How to Care for Your Terrapins
Terrapins are attractive, interesting pets and will live a long time - sometimes up to 25 years.
You will probably buy them as young hatchlings when they will be very small but bear in mind that they will grow up to 12 inches across as an adult under your care.
Terrapins can be messy creatures and it is important to wash hands thoroughly after handling them or the tank interior.
They will need a varied diet of live food, meat and vegetables as well as vitamin supplements.
Choose terrapins that are bright eyed, alert, have hard and unbroken shells and nice unscathed legs and heads.
Housing A tank 24 x 12 x 12 inches will be big enough for two terrapins up to 4 inches in size but once fully grown they will need one of at least 60 x 24 x 24 inches, although generally the more space you can give them the better.
Be careful not to overcrowd your tank as this can result in aggressive behaviour.
There should be two land areas, one at the cool end of the tank and one at the hot end for your terrapins to bask and dry off; these areas should be large enough for all your terrapins to use them at one time and a slope should be put in the water to allow them to drag themselves out safely and easily.
The water depth should be no more than 2 inches for hatchlings and for juveniles a good guide is no deeper than the width of their shell, while adults appreciate deeper water.
You could consider a water filter to help keep the water clean but even so the water should be changed and the tank cleaned with a suitable disinfectant (there are specific products for reptile tanks) as this will keep your pets healthy and prevent any foul smell from their tank.
Do not position your tank in direct sunlight as this will be amplified through the glass causing damage and altering the tank's eco system.
Ensure there is a secure breathable lid to your tank.
Heating and Lighting To care for your terrapins you will need an overhead ceramic heater on a thermostat set at 30C for day and 20C at night; and a water heater set at 24C for youngsters and 22C for adults.
UVB lighting for 12 hours a day above the basking zone is also essential for good health and for the terrapins to bask under; make sure these are changed every six months as they lose efficiency after this time and consult manufacturers specifications as to which strength you will need dependent on the distance the light is from the basking area.
How to Care for your Terrapins' Dietary Needs A diet of completely commercial or dried food is not recommended; they will need insects, wax worms, meat, small bits of liver, oily fish, earthworms, locusts or crickets and green plant food such as pond weed or water cress and dandelions; occasional fruit and shell fish (well rinsed) all form part of a balanced diet.
Young terrapins should be fed daily but adults can be fed every other day.
Terrapins are messy eaters and usually they will empty their bladder and bowels shortly after eating making their water dirty.
A good idea is to have a designated plastic bowel with some tepid water to put your pets in at feeding times keeping them there for about 15 minutes after they have eaten; this means that the left over food and faeces are all disposed of quickly down the toilet (never the sink) and the bowl can then be cleaned.
Vitamin supplements are available and a piece of cuttlefish bone in your tank will help calcium intake.
Handling Although the shell is hard remember that there are bones in the legs, neck and head which can be damaged.
The safest way to lift your terrapin is by firmly gripping the sides of the shell; always put them back down carefully, remembering they can have sharp claws and occasionally can nip.
Always wash you hands in anti bacterial soap afterwards.
Follow these simple tips on how to care for your terrapins and you will enjoy your new pets for years to come.
You will probably buy them as young hatchlings when they will be very small but bear in mind that they will grow up to 12 inches across as an adult under your care.
Terrapins can be messy creatures and it is important to wash hands thoroughly after handling them or the tank interior.
They will need a varied diet of live food, meat and vegetables as well as vitamin supplements.
Choose terrapins that are bright eyed, alert, have hard and unbroken shells and nice unscathed legs and heads.
Housing A tank 24 x 12 x 12 inches will be big enough for two terrapins up to 4 inches in size but once fully grown they will need one of at least 60 x 24 x 24 inches, although generally the more space you can give them the better.
Be careful not to overcrowd your tank as this can result in aggressive behaviour.
There should be two land areas, one at the cool end of the tank and one at the hot end for your terrapins to bask and dry off; these areas should be large enough for all your terrapins to use them at one time and a slope should be put in the water to allow them to drag themselves out safely and easily.
The water depth should be no more than 2 inches for hatchlings and for juveniles a good guide is no deeper than the width of their shell, while adults appreciate deeper water.
You could consider a water filter to help keep the water clean but even so the water should be changed and the tank cleaned with a suitable disinfectant (there are specific products for reptile tanks) as this will keep your pets healthy and prevent any foul smell from their tank.
Do not position your tank in direct sunlight as this will be amplified through the glass causing damage and altering the tank's eco system.
Ensure there is a secure breathable lid to your tank.
Heating and Lighting To care for your terrapins you will need an overhead ceramic heater on a thermostat set at 30C for day and 20C at night; and a water heater set at 24C for youngsters and 22C for adults.
UVB lighting for 12 hours a day above the basking zone is also essential for good health and for the terrapins to bask under; make sure these are changed every six months as they lose efficiency after this time and consult manufacturers specifications as to which strength you will need dependent on the distance the light is from the basking area.
How to Care for your Terrapins' Dietary Needs A diet of completely commercial or dried food is not recommended; they will need insects, wax worms, meat, small bits of liver, oily fish, earthworms, locusts or crickets and green plant food such as pond weed or water cress and dandelions; occasional fruit and shell fish (well rinsed) all form part of a balanced diet.
Young terrapins should be fed daily but adults can be fed every other day.
Terrapins are messy eaters and usually they will empty their bladder and bowels shortly after eating making their water dirty.
A good idea is to have a designated plastic bowel with some tepid water to put your pets in at feeding times keeping them there for about 15 minutes after they have eaten; this means that the left over food and faeces are all disposed of quickly down the toilet (never the sink) and the bowl can then be cleaned.
Vitamin supplements are available and a piece of cuttlefish bone in your tank will help calcium intake.
Handling Although the shell is hard remember that there are bones in the legs, neck and head which can be damaged.
The safest way to lift your terrapin is by firmly gripping the sides of the shell; always put them back down carefully, remembering they can have sharp claws and occasionally can nip.
Always wash you hands in anti bacterial soap afterwards.
Follow these simple tips on how to care for your terrapins and you will enjoy your new pets for years to come.
Source...