Different turtles have different dietary needs so as a turtle owner this is something you need to to take into consideration. Even though there are a few differences between the meals of certain turtle species there are vitamins and minerals that all turtles need in order to be healthy and strong. These can be given to them through feeding them foods that contain the vitamins or as supplements.
There are varieties of vitamins and mineral supplements that you can feed your pet turtle or terrapin. These are able to provide a little bit of additional dietary support and nutrition that may be lacking from their regular diet. Most kinds of vitamin and mineral supplements can be given to them once or twice a week as part of their regular feeding. In general, if you provide your pet turtles and pet terrapins with a healthy variety of fresh, leafy greens and other fresh vegetables they should get most of the nutrition that they need from those.
Certain breeds of turtles also enjoy worms and other fresh vegetables. Some turtle owners also provide their pets with a calcium block to snack on to help take care of calcium needs which can be a little bit more difficult to supplement through the normal dietary feedings. You should also always make sure that you provide your pet turtles with a constant supply of fresh water that is always clean. Provide it to them in a shallow bowl so that it is easy for them to drink from.
Depending on the specific breed of your turtle, you may want to check with the local pet store, or ask an expert online about any additional guidelines and nutritious needs that your pet turtle may have. The food and care you varies from turtle to turtle for example the right box turtle care may not suit another turtle species. It is also a good idea to do your research entirely before you decide what kind of pet turtle or terrapin to get so you can be sure that you will easily be able to get the supplies and food that your pets need.
Whatever kind of pet turtle you get, you should remember that turtles and terrapins both have a long life expectancy. So when you decide to bring one home as your pet you need to be willing to commit to it for many years, maybe even your entire life!
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Pet turtles that are the most common
People sometimes make the assumption that all turtles are the same but the truth is that every turtle is different in character and depending on species has unique features, habits and requirements. Some of the differences are visibly clear such as the colors and shell markings. Tortoises have noticeably different shells from sea turtles and turtles that are based mostly in water. The shells of a water based turtle will be lighter in color, softer and have less markings than that of a land turtle or tortoise.
The most popular pet turtles include the box turtle and the slider turtle varieties. The most common breeds of turtles, such as the yellow bellied turtles, slider turtles, mud turtles and box turtles, all have distinctive colorings and markings and an average life expectancy of about fifty years. Some have a little bit less or more, but a fair number have been known to outlive their owners. This is, therefore, something to be considered when looking for a turtle pet. You have to be willing to commit to providing for your pet turtle for a long time.
Box turtles are one of the most common types of turtles and are commonly known for their dome shaped shells. They can live on a diet of fresh vegetables like fresh leafy greens but also enjoy other foods like snails, insects, fungi, berries, slugs, roots, worms and flowers. During certain times of the season males will contend for the affections of a single female so if you’re planning to own more than one pet turtle of differing genders you will have to think about that. If you own this species you will have to give it special box turtle care as they require a different kind of care to some of their cousins.
Mud turtles are a common breed of aquatic turtles and there are certain species of mud turtles that are normally kept as household pets. These require, similarly to the red-eared slider and the painted turtle, both a wet environment and dry environment to live in. Other common types of pet turtles include the yellow bellied turtles which also have a long life expectancy and thrive on fresh leafy greens as a major part of their diet.
Regardless of what kind of turtle you get as a pet, you will need to provide for fresh food and water as well a comfortable, climate-controlled environment for them.
The most popular pet turtles include the box turtle and the slider turtle varieties. The most common breeds of turtles, such as the yellow bellied turtles, slider turtles, mud turtles and box turtles, all have distinctive colorings and markings and an average life expectancy of about fifty years. Some have a little bit less or more, but a fair number have been known to outlive their owners. This is, therefore, something to be considered when looking for a turtle pet. You have to be willing to commit to providing for your pet turtle for a long time.
Box turtles are one of the most common types of turtles and are commonly known for their dome shaped shells. They can live on a diet of fresh vegetables like fresh leafy greens but also enjoy other foods like snails, insects, fungi, berries, slugs, roots, worms and flowers. During certain times of the season males will contend for the affections of a single female so if you’re planning to own more than one pet turtle of differing genders you will have to think about that. If you own this species you will have to give it special box turtle care as they require a different kind of care to some of their cousins.
Mud turtles are a common breed of aquatic turtles and there are certain species of mud turtles that are normally kept as household pets. These require, similarly to the red-eared slider and the painted turtle, both a wet environment and dry environment to live in. Other common types of pet turtles include the yellow bellied turtles which also have a long life expectancy and thrive on fresh leafy greens as a major part of their diet.
Regardless of what kind of turtle you get as a pet, you will need to provide for fresh food and water as well a comfortable, climate-controlled environment for them.
Monday, 21 June 2010
The advantages and disadvantages of buying from a non-commercial breeder
Buying from a local breeder or collector is always a good option for people looking to adopt a pet turtle. A local breeder is often someone who breeds a small amount of turtles as a hobby and there are many advantages to buying from such a person. Here are a few advantages if you choose to take this route in acquiring a pet turtle:
Most non commercial, local turtle breeders are very careful with their turtles and offer turtles that are in good health. (If this was not the case, it would be very unlikely that they would have any young turtles to sell).
The breeders will have a wealth of knowledge and experience from keeping and raising a specific species of turtle for some time. They will be able to answer all the questions you may have and share any useful advice on how to best care for your turtle.
There are also a few negatives about local breeders that you must consider before deciding to buy your turtle this way. Here are a few things you may need to think about before buying your turtle from a local breeder:
One of the biggest problems in dealing with non-commercial turtle breeders is actually finding one in your area. Non-commercial turtle breeders are much harder to find than hobbyist who breed other reptiles such as snakes and lizards. You may live in a large city and still it will be difficult to find a turtle breeder who lives close enough to make travelling easier.
Breeding turtles is an expensive and space conceiving task so most turtle breeders will stick to breeding only one species of turtle, even though you will find the occasional turtle breeder who breeds a small amount of different species. For this reason, the chances of finding a turtle breeder who sells your ideal turtle species may be slim. Variety is not always an option when you decide to buy your turtle this way.
Turtle breeders also sell their stock very quickly sometimes as soon as the turtle has hatched. It’s always a case of first come first serve and your luck may be out when trying to buy your ideal turtle. You may want to ask the breeder to put you on a waiting list or get in contact with you when they have the turtle you want in stock.
This is definitely not your only option when it comes to buying a turtle. There are other means and you may want to find out more about mail order and commercial turtle breeders.
Most non commercial, local turtle breeders are very careful with their turtles and offer turtles that are in good health. (If this was not the case, it would be very unlikely that they would have any young turtles to sell).
The breeders will have a wealth of knowledge and experience from keeping and raising a specific species of turtle for some time. They will be able to answer all the questions you may have and share any useful advice on how to best care for your turtle.
There are also a few negatives about local breeders that you must consider before deciding to buy your turtle this way. Here are a few things you may need to think about before buying your turtle from a local breeder:
One of the biggest problems in dealing with non-commercial turtle breeders is actually finding one in your area. Non-commercial turtle breeders are much harder to find than hobbyist who breed other reptiles such as snakes and lizards. You may live in a large city and still it will be difficult to find a turtle breeder who lives close enough to make travelling easier.
Breeding turtles is an expensive and space conceiving task so most turtle breeders will stick to breeding only one species of turtle, even though you will find the occasional turtle breeder who breeds a small amount of different species. For this reason, the chances of finding a turtle breeder who sells your ideal turtle species may be slim. Variety is not always an option when you decide to buy your turtle this way.
Turtle breeders also sell their stock very quickly sometimes as soon as the turtle has hatched. It’s always a case of first come first serve and your luck may be out when trying to buy your ideal turtle. You may want to ask the breeder to put you on a waiting list or get in contact with you when they have the turtle you want in stock.
This is definitely not your only option when it comes to buying a turtle. There are other means and you may want to find out more about mail order and commercial turtle breeders.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
The importance of knowing your pet turtles species
Turtles make great pets but to have one you really need to know a lot about your little buddy and what they need in order to live a happy and healthy life. A lot of people make the mistake of buying turtles without finding out what species they own, they jump to the conclusion that because it is a turtle it is like any other. This asumption can be the difference between your turtle living a happy long life and a short miserable one.
There are many species of turtle but each species can be put into only three group types which is an indicator of what kind of habitat they would require if kept as pets. These three groups are Land, semi aquatic, and aquatic. As the name suggests land turtles live mostly on land but will at times need fresh water to bathe in and drink. Semi aquatic turtles are comfortable both in fresh water and land but if kept at home they will need more land than water and maybe a bowl or area in their terrarium for them to soak themselves every once in a while. Aquatic turtles on the other hand as pets will need to be housed in an aquarium filled with fresh filtered water. Depending on what type of aquatic turtle, they may need a floating dock or log where they can sun themselves.
Another important factor turtle owners or people thinking about owning a turtle need to take into account about the species of their turtles; is that different turtles have different dietary needs. Some turtles are herbivores, some omnivores and others carnivores. Feeding your pet turtle the right foods is essential for their growth and health and understanding the species of your turtle will help you to know what foods will benefit your pet.
Making sure that the enclosure in which you keep your pet turtle in is designed and built specifically to cater to your turtles likings is something that is neccessary in order to keep your turtle happy and content with their environment. A stressed turtle will be affected by the environment that they're in and in turn this will also affect the bonding between you and your turtle. knowing the species of your turtle will give your an advantage towards creating the perfect environment for your little buddy.
On a final note remember that turtles on average can live to as long as 40 - 100 years so they are a pet and friend for life if you take good care of them. I hope this article helped to open your eyes to a few questions you should be asking when thinking about buying a turtle and ones you should already have answered if you own a pet turtle.
There are many species of turtle but each species can be put into only three group types which is an indicator of what kind of habitat they would require if kept as pets. These three groups are Land, semi aquatic, and aquatic. As the name suggests land turtles live mostly on land but will at times need fresh water to bathe in and drink. Semi aquatic turtles are comfortable both in fresh water and land but if kept at home they will need more land than water and maybe a bowl or area in their terrarium for them to soak themselves every once in a while. Aquatic turtles on the other hand as pets will need to be housed in an aquarium filled with fresh filtered water. Depending on what type of aquatic turtle, they may need a floating dock or log where they can sun themselves.
Another important factor turtle owners or people thinking about owning a turtle need to take into account about the species of their turtles; is that different turtles have different dietary needs. Some turtles are herbivores, some omnivores and others carnivores. Feeding your pet turtle the right foods is essential for their growth and health and understanding the species of your turtle will help you to know what foods will benefit your pet.
Making sure that the enclosure in which you keep your pet turtle in is designed and built specifically to cater to your turtles likings is something that is neccessary in order to keep your turtle happy and content with their environment. A stressed turtle will be affected by the environment that they're in and in turn this will also affect the bonding between you and your turtle. knowing the species of your turtle will give your an advantage towards creating the perfect environment for your little buddy.
On a final note remember that turtles on average can live to as long as 40 - 100 years so they are a pet and friend for life if you take good care of them. I hope this article helped to open your eyes to a few questions you should be asking when thinking about buying a turtle and ones you should already have answered if you own a pet turtle.
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