Archive for the 'Turtle' Category

Musk turtles vary in five different species but the ways in which to care for them are very similar if not the same.

• Musk turtles enjoy swimming so that means they require a slightly large tank to accommodate this hobby. Your aquarium is where your pet turtle will reside for more than twenty years so it is an investment. Hatchlings require a water depth that is open to approximately four inches, while adults will require slightly about twelve inches.
• A good and efficient filtration system is essential to the turtle’s general health and well being. A canister filter will be ideal for an adult turtle’s habitat. To change the water frequently in a baby turtle’s tank, a submersible foam filter, power filter or any filter designed for low levels of water will be better suited for the shallower water.

• Fewer accessories must be put into the tank to make sure it remains cleaner and the number of accessories must be kept to a minimum. Amongst the few accessories that you may put in the aquarium, hiding places such as caves would be ideal for the turtle’s use. You do not need to buy one as a half flower pot will do just as well. If you are artistic you can create your own rock work but just be sure that the rocks are very sturdy to avoid them collapsing on your turtle. [Aquarium Decorations]

The Humane Society of the United States recently reported that the Salmonella bacteria is not only present in food products but can also be caught from turtles and other reptiles, infecting human beings.

Another source, the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that 74000, that is to say 6% of Salmonella outbreaks reported in the United States originate from reptiles and amphibians and that at least four cases of Salmonella infections were associated with turtles.

Unfortunately, although the selling of turtles of less than four inches in length to have been forbidden in the United States since 1975, these exotic pets are still being sold illegally.

Elderly persons, small children and people with weak immune systems are more vulnerable to this infection, which may lead to severe complications. In fact a child died in 2007 having caught the Salmonella bacteria from its pet turtle.

In addition to being a risk for the family’s health, pet turtles belong to the wild and should not be treated as pets.

Keeping them in the house is both detrimental to the environment as well as the animal’s welfare and a danger for the household.

Turtles are most fascinating pets to own, but many people get them without knowing how to care of them.

Caring for pet turtles is not a tough process, because they just require right space, shade, light and moisture for their survival.

You must know the requirements of the pet turtles before you plan to get them.

You have to place the pet turtles outside your home. All the Turtles hibernate in winter season; they won’t hibernate if they are kept inside. Liver diseases will develop if they won’t hibernate properly.

Some people keep the turtles inside their home and use refrigerators in order to make them hibernate. This is not a good process because hibernation in turtles will be interrupted if the refrigerator abruptly rises in temperature or if the power goes off.

Be sure to wash your hands after handling your pet turtles because some turtles do carry “salmonella“. The environment which is present around the turtle must be maintained in clean manner.

You must keep the water fresh and take out the waste present in the water. Try to arrange water filtration systems in the tank of your pet turtles to keep the water clean.