Your easy start to keeping water turtles

Your easy start to
keeping water turtles
A guide for beginners
For more information: www.tetra.net
A unique
world of
wonder
There are many species of reptiles that
inhabit various parts of the earth, some
primarily terrestrial, others aquatic. Water
turtles are one of the most commonly kept
semi-aquatic species. If you’re looking for
a more exotic pet to add extra interest for
you and your family, water turtles could
be the ideal choice. These fascinating
creatures are fun to observe in nicely set
up surroundings, as they are very lively and
active. So, to help you decide about keeping
these amazing animals as pets, this guide
will provide all the information you need.
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3
Which species make
the best pets?
There are many different species of water
turtles and not all of them are suitable for
keeping at home.
There are several important considerations
when choosing the right species for you:
4 The size the water turtle will grow.
Some species may reach a size of 30cm.
This is one of the main reasons water
turtles are either given to animal shelters,
or far worse, are released into ponds and
lakes nearby. This is prohibited as the
local eco system can be disrupted.
4 The lifespan of the turtle.
4 The species protection laws.
Some species are threatened with
extinction. It’s best to purchase a
water turtle from your local aquatics
store where you will get the reliable
advice you need on the national and
international species and wildlife
protection laws. This way you can be
sure to comply with species protection
rules and take home a healthy animal.
Whatever type of turtle you pick, you’re
assured of entering this fascinating and
unique world of wonder.
Some water turtle species can live for
many years, some reaching 50 years!
Children love water turtles
Keeping a water turtle
is great fun and
educational too. Like
all pet keeping, adult
supervision is needed.
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5
Getting started
Before going ahead and purchasing your water turtles you need to set up a suitable
home for them to come back to. This is known as a vivarium or aquaterrarium and
there are some easy ways to ensure it’s a healthy and happy home for your turtles.
Position of the tank
A filled aquaterrarium is heavy, so thinking about its
position now will avoid the need to move it around
at a later date. An ideal position would be:
4 In a reasonably quiet area, away from sudden
noises.
4 Away from areas of very high activity.
4 Away from sources of heat or cold (e.g. radiators).
4 Easily accessible, to allow for any maintenance.
4 Out of direct sunlight, to prevent algae growth and
overheating.
6
4 Well supported, to take the weight of the
aquaterrarium (a litre of water weighs 1kg).
4 Near to an electric supply to plug in equipment,
but far enough away to avoid any danger of
splashing.
Size of the tank
The basis of your aquaterrarium is a suitably sized
water-tight glass tank which should always be
purchased at your local aquatics store. Size is very
important because your water turtles will not only
need room to swim comfortably but also
an area of land to bask. It is also
important to consider how much
your water turtle will grow and the
space it will require as an adult.
Ask your local retailer about the right
size to make sure your water turtle
will be happy and healthy.
Layout
The layout of your tank should take into
consideration how much time the water
turtles like to spend out of water.
Ensure there is enough land to accommodate all
the occupants at once. Large flat and stable rocks
emerging out of the water are ideal; the turtle must
be able to haul itself out of the water and onto the
land easily.
To add variety and interest to the surroundings
which reptiles will enjoy, use Tetra ReptoDecoArt
Stones
The realistic looking interlocking stones are easy to
stack and lock together to build caves, basking and
feeding platforms, or steps. Sets contain four easyto-clean, different sized stones that perfectly match
the Tetra ReptoDecoFilter (see page 9).
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Essentials for a happy home
Keeping any pet means providing
a comfortable environment to live
in, so there are certain essentials
needed to create a happy home
for your water turtle. With a little
thought and planning this is easy to
achieve and your local retailer will
be pleased to help.
Filtration
Good filtration in your aquaterrarium is essential to
remove your water turtle’s waste and it will make
maintaining the aquaterrarium easier in the long run.
The filter needs to be able to remove solid waste
particles and break down dissolved wastes.
Larger aquaterrariums, or those with a considerable
depth of water, will be best filtered by a large external
canister filter, such as a Tetra EX Filter.
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Filtering water in smaller set-ups,
or those where the depth of water
is shallow, has traditionally
been more difficult. Tetra
has overcome this problem
with the Tetra ReptoFilter
and ReptoDecoFilter. The
ReptoFilter is suitable for
aquaterrariums up to 100 litres
in size.
The larger Tetra ReptoDecoFilter is designed to
blend into the rockwork décor of the aquaterrarium.
It can be used in shallow water with a depth as low
as 10-15cm and will filter up to 200 litres of water.
Maintenance of both filters is extremely easy and
involves simple removal of a filter pad every two
weeks, and replacing with a clean one.
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Essentials for a happy home
Light
Decoration
Water turtles originate from warmer parts of the
world so they require warm water and sunshine.
They are also ‘cold-blooded’ and use heat to
regulate their body temperature. Suitable lighting
should be provided over the basking area, which
prevents deformity of the shell and bones. Your
retailer will be able to give you advice about the
most suitable lighting.
Keeping the aquaterrarium design as simple as
possible is best as this allows ease of cleaning. But
a sparse-looking tank can be made more interesting
by the addition of plants. Turtles like them too, as a
hiding place!
Warmth
Depending on the species, the water might also
need to be heated. This can
be done using a standard
aquarium heater such as a
Tetra HT Heater, which comes
in a range of different sizes.
Remember to place it in a
position where it cannot be
damaged by your turtle.
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Real plants will be either eaten or destroyed by
the turtles, so instead use synthetic plants which
are now amazingly realistic. Tetra ReptoDecoArt
Plantastics are natural-looking plants which are
easy to set up, clean and maintain and suitable for
all aquatic terrariums. They are available in two
floating varieties, Vine Philodendron and Japanese
Maple. Fixed plants are available in a choice of
Giant Bamboo or Giant Adiantum.
Water care
Cleaning
The water you use to fill the pool in your
aquaterrarium must be
free of chlorine and heavy metals
to avoid harming your pets.
Fortunately this is
very easy to achieve by using
Tetra ReptoSafe
which instantly conditions
tapwater to produce
species-appropriate, safe and
natural conditions.
Water turtles need a clean living area to stay healthy.
The water in the aquaterrarium should be replaced
regularly to prevent illnesses which is easy to do just
using tap water and Tetra ReptoSafe.
Adding Tetra ReptoFresh removes unpleasant odours,
creates clear water and accelerates
the natural breakdown of waste
helping to keep your aquaterrarium
odour-free.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do
Don’t
Make sure that the rock décor is not
so high that your turtle can climb out
of the aquaterrarium.
For water changes do not use a hose to
suck out the water, instead always use
a Tetra Gravel Cleaner.
Perform regular and frequent water
changes to keep your aquaterrarium
clean.
Do not feed from the hand, as your
turtle may bite.
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Feeding your water turtle
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A balanced diet is crucial for a turtle to live a
healthy life. Turtles are ‘omnivores’, meaning
they eat both animals and plants but most prefer
animals. The Tetra range offers a complete
balanced diet for your turtles.
While ReptoMin is a complete food for turtles, it is
important to offer them a range of other foods; treat
foods such as Tetra ReptoDelica and Gammarus
will be both gratefully accepted and will enrich
their diet.
Base the diet on a good complete food. Tetra
ReptoMin is a stick food which provides all
essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
To give your animals extra variety, you can feed
with worms, insects and freshwater fish as well as
suitable plants and fruits. Ask your local retailer
about the right alternatives for your type of turtle.
Tetra ReptoMin Energy is not only ideal for juvenile
water turtles, which benefit from extra protein and
energy in their diet, but also helps adult turtles fight
off diseases.
Tetra ReptoMin Baby contains smaller sticks for
baby turtles. Variety can also be provided with Tetra
ReptoMin Menu which contains three different
foods in one.
Young water turtles need to be fed every day while
older ones have fasting periods. Avoid over-feeding
your water turtles. Accumulated uneaten food
should be removed from your aquaterrarium.
For details of our
range or for more information
about keeping water turtles
please check out our
website at www.tetra.net
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Handling your water turtle
Cleaning your aquaterrarium is the ideal time to
check the health of your turtles, so it’s important to
learn the best way of handling them.
Like all pets, water turtles should be handled with
care. Turtles should always be picked up from the
back because they can bite. They should be held
quite firmly as dropping them causes damage to
both the shell and soft tissue of the head, neck
and limbs. If the turtle is upset or stressed it may
struggle. Don’t frighten it with quick or sudden
movements.
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Tip!
Always wash your hands thoroughly
with soap after any handling or
aquaterrarium cleaning. It’s a good
idea to consider wearing gloves when
performing maintenance.
About Tetra
Tetra was founded 60 years ago by
Dr. Ulrich Baensch. His early work resulted in the
world’s first complete flake food for fish - TetraMin.
Two decades later this was followed by specialist
foods and treatments for reptiles. Tetra’s success
as the global leader in its markets has been built
on a commitment to quality and innovation. By
continuously improving its range of products and
services, Tetra makes it easier than ever to create
the ideal aquaterrarium for your water turtle.
To support this commitment, Tetra invests more
into Research and Development than any other
company in the industry.
Taking Responsibility
As market leader, Tetra considers it a duty to treat the world and its
resources responsibly. Through constant improvement of the products, in
packaging, logistics and service, Tetra not only meets the needs of the business
but also protects the environment at the same time through a continuous programme of
sustainability.
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Expert
assistance
Tetra GmbH Herrenteich 78 D-49324 Melle
For more information: www.tetra.net
Mat.-Nr. T064743 2012 DME_ENG
4 004218 208896
www.tetra.net