[The picture is from YouTube,the copyright belongs to the original author]

Many cute baby turtles have recently hatched and become available. Many friends feel tempted to buy a few. But proper turtle care is not as simple as just giving food and fresh water.

Based on their behavior and appearance, common pet turtles fall into three groups: water turtles, semi-water turtles, and land turtles.

Water turtles love living in water. The Brazilian turtle is small, with a shell about 15 to 25 centimeters. It is very colorful, with a reddish-brown or green back and a yellow belly. It is active and easy to care for, making it great for beginners. The Chinese pond turtle has a dark-green or black shell and a light-yellow underside, with yellow stripes on its legs. It is gentle and handles cold well, suitable for indoor care. The alligator turtle is quite large. Some grow over 60 centimeters. Its shell is thick, and its head looks somewhat like an alligator's. It is rather fierce, so keep it alone. Do not mix it with other turtles.

Semi-water turtles can swim in water and rest on land. The yellow-throated temple turtle has a yellow-green or olive shell, a light-yellow underside, and a yellow-brown head. It is gentle and adaptable, good for new owners. The yellow-margined box turtle has a yellow-green or dark-green shell, with red on its underside and shell edges, and yellow stripes on its head. It is active and interactive, but needs high humidity and warmth. The map turtle has irregular, map-like patterns on its shell, and the colors vary. They are lively and need a large space with clean water.

Land turtles live entirely on land. The Hermann's tortoise is small, with a shell about 15 to 20 centimeters. Its shell is olive or black, with yellow or orange spots on its belly. It is gentle and adaptable, suitable for indoor keeping. The leopard tortoise has a yellow or light-brown shell with black or dark-brown leopard-like spots. It is active and likes a larger space and dry surroundings. The African spurred tortoise is very big, with a shell that can grow over 70 centimeters. Its shell is light-gray or black, with clear scales on its belly. They are lively but need high heat and humidity.

[The picture is from PetSmart,the copyright belongs to the original author]

Important points for raising turtles:

Pick healthy turtles

Healthy turtles are bright-colored, move quickly, and have no wounds or odd fluids. Avoid turtles that look sick, have half-closed eyes, or are very thin. Choose turtles larger than 5 centimeters. Smaller ones are harder to raise.

Home environment

Turtles can live inside or outside, but they need enough room to move. Different turtles need different settings, so research first. Usually, spring and fall are the best seasons for raising turtles. Winter is poor because they hibernate.

Turtle tank

The turtle tank should be roomy to allow movement. It must have both water and dry land so turtles can swim and sunbathe. Keep the water in the tank clean to stop harmful waste buildup. When adding water, the depth should be about three times the turtle's shell height. You can add water plants, sand, and rocks.

Do not use round containers for turtles. Round containers do not suit them. It makes them always want to climb out and can confuse their direction sense. Using a round bowl, a round tank, or a fish tank with very shallow water, like 10 centimeters, will surely make the turtle uneasy. It will keep trying to escape and dislike its home. To keep turtles content and healthy, pick a spacious rectangular container. Set the water level and surroundings properly. These basic needs must be met.

Water temperature

Do not use warm water, hot water, or very cold water for raising or cleaning turtles. It can give them pneumonia or cause stress. A big water temperature change really harms turtles. In fact, water temperature is the key factor deciding if turtles will eat. If the water temperature is wrong, even a starving turtle will not eat. This is a physical trait of all turtles.

The best water temperature is about 25 degrees. It feels not cold and not hot, like summer drinking water or pool water. This temperature is ideal for turtle activity and eating. Remember to change water regularly and clean the turtle container thoroughly to maintain water cleanliness. Also, when changing water, keep the temperature steady. Otherwise, turtles may get sick.

Change water regularly

Water quality is vital for turtle health. Remember to change water regularly to keep it clear. How often you change water depends on tank size, filter performance, and turtle count. Usually, change water once per week.

Diet

Turtles eat both plants and meat. They like meat, vegetables, and fruit. For good health, their diet should be varied. You can feed them fish, shrimp, snails, insects, water plants, or store-bought turtle food. Do not feed them salty foods or foods containing salt, like salted dried shrimp, dried fish, or sausage. Otherwise, they will swell up and harm their kidneys. Turtles must avoid salt.

Sunlight

Turtles need sunlight to make vitamin D for calcium absorption. Without direct sun, you can use an ultraviolet lamp instead. Ensure they get enough sun daily to prevent metabolism issues and other health problems.

[The picture is from Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital,the copyright belongs to the original author]

Methods for maintaining water quality when raising turtles:

Change water often

Change the water when it looks dirty. Many turtle owners do this, and it works fast. But while effective, it has downsides. Daily water changes are bothersome, especially in summer when turtles eat and poop more, dirtying the water quickly. With many or large turtles, it becomes a huge chore. Actually, too-frequent water changes harm turtles. Turtles are sensitive to environmental changes. Frequent water changes that alter temperature can cause sickness, like colds, stomach issues, or skin diseases. So, while water changes maintain cleanliness, be careful not to overdo it.

Add a filter

If you dislike daily water changes, another choice is adding a filter. Fish owners know a filter is essential equipment. But for turtle tanks, the effect is less obvious, mainly for two reasons: turtle waste is solid, and the water is shallow with dead spots.

Turtle droppings are larger and harder than fish waste, making them hard for filters to remove completely, so the water stays unclear. Turtle water is usually not deep, and features like basking platforms obstruct water flow, reducing filter effectiveness. But filters still help. A powerful filter with a good nitrification system can basically maintain water quality. If you prefer a simple setup, a basic top-filter also aids water circulation and freshness.

Ecosystem

Why can pond water stay clean without changes? Because a pond has a full ecosystem. We can copy this method and build an ecosystem to maintain water quality, but this approach has limits.

Building an ecosystem requires a large turtle environment. A small fish tank will not work. There must be enough space for the ecological chain to function. Besides turtles, you must add water plants, fish, shrimp, and other life. This needs proper light, temperature, and oxygen conditions. Otherwise, these organisms will not survive, and the ecosystem will fail. The ecosystem's key is a closed loop: turtles eat fish and shrimp, leftover waste is eaten by fish and shrimp, residues are absorbed by plants, and plants give oxygen to fish and shrimp via photosynthesis. If one part fails, the whole system breaks.

When you start raising turtles, you might face small issues, especially with water quality. But do not lose heart. I recall when I first raised a turtle, it caught a cold from a water temperature shift during a change. I felt very confused and clumsy then. But with more experience, you will find turtles are actually quite tough. Watching them paddle their little feet in the water or squint in the sun brings a healing feeling that makes all your effort worthwhile.