How to Keep My Turtle Warm

Turtles are cold-blooded creatures and need a warm environment to regulate body temperature and remain healthy. Aquatic turtles rely on the temperature of aquarium water and a basking light to stay warm. Terrestrial turtles and tortoises live in a dry vivarium and require an external heat source such as a ceramic heater to stay warm. Before you set up your pet turtle's home, you must research the particular needs of your species because different types of turtle require different habitats and heating methods.

Things You'll Need

  • Ceramic heater and bulb
  • T8 tube lamp and starter unit (optional)
  • Electronic reptile thermostat
  • Aquarium with integral lighting
  • Basking lamp and bulb (optional)
  • Aquarium heater
  • Aquarium thermometer
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Instructions

  1. Heating a Terrestrial Turtle's Vivarium

    • 1

      Select a wooden vivarium of an appropriate size for your terrestrial turtle or tortoise. Turtles rely on an external heat source to regulate body temperature so you must keep one end of the vivarium warm and the other cool, so your pet can experience a thermal gradation.

    • 2

      Choose an infra-red ceramic heat lamp or a T8 tube lamp and starter unit. Ceramic heaters emit heat through infrared rays and T8 lamps are long fluorescent tubes attached to a starter unit outside the vivarium. Both types of heater are suitable for terrestrial turtles when linked to a temperature-regulating thermostat to prevent overheating.

    • 3

      Screw the ceramic heater inside the the vivarium at one end, out of your turtle's reach. Run the cable out through a vent and plug the heater into a reptile thermostat. Set the temperature to the required level. Alternatively, for a T8 unit, attach the lamp-holding clips to the back wall of the vivarium and snap in the fluorescent strip light. Run the cable out of a vent and plug the unit into the thermostat.

    • 4

      Set the thermostat to the required temperature for your species of turtle and switch on the heater. The thermostat will automatically shut off if your vivarium becomes too warm, keeping your turtle safe from overheating.

    Heating an Aquatic Turtle's Aquarium

    • 5

      Choose a submersible aquarium heater of an appropriate wattage for your turtle's aquarium. The volume of your tank dictates the size of heater required to heat the water efficiently. All brands of heater indicate a recommended tank volume on the box, enabling you to select the correct size.

    • 6

      Attach the heater inside the aquarium on the back wall using the suction pads provided. Make sure the heater is fully submerged and in a diagonal position for optimum heat distribution. Set the heater thermostat to the required temperature for your species of turtle and switch it on.

    • 7

      Install a basking lamp at one end of the aquarium over the dry land area of your setup if your tank does not have integral lighting. In the wild, turtles bask under the sun on a warm rock, and pet turtles like to come out of their water and dry themselves on a flat rock. Most modern aquariums have built-in lighting and this serves the purpose adequately, keeping an aquatic turtle warm out of the water.

    • 8

      Stick an aquarium thermometer on the front of your tank. Monitor the thermometer and adjust the heater's thermostat to achieve the correct water temperature for your species. As a guide, aquatic turtles prefer their water between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit with a basking spot of around 85 F beneath the dry lamp heat source. Always research accurate temperature requirements for your pet before placing it in the heated tank.