Baby Snapping Turtles - What You Should Know Before Getting One

Baby Snapping Turtles - What You Should Know Before Getting One

Are you thinking of getting a baby snapping turtle? You may have seen one at a local pet store. It is also common for people to pick some of these turtles up from their backyards or surrounding areas. You may think it would be nice to keep the cute babies as pets. You should know though that there is a lot to keeping a snapping turtle as a pet. You should consider keeping them only if you are capable of doing so. Here's what you should know about snapping turtle pets.
Baby Snapping Turtle Growth and Size
The most common mistake of potential pet owners is that they think snappers stay cute. They are later surprised to learn that snapping turtles can become very large. On average, these turtles can grow up to 8-16 inches. There have been some however that have reached more or less 20 inches. Their average weight is 30 lbs. but some can reach to double the average weight. These turtles grow fast. From a mere 2 inches as babies, they can grow to their full minimum average length in two years.
It is when the turtles are at their maximum growth that they become difficult to take care of. Pet owners become even more alarmed when they find out that these turtles can live for very long. From the moment they are born, snapping turtles can live for four decades more. Unprepared pet owners eventually realize that they got more than they bargained for. They may therefore abandon their pets, leave them in zoos or put them up for adoption.
Baby Snapping Turtle Habitat
The maximum growth capacity of a baby snapping turtle is not your only concern. You also need to think about where it is going to live. In the beginning, your baby turtle may be comfortable with just a ten-gallon tank. You then have to add ten gallons for every inch that your turtle grows. You may have to prepare a hundred gallon tank.
Snapping turtles also can't be house trained like dogs and cats. Although they are enclosed in an aquarium or pond, they can quickly make their environment dirty. Aside from the large volumes of waste that they excrete, they also have the tendency to churn up their habitat bottoms. They can also muddle up the decorations and items that you have set up in the aquarium. This means that you will have to constantly monitor and clean their environment.
Baby Snapping Turtle Temperament
Snapping turtles are generally mild mannered when in their natural water environment. When the occasion calls for it though, they can bite people and eat other animals. They could also hiss and take an aggressive stance. A snapping turtle pet is capable of doing the same thing. It could bite you or other animals around it, including other snapping turtles. This means you may have to take the extra effort to provide a completely separate home for your snapping turtle.
These are only some of the basic considerations when taking care of a snapping turtle. It is already obvious however, based on these points alone that it is no joke to decide to take in a baby snapping turtle. Do think your decision over a couple of times. You certainly want to provide a clean and happy home for your turtle.

Don't end up with a turtle you don't want. Learn more about the Snapper Turtle and how to care for it at: http://www.TurtleTanks.Org/snapper-turtle.html

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Cleaning an Aquatic Turtle Tanks

Cleaning an Aquatic Turtle Tanks - Aquatic turtle tank cleaning is a chore and a bore, but if you find a system that works for you then it's just a matter of going through the motions. If you have a good filtration system, then cleaning your tank will be made a lot easier by cutting down the number of times you have to fully clean it out.

Water Changes and Water Quality - Aquatic Turtle Tank Cleaning

The best way to get the water out of a tank is to buy a gravel vacuum - any good pet store should have one. You can drain the water through the hose and out of a window, or into buckets. You can put your finger over the end of the hose while you transfer between buckets. Keeping the water at an optimum level will ensure the health of your turtle.

Water quality is vitally important, not only for the amount of water changes you will have to make, but also for the health of your turtle, to prevent diseases.

It is recommended you buy a water quality test kit at your pet store and test for ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and pH levels. You can also test for chlorine and chloramine. You need to make sure you know what is in the water that you choose to use for your tank.

You can buy items from your pet store to add to the water to balance it out, or you can change the water to ensure its optimum quality.

Filtration

Turtles are messy creatures; they defecate and drop food in the tank water. A good idea is to buy a filter that is rated for double the amount of water in your tank. A power filter or canister filter are ideal. This will reduce the amount of water changes you have to make, but with this kind of filter system you will still have to do a 25% water change once a week, and a full change every three weeks to a month.

A tank should hold about 10 gallons per inch of turtle. The more water your tank has, the more the waste products will be diluted. Ideally you could feed your turtle at another location so it doesn't drag its food into the water.

Cleaning

As the tank is draining, you can start to remove the items you have in the turtle's tank. Take everything to the sink and wash it thoroughly. Clean the sides of the tank with baking soda. Do not use chemicals to clean your tank - this includes glass cleaner. Some people will tell you that diluted bleach is an option for cleaning, but it's best to steer clear of anything unnatural for the health and safety of your turtle.

Turtles live to be 70 years old, and often for longer when kept in captivity,so it's best you sort out a routine from the start, when cleaning your tank. Aquatic turtle tank cleaning will be something you will be doing for many years, so learning the tricks of the trade early on will ensure your turtle will live for many healthy years to come.

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Turtle Care - Tips for Raising Healthy Baby Turtles ( turtle cages )

Tips for Raising Healthy Baby Turtles ( turtle cages ) - The turtle is very cute and appealing to people, as are many baby animals. Nevertheless, it is illegal to purchase a turtle throughout the United States of America. (See U.S. Food and Drug Administration Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Subpart D, Sec. 1240.62--Turtles intrastate and interstate requirements) There are a few exceptions to this law however, for bona fide scientific, educational. The primary reason for this is because the hatchling turtle is deemed to be a greater risk for Salmonella compared to adult turtles. Turtle baby are most likely to be handled by children who do not necessarily practice good personal hygiene; therefore the turtles' care must be properly and strictly observed.

To begin, you must be committed to caring for your turtle for a long time, as their lifespan is close to that of humans. If you take excellent care of them, they may even outlive you!

Interested turtle keepers must first find out the species of turtle they want to keep. Not only must you provide suitable housing and the right kind of food to your pet; you must also know which species of turtle best suits your lifestyle and living conditions. There are some classes of turtle that grow extremely large, and cannot be kept as domesticated animals. Fortunately, there are a good number of turtle species that have docile personalities and grow to a manageable size as adults, making them suitable for captivity. Once you have purchased the turtle most suitable to your needs, you can move on to providing a good habitat for your pet.

Be sure to provide the turtles with a place to bask, swim, and hide, as these are the primary daily activities of your new pet. Not only do turtles enjoy these activities, they are essential to the turtles' overall good health. Turtle hatchlings can be best kept in plastic tubs or aquariums so you can monitor them more closely. Hatchling care requires constant temperature regulation. It is advisable to use a heater to maintain a controlled and sustained warm temperature within the area. If there are no heat or temperature-regulating devices available, place your pet's housing in a location where they can receive abundant natural lighting.

Feeding baby turtlr may be the most challenging part of your hatchlings' care. At first, they may not even eat at all, no matter what type of food you offer them! This is just their normal behavior at this stage, so you need not worry too much. Although turtles are omnivorous, the young ones are most likely to behave as largely carnivorous animals. Hatchlings are very picky in the food that they approve of eating. Start off by feeding them small, live insects and worms. As they mature, you may find that their range of food preference also broadens. They then can be fed fruits and vegetables, or even the processed food intended for the mature turtle's diet.

If you are keeping more than one turtle, pay extra attention to your pets, in order to be certain that each one of them maintains optimum health.

If there are children in your household, teach them that observing good personal hygiene is a vital part of their pet hatchlings' care. Turtles have proven to be one of the best animals to keep, and once you get into the rhythm of excellent, responsible care for your hatchlings, you'll be a happy and satisfied turtle owner for years!