Terrarium for turtles is designed to imitate the natural habitat of a land or aquatic animal. At home, the content of tortoises is unacceptably free when they simply move along the floor with the rest of the household. This is fundamentally not suitable for them and leads to the risk of injuries and the development of various diseases. How to arrange a house for a reptile, depending on its kind - an urgent issue for breeders-beginners.
Terrariums for red-bellied turtles
Terrarium for waterfowl turtles is, in fact, a large aquarium, only with a land lot for air walks. These animals are demanding of habitat, so you need to carefully approach the question of how to equip the terrarium for the red-bellied turtle. It should be spacious, and it should provide everything to ensure the comfortable life of an exotic pet.
The size of the terrarium for the red-bellied turtle
A water terrarium for a turtle is desirable to choose a glass one - it is durable and through its transparent walls you can observe the life of your pets. Best fit aquariums are flat and wide. Volumes of these directly depend on the size and number of inhabitants. Approximately the ratio of the sizes of aquaterrarium and turtles is:
- length of armor 10 cm - aquarium for 40 liters;
- the length of the individual is 20 cm - the aquarium is 80-100 liters;
- Two turtles in one aquarium - the volume of the tank is 120-150 liters.
Equipment for a turtle terrarium
Required equipment in the terrarium for turtles:
- internal and external filters;
- incandescent lamp 40 W;
- UVB UVB lamp 5%;
- water heater;
- gangway for access to land.
Filters for the turtle terrarium of the turtle are necessary to maintain the purity and freshness of the water. They are similar to those found in aquariums with fish. In addition to filtration, the water in the aquaterrarium needs to be changed by a third 2 times a week - this will reduce the concentration of organic compounds that are dangerous for turtles. A water heater is needed to maintain a comfortable temperature (22-28 ° C), since red-eared turtles are related to heat-loving individuals. The role of the heater can be played by a glass tube with a built-in thermostat.
Filler for turtle terrarium
The so-called land in the aquarium should consist of a large pebble or just smooth stones, piled with a hill. To protect pebbles or sand from wetting it is possible by means of a rim made of glass glued to the sealant. Be sure to provide a terrarium for the aquatic turtle, along which it will be convenient to go out on a hard surface. On the water part of the terrarium, the role of the bottom filler can also play pebbles. The ratio of land and water in the aquatic terrarium should be 20% / 80%. At the same time, all inhabitants should get places for simultaneous accommodation on the islet.
Lamps for terrarium for turtles
Fixtures for terrarium for turtles need to be installed above the land lot - here the animals will bask in the sun. Heat from the incandescent lamp is necessary for the red-bellied turtles to activate their immunity. UV lamp is also needed to obtain vitamin D - a very important turtle for the shell, without which it will begin to deform. Shine the lamps should be about 12 hours a day.
Decor of the terrarium of turtles
As decorations for an aquarium, you can use plants, decorative stones, driftwood . If the turtle terrarium is large, you can additionally decorate it with underwater locks and other aquarium decorations. It is important at the same time that all objects are made of safe materials that do not emit harmful substances, have no sharp corners and were not too small to prevent the possibility of swallowing them.
Terrariums for land tortoises
Newly-born owners of such a pet naturally raise the question of how to equip a terrarium for a land tortoise so that it has everything necessary for its long and healthy life. It should be a separate and rather large in size box of glass, plastic or plexiglass with all the necessary equipment. You can do it yourself, order specialists or purchase a ready-made version.
The size of the terrarium for the land tortoise
Depending on the number and size of animals, the terrarium size for land tortoises will vary. Thus, for one small turtle (6-15 cm in length) space of 60x50x40 cm will suffice. If there are two such babies, then their house dimensions increase to 50x50x100 cm. If the number of inhabitants increases or their size increases, the terrarium should grow proportionally. Simply, you can calculate the required size, based on 2-6 sizes of the tortoise in width and length.
How to equip a turtle terrarium?
When we decided on the size and material of the turtle terrarium, it's time to start filling it up. So, what should the tortoise have in the terrarium:
- incandescent lamp or infrared lamp for heating air;
- UVB lamp UVB 5-10% (special for terrariums);
- thermometer for monitoring the air temperature, which must not fall below 25 ° C;
- soil (pebbles, sawdust, sand and their combination);
- a house (a shelter where the tortoise can retire);
- place for feeding (saucer or large flat stone);
- bathing place (shallow reservoir).
Ground for the tortoise in the terrarium
Reflecting on how to equip a turtle terrarium, we immediately imagine a cozy bedding of natural materials like pebbles or wood chips. Grunt, by the way, performs not only an aesthetic function, it helps to absorb liquid living products of an animal and helps to keep its limbs without abrasions and deformations when moving on the bottom. The best filler options in the terrarium for turtles:
- Olive chips. It does not dust, has a sharp odor, does not threaten a pet with splinters. The cost of such a filler is low and you can buy it at any pet store or in a supermarket in the "All for Picnic" type department.
- Straw or hay. You can independently stock up the grass from summer and dry it. Such a filler, if desired, the turtle can even grab a bite.
- Pebbles. Smooth and without sharp edges, it should be larger than a turtle's head, so that it can not be swallowed. The stones are useful because they are naturally clawed. In addition, for a day she warms up from the lamp and gives her warmth during the night. Pebbles can be collected at the bottom of a pond or bought at a pet store. Before filling in the terrarium, the stones need to be burned in the oven well for disinfection.
- Sawdust and sand. Not the best of the options, because they are easy to swallow, which is not useful for turtle health. In addition, both fillers strongly dust, and when wet they can lead to catarrhal diseases. On the other hand, these types of soil are affordable and absorb the liquid excrement of animals well. Alternatively, sawdust and sand can be used in combination with other types of soil.
Lamp for terrarium with turtle
A home terrarium for turtles should be equipped with two lamps - with a heating lamp and with an ultraviolet lamp. Since the turtle needs heat very much, a heating lamp is necessary for it. This can be a conventional incandescent lamp or a special lamp without visible light (infrared). It is located 30 cm from the bottom of the terrarium. Under it the air should be warmed up to + 32 ° С. Adjust this figure by changing the lamp power. The heating lamp should be hung in the opposite corner from the shelter, so that the turtle could feel the contrast of the temperatures in these zones.
Ultraviolet lamp is especially necessary for land tortoises for better assimilation of calcium, which is important for the strength of the shell and limbs. Without such a lamp, the bones become brittle, and the shell is heavily deformed. They are installed depending on the type (compact or tube-tube T5, T8) or in a regular base, or in the grooves of a special plafond. If the lamp is mercury, it is connected via a special starter.
Home turtle terrarium - decor
As an ornament in the terrarium for land tortoises, you can use clay hides (a typical flower pot), beautiful pebbles, expressive snags, backdrops for photographs, real and artificial plants. The most beautiful terrariums for turtles - it's still glass, because through the walls they can clearly see its internal content and the reptiles themselves.