Ultimate Reptile Suppliers

Care Information

We have care information to help ensure that you look after your animals. Please browse through the care sheets listed below. If you have any questions or need information from Ultimate Reptile Suppliers phone 08 8262 9162 or fax 08 8262 9164 or email us.

Care of Young Turtles

Caging
Aquariums are ideal for keeping young turtles. The easiest way to adapt your basic aquarium for young turtles is by gluing a smooth edged piece of glass, the same size as the width of the inside of the aquarium, and only a quarter of the length. You can use a silicone rubber sealant to glue the glass together. Also glue a small piece of glass to the edge of your platform, to form a lip, for easy access in and out of the water. This platform is your dry area. The water level should always be right up to the platform as turtles can not jump!

Hygiene
Hygiene is very Important! You must install an aquarium water filter, to keep the water clean. The water will also have to maintain a neutral level of pH 7, to reduce disease. A pH testing kit, together with chemicals to adjust the pH level, can be purchased from most pet shops.

All young turtles must be kept in heated water with the ideal temperature being 22-25 degrees celsius, at low temperatures they do not eat or their food is not digested properly, and in winter, they might even hibernate, which can be very dangerous for young animals. At high temperatures they will over heat and painfully die, so the addition of an electric glass tube-type aquarium heater is ideal for keeping the water heated. This will have a thermostat built in to maintain the desired water temperature but a water thermometer should also be added in the event that the thermostat malfunctions.

Aquarium pebbles are fine for on the bottom of the aquarium. Remember, if it is basic then it is easy to clean.

Clean Your Aquarium Regularly!

Ultraviolet Light must be provided for proper shell formation. Reptistar or Reptisun 5.0 UVB tubes aid in preventing soft shell problems in captive turtles. They also help in all round growth and health. Reptisun 5.0 and fixtures are available through URS (Ultimate Reptile Suppliers) in a variety of sizes. Lighting fixtures should be mounted to the lid of the enclosure and the tubes should be renewed every 6 to 12 months. Even though they still show visible light, the UV output has a limited life.

Only have these lights turned on during daylight hours to simulate day.

Do not ever put the aquarium into the direct sunlight as the water and turtle could over heat and the turtle will die. Ultraviolet tubes imitate the sun and are not harmful.

Food
It is very important to provide young turtles with a variety of nutritious foods. They grow rapidly and need a good diet so they can produce a strong shell. Food should be cut up into tiny pieces and it is best to provide as much variety as possible. It is also important that you feed the turtle in a small container of the water they have been kept in but outside of the tank (for example, an ice cream container). This will cut down on pollutants into the main tank.

These foods are suitable: Raw lean meat (e.g. steak with the fat removed, lambs heart), Raw fish, Mealworms and Earthworms ( chopped ), Pond-snails, Mosquito larvae ( wrigglers ) and Aquatic Turtle food (available through URS) which is vitamin enriched floating pellet food for turtles. It is a low protein food and the pellets float on the surface of the water. Vitamins are also an important part of your turtles diet if not using a supplemented food. In this case, vitamin supplement should be given weekly. Also, turtle and tortoise conditioner blocks can be added to the water to increase the turltes health. Also try to establish various Water Plants as with these plants you will find small invertebrates upon which the turtles will feed. Appropriate aquatic plants are usually sold in most pet shops.

Feed turtles daily for the first few months, decreasing to three times weekly at two years of age.

Fungal Infections in Young turtles
Young turtles sometimes develop a Fungal Infection. This requires immediate treatment from the Vet. It spreads rapidly to the internal organs and is Fatal if left untreated. Fungus looks like small, white spots on the turtles Head and Limbs. The spots grow into round, white patches. The turtle becomes listless, and may refuse to eat.

Remember, if you see any of the above signs seek Immediate Veterinary Treatment.

Turtles are a protected species in Australia and you may need to obtain a Licence to keep them. Check with your state National Parks and Wildlife.

For any other information phone or fax Ultimate Reptile Suppliers on 08 8262 9162, you can also Email us.

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