How to Take Care of Mini Pet Turtles

Source: wikiHow

Mini turtles are species that stay small, generally reaching an adult shell length of no more than 6 inches (15 cm). Small turtles are not only cute and fun to watch, but they are usually easier to house and care for than larger species. Proper care depends on the species of mini turtle you choose.

Research the needs of some of the popular small turtle breeds—such as musk turtles, mud turtles, and spotted turtles—before you bring one home.

1 Provide a 20 gallons (76 L) tank for a single turtle. Like most small turtle species, musk turtles are aquatic, meaning they spend almost all their time in the water. Get a tank that will offer your turtle plenty of space to swim and explore its underwater environment.^[1]
- If you want to keep a pair of musk turtles, get a 40 gallons (150 L) tank. Avoid housing 2 males together, as they may become aggressive with each other. If you keep a male and female together, you may need to separate them if the male harasses the female.
- These turtles typically grow no longer than 4.5 inches (11 cm). The males tend to grow slightly larger than the females.
2 Put a submersible filter in the tank. You’ll need a filter to keep your turtle’s water fresh and clean. Look for a filter that is “submersible” or “internal.”^[2] If you’re not sure what kind of filter will work best, get advice from a reptile specialist at your pet store or from your exotic pet vet.
- Turtles produce a lot more waste than fish, so using a filter is important for keeping your turtle’s environment from becoming dirty and foul-smelling.
3 Fill the tank with non-chlorinated water, but keep it shallow. Pour in enough water that your turtle can swim around, but keep it shallow enough that the turtle can stretch up to breathe while its back feet are still on the floor of the tank. That way, your turtle won’t have to tread water constantly to reach the surface.^[3]
- You can buy a water conditioner to neutralize chlorine and other harmful chemicals in your tap water. Check your local pet store or search online for an appropriate conditioner for turtle tanks.
4 Offer a basking spot for your turtles. Musk turtles don’t spend a lot of time out of the water, but they may occasionally want to bask. Provide a small area of the tank where your turtles can crawl completely out of the water if they need to.^[4] This could take the form of:^[5]
- A plastic basking platform
- A large rock that the turtle can climb easily
- A piece of driftwood
- A floating turtle dock
5 Give your turtle a UVB basking light and water heater. All turtles need UV light and heat to help them stay warm and properly metabolize essential vitamins and minerals. Get a high-quality UVB reptile clamp lamp and position it directly over your turtle’s basking spot.^[6]
- Look for a heat lamp with a built in thermometer. Ideally, the light should warm the area directly under it to around 90 °F (32 °C), while the rest of the tank should stay around 80 °F (27 °C).
- Keep the light on for 12 hours during the day, then off for 12 hours during the night. This will help the turtle maintain its natural biological rhythms.
- You can also keep the turtle’s water warm with a submersible heater. Maintain a water temperature of 72–78 °F (22–26 °C).
6 Decorate the tank with medium-sized gravel if you wish. Musk turtles don’t need a substrate, but adding gravel or a few rocks can make the tank look more attractive.^[7] Take care not to put in any rocks that are small enough for the turtle to swallow.
- Keeping the bottom of your tank bare will make it easier to clean.
7 Feed your turtle a variety of animal foods. Musk turtles are primarily carnivorous. Offer your turtle foods such as earthworms, crickets, bloodworms, snails, and cut…