Pet Turtle Care - Terrapins Pets for Committed Owners

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Terrapins: Pets for Committed Owners

If you are considering a terrapin as a pet, you may be surprised as to how many factors must be given considerable thought. Terrapins require many different things to be happy in their new home. Here are some of these items so you can help your terrapin feel safe, secure, and happy:

1. Terrapins require a large habitat. While it does not have to be indoors, an outdoor habitat must be safe from predators. There are many animals that can pose significant hazards to terrapins. Pets such as these require you to take all precautions to keep your terrapin safe from any item that might be in the habitat. Your terrapin will require a wet and dry area in their habitat as well.

2. Your terrapin’s care should also include the right type of diet. Most are not picky eaters; however, they do require a diet that consists of many different foods, such as mealworms, lettuce and bananas. Cuttlefish bones will also provide the necessary calcium.

3. Fresh water is a must for terrapins. Pets like terrapins need fresh water for drinking, but also for the terrapins to swim in. Bacteria can build up quickly in water that becomes mixed with the terrapin’s urine. Change the water weekly to keep your terrapin healthy.

4. In order to provide the proper care for your terrapin, you must also provide a source of heat. Terrapins pets can have a hard time regulating their body temperature, especially since they are in a man made environment. A heat lamp will provide an area for your terrapin to soak up the warmth.

5. If you have more than one terrapin, you will need to have a larger habitat. You may also find that some terrapins will fight another member of the same species. It is advisable for you to closely monitor any new addition to be sure that other reptile is not overly aggressive.

6. Disease can become a problem for your terrapins. Pets like these can get sick rather quickly, especially if you do not keep the habitat clean. There are medications available for such instances. If your terrapin does not eat or seems to sleep too much, see if your local veterinarian is familiar with reptiles.

7. You will need to keep small children and pets away from your terrapins. Pets like these reptiles often do not like to be picked up and handled. If they are picked up, care must be taken when handling, so as not to drop the animal. If a shell gets cracked, it can be deadly to your terrapins. Pets such as these must be handled correctly.

You’ll find you made a great choice for a pet with terrapins. Care must be taken to see that your terrapin is taken care of on a daily basis, but the results are well worth it. Terrapins can live for up to forty years. It’s easy for a child to have a terrapin as a pet and continue into adulthood with the same animal. While this is not a perfect for everyone, it can be wonderful for some people to own terrapins. Pets are not playthings, though. Responsibility must be a top priority when caring for terrapins.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #1

Turtles are members of the Reptile family and they are some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. They have been around for more than two hundred million years. This makes them as old as the dinosaurs. There are hundreds of different kinds of turtles all over the planet.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #2

Sea turtles are the most popular of all of the turtles. These are also some of the largest creatures—some sea turtles can grow to more than six feet in length and weigh hundreds of pounds. Scientists think that sea turtles are actually land creatures that went back into the water and never came out. Over time their limbs evolved to make them stronger swimmers and to keep them in the water: their front appendages are actually flippers.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #3

All turtles, even sea turtles, are air breathing creatures. While some turtles can stay under the water for hours at a time, they all must surface at least once a day to stay alive. There is one turtle, the giant turtle that only has to surface once a day to take in air. There are some studies being done to see if some species of turtle might be able to draw oxygen from their cells much like some fish use their gills to breathe.

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