All Turtles Are Sold Only For:
Educational, Scientific or Export Purposes
Water Hygiene and
Sanitation for your Turtle
Problems Requiring Veterinary Attention (nutritional Disorders)
The Turtle Man
E-Mail: To Order Or For My Location
Care of Water Turtles
Housing
The type and size of enclosures used depend upon the species, number and size of the water turtles to be housed. Hatchlings can be kept indoors in small aquariums. Older or larger specimens require a large aquarium or an outdoor pond (cement or plastic-lined). Contact the organizations and associations listed at the end of this pamphlet for further information on pond construction.
Careful attention must be paid to filtration systems, cleaning requirements, and ease of draining water from ponds used to house water turtles. Rigid molded plastic swimming pools for children are also suitable for housing water turtles, provided they are adequately equipped with a filtration system and a means to replenish water.
Any enclosure should provide adequate room for swimming and sufficient dry area for resting and sunning. Providing a dry, non-submerged area is very important. Water turtles, especially juveniles, can become exhausted and drown when no such dry area is provided. Very small water turtles can be provided with a piece of partially submerged wood or cork bark onto which they can crawl for basking or under which they can hide. Larger and heavier water turtles require a more solid and immovable basking area on which to completely crawl out of the water and rest.
A platform of flat rocks or bricks can be fashioned or a ribbed wooden platform, the surface of which rests just above the water's surface, can be provided for basking. Any wooden platform must have a substantially weighted base so it does not topple over. Driftwood, provided it is well anchored, can also be used for resting and basking, and is a visually appealing addition to an enclosure.
If an aquarium is used to house a water turtle, one end can be used for a basking area. A pane of glass can be inserted into the aquarium to divide it. About two-thirds of the available area can be allocated for swimming and about one-third of the area for basking. Gravel can be used to fill the basking side. Green plants can also be planted or placed in this area, if desired. A small ramp made of wood or plastic can be attached to the dividing pane of glass to allow the turtle easy access to the basking area. This area is also advantageous for breeding female turtles because it gives them a suitable area for laying their eggs.
The bottom covering for the enclosure must be carefully selected for the species being housed, and must be non-toxic and non-abrasive. Soft shelled turtles (family Trionychidae) like to borrow and require very fine sand at a depth that allows near total covering of the upper shell. Small rocks should never be used because they can be swallowed, resulting in damage or impaction to the intestinal tract.
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