aquaterrarium (cleaning it of excrement every three days); b) provide her with a varied diet; c) spend money on arranging turtle housing (with a heater, filter and UV lamps). And this is only part of the worries that the new owner will inevitably face.

American freshwater turtles

The name of the family also indicates the range of the species: red-eared (also known as yellow-bellied) turtles can consider Central America, Mexico, northern Venezuela and Colombia, as well as the USA, their homeland.

Thanks to humans, these reptiles appeared in Guadeloupe, South Africa, Israel, Great Britain and Spain. In Australia, they were not happy about their invasion, declaring them pests that were displacing native reptiles.

IN recent years Red-eared turtles quite often emerge in the reservoirs of the Southern Federal District and Krasnodar Territory. They were seen in ponds and reservoirs in Rostov-on-Don, Anapa, Gelendzhik and Yeisk. These are those unfortunate animals whose stay in a city apartment turned out to be an unbearable burden for their owners.

And it’s good if the turtles released into the wild survive: these heat-loving creatures are absolutely not adapted to Russian frosts. Only those who hit the pipe with hot, non-toxic waste have a chance.

Do not be tempted by the toy size of the baby turtles (with age they will turn into decent basins) and think a hundred times whether you will be able to endure all the hardships of caring for them before you buy this voracious and picky animal.

Exterior, description

A biologist will distinguish a male from a female by several characteristic features, including size: males are noticeably inferior to females. A sexually mature red-eared turtle grows up to 30 cm, and some of its varieties grow up to half a meter or more.

Turtle babies look like bright green, raised leaves that darken as they mature: the carapace becomes dark brown or black (with jagged yellow lines). The head, neck and limbs have their own ornament, where curved green and white stripes are adjacent.

The ventral part of the shell is usually dark, but is diluted (like the upper) with yellow wavy stripes and edging of the same color.

On the turtle's head there are two stretched scarlet spots located near the eyes. These red “marks” give the species its name. Depending on the subspecies, the color of the spots varies and can be muted yellow, bright yellow or orange.

The absence of teeth will not prevent this turtle from flattening any strong object: its powerful jaws will help it with this. Another weapon of the “red lady” is her unusually strong and sharp claws, which she uses to fight off enemies.

Red-eared turtles do not complain about their sense of smell and vision. The only thing that lets them down is their hearing. However, the reptile instantly reacts to extraneous noises and always manages to dive into the water.

Lifestyle

The turtle lives in swampy and shallow ponds and lakes that are not very clean. Demonstrates increased agility when hunting for prey (fish, crustaceans, tadpoles, snails and other aquatic fauna) or avoiding enemies. At other times, it is inactive: it likes to crawl onto the bank, exposing its shell to the sun’s rays. In cool water (below +18 °C), the redfish loses its appetite and becomes lethargic.

Natural enemies of turtles include:

  • Jaguars are skilled at digging reptiles out of their shells.
  • Foxes push turtles onto rocks.
  • Birds of prey - drop them onto rocks.
  • Other turtles and crabs eat turtle babies.
  • Sharks and large predatory fish eat newborn turtles.

Biologists believe that the red-eared turtle (contrary to known catchphrases) moves quickly both in water and on land. Speed ​​helps her break away from her pursuers, deftly avoiding obstacles.

The reptile notices a dangerous object about 40 meters away, which gives it time to quickly slide under the water: thanks to this lightning-fast reflex, the turtle is nicknamed “slider.”

If it was not possible to escape, it will defend itself: a rapid throw of its head will be followed by the closing of its strong jaws on the body of the victim. Mature turtles can not only bite, but also injure.

Injury can also be caused by carelessly removing your pet from the water, when it kicks with its hind limbs, studded with sharp claws.

Continuation of the family line

Even an experienced herpetologist will not tell who is in front of him (a boy or a girl) until the turtle is one year old. It is at this age that sexual dimorphism appears.

Difference between the sexes

It is known that females are much larger than males, but this trait can be considered significant only for individuals born at the same time. Otherwise, it is hardly possible to determine the gender by dimensions.

There are more notable features that help you figure out the gender of your pet. So, in males:

  • the spot near the eye is brighter and larger;
  • longer claws on the forelimbs that help cling to a partner during copulation;
  • the lower part of the body is concave, whereas in females it is flat;
  • thicker and longer tail.

Information about the sexual maturity of red-eared turtles varies somewhat. Usually the reptile enters the puberty phase by 5-6 years, and in captivity much earlier.

Pairing

Turtles living in zoos and apartments mate, regardless of the time of year, but, being in their natural habitat, adhere to certain dates (March - July).

The male performs a mating dance, the main role in which is assigned to the claws stroking the chin of the chosen one. Young reptiles can also imitate mating games: but these “rehearsals” do not lead to procreation until the turtle has entered reproductive age.

The partner swims tail first, being very close to the partner’s head, tirelessly tickling her face with his claws. If the female is not against mating, she accepts these advances. If the turtle is not ready for intercourse, it drives away the suitor, using physical force against those who are particularly dull.

Offspring

If sexual intercourse leads to fertilization, the female begins to bask under sun rays and changes his eating habits. This is especially noticeable in domestic red-eared turtles and does not develop into a disaster: you just need to adjust the menu, including the amount of food.

About 2 months are allotted for pregnancy, but the period increases if it is impossible to find a good place for laying. Two weeks before “giving birth,” the female almost never leaves the ground, sniffing and digging. Having decided on a laying site, the reptile moistens it with liquid from the anal bladders and digs the ground with its hind limbs.

The red-eared turtle is a bad mother: having laid eggs (from 1 to 22), she completely forgets about the offspring. Incubation, the duration of which depends on temperature, takes from 100 to 150 days. The temperature in the nest also affects the sex of turtle babies: at 29°C and above, girls are born, at 27°C and below, only boys are born.

To emerge from the egg, newborn turtles pierce the shell with an egg tooth, which falls off after an hour. All babies have a small pouch on their abdomen with the remains of incubation provisions: when it falls off, it leaves a quickly healing wound.

Only at a superficial glance does the turtle create the deceptive impression of an extremely unassuming animal. In everyday life you will face a lot of problems that must be met head-on.

Equipment for the red-eared turtle's home

At home, turtles are kept in special conditions.

It is advisable to purchase aquaterrarium with a volume of 100 to 150 liters, which is filled with water to about 20-30 cm. This is done so that the turtle, if it turns over on its back, has the opportunity to take a normal position without outside help. It is also recommended to build a kind of beach, equipped with a heating lamp and a UV lamp that will disinfect.

The beach should have a slope from the bottom of the aquaterrarium, with a rough land surface, but not causing scratches. It is recommended to place the embankment no higher than 20-30 cm from the top of the aquarium, since some mobile pets are able to get out of their home. The temperature on land should be around 29-30°C.

The water part can be decorated with algae, but before planting them, you should find out if they are poisonous, since turtles love to taste everything. Fish, by the way, do not eat poisonous algae. In addition, the algae must match the lighting level and temperature in the aquaterrarium.

In addition to decorative algae, you can also plant vegetation intended for food. Spirogyra, hornwort, anacharis, duckweed, and ludwigia are suitable for these purposes.

The water should, of course, be clean and warm, about 26-28°C. It should be changed when it gets dirty or once a month.

Feeding

The nutrition of turtles is quite an interesting thing. Firstly, young turtles are fed daily, and adult turtles about 2-3 times a week. Secondly, with age, the content of plant food should prevail. Therefore, if an adult turtle lives in an aquarium, then the algae has been eaten.

Proper nutrition– an important component in maintaining the health of pets. For this reason, you should carefully approach the preparation of your diet. It must include plant food, vitamin and mineral supplements and, of course, fish (cod, hake, thalassa) and meat.

Plant food may contain: abutilone, basil, aloe, oregano, peas, balsam, figs, rudbeckia, clover, coleus, calendula, nettle, onion, alfalfa, nasturtium, arrowroot, daisies, dandelion, petunia, purslane, tradescantia, rose petals, chlorophytum, fuchsia, barley, rose hips, cyperus, kalanchoe, fern, calathea, hibiscus, gloxinia, lawn grass, coffee, plantain.

In the summer, “free” food is available in the form of vegetation: carrot and beet tops, potato tops cannot be given, branches of fruit bushes and trees.

Do not feed to turtles plants such as monstera, epipremnum, philodendron, anthurium, silent, akalifa, croton, jatropha, azalea, delphinium, crocus, morning glory, lily of the valley, lupine, periwinkle, oleander, juniper, nightshade, ficus, philodendrn, shefflera. The listed plants are so poisonous that even from ordinary touch the turtle develops long-lasting wounds and ulcers. If the juice of these plants gets into the eyes of an animal, it causes conjunctevitis.

In some cases, the use of prohibited plants contributes to disruption of work nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.

Therefore, when choosing components for food, you should be careful, since nutrition is the key to your pet’s health.

Buy a red-eared turtle

Farms where red-eared turtles are bred are located in the USA and Malaysia. From there comes both illegal and legal export of these heat-loving animals.

Smuggled bright green turtles are sold “for 5 kopecks a bunch” right on the street. They are very cute and disperse under the glib lies of the traders about the unpretentiousness of turtles.

Nobody knows what the babies are sick with, most of whom will die in the first months after moving into an apartment. As a rule, the cause of death of these poor fellows is pneumonia (the most common turtle ailment).

Of course, you can buy a reptile at a pet store for 200-250 rubles, but why, if the sites are filled with moans from current owners who dream of getting rid of the turtles they once acquired?

These people may not even take money from you and will happily give you not only their tortilla, but also its rich dowry (lamps, siphons, filters, aquaterrarium).

And one last thing. With careful care, red-eared turtles live for at least 40-50 years, and particularly resistant specimens live up to 80. If you are ready for such a long-term relationship with a “red-eared” turtle, look for your future pet on social networks and forums.

Often the cause of various types of diseases in turtles is improper care and keeping the animal. When the first signs of any disease appear, many owners panic that the disease is serious and the pet may die. Although in most cases the owner’s concern is justified, first of all it is worth paying attention to the symptoms and determining whether everything is really that serious or whether you can cure the turtle yourself.

Before starting treatment yourself or with a veterinarian, you need to analyze whether you have properly cared for and maintained your turtle. Further treatment will depend on this.

In addition, you need to know what diseases are most common in different types turtles.

Common Turtle Whitenings and How to Treat Them

  1. Otitis or inflammation of the ears

Aquatic species of turtles often suffer from ear inflammation because the rules for changing water are not followed. The disease occurs less frequently in land species. This type of turtle has this problem more often due to low temperatures or the absence of a heat lamp.

Reason The appearance of otitis may be caused by tissue trauma, lack of vitamin A, mites, fungus and other infections. But most often this is caused by improper care, namely non-compliance with hygiene conditions, abnormal nutrition, low temperature in an aquarium or in a place where a turtle is kept.

The disease is very dangerous; as a rule, surgery is needed. If you see a clear sign of otitis media, swelling in the ears or on the limbs, contact your veterinarian-herpetologist. He will prescribe treatment for your turtle and determine whether your pet needs surgery.

  1. Pneumonia or pneumonia

Pneumonia in turtles mainly occurs if the animal was kept at low temperatures, was hypothermic and dehydrated.

The disease occurs with characteristic symptoms:

  • the animal refuses food;
  • swims on one side;
  • makes strange wheezing sounds, sometimes similar to whistling;
  • becomes sedentary and inactive;
  • foam-like discharge appears from the nose and mouth;
  • sneezing, shortness of breath and cough.

If you examine the turtle's nasopharynx and throat, you will see that the nasal openings are clogged with yellow-green pus discharge. Having seen these symptoms, you urgently need to take action, since whitening can lead to death in a matter of days, or even hours. Although the disease is dangerous, it can be cured at home.

The first thing you need is antibiotics.

Necessary medications to treat a turtle:

  • Ringer-Locke solution (regular pharmacy);
  • 3 syringes: 5-10 ml, 1 ml, 0.3 ml (regular pharmacy);
  • 2.5% Baytril (vetapteka);

The first antibiotic injection should be given on the same day when symptoms of the disease were noticed. Baytril should be injected at a dose of 0.2 ml/kg into the brachial muscle once every 3 days, a total of 4-5 injections are needed. If Baytril is suddenly not available at the veterinary pharmacy, it can be replaced with enroflon 2.5% or amikacin (the injection is given every other day with a dose of 10 mg/kg). These drugs should only be injected in parallel with Ringer's solution. If your pet's health does not improve within 3 days, contact your veterinarian.

  1. Kidney failure

The most common cause of kidney failure is improper living conditions, namely:

  • keeping the animal for a long time at low temperature;
  • poor nutrition(excess meat products, bread or other junk food);
  • dehydration of the body (can result from wintering under a radiator).

Other reasons independent of the conditions of detention:

  • disturbances in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus (often due to improper selection of calcium supplements);
  • various types of infections of the cloaca and urinary tract (land turtles mainly suffer from this type of infection);
  • taking toxic drugs that affect kidney function;
  • excess or deficiency of vitamin A.

Symptoms of the disease:

  • there are no salts in the urine;
  • weight decreases or remains within the normal range;
  • the turtle refuses food;
  • sometimes with renal failure there are symptoms of hypovitaminosis A;
  • vomiting occurs very rarely;
  • land turtles experience swelling of the neck and limbs;
  • sometimes the bones and shell soften (osteomalacia);
  • eyes are swollen;
  • urinary retention;
  • very strong and bad smell urine and feces;
  • under the shell readings, stagnation of fluid is visible (usually without blood, in severe cases with an admixture).

If you have these symptoms, you should not treat the turtle yourself. Contact a veterinarian-herpetologist. The disease is very dangerous and is often detected in the final stages.

  1. Fractures, injuries and burns

Very often, turtles when kept at home suffer from various injuries.

The most common injuries to turtles:

  • burns;
  • fractures of paws and shell;
  • light and lacerated wounds;
  • bruises and bruises.

Small and medium-sized wounds are treated with a solution of Chlorhexidine or Furacilin or washed with Dioxidin. After treatment with any of the above-mentioned drugs, drying agents are applied to the wound. The following medications are suitable: Chlorophyllipt, Chemi-spray, Terramycin, Nikovet - aluminum spray. Do not use iodine or products containing alcohol.

A turtle with a fresh or bleeding wound should be moved to a container with wipes or special medical film for at least 2 days. Such measures must be taken to protect the pet from the addition of other infections.

After two days, the animal can be returned to the aquarium or terrarium and removed only while the wound is treated for 1-2 hours. When a crust forms on a turtle's wound, the wound should be smeared with healing agents such as Rescuer, Boro-plus, Actovegin.

You can try to heal burns, just like wounds, yourself. The first thing to do is clean the damaged surface and only then apply medications. The following drugs are suitable: Levovinisole, Panthenol, Olazol. If the burns are small, they can be treated with one percent tannin.

Large burns cannot be treated on your own; you must contact a veterinarian.

Bruises and bruises in turtles go away on their own.

The most dangerous injuries, lacerations and fractures, should be treated only with the help of a veterinarian-herpetologist.

  1. Eye inflammation or conjunctivitis

A common disease in turtles is conjunctivitis.

Symptoms of this disease:

  • the turtle's eyes become swollen;
  • fluid similar to pus accumulates under the lower eyelid;
  • the animal refuses food.

The main cause of conjunctivitis is a deficiency or excess of vitamin A.

Conjunctivitis leads to weakening of the turtle's body, which in turn can lead to kidney failure. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible to treat this disease on your own.

  1. Oral diseases (necrotizing stomatitis, herpes, herpesvirosis)

Very often, turtles suffer from stomatitis and herpes virus infections. In most cases, the cause of stomatitis is a lack of vitamin D or vitamin A deficiency, which subsequently leads to malocclusion. If you pay attention to the formation of the bite in time and take care of proper diet your pet, then the turtle will be healthy. But if you start the disease, stomatitis will subsequently appear.

Symptoms of stomatitis:

  • mucous membrane with redness or pale with severe swelling;
  • dilated vessels in the oral cavity are visible;
  • copious secretion of foamy saliva;
  • bad breath from a turtle;
  • purulent flakes attached to the oral mucosa are visible in the mouth.

If you notice these symptoms in a turtle, immediately contact your veterinarian to confirm the diagnosis and treatment.

Stomatitis is a contagious disease for other turtles, so you can only separate the turtle from the rest for quarantine and increase the daytime temperature to 32°C and at night to 26-28°C.

The disease is severe and in most cases ends in death, so self-medication is strictly forbidden.

Another serious disease is herpes viral stomatitis. Land turtles are more likely to suffer from this infection.

Herpiseverosis is a hereditary viral disease caused by the Herpesviridae virus.

The main reason for the manifestation of this virus is improper maintenance or improper hibernation.

Symptoms of herpiseverosis:

  • heavy salivation;
  • discharge from the eyes;
  • erosion on the tongue with yellow layers;
  • the turtle is lethargic and constantly sleeps;
  • opens mouth frequently;

Herpis viral stomatitis should only be treated by a veterinarian. Since the disease is very dangerous and in 60 or even 100% of cases it ends in death.

  1. Gastric tympany in aquatic turtles

Often the appearance of tympany occurs due to overfeeding and occasionally due to a lack of calcium in the body. Aquatic turtles are more often susceptible.

Symptoms:

  • the turtle constantly swims on one side, mainly on the right;
  • feces come out with undigested food;
  • sometimes there is vomiting and blistering;
  • lethargy and refusal to eat.

You can try to cure stomach tympany yourself, only if the turtle eats well and is active.

The following medications will be needed for treatment:

  • Eleovit (given in the proportion of 0.6 ml per 1 kg);
  • Children's Espumisan (1 ml of Espumisan is diluted with 1 ml of water and given to the turtle at the rate of 2 ml of solution per 1 kg of turtle weight);
  • Calcium borgluconate 20% veterinary or calcium gluconate 10% (can be bought at any pharmacy). The drug is given at the rate of 1 ml per 1 kg of weight. Administer every other day 5 or 7 times a day.

  1. Dermatitis, bacterial infections and fungus in aquatic turtles

Mycotic dermatitis occurs primarily in aquatic turtle species. The main reason for the appearance of fungal diseases is improper care. Namely, too low a temperature in the aquarium and on land, untimely change of water, poor drying.

Symptoms:

  • peeling and peeling of the skin in places where there are folds;
  • in water, exposed areas of a turtle's skin look as if a white film is peeling off around them;
  • pimples and swelling appear on the skin;
  • the turtle scratches its skin and red spots appear on it;
  • pieces of the shell often begin to break off;
  • Many ulcers appear, limbs and areas of the shell are affected (shell nicrosis).

Blood poisoning often occurs with a fungal infection. The disease is severe and can be treated within 2-3 weeks. The first thing to do is isolate the sick animal from other turtles. Then change everything in the aquarium: soil, water, increase the temperature, diversify and strengthen the diet, disinfect the aquarium or terrarium with alcohol.

For treatment you will need:

  • Baytril (course of injections);
  • Betadine (daily bathing for 30-40 minutes in a solution of water and Betadine for two weeks);
  • Methylene blue (add to the aquarium in the dose indicated on the package, the duration of the methylene blue course is 1 month);
  • vitamins and ultraviolet irradiation;
  • Lamisil (Terbinafine) or Nizoral;
  • Baneocin or Solcoseryl.

If your turtle's shell is cracked or there are signs of shell necrosis, do not try to treat the turtle yourself; contact your veterinarian.

  1. Dry shell dermatitis in land turtles

Shell dermatitis often occurs only in land turtles. The reason for the appearance is improper maintenance and non-compliance with hygiene rules. Keeping the animal on a scratchy and constantly wet substrate also contributes to shell dermatitis.

Symptoms of the disease:

  • severe peeling of the skin;
  • subcutaneous abscesses and ulcers;
  • swelling of the subcutaneous tissue of the hind limbs;
  • I experience extensive erosions throughout the skin;
  • a crust and ulcers appear on the shell.

It is impossible to treat shell dermatitis in land turtles on your own. You should contact a good veterinarian-herpetologist.

  1. Lack of calcium and vitamin D3

Calcium deficiency is the most common disease that occurs at home. The main causes of this disease are poor diet, which does not contain enough calcium, as well as a lack of ultraviolet radiation.

Main symptoms

U young turtles especially noticeable during the development period:

  • the shell does not harden (it should become hard by the end of 1 year of life);
  • deformation of the shell, jaw, paws.

Turtles aged one year and older:

  • the shell becomes soft, its back third collapses, it becomes light and flat;
  • the carapace breaks and ruptures without cause;
  • When examined, the plastrons on the shell are very soft.

Old turtles:

  • the shell becomes very light with unchanged shape and hardness;
  • bone plates become thickened and porous;

In addition to the main symptoms in at different ages others follow:

  • the turtle moves only on its forelimbs;
  • the beak is deformed;
  • frequent and causeless paw fractures;
  • aquatic species do not come to land and swim very low, almost touching the bottom;
  • accumulated fluid without blood admixture is visible in the plastron scutes;
  • Mucus forms on the skin and the skin becomes sticky, and yellow flakes form in the folds.

Only a veterinarian can accurately diagnose calcium deficiency in the body. After all, many of these symptoms may indicate other diseases. Only a herpetologist will establish the correct diagnosis and do a special analysis to determine calcium and phosphorus in the body.

There is no point in treating your turtle on your own before diagnosis, and after diagnosis, the veterinarian will prescribe the necessary treatment that is suitable specifically for your pet.

  1. Hypovitaminosis A or vitamin deficiency A

Hypovitaminosis A or vitamin A deficiency can be caused by an improper diet. In pregnant females, the cause of this disease may be improper development of the embryo.

Symptoms of this disease:

  • the appearance of a runny nose;
  • problematic shedding;
  • skin peels;
  • the appearance of necrotizing stomatitis;
  • swelling of the eyelids;
  • peeling of scutes on the plastron and carapace;
  • horny tissue grows strongly;
  • cloacal organs fall out;
  • refusal of food and exhaustion of the body.

You can cure vitamin deficiency yourself. First of all, you should add foods high in vitamin A to your diet. For example, the following foods are suitable for land animals: dandelion, carrots, pumpkin. Aquatic turtles should be given food of animal origin (fish entrails or liver) in their diet. Give artificial vitamins in powder at least once a week.

Medicines for treatment:

  • vitamin Eleovit (veterinary pharmacy);
  • 1 ml syringe.

Treatment lasts from 2 to 3 weeks. It is not recommended to replace Eleovit with other means, especially oily drops or human medicines, as well as the drug Gamavit. These medications are very toxic and the animal can die from their use.

The Eleovit injection is given in the back of the body. One injection once a week for 2 weeks or, if necessary, for 3 weeks. Dosage for land: 0.8 ml per kg and aquatic: 0.6 ml per kg.

  1. Helminthiasis

Both land and aquatic turtles suffer from helminthiasis. These are mainly two types of nematodes - oxyurides and roundworms. The appearance of this disease does not depend on any reason, since almost all turtles in the wild are infected with helminths.

To determine whether your turtle has helminthiasis, you should first take stool tests to a veterinary clinic. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will prescribe treatment. As a preventive measure, you can give the turtle Albendazole (sold in any pharmacy) at a dose of 40 mg/kg and repeat the same procedure after 14 days.


Often, getting a turtle is a spontaneous decision. A sudden purchase or gift - and you have a new pet at home, about which you know little. Of course, a lot of questions immediately arise about how to keep a turtle, how to feed it, whether it is healthy, whether it sleeps a lot or not. You can find answers to these questions in this article.

What kind of turtle do you have?

Most often, 4 types of turtles fall into the hands of Russians:

Aquatic red-eared turtle (green turtle with red “ears”, which are passed off as dwarf turtles),
- aquatic swamp turtle (a black turtle with yellow spots all over the body and shell, they are often found on the street),
- land Central Asian tortoise (beige-greenish tortoise with a low shell),
- land Mediterranean tortoise (darker in color and with a higher shell, they can be found in nature and, unfortunately, on sale in the Krasnodar region).

Any turtle is the same wild animal as a lizard, snake or crocodile and requires the same serious treatment. Turtles are kept in glass terrariums or aquariums, or in large plastic containers. Turtles should not be kept on the floor, in a cage or in a cardboard box, because this is fraught with injury and health problems for this reptile.

A land turtle requires a terrarium with a large layer of soil (usually soft hay or sawdust), an incandescent lamp of 40-60 W and an ultraviolet lamp for reptiles of 10-12% UVB. The ultraviolet lamp must be changed once a year or more often. Soil is needed so that the turtle can bury itself completely in it, and lamps to simulate the sun - heat and ultraviolet rays so that calcium is absorbed. The size of the terrarium is from 80x50x40 cm for one adult turtle.

An aquatic turtle needs an aquarium with a spacious shoreline, a good internal or external filter (the filter should be rated for 2-3 times the volume of water in the aquarium), a 40-60 W incandescent lamp and a 5-10% UVB reptile lamp. . If the house is cold, then a water heater is needed to maintain the water temperature at 22-24 C. The lamps are installed above the shore, where the turtle will go out to bask. The volume of the aquarium is from 100 liters per adult turtle.

What to feed your turtle?

Aquatic turtles are fed a variety of foods similar to their natural diet, these are: aquatic insects (bloodworms, daphnia, tubifex, coretra), land insects (crickets, locusts, zoobass, woodlice, grasshoppers, earthworms, snails (Achatina and aquarium), raw low-fat river fish with bones and entrails, beef liver, raw shrimp, dry food Reptomin. All food is given raw at room temperature. Adult red-eared turtles are also given plant food (lettuce, dandelions, plantain) in between feedings with animal food.

It is better to feed turtles in the morning and in a separate feeding basin, so as not to spoil the water in the aquarium. Small turtles are fed every day, but as soon as the turtle grows to 7-8 cm, it must be switched to feeding every other day.

Land turtles are fed plants and occasionally vegetables. In the summer, plants (dandelions, gooseberry, plantain, nettle, damask, clover and many others) can be collected in the forest or in the country, and for the winter they are dried and frozen, adding store-bought salad to them in the winter. Once a week, turtles can be given vegetables (grated carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, bell peppers). Also, once a week, turtles are given vitamin and calcium supplements in the form of powder, which is sprinkled on the food. This is necessary so that the turtles do not get sick and their shell is hard.

What should you not feed your turtle?

Under no circumstances should you feed turtles meat, human food (cottage cheese, eggs, sausage, bread, cheese, etc.), cat or dog food, give them milk, cook food for them, or fatty fish. It is undesirable to give berries, fruits, white cabbage, tomatoes, radishes.

How long does a turtle live?

Small turtles - up to 25 cm (these include the red-eared, marsh, Central Asian, and Mediterranean turtles) live for about 40-50 years, so you need to be prepared that this animal will not last for a couple of years.


Boy or girl?

If you want to find out what gender your turtle is, you will have to wait until it grows up. Turtles reach sexual maturity at about 4 years of age and at a length of about 10 cm. Males of all turtles grow a large, long tail. In red-eared males, the claws grow very long; in swamp and Mediterranean males, a concavity can be seen on the lower shell; also in swamp males, the eyes of swamp males turn from yellow to brown.

Is it expensive and difficult to keep a turtle?

Compared to cats and dogs, no. It is enough to immediately buy a large aquarium or terrarium, and it will last the turtle its entire life. All you have to do is change the soil and equipment as it breaks down. Turtles do not need to be walked; they get sick when proper care They are less common than mammals and do not receive vaccinations.

What to do if your turtle gets sick?

If your turtle refuses food for more than a week, eats poorly, is inactive, or looks strange, you should contact a veterinarian-herpetologist (reptile specialist). There are not many such veterinarians, and they are not accepted in every veterinary clinic. You can find a veterinarian near you online.

What else do you need to know about turtles?

  • It is recommended to bathe land turtles once a week in lukewarm water for an hour. The depth of the water is up to the middle of the shell.
  • In summer, when temperatures are above 20 C, it is recommended to walk both aquatic and land turtles for at least an hour in the sun, but the turtle should have the opportunity to go into the shade so as not to overheat.
  • If you can no longer keep your turtle, there is no need to release it outside or give it to your neighbors. Look for those willing to take it on forums and message boards, there will probably be someone.
  • Not all turtles get along well together, so think about this when buying several turtles at once. And turtles get along even worse with dogs. Such encounters often lead to severe trauma in reptiles.

Turtles are very interesting and intelligent animals. This is not just a “stone with legs”, but a creature to be observed and admired, like aquarium fish, but with the ability to be picked up and stroked. With proper care, the turtle will remain active and beautiful and will delight its owner for many years.