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AQUATIC TURTLE CARE 

Aquatic turtles are delightful popular pets.  Unfortunately, their popularity doesn't mean they are easy to care for.  Aquatic turtles require much more care than many people realize and are one of the most labour intensive  of all reptiles to maintain.

Housing

Requirements vary according to the size of the turtle and the number being kept.  A variety of enclosures can be utilized from glass aquaria, plastic containers, stock watering tanks and pond liners to elaborate outdoor ponds.  Outdoor enclosures should have some shade available.  Never place an aquarium in direct sun, it could easily overheat.  A rule of thumb for minimum cage size is that the combined surface area of all residents' carapaces (upper shells) should not exceed 25% of the cage's floor surface area.  Floor surface area does not include any inaccessible areas that the turtle cannot rest on.  With the exception of large outdoor ponds keep in mind one rule: the simpler the setup, the easier it is to clean.  Avoid gravel or sand substrates because they make cleaning much more difficult.  If more elaborate enclosures are set up with substrates they should have filtration, bottom drainage and low stocking densities.               

Water Quality                                                 

Clean water is crucial to good health and the best way to assure this is through frequent water changes.  Partial water changes are not acceptable.  Several factors determine how often the water should be cleaned.  Smaller volumes require more frequent water changes.  For instances, for 3 or less 4 inch turtles, a 10 gallon aquarium would need to be changes 2 to 3 times per week and a 50 gallon tank would need to be changed once a week.  Thus, the larger the volume, the less frequently it needs to be changed.  Obviously, stocking density will dramatically affect this.  The more turtles in the tank, the more frequently the water must be changed even with very large volumes.  Feeding frequency also affects water quality.  The more often one feeds, the more often one cleans.  Some foods foul the water quickly.  If turtles are fed in their enclosure the water should be changed within 12 hours of feeding.  The water can be kept cleaner by feeding in a separate container.  Initially some turtles are reluctant to feed in the separate container but can be acclimated to this over time. For smaller setups (10 gallon aquariums or less) one can carry the whole setup to a sink or bathtub for rinsing.  For larger setups one must drain the water.  Portable submersible pumps are ideal.  If a floor drain is present, a drain can be installed in the bottom of the cage, attach a hose and drain the cage by gravity.

It is important to scrub and rinse the cage well to remove residual bacterial growth on all sides.  Abrupt changes in water temperature can kill turtles so make sure the water temperature after cleaning  is similar to what it was prior to cleaning.  Dechlorination of water is not recommended.  Young turtles and those not accustomed to chlorinated water squint their eyes at first but quickly adapt.  Water should be at least as deep as the width of the widest turtle's shell so that if overturned the turtle can right itself and avoid drowning.  

Filtration can decrease the frequency of water changes but not eliminate them.  Keep in mind that even if the water looks clean it can still have a lot of harmful material in it.  The best filters for turtles are external filters, either canister or power lifting hanging types.  The charcoal and filter material/bags must be changes frequently.  The canister types are far more effective but also more expensive.  Under gravel filters are not recommended.  Keep in mind that filtration can decrease the times interval between water changes but must not completely replace them. 

Temperature and Light Requirements          

As well as being clean, the water must be warm: 24-29 C (75-82 F) is recommended for most species.  Submersible aquarium heaters are required and the temperature monitored with liquid crystal display thermometers outside the tank. Don't use one inside the tank. 

A dry "haul-out " area should be present so that turtles can crawl out of the water, dry off and bask.  Basking is a means of behavioral thermoregulation whereby turtles can achieve their preferred optimum body temperature.  Basking areas can be as simple as a flat rock resting on a submerged brick or elaborate platforms can be built with access via a plastic ramp.  The basking area should be large enough for all turtles to completely emerge from the water and secure enough that it won't topple and trap a turtle under water.  Provide a screen over top to prevent escape. 

The enclosure should have a "thermal gradient".  This allows the turtle to thermoregulate and maintain its preferred temperature throughout the day.  Ambient air temperature of 24-29 C (75-82 F) is adequate for most species.  An incandescent 50-150 watt light bulb with a reflector (e.g. a reading lamp) directed towards the basking area will create a hot spot for basking.  Alternatively one can keep the room temperature within this range.  Ultraviolet lights are assumed important for basking species for vitamin D synthesis.  UV lights may not be needed if mice are provided in the diet (mice are a natural source of vitamin D).  A fluorescent black light and a Vita-lite, Chroma 50 or Colortone 50 2 feet or less from the basking area with no glass or plastic between the light and animal will provide full spectrum light.   

Click Here for more information on UltraViolet Light for Reptiles

Diet and Nutrition                  

A balanced diet is very important for good health.  A wide variety of foods should be fed.  Fish (goldfish, guppies, trout, bait minnows, smelt) are all suitable.  Whole fish are better than gutted fish and can be fed chopped or whole.  Most suppliers of feeder fish minimize their feeding to insure good water quality in overcrowded setups.  Ideally, fish should be well fed prior to being fed to turtles.  Freezing for more than 3 days may eliminate transfer of parasites.  Goldfish can be frozen in water in ice cube trays to reduce freezer burn.  Individual ice cubes containing a dozen or so goldfish can be thawed as needed.  Wild caught sticklebacks and mosquito fish should not be fed because they are natural vectors for several serious parasites.  Avoid large quantities of oil laden species such as mackerel, and to a lesser extent smelt and goldfish.  If fed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, frozen fish should not cause any problems.  Fish should not make up the majority of aquatic turtles' diets. 

Chopped or whole baby or chopped, whole, skinned, adult mice are eaten readily by many species.  Baby mice (pinkies) should not be fed exclusively.  Older mice are an excellent source of calcium for shell growth.  Mouse liver is also a good source of vitamin A. Chopped, whole, skinned adult mice are one item that can and should be fed in large quantities. 

Commercial diets such as Trout (or Reptile) Chow, Reptomin Floating Food Sticks, Tender Vittles or Happy Cat semi-moist cat foods, Gaines Burgers semi-moist dog food are all fine in small amounts.  Commercial diets should be soaked until soft before offering them to the turtle.  Patience and persistence is required with commercial diets because acceptance can take several weeks.  Other commercially available turtle diets can also be fed in moderation.  Check the ingredients - desiccated insects are nutritionally inadequate and should not be fed. 

A variety of insects (crickets, wax worms, mealworms, flies, moths, etc.) in moderation are also good but realize insects are calcium deficient.  Most aquatic turtles feed underwater.  Therefore dusting the insects with calcium will do little to enrich their calcium content.  Feeding calcium rich diets to insects for several days will boost their calcium content. 

Earthworms and night crawlers are widely available and nutritious; small turtles often need them chopped.  Lean raw beef, liver, gizzards or chicken can occasionally be fed but are severely calcium deficient unless bone is present.  Liver is a rich source of vitamin A.  Hamburger is not recommended because it is calcium deficient and the high fat content will leave a greasy film on the surface of the water.  Crayfish can injure turtles and transmit disease and should not be fed. 

To summarize, UV lights, proper temperature, and a wide variety of foods are important to ensure proper growth.  Dietary changes are important but acceptance can take weeks.  Don't be discouraged if new foods are tasted and spit out initially - keep trying.

Many sliders and pond turtles become more herbivorous as they reach mature size and grow less rapidly.  Dark leafy vegetables such as kale, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, watercress, endive, bok choy, escarole, spinach and duckweed and fruits such as apples, oranges, carrot, grapes, melons and bananas are taken by some turtles. 

For larger collections, recipes for prepared rations are available. 

Common Health Problems