TURTLE HUSBANDRY

Husbandry is the care and maintenance of your pet, and this is a very important part of captive turtle/tortoise care. Turtles and tortoises have not had the thousands of years of domestication that dogs and cats have had to develop into a pet. As a result, they are truly wild and need to be handled as such. The majority of health problems we see captive turtles/tortoises for revolve around nutrition and cage life. A well maintained environment helps keep your pet free of parasites, encourages normal eating and stimulates normal behavior.

Diet Preferences of Selected Chelonians

• Aldabra tortoise, Desert tortoise, Gopher tortoise, Hermann’s tortoise, Spur-thighed tortoise: grasses, alfalfa, clover, dichondra, mulberry leaves, grape leaves, hibiscus flowers
  
• Alligator snapping turtle: fish, insects, worms, slugs, snails
  
• Box turtle: vegetables, fruits (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, melons), flowers, insects, worms, slugs, snails, fish
  
• Map turtle* , Mud turtle, Painted turtle* ,Pond turtle* , Red-eared slider turtle, Snapping turtle: fish, insects, worms, slugs, snails, water plants.
  
  * Juveniles are more carnivorous than adults.

Environmental Requirements for Selected Chelonians

Species	Temp. *ºF	Rel. humidity%	Habitat
Spur-thighed tortoise	66.9-80.4	10-50	terrestrial
Common box turtle	75.0-82.6	60-80	semi-aquatic
Red-eared slider turtle	66.7-71.6		aquatic

Housing

• All Terrapin species require a predominantly aquatic environment with a dry "haul out" area that is heated.
  
• The enclosure depends on the species: glass/Plexiglas aquarium, galvanized livestock pen or wire caging, or even fenced outdoor enclosures may be used.
  
• All housing must facilitate sanitation and should be easy to clean.
  
• Box turtles like to spend a considerable time each day partially immersed in water to a depth of approximately 5 cm; therefore the water area of the enclosure must be large.
  
• The habitat should be constructed so turtle/tortoise can climb in and out of water easily.
  
• A filtration system is necessary to keep the water clean; it is preferred to have frequent complete water changes.
  
• The water should have a thermostatically controlled water heater to provide preferred optimum temperature range for turtles kept inside during the winter.
  
• The general habitat can be heated by radiant heat sources such as heat strips or pads under or on one side of habitat, and should be designed to provide hiding areas, basking area and feeding area.
  
• The basking place can be heated with an overhead radiant heat source or sunlamp with ultraviolet spectrum; the heat source for basking should be recessed from above to prevent burning.
  
• It may be advisable to have a separate smaller tank for feeding. The turtle should be rinsed clean and returned to its primary enclosure.
  
• Full spectrum lighting is necessary; sunlight is best in normal photoperiods.
  
• Box turtles also like to bury themselves in leaf litter, so this may be provided in a corner of the pen.
  
• Acceptable substrates: newspaper, alfalfa pellets, large gravel.
  
• Unacceptable substrates: sand, ground corncobs, walnut shell, artificial grasses, wood chips, aquarium gravel, pea gravel—anything that can be ingested and cause impaction; cedar chips may cause toxicity.
  
• Aquarium plants (plastic) can be used to decorate habitat if they are easy to clean.
  

Information taken from The Exotic Companion Medicine Handbook for Veterinarians.

The Animal Health Clinic recommends annual wellness visits for all turtles. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at: 701-237-9310