Pond Turtles
How to Care for Pond Turtles
Pond turtles make great pets. These cute little creatures with their slow pace and long necks seem to convey a unique personality type in the animal world. Their little squat faces are surprisingly expressive and there is something about the way they withdraw into their shells that calls on us to protect them. Or maybe it’s just those old Bugs Bunny cartoons that turn us on to them.
Whatever it is, there is no denying their recent popularity. These wonderful creatures however, come with their own specific needs. So before you run out to buy one, it is a good idea to find out what will be required for their proper care.
An Ideal Turtle Aquarium
Some people like to keep their pond turtles out in their backyard ponds or artificial pools. This is certainly a possibility but if you decide to do so, you must consider climate. Pond turtles do not do well in extreme climates—especially in cold weather. If you live somewhere where it snows in the winter, you will definitely need to get an aquarium for them.
A further problem with keeping these turtles in a backyard pond is that it makes them vulnerable—especially when they are young—to predation by other animals that may see your pond turtles as a yummy meal.
Finally, many backyard ponds do not have the proper chemical balance to keep these turtles from getting sick. Although it is indeed the case that these turtles live in such ponds in the wild, it is also the case that pond turtles have a very high mortality rate under such conditions.
If you want to ensure your pond turtles are safe and healthy, your best bet is to keep them in an aquarium. This doesn’t mean, of course, that you can’t let him out into your backyard every so often to frolic and swim. You just need to collect them up again once the play session is done.
Aquarium Set-Up
You should think of your pond turtle aquarium as having two sections, a land section, and a water section. For the land section, you will have to get a rocky surface to mimic a shore. On this rocky shore, you will want to have a dish for drinking water and a small dish for pellets.
On the water section, you will need to chemically treat the water and have a water filter. This is because tap water in many cities has a high level of chlorine that is dangerous for these turtles.
Some turtle owners claim you need a second aquarium to feed your turtles in and for when you need to clean out you main aquarium. This is completely unnecessary, however. It is not that difficult to clean the aquarium superficially after meals and when you need to do a more thorough cleaning, you can simply have someone else play with them; or if no one is available, just put them in a shoebox for the time being.
Heating
Your pond turtles will also need heat lamps to keep them at healthy temperatures. Place these on top of the aquarium. You will need both a basking light for warmth and a UV lamp to help your turtle convert vitamins. The UV light replicates the effects of natural sunlight. The ideal temperature for these turtles is in the low 90’s.
Some turtle owners like to just keep their turtles by the window and let the sun naturally heat them. This, however, is an inherently tricky procedure since it requires you to monitor your turtles carefully. On a particularly hot day, the sun might fry your turtles.
I would highly recommend heat lamps instead.
Love
Don’t forget love. Your pond turtle needs your attention. The more time you spend with your pond turtle, the more attached the two of you will become. So don’t forget to play with them often and really enjoy your pond turtle experience.