What Do Baby Turtles Need?

Turtles can make great pets. They have enthralled enthusiasts all over the world and are even considered sacred animals by some religions. Although their popularity as a pet continues to increase, the mortality rate for baby turtles is still very high. The reason for this is because caring for baby turtles is a lot more complex and involved than many people realize. There are also some health issues to be considered, especially when purchasing baby turtles as pets for children. Turtles can carry the salmonella bacterium and can pass it on to humans.

  1. Feeding Baby Land Turtles

    • Hatchlings often don't eat a lot for the first week or two as they depend still on their yolk. This can sustain them quite well so this lack of interest in food should not cause concern right away. Small mealworms, blood worms and black worms are a good first food for most turtles as these foods are high in proteins. As baby turtles grow so do their appetite and soon they will be eating fruits and vegetables as well as earth worms and other insects.

    Feeding Baby Water Turtles

    • Aquatic turtles often have a very similar diet to land turtles but often like to eat their food in the water. Regardless of the type of turtle that is acquired it is always best to check with a veterinarian as to what would be the best diet for that baby turtle. Species that eat fruits prefer melon, strawberries, apples, pears and grapes. Their choices of vegetables include kale, romaine lettuce and spinach. For some aquatic turtles live baby shrimp and krill is often fed with much success.

    Heaters And Lights

    • Whether or not to put a heater in the tank with your baby turtle depends on where that particular species originates from. Most turtles that come from temperate regions do not need a heater as it often reaches near freezing in their natural environment and this atmosphere should be simulated as best as possible. Baby turtles from tropical regions will probably need a heater and again it will depend upon the species as to how high the temperature should be set.
      Turtles are cold blooded which means they need external heat to warm their blood. This usually comes in the form of sunlight but can be reproduced with the use of heating and basking lamps. Another form of light that is required is a florescent bulb that gives off ultra violet light, as this promotes the processing of Vitamin D in the turtle.

    Filters

    • Filters help keep the water cleaner for longer, reducing the amount of time spent on tank cleaning. They also provide a small current for the turtles to swim in. Make sure to get size appropriate filters for the turtles and tank. Many filters can have a powerful water intake which can trap some weaker hatchlings.

    Aquarium

    • When setting up an aquarium it is important to remember to plan to give at least half of the available space over to water and the other half to basking areas and land. Plants can make an aquarium look nice but more often than not they will be destroyed or eaten by the turtles. Rock formations should be cemented together so there is no danger that they will fall and injure the baby turtles. The turtles should be protected from lamps or heaters so they don't burn themselves and the air and water temperature should be approximately the same.