Water Treatments and Accessories #1
Water Treatments and Accessories #3
Water Treatments and Accessories #5
Equipment #1
Reptile and Amphibian Items #1
Reptile and Amphibian Items #2
Reptile and Amphibian Items #3
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Caution should be used when handling freshwater turtles (especially the large ones - to ensure you are not injured). They do not enjoy being handled and some will scratch and bite to encourage you to release them, sometimes injuring the keeper. Small turtles can become stressed and eventually die is over handled - what feels good and comforting for you can be frightening and stressful for your turtle. Never handle turtles with hands suffering skin conditions which could be passed along - ESPECIALLY WARTS - which will produce internally in your turtle and can kill them.
License and regulations: To keep Australian species of freshwater turtles you must first obtain a license/permit (Reptiles) from Qld Department of Environment.
Indoor - Baby turtles (hatchlings) start about the size of a 5c piece and are usually for sale when they are around a 20-50c piece size. These can be house easily in a 3ft (90cm) to 4ft (120cm) tank. Tank size needs to adjust to house the turtle/s as they grow. The tank needs to incorporate a dry area - floating rock, log, island or a large aquarium decoration which allows the turtle to climb out and become completely dry (as he/she wants to). Freshwater turtles require a large swimming area as well as an area where they can become completely dry. Any semi-submerged log or rocks need to be set up do they cannot be knocked or roll over and trap and drown your turtle. Small pots, caves or plants can be use to create 'hides and territories' for your turtles - this reduces stress for the animal.
Turtles require added calcium to their water, this with UV light protects against soft shell and death. Add Calgrit to tank for calcium. Calcium (calgrit = shell grit) can also use cuttle-fish (remove tough edges) or Turtle GH condition as per instructions on the bottle.
Heat sources should always be attached to a thermostat. Never overheat freshwater turtles - you may kill them. The thermostat probe should be placed over or directly below the heat source and set to the highest temp for your turtle. This allows a 5 percent gradient in the enclosure and the turtle can choose the temperature it requires. Turtles are usually kept between 24-28 degrees C.
Immature and injured turtles should be kept heated throughout winter months. Turtles should have access (when indoors) to a UV light source. This tube needs to be replaced every 6 months - even though it still lights up it no longer produces UV effectively. It is recommended that UV light is required for 12 hours/day during summer months and 6-12 hours/day in winter months.
Turtles thrive with a biological water filtration system (reduces toxic nitrogen compounds). A popular biofilter indoors is the canister filter. When topping up the water, no more than 25% exchange and no more frequently than bi-monthly. Use a water conditions if using tap water. Changes ion water quality can cause Fungus - looks like white spotting or clumping on their feet, joints and other parts - can be treated easily with MelaFix - daily dosing the water once/day for 7 days (as per bottle instructions).
Turtles are opportunistic feeders and tend to gorge themselves whenever food is made available. They never appear to be full. Unfortunately, like humans, overeating presents them with health problems. They grow too fast for development, and they turn excess food into fat and store it around their vital organs - ie heart.
A good size meal for a turtle is either: a meal the size of it's head every second day - OR - a meal half the size of its head once a day.
Generally speaking - Long necked turtles are carnivorous and any plant material they ingest is simply accidental. As they 'strike' at their food,mouth open and sucking in all in front of them, some vegetable matter may be ingested, Target foods are: shrimp, small feeder fish, small crickets, lean mince, frozen turtle dinner or blood worms, garden worms, mealworms (freshly shed), and freshwater aquarium snails.
Short-necked turtles (especially Kreeft's and Macquarie's) will eat all of the above elodea and Vallisneria (aquarium plants), peas, banana (mashed or cut finely),pear, watermelon, mango, strawberries - most soft fruits. Saw shelled turtles may be interested in all of the above foods or may be more carnivorous.
Penny Turtles: Penny turtles do not exist as a breed. They are baby or hatchlings and will grow according to the breed in the same way that puppies grow according to the size of the breed they are.
