user 55345
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hey all! posted this to another reptile forum and was pointed here. apologies if the formatting is a bit wonky, i'm not a frequent forum user.
i'm currently looking into getting a pet turtle, now that i'm out of high school and can realistically dedicate the time and mental energy to caring for an animal. this will be my first time owning a turtle or any other reptile [my parents had a turtle when i was very young, but i imagine care standards and knowledge have changed a lot since then], so i have a lot of research to do first. fortunately there's a great fish and reptile care store in my area that i can go to for products/the animal itself and advice, but i'd rather know exactly what to do before getting the turtle instead of after. i know a handful of things about how to care for a turtle - nitrogen cycle the tank water first, clean the tank out every 3 or so weeks, scoop out leftover food and excrement daily, never pick a turtle up by the top of the shell, feed it daily as a juvenile and less frequently as it grows older, vary its diet now and then so it stays interested in eating, give it access to a wide basking area and a number of plants to hide in, frequently check for shell injuries, things like that - but i feel like for everything i do know there's another three things i'm not certain about. i'd really appreciate any advice from more experienced turtle owners!
as well as general turtle/reptile care advice, i have a long list of specific questions that i've pasted in here, and would especially appreciate answers to any of them. sorry if any of them are strange or seem blisteringly obvious to a more experienced reptile carer; again i'm a complete newbie and i don't want to make any assumptions until i'm completely confident in my knowledge.
thank you all so much in advance!
species: murray short necked turtle [emydura macquarii]
environment: south australia, area with temperatures in celsius ranging from single digits in winter to 40+ in summer. average temperature is around 20 degrees. average rainfall for australia, occasional thunderstorms. very rare hail.
planning to raise turtle in a nursery tank until they're a year or so old before moving them to a permanent outdoor enclosure with more space and natural sunlight. this was recommended by a professional at the nearest specialty store.
DIET
>some sources say that store bought frozen meals are bad - why? because of preservatives? ingredients? are there brands that don't have these problems?
>good sources for fresh food such as worms and insects?
>signs that turtle is eating too much or too little, or not getting the right nutrients?
>can turtle be given treats [for example as a reward for good behaviour or as part of playing]? if yes, how much is enough?
ENVIRONMENT
>60 x 30 x 37 cm nursery tank was recommended. obviously too small for adult but is this big enough for baby turtle up to a year or so old?
>general check for whether bedroom [dimly lit gamer hole] is suitable turtle environment.
>room gets very little sunlight. is a uv lamp and regular supervised outside time sufficient?
>will non-uv light [such as from lamp or computer screen] keep them awake or bother them?
>are they bothered by noise? main ones to check are computer sounds, music, human conversations, and occasional cat noises.
>room is often inhabited by cat. she's very sedentary and disinterested in chasing toys or other animals and wouldn't be able to reach turtle tank anyway, but will turtle be stressed if they can see her?
>what are good [natural or artificial] plants to add to enclosure?
>conversely, any plants that are toxic or should otherwise be avoided?
>what are good enclosure features to add for enrichment or comfort? for instance artificial caves to hide in, land features outside of basking area to run around, etc
>anything to avoid adding to enclosure and why? for example fine gravel is bad because turtle may eat it while digging and get sick
>can a uv lamp be set on a timer to mimic a day/night cycle? inconsistent sleep schedule means i can't do it manually
>is it safe or at all beneficial for turtle to be out of tank and roaming house? [standard layout with no obviously dangerous things lying around and doors outside always closed, but inhabited by cranky cat and overly friendly dogs.]
>if yes, what are good conditions to bring it out under? if no, how dangerous, on a scale from 'if you really want to yeah just keep it brief and supervised' to 'never ever under risk of injury or death'?
>when turtle is living outside, should it ever come back inside, either for fun or for safety in harsh weather?
>if yes, how to keep them safe and comfortable inside after outgrowing nursery tank?
>any warning signs [environment or turtle behaviour] that tank needs cleaning regardless of how long it's been?
>where should turtle go while their tank is being cleaned?
HEALTH
>should turtle have regular vet checkups? how often?
>behaviours or visual changes that indicate health problems or stress?
>any that are *always* indicative of a problem that needs to go to a vet *immediately*? i know shell injuries always need checking for potential infection, anything else?
>for non-urgent signs of unhappiness, which solutions to prioritise trying first?
>calcium deficiency seems to be the most common health issue - best ways to avoid this?
>should i wash my hands before touching turtle?
>even if no, are there circumstances where i should anyway, such as after touching certain substances?
>is hand sanitiser okay or will it cause skin irritation/water contamination?
>i live in a fire danger area and often have to leave my house as a precaution on extreme fire danger days. in these circumstances, how would i temporarily [under a day, or only a few days at once] move turtle to a different location?
>if there is a fire in my area and i need to evacuate immediately [as in too quickly to realistically load and secure an entire tank in the car], can i evacuate turtle? what should i bring to ensure turtle is adequately cared for?
ENRICHMENT
>appropriate ways to show affection to turtle? ie do they like being picked up and held, stroked on head or shell, played with via toys, sat within view of but left alone, etc?
>how to tell whether or not turtle is enjoying interaction?
>safe forms of enrichment to prevent turtle getting bored or sad? toys, play sessions with human, etc?
>will turtle bite or scratch when afraid, overexcited, etc?
>do turtle bites/scratches require medical treatment or can they be left alone to heal?
>how to safely take turtle outside for natural sunlight so it won't get lost, hurt, or stressed?
>should turtle go outside more often in the leadup to moving outdoors permanently?
>is outside time still beneficial during overcast or rainy/stormy weather?
>are there weather/other conditions where outside time should be avoided?
i'm currently looking into getting a pet turtle, now that i'm out of high school and can realistically dedicate the time and mental energy to caring for an animal. this will be my first time owning a turtle or any other reptile [my parents had a turtle when i was very young, but i imagine care standards and knowledge have changed a lot since then], so i have a lot of research to do first. fortunately there's a great fish and reptile care store in my area that i can go to for products/the animal itself and advice, but i'd rather know exactly what to do before getting the turtle instead of after. i know a handful of things about how to care for a turtle - nitrogen cycle the tank water first, clean the tank out every 3 or so weeks, scoop out leftover food and excrement daily, never pick a turtle up by the top of the shell, feed it daily as a juvenile and less frequently as it grows older, vary its diet now and then so it stays interested in eating, give it access to a wide basking area and a number of plants to hide in, frequently check for shell injuries, things like that - but i feel like for everything i do know there's another three things i'm not certain about. i'd really appreciate any advice from more experienced turtle owners!
as well as general turtle/reptile care advice, i have a long list of specific questions that i've pasted in here, and would especially appreciate answers to any of them. sorry if any of them are strange or seem blisteringly obvious to a more experienced reptile carer; again i'm a complete newbie and i don't want to make any assumptions until i'm completely confident in my knowledge.
thank you all so much in advance!
species: murray short necked turtle [emydura macquarii]
environment: south australia, area with temperatures in celsius ranging from single digits in winter to 40+ in summer. average temperature is around 20 degrees. average rainfall for australia, occasional thunderstorms. very rare hail.
planning to raise turtle in a nursery tank until they're a year or so old before moving them to a permanent outdoor enclosure with more space and natural sunlight. this was recommended by a professional at the nearest specialty store.
DIET
>some sources say that store bought frozen meals are bad - why? because of preservatives? ingredients? are there brands that don't have these problems?
>good sources for fresh food such as worms and insects?
>signs that turtle is eating too much or too little, or not getting the right nutrients?
>can turtle be given treats [for example as a reward for good behaviour or as part of playing]? if yes, how much is enough?
ENVIRONMENT
>60 x 30 x 37 cm nursery tank was recommended. obviously too small for adult but is this big enough for baby turtle up to a year or so old?
>general check for whether bedroom [dimly lit gamer hole] is suitable turtle environment.
>room gets very little sunlight. is a uv lamp and regular supervised outside time sufficient?
>will non-uv light [such as from lamp or computer screen] keep them awake or bother them?
>are they bothered by noise? main ones to check are computer sounds, music, human conversations, and occasional cat noises.
>room is often inhabited by cat. she's very sedentary and disinterested in chasing toys or other animals and wouldn't be able to reach turtle tank anyway, but will turtle be stressed if they can see her?
>what are good [natural or artificial] plants to add to enclosure?
>conversely, any plants that are toxic or should otherwise be avoided?
>what are good enclosure features to add for enrichment or comfort? for instance artificial caves to hide in, land features outside of basking area to run around, etc
>anything to avoid adding to enclosure and why? for example fine gravel is bad because turtle may eat it while digging and get sick
>can a uv lamp be set on a timer to mimic a day/night cycle? inconsistent sleep schedule means i can't do it manually
>is it safe or at all beneficial for turtle to be out of tank and roaming house? [standard layout with no obviously dangerous things lying around and doors outside always closed, but inhabited by cranky cat and overly friendly dogs.]
>if yes, what are good conditions to bring it out under? if no, how dangerous, on a scale from 'if you really want to yeah just keep it brief and supervised' to 'never ever under risk of injury or death'?
>when turtle is living outside, should it ever come back inside, either for fun or for safety in harsh weather?
>if yes, how to keep them safe and comfortable inside after outgrowing nursery tank?
>any warning signs [environment or turtle behaviour] that tank needs cleaning regardless of how long it's been?
>where should turtle go while their tank is being cleaned?
HEALTH
>should turtle have regular vet checkups? how often?
>behaviours or visual changes that indicate health problems or stress?
>any that are *always* indicative of a problem that needs to go to a vet *immediately*? i know shell injuries always need checking for potential infection, anything else?
>for non-urgent signs of unhappiness, which solutions to prioritise trying first?
>calcium deficiency seems to be the most common health issue - best ways to avoid this?
>should i wash my hands before touching turtle?
>even if no, are there circumstances where i should anyway, such as after touching certain substances?
>is hand sanitiser okay or will it cause skin irritation/water contamination?
>i live in a fire danger area and often have to leave my house as a precaution on extreme fire danger days. in these circumstances, how would i temporarily [under a day, or only a few days at once] move turtle to a different location?
>if there is a fire in my area and i need to evacuate immediately [as in too quickly to realistically load and secure an entire tank in the car], can i evacuate turtle? what should i bring to ensure turtle is adequately cared for?
ENRICHMENT
>appropriate ways to show affection to turtle? ie do they like being picked up and held, stroked on head or shell, played with via toys, sat within view of but left alone, etc?
>how to tell whether or not turtle is enjoying interaction?
>safe forms of enrichment to prevent turtle getting bored or sad? toys, play sessions with human, etc?
>will turtle bite or scratch when afraid, overexcited, etc?
>do turtle bites/scratches require medical treatment or can they be left alone to heal?
>how to safely take turtle outside for natural sunlight so it won't get lost, hurt, or stressed?
>should turtle go outside more often in the leadup to moving outdoors permanently?
>is outside time still beneficial during overcast or rainy/stormy weather?
>are there weather/other conditions where outside time should be avoided?
