Keeping Turtles as Pets
Licenses
Equipment needed
Setting up the turtle aquarium
The water
Lighting
Decorating the turtle aquarium
Feeding turtles
Torpor
Handling your turtle
Sloughing (or shedding)
Routine maintenance
Health
What to do when your turtle outgrows the aquarium
Introduction
Turtles are becoming increasingly popular as pets. Commonly kept species include the Eastern Long-neck turtle, Saw Shelled turtle and the Kreft’s River Turtle.
Do keep in mind when you are looking at buying a turtle that they will grow to a very large size (30 cm or more) which means more room will be needed. They can also live for 20 years or more. These are a long-term pet.
Note that the term “penny turtles” do not refer to a species – they are just baby turtles which will grow into adult turtles.
Licenses
Turtles are a protected animal. In order to keep them in Queensland, you must obtain a Recreational Wildlife License from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (Ecoaccess >> Plants and Animals >> Application Forms) before you purchase your turtle.
CAUTION
Turtles have very sharp claws, and can, if alarmed or stressed, deliver a painful scratch or bite. Always handle with care.
Equipment needed
Aquarium and furnishings
Turtles require a swimming area and a basking area. The swimming area should be large enough to provide ample swimming room. The use of rocks, logs or special floating turtle platforms will enable your turtle to climb out of the water and onto the land area, or alternatively turtle tanks are available which have a ‘built-in’ ramp. Because your turtle will dig around in the gravel, be sure that any tank furnishings are firmly in place, otherwise they may dislodge and fall on top of your turtle, injuring it.
Initially, if you purchase baby turtles, they can be kept in about a 24” tank, however you will need to upgrade to a bigger tank as your turtle grows. For this reason, we recommend that you buy as large a tank as you can afford and have the room for. If you wish to keep your turtle indoors when it reaches adulthood, you may need a tank at least 48” long, or even bigger.
Filter
Turtles produce more waste than any other aquatic animal, so a filter will be necessary to keep the water clean. For an aquarium the preferred filtration method is an external canister filter. These are excellent filters in terms of filtration, but at the same time providing a relatively gentle water flow. Another option, particularly for smaller tanks is an internal power filter. Talk to us about possible options for filtering the water.
If you would like to learn more about the different types of
filtration methods, please see our Filtration page.
Other needs…
You will need some gravel for placing on the bottom of the aquarium and some styrene foam to sit the aquarium on. Choose gravel that has smooth edges so that your turtle doesn’t scratch itself. Chlorine neutraliser (if you are keeping fish) and aquarium salt is also recommended.
Setting up the turtle aquarium
When you get home, rinse the tank out in fresh water (DO NOT USE DETERGENTS) and select a location for it. This should not be too close to a window, or else green algae may become a problem, and it definitely should not get any direct rays of the sun.
Once the location is determined, and the tank is in place with the styrene foam underneath, gravel can be added. Before adding the gravel, wash it well in a bucket to ensure that all dirt is removed.
Once the gravel is in place, the tank is ready to be filled. Add chlorine neutralizer (if needed) and aquarium salt in the recommended dosage, and you are ready to add the plants and turtle.
It is a good idea when filling the tank to measure how many litres of water the tank holds, as you will need to know this in order to add the right amounts of chlorine neutraliser and aquarium salt (as well as any medications you may need to add in the future). To calculate the volume in litres, multiply the length x width x height (in centimetres) together, then divide by 1000.
The Water
Turtles do not require chlorine neutraliser adding to the water. However, if you wish to keep fish with your turtle, chlorine neutraliser will need to be added. Aquarium Salt is highly recommended for turtles, providing a degree of disease prevention. A pH of 7.0 or more is recommended for turtles.
Young turtles will require the water to be heated in winter to a temperature of 25oC. It is important not let the water temperature drop below 22oC. When your turtle is a couple of years older, it is possible to allow it to go into torpor (similar to hibernation) over winter, during which time the water will not need to be heated.
Adding a neutraliser block to the water is advisable. Not only will this help to keep the water from becoming too acidic, but it will also release calcium into the water which helps to prevent soft shell, a particularly common health problem of young turtles.
Lighting
Turtles need plenty of UV light. UV rays result in the production of Vitamin D3, which in turn promotes the proper utilisation of calcium for your turtle. A lack of Vitamin D3 will result in bone deformities and soft shell problems.
In an outdoor enclosure turtles are able to bask in the sun and receive high levels of UV light. However when they are housed inside, you will need to provide that light for them. A reflector, with a reptile fluorescent tube (such as Repti-Glo or Repti-Star), will provide enough UV light for your turtle’s health. Note that UV rays will not pass through glass, so do not use a glass lid directly underneath the reflector (it is advisable however to have glass directly underneath the ends of the reflector to prevent water from splashing up into the light contacts). Putting your turtle out in the sun for about 30 minutes a couple of times a week will also be beneficial.
You can also provide a basking lamp in addition to the UV light (although this is not essential). A basking lamp will provide heat in the basking area, and warm the air in the tank.
Decorating the Turtle tank
Plants are an important part of the furnishings. These will provide shelter, as well as a valuable food source. Plants are particularly important for baby turtles which, in the wild, are considered a prey item. It is natural for your baby turtle to want
to hide in amongst the plants. Plenty of plants, such as Elodea and Vallisneria are ideal. If you do not provide enough plant cover, your baby turtles will become stressed, and may become ill.
Feeding Turtles
Turtles are mainly carnivorous, however they should always be offered fruit, plants and vegetables on a regular basis. Commercially prepared turtle food, such as turtle pellets and frozen turtle dinners, are a convenient way to feed your turtles. Fruits and vegetables that can be fed include peas, banana, pears, sweet potato and squash. Other items that you can try are frozen blood worm, live blackworms, live brine shrimp, mealworms, crickets and lean mince. Turtles may also eat small fish.
Ensuring that your turtle gets sufficient calcium can be a problem. Providing a calcium block in the water will help. These blocks slowly dissolve over several weeks (some turtles may eat bits of the block - this does not harm them in any way). Another method of providing calcium to turtles is using a spot-on calcium supplement such as ReptaCal, although you should keep the turtle out of the water for approximately 1 hour after application to ensure it doesn’t just wash away in the water.
Note that turtles feed whilst in the water - not on land. Although some turtles can be ‘trained’ to eat while out of the water, this is not recommended and certainly never for baby turtles. It is a good idea when feeding your turtle to place it in a small container of aquarium water. This prevents the aquarium from becoming polluted with uneaten food. It also allows you to monitor how much your turtle is eating, allows the turtle to find food easily, and also gets your turtle used to being handled.
Baby turtles should be fed twice daily for the first year of their life. An adult turtle will require feeding only 2 or 3 times a week. Turtles should be fed as much as they will eat within a 5 minute period. A guide is to feed the turtle a portion of feed equaling the size of its head.
Water temperature is critical when feeding turtles. If the water is below 20oC digestive problems may result while at temperatures above 30oC, regurgitation can occur. If you maintain the water temperature at 25oC you will not have problems.
Turtles may start to eat a lot more just before winter to build up body fat, and then, if you rely on natural heating, will not eat through the colder months as they go into torpor. If allowing your turtle to enter torpor, cease feeding about one month before, to ensure that all food has cleared the digestive tract before entering torpor.
Torpor
During the colder months, unless you heat your turtle’s water, it will go into torpor, which is similar to hibernation. As the temperature gets colder, your turtle will cease feeding, and will usually find a secure spot on land where it can bury into soft soil or leaves.
Torpor usually occurs from May to September, but can depend on the severity of the winter and the location you house your turtle. Do not allow the temperature to get below about 5oC.
Handling your turtle
Turtles can be handled, but you will need to take care. Baby turtles have extremely soft shells, so avoid handling as much as possible, as shell damage can result from excessive handling. When you need to handle young turtles, do not pick them up by the edges of the shell, as the shell is still soft and deformities can occur. Rather, use a finger and thumb to gently hold the turtle by the carapace (top shell) and the plastron (bottom shell). Then, let the baby turtle sit on the palm of your hand, and support with your other hand to prevent it from falling off.
When handling larger turtles, use two hands. Put your fingers under the plastron (the bottom shell) and your thumbs on the carapace (the top shell). As your turtle grows, you can handle it a bit more. But be very careful as they have sharp claws which can deliver a painful scratch.
Sloughing (or shedding)
Turtles shed their skin – a process known as sloughing. They can slough up to four times a year. The hard shell of the turtle has individual plate-like scales called scutes. When sloughing, these plates will slowly lift off. Never pull them off as this will result in damage to the new scutes. The skin will also peel off over their head and legs. It is very important to make sure that the old skin peels off properly from around the toes and the shoulders. If old skin remains, it can constrict the blood flow to the limb resulting in deformities.
Routine Maintenance
As mentioned previously, turtles are messy. Good filtration and regular water changes should be a number one priority. An indoor aquarium should have about a 30% water change every week. Sponges in the filter should be cleaned about every 2-4 weeks. Always clean the filter in water just taken out of the tank rather than under the tap – this preserves the beneficial bacteria that help to break down the turtles waste products.
Health
There are various ailments that can affect turtles. The most common to affect baby turtles is fungal infections. This is usually a result of stress, poor water quality or an incorrect diet. This can be treated relatively easily using Wardleys Fungus-Ade, but it is always a good idea to seek the advice of a specialist vet.
Other common problems affecting baby turtle are shell problems. Incorrect diet or incorrect handling can result in shell deformities. Respiratory infections, skin disorders, parasites and abscesses are also seen in turtles. Many of these are a result of poor husbandry. Remember, a clean tank is the first line of defence against illness.
If you suspect your turtle is ill, strict hygiene should be observed to reduce the spread of infection, and a trip to the vet is often needed to identify the problem. We can recommend a reptile vet in your area if you need one.
What to do when your turtle outgrows the aquarium…
Once your turtle reaches about 15 cm, it ideally should be housed in an outdoor enclosure. A fish pond, with rocks or logs positioned so that the turtle can get out of the water is ideal. Do not use pond liners to make a pond, as the turtle’s sharp claws can scratch through the liner causing the pond to leak. Ponds should be a minimum of 40 cm deep and about 1 metre square.
Place your pond so that it receives both shade and sun. If you place it in direct sunlight, there is a chance that your turtle will overheat and die. Outdoor ponds should be protected from predators (such as birds, cats and other animals). It should also have a solid wall at least 40 cm high surrounding the enclosure, buried about 30 cm into the ground, to prevent the turtles from escaping. DO NOT use wire. A shelter can be constructed to allow shade and shelter when your turtle is out of the water.
Maintenance in outdoor ponds is not as intensive as aquariums. Provided that adequate filtration and a strict feeding schedule is observed, you will only need to change about 30% of the water every 1-2 months.
You are now ready to enjoy your pet turtle. They are an unusual pet which can provide many hours of enjoyment. Should you have any problems, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will endeavour to do our best to help.
For more information, Keeping Long Neck Turtles and Keeping Short Neck Turtles, both published by Reptile Keepers, are excellent books about all aspects of turtle care.
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