Swamp turtles have chosen various aquatic habitats in most of Europe, in North-West Africa, in the Middle East and Central Asia. Reptiles live in:
- ponds;
- wet meadows;
- channels;
- swamps;
- streams;
- large spring puddles;
- other water-bolot lands.
In some regions of the world, these turtles are quite numerous.
Swamp turtles love sunbathing and climb on logs, snags, stones or floating garbage to warm up. Even on cool days with a small amount of sunlight, they substitute the bodies under the sun that are barely breaking through the cloud cover. Like most semiwater turtles, they quickly dive into the water at the sight of a person or predator. Powerful limbs and sharp nails allow turtles to swim easily in water and dig in a silty bottom or under the leaves. Swamp turtles love water vegetation and look for asylum among thickets.
Content and care
For swamp turtles in the terrarium, a deep water level in the bathing area is required. If the bottom is inclined, it is more convenient to get to the turtles and bask. There should be a snag or other objects in the place for swimming, so that the animal climbs and rinses under the lamp.
Brought dogs, rats, foxes and other predators hunt in swamp turtles. Therefore, if you keep the turtles in the home pond, be sure to think about protecting the reservoir from natural enemies of reptiles.
Lighting, temperature and humidity
Natural sunlight, of course, is necessary for all turtles. Take at least for some time swamp amphibians into the open air in a cage protected from predators.
At home, several lighting options are used for turtles. Breeders choose lamps:
- mercury;
- daylight;
- infrared;
- Fluorescent.
Mercury lamps that provide UVA and UVB radiation spectrum are preferable. Lamps with a capacity of 100-150 watts on a dry platform near the bathing zone or next to a drifting drift – That’s all that is needed. Heaters are not needed for this type. Including at night. Light is turned on in the morning and left for 12-14 hours. Turn off the lighting in the evening so that the natural daily cycle is not violated, as if the turtles were in nature.
Substrate
If you keep the turtle in the room, do not use the soil because without it it is much easier to clean vivarium. Make frequent changes in part of the water in the bathing zone of pond turtles. If you use the substrate, then a good option – gravel the size of peas.
In the open air in a pond for turtles, there should be an area covered with a layer of peat and dirt 30-60 cm deep so that the reptiles are buried and the plants are allowed to start the roots. Do not remove fallen leaves from the pond in the fall, because the turtles are sitting on them during hibernation.
How to feed swamp turtles
This species is incredibly aggressive during feeding, reptiles greedily pounced on the proposed food. Swamp turtles feed:
- fish;
- shrimp;
- beef heart and liver;
- chicken stomachs, hearts and breasts;
- minced meat from turkey;
- tadpoles;
- whole frogs;
- rainworms;
- mice;
- commercial dry food;
- wet dog food;
- snails;
- slugs.
Serve a swamp tortoise not processed bone. Reptiles will eat meat, cartilage and skin. Throw raw chicken strokes, hips or wings into the pond. In the fall, when cleaning the reservoir, you will find bones and nothing else.
Temperament
Swamp turtles extremely responsive to taming. They quickly lose fear of people. Reptiles quickly associate food intake with the arrival of a person. Когда замечают хозяина вивариума или пруда на расстоянии, рептилии активно движутся к нему навстречу. Turtles float, cleverly crawl out of the water to get to the food supplied by a person.
