Turtles are interesting pets to own, but many individuals get them not knowing how to care for them. They can not survive unless you provide them with the right amount of space, light and shade and adequate moisture, so you ought to know exactly what they need to live, before you possess one. Because a turtle hides and remains dormant during winter months, they should be kept in the open-air, as they cannot do this if you keep them indoors, which may result in liver complaints. Never tamper with their regular habits, so constructing a pen outdoors would help you create a perfectly natural surroundings for them.
Some people who keep turtles indoors use refrigerators to make them hibernate. This is not advocated though because if the refrigerator suddenly increases in temperature or if the power goes off, their hibernation will be interrupted. This can be fatal for them so if you plan on keeping your pets inside, don’t let them hibernate. In case you are very particular about keeping the turtle indoors, make sure that you build a tank with forty gallon capacity where there are sufficient areas for land and water. The plan of the aquarium should be such that two-thirds of its capability should be water and the balance land, where they can rest in the heat of the lamp. The temperature of the aquarium ideally should be approximately 80 degrees during daylight and 70 degrees during nighttime. Because they are cold-blooded creatures, they would need more time to acclimatize to temperature fluctuations. For this reason, you should not take them out of the tank to play with it as this sudden change in temperature can affect their immune system. Not only should you ensure that you wash your hands after handling turtles, as some carry salmonella, but keep their living environment well sanitized too. Keep the water clean and keep any waste out so it is worth acquiring a water filtration system to keep the water clean. Do not use water from the faucet for filling the tank as it contains chlorine and fluoride both which spoil the ph balance. Use filtered out water for drinking needs and de-chlorinated water for their swimming needs. There are many commercial diets available for turtles but dietary demands differ depending on the species, notwithstanding, you should not provide food for your pet more than 2 to 3 times a week. All care must be taken to avoid wood chips or bark falling in the water as eating these things can make a turtle sick and moreover, these also contaminate the water encouraging the growth of fungus and molds.
Turtles need 12 hours of sunshine so you need to get a UV lamp for your tank to supply the vitamin D3 that sunlight gives off if you keep it inside because they need this to stay healthy. This is why you see these creatures basking in the sun for hours, so when inside keep the tank at a place where there is not much temperature variation and some shady area for them to unwind. Although available at most pet stores, you could also make them at home with wood and stones but if you keep aquatic plants in the tank, make sure that they are not harmful to the creatures. The behavioral pattern of a turtle is very intriguing and then can provide good entertainment for the whole family.