Many people have turtles as pets. They are quite exotic, unpretentious in care, do not take up too much space. However, many beginners who decide to start them have a question - how much do these or those turtles need water?
Land turtles
Land turtles should be kept in a terrarium. They do not need to drink - you can put a shallow bathtub for bathing, since land turtles can absorb moisture with all their skin, or you can simply bathe it yourself about once a week. The water should reach about 2/3 of the lying turtle so that it does not accidentally choke, and you should also not wash it under a constant stream of water.
The most popular land turtle for home keeping is the Central Asian turtle (Testudo horsfieldii). The reptile reaches 25 centimeters in length, the color of the skin and shell is yellow-olive.
The turtle's diet should contain fresh fruits and vegetables, greens. Do not forget about a drinking bowl with clean water - it is best to place it so that the turtle cannot accidentally turn it over. It is advisable to change the water every day.
Aquatic turtles
Aquatic turtles, as their name implies, live mainly in water. There should be about two-thirds of it in the aquarium, the rest will be land. There should also be soil at the bottom.
A popular aquatic species, the red-eared turtle (Trachemys scripta), is a predator at a young age. The ideal food for her is live fish.
Many water turtles are very fond of sometimes getting ashore and basking. They eat exclusively protein foods, which they can catch in water. The water should be changed periodically, and the aquarium itself should be cleaned of dirt. It would be ideal to use special filters that purify water from waste products.
General Tips
For both types of turtles, the water must be clean, free of impurities. You should not take it from the tap if you are not sure about the quality of the tap water - this can harm your turtle. Also, the water should be warm - reptiles are cold-blooded animals, which means they hibernate in the cold. It is necessary to ensure that the water is heated to the temperature required for a particular species of turtles, most often 25-30 degrees.
Most turtles need to have their nails trimmed regularly if they are overgrown and interfere with your pet's movement. Aquatic turtles molt - the upper layer of the plates that make up the shell peels off. No need to worry, this is completely natural and painless for turtles.
Of course, there is a special approach to each species of turtles, but everyone, without exception, needs water to exist, so take care of its worthy quality.
