Have you found any pet turtles in the pet store and want to bring them home? Well, you can easily know what is the best and how you can keep them easily at home through the content that is mentioned below.
Box turtles are also regarded as excellent pets only if the users are aware of how they are to be kept. So being a good owner it is the duty that they do optimum research to keep their pet healthy.
Contents
Box Turtle: Buying guide
It is very important to take care of the pets along with keeping them in the box. For a box turtle, the setup is complicated and the diet should be specific so that the pet remains healthy. Also, before the pet owners decide to buy pet turtles they need to see the guidelines for how they can be taken care of.
The box turtle can live for a number of decades but for this, you need to have the commitment and a sense of responsibility. So the owners need to know what should a box turtle owner do.
Important tips while purchasing box turtles
- Reputable stores and breeders are the best choices always.
- Turtle should not be brought from the wild for the purpose of pet.
- The wild turtles can also carry parasites along with them so make sure you avoid bringing them home and along with those infections too.
- The wild turtles aren’t meant for captivity and might get under stress.
- Do not order online, this is because if you o not see your pet in person you won’t know if it is healthy or not.
- Also, turtles are not suitable for everyone, this is because they carry infections along with them. Also, the risk of disease is too high in children because they do not wash their hands after coming in contact with the turtle.
- Moreover, you need to prepare a time commitment for taking care of the turtle.
Handling of turtles
We know that every turtle has the ability to carry the salmonella and can also transfer the disease to others. So it is better to handle the turtle properly.
The first and the most important thing that you need to know while handling the box turtle is that whenever you clean the tank you should be sure about cleaning your hands. Along with that wherever you clean the tank, clean that surface as well.
This is because if you do not do so, you might come in contact with salmonella and this can lead to a disease called salmonellosis. Also, these diseases are caused when the faeces come in contact with the bacteria. Also, your turtle is not going to show the signs of this disease and it will become difficult for you to know.
Housing the box turtle
The box turtles can live safely as long as the temperature does not drop below 50 degrees F. The enclosure or the pen should have walls that are 18 inches tall and also have an overhang to prevent the turtles from climbing up the walls. Also, it should have areas that are sunny as well as shady, some places that can be used to hide and some access to the water dish as well. Along with this, it should be such that it is protected from predators. You can learn How To Set Up A Box Turtle Tank properly?
If you are not able to keep your turtle outdoors then try that you can do this for at least a certain part of the year. This is because the box turtles won’t thrive if they are only kept inside. Also, prefer a terrarium that is at least 40 gallons. Most of the owners turn the pools, tubs and sandboxes for housing the turtle. But for an indoor setup, it will need enough space and the environment. Also, player a heat source some hiding places and along with that a water dish.
Also, the box turtles also hibernate if the temperature is low so you need to see that the temperature is appropriate. It is seen that if an unhealthy turtle will hibernate it will get sick and might not be able to fight the sickness.
Heat
The box turtles need a temperature of about 70-80 degrees and they also require a basking spot. The temperature of the basking spot should be 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. So, you can go for a basking temperature of about 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, go for the basking lamp and the heat emitters that help in regulating the temperatures.
Light
The UVB lighting is very necessary for the turtles. This is because it helps in metabolising calcium. Also, if there is not enough calcium then the turtle might suffer metabolic boke disease and might also die. The turtles need about 12 hours of UVB lighting and this can be obtained from a UVB lamp or even through natural sunlight. Also, when you are indoors make sure that you turn off the lamp at night.
Humidity
A humidity level of around 60 degrees is preferred. This can be maintained by misting daily. Also, a substrate can be added.
The substrate is the material that is used at the bottom of the enclosure. It helps in maintaining the humidity levels and also provide the benefit of burrowing to the turtles.
Also, it makes the enclosure look natural and the turtles find the atmosphere similar to that of their habitat. Most of the owners prefer to have chemical-free topsoil, moss and leaves. Make sure you layer it in a way that the turtle can burrow for 4 inches.
What food to bring for the box turtle?
Food and water are the top things that should be on the list when you are thinking of keeping a turtle. The box turtles are omnivores in nature and they prefer to have a varied diet. Fresh vegetables, insects, meat, a low-fat diet, and a lot of things can be offered. A lot of commercial diets are also there that you can give along with the fresh food.
Conclusion:
The box turtles are also good pets but there are important things that you need to consider while you are buying these. The young turtles prefer feeding every 24 hours but the elder ones might eat skipping a day or so. So, it is important that the pet owners consult the doctors and provide the food in the required proportion on a plate and water on a shallow dish in the enclosure.
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