Facts on a Pet Baby Turtle

Habitat

• For both aquatic and terrestrial baby turtles, a 15-gallon aquarium should provide a suitable habitat. Aquatic turtles require mostly water and a basking area where they can retreat from the water and warm up. This can be created by filling the aquarium with about 4 or 5 inches of fresh water and building a slope using gravel, like a mini beach that the turtle can crawl onto when it needs to bask. In a terrestrial turtle's environment, about 1 1/2 inch of non-toxic soil or jungle dirt should be used in lieu of water. The only water in a terrestrial turtle's habitat should be a small dish, shallow enough for the turtle to crawl in and out of, where the baby can soak.

Water Quality

• The water in an aquatic turtle habitat should be fresh and dechlorinated using liquid dechlorinators, which can be found at any pet store. A high-quality filter should also be used to keep the water clean, clear and healthy. A good recommendation is the Whisper 20i in-tank filters, which can be placed directly inside the aquarium and will create a pseudo-waterfall. Turtles tend to defecate in their water, so even with a filter, you should change about 1/3 of the water on a weekly basis and replace the filter's cartridge every two weeks. You should replace the water in a terrestrial turtle's water dish at least once a day, as it can become stagnant.

Heat

• All turtles require a generous amount of heat during the day with a slight drop at night. Use a heat lamp and basking heat bulb, placed over a mesh screen that should serve as the aquarium's lid, to keep the temperature of the habitat about 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. In an aquatic turtle habitat, place the heat lamp over the turtle's basking area. In a terrestrial habitat, place the lamp on one side of the tank. Doing this allows the turtle to have a warm side and a cool side. You should turn the lights off at night, but if the temperature drops below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, it could be dangerous to your turtle. This can be circumvented by employing an adhesive heating pad that sticks to the exterior of the tank and raises the air temperature by a few degrees Fahrenheit. In a terrestrial turtle's habitat, the pad can be stuck to the bottom of the tank. In an aquatic turtle's habitat, place the heating pad on the exterior of the back of the tank; if you place it at the bottom, it will cause stress fractures in the glass because of the water.

Feeding

• Feeding baby turtles can be extremely difficult. Many pet stores sell tiny baby turtle food sticks, most of which contain ground-up fish meal, but many baby turtles, particularly if they were caught from the wild, will not eat them. Instead, you should feed baby aquatic turtles tiny live foods like pinhead crickets, meal worms and wax worms, and you can even cut up nightcrawlers to fit into their mouths. As they grow older, some turtles will even chase after guppies and minnows, which should be able to survive in your terrarium water. Most land turtles are more herbivorous than carnivorous, so dice up tiny portions of fruits, vegetables and other greens into sizes they can fit into their mouths and place the salads on tiny, shallow food dishes. With both types of turtle, make sure to provide a calcium supplement, which can be purchased at a pet store, and sprinkle it onto their food before serving it to them; it will help them develop strong shells.

Lighting

• In order to develop a thick, strong, healthy shell, the baby turtles must have proper exposure to UVB rays. A UVB light bulb, like a fluorescent strip or compact fluorescent bulb, can be used to provide the proper amount of UVB rays. Lights that give off about 5 percent UVB radiation should be adequate and can usually be found in pet stores. Note that UVB lighting is not a substitute for heat lighting, and that both should be used to maintain a healthy environment for your turtle.

Handling

• Baby turtles are known to carry various bacteria, and if they are frightened, they may defecate in your hands. Wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap after handling baby turtles, or any reptiles for that matter.