Terrarium for turtle

A land tortoise living in a house requires special conditions of detention. Despite the generally accepted practice, experts do not advise letting her walk on the floor: this reptile is afraid of drafts and does not like cold air. In addition, the shell of the turtle has a discreet color - you can step on it without noticing, or slam the reptile door. Therefore, she must have her own safe house - terrarium, large enough and spacious.

The turtle terrarium must be horizontal. Its minimum dimensions are 80 by 40 by 40 cm, standard ones by 100 by 60 by 60 centimeters. On top of the terrarium is usually not covered, to ensure the influx of fresh air. However, if you have other animals in your house, such as a cat, it's best to cover it with glass at least for the time of your absence, or purchase a closing model.

Reptiles necessarily need shelter: a terrarium for a turtle must have a house. It may not be very large, but stable, so that the turtle can not overturn it. At the bottom pour a litter layer of 4-6 cm: leaves or hay, river gravel without sharp corners or pebbles, or a special primer for reptiles. Litter should correspond to the natural habitat of the turtle. Before you put in the terrarium, it is desirable to ignite it. Instead of litter, you can lay a rug "artificial grass" - in the event that this kind of reptile is not peculiar to dig in the ground. Eating a turtle with a turtle or soil may indicate a lack of vitamins and minerals in its diet.

The turtle turmeric must necessarily be heated. A special incandescent lamp is placed in one of the corners - so that the temperature in different places of the terrarium is different. The ideal combination is about +35 degrees below the lamp and +24 degrees in the corner most remote from the lamp. This is necessary to ensure that the reptile can choose for itself the temperature that it seems comfortable at the moment. To heat the terrarium, you can also use a special ceramic lamp, which only heats, but does not give light. On sale also there are heated mats - especially for terrariums.

In addition to the heat source, the terrarium for the turtle must also have a special ultraviolet lamp rated at 15 watts. This is necessary in order to produce vitamin D in the reptilian body - otherwise it can develop rickets. Its first symptoms are softening of the shell, distortion of its shape or color change. To prevent disease, the ultraviolet lamp should be switched on for 10-12 hours a day. Use in terrariums can only special lamps for reptiles - their light is not dangerous to the eyes.

In addition to the opening cover, terrariums for land tortoises should have vent holes. Bad ventilation leads to the multiplication of pathogens and fungi, therefore, can lead to illness and, ultimately, to the death of the turtle. Ventilation holes are usually made on the sides of the terrarium. Those of them that are located in its lower part, must be protected, so that cold air does not get directly to the turtle - they are usually performed in the form of pockets.

As for the reptile feeder, it can be a usual unbreakable bowl of small sizes. The rule here is only one: it should not be placed under a lamp. In the terrarium for land tortoises it is necessary to place a drinking bowl, however, for the Central Asian turtle it is not necessary - usually the animal has enough liquid, obtained from succulent fodder.

The optimal place for placing the terrarium is far from windows, radiators and drafts. Strong temperature changes are unacceptable, since they can lead to illness and even death of the animal - both from hypothermia and overheating. Ideally, this should be a room overlooking the north.