By
Alison Wood on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 |
1 CommentIf you have decided to bring home a pet turtle or terrapin, you should know what is necessary to house them comfortably. Depending on the kind of pet turtle or terrapin that you choose, each has its own needs and requirements for living a healthy and happy life in your home. Generally there are a few needs that most turtles have in common as far as their habitat is concerned.
The first thing to keep in mind is being able to provide them with a comfortable environment that consists of a wet habitat and a dry habitat. This can be done by constructing a turtle tank with both a wet area and a dry area in it. There are certain things that you should provide no matter what type or gender of turtle or terrapin you have.
The wet aquarium should consist of water that is at the right temperature for them. It need to constant filtration and regular cleaning. It should also include the right levels of other materials such as rocks, plants and comfortable places for your turtle to bask on. Your aquarium should maintain a constant temperature between environments to help your pet turtle or terrapin adapt to the change between wet and dry more easily. You should also make sure you place a constant supply of fresh water in a shallow container in the dry environment for them.
Their feedings should be done in water as they cannot swallow otherwise and you will need to keep both environments clean on a regular basis. Some pet owners make the mistake of thinking that their pet turtles and pet terrapins do not require a lot of care and cleaning, but in point of fact turtles would keep themselves very clean in their natural environment. So you need to make sure there are kept safe from any possibility of bacteria or soft-shell disease.
The water should not be too deep and the basking ground should be made of small pebbles and flat stones so that it is more comfortable for the turtle. The basking ground should either be in a very sunny spot, with natural, unfiltered sunlight or be lit by an ultraviolet (or UV) lamp. Reptile UV lamps are available at most pet stores and you should certainly invest in one for the health and well-being of your pet turtle.
By
Alison Wood on Sunday, August 23rd, 2009 |
No CommentsHaving an exotic pet can be very satisfying but it is definitely not without its risks. As a responsible pet owner, you have an obligation to not only your family’s safety, but the safety of the pet and the community as well. One of the first steps to successful exotic pet ownership is knowledge; knowing what the temperament and habits of your exotic can help you take the necessary precautions to keep everyone out of harms way.
First: handling your exotic pet. Some of the exotics are easier to tame and handle than others. If yours is truly not amenable to being touched or carried, then you must respect that. The only way for the animal to communicate this is sometimes with a painful bite; so if your pet is struggling and trying desperately to get away, do not pick him up! Remember, some exotic pets may be more dangerous than others, as some are poisonous or harbor dangerous germs that can make you very ill. Exotics can also be very unpredictable, so there may not be any actual warning signs given before a strike. Be especially cautious when allowing younger children to handle your exotics, a child may inadvertently squeeze or scare your pet, or may panic and release him.
Be sure that your exotic pet’s cage is escape proof. There is nothing worse than trying to recapture a creepy crawly or a slimy slitherer- snakes just do not come when called! Rats and other rodent exotics are very adept at escape, and can be very destructive when out of their own habitat, so careful monitoring of their cage is necessary. One very smart hamster managed to pull a neighboring curtain through the bars of his cage and then use the material to shimmy to the top of the cage, and out the top, never to be seen again. Watch for any signs of escape and thwart the attempt!
Always make sure that handling is done when everyone is calm and focused. A brief interaction in the evening is fine, holding the pet mouse during a child’s birthday party is not. Again, monitor the pet and the pet holder for the first sign of problems and end the interaction immediately. Do not allow the pet to be taken out of its cage or habitat if there is someone who professes they afraid of your pet. Terrence the tarantula should not be invited out of his home if Aunt Tilly has arachnophobia! Wait until Auntie goes home to play with the big hairy spider.
Finally, after you are done handling your exotic, make sure that you and your children thoroughly wash your hands. No matter how you feel about your pet, they can harbor germs in their fur or on their skin. Do not allow anyone to eat while handling an exotic pet, and make sure that your exotic does not get any human food- some items can be highly toxic for some species.
By
Alison Wood on Thursday, May 28th, 2009 |
No CommentsThere is a lot to consider when you want to keep a turtle or terrapin as a pet. Some people assume, wrongly as it turns out, that having a pet turtle is an easy task and does not require a lot of time or work. While it is easier in most respects to keep a turtle as a pet versus, say, a dog that requires loads of time and hands-on care, you need to understand that pet turtles also deserve a lot of attention and love and can live for many decades. In fact, some turtles can live up to a hundred years or more so you should be prepared for a pet that will last you all your life, if not outlive you!
One of the key things to remember when bringing home a turtle or terrapin is that most of them need exactly the right kind of environment. Or two environments, rather, a dry one and a wet, or damp, one. You can have two aquariums for this, or even one aquarium made to your specifications, but make sure you’ve got enough space in your house somewhere for this. You will also need to provide the right kind of lighting and temperature control so your turtle can lead a happy life and feels comfortable while switching environments as well. The lighting especially should be as close to daylight as possible so the turtle can follow the natural rhythms of the day. In fact, you can even have your aquarium outdoors as long as you’re sure there are no ‘predators’ (dogs or other pets) around that are going to harass, traumatize or even kill your turtle.
There should also be a constant supply of fresh water available for them which should generally be placed between the two aquariums or in their dry environment. And keep an eye out for any changes in your pet’s behavior or appearance. Some diseases or illnesses manifest themselves as odd behavior (not eating, not moving etc) or as changes in the shells (lighter color, texture going funny and so forth). So keep that eagle eye out and check your pets regularly.
It is possible to form a bond with your pet turtle as long as you are committed to spending time with it and to being a good pet owner.
By
Alison Wood on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 |
No CommentsHaving an exotic pet can be very satisfying but it is definitely not without its risks. As a responsible pet owner, you have an obligation to not only your family’s safety, but the safety of the pet and the community as well. One of the first steps to successful exotic pet ownership is knowledge; knowing what the temperament and habits of your exotic can help you take the necessary precautions to keep everyone out of harms way.
First: handling your exotic pet. Some of the exotics are easier to tame and handle than others. If yours is truly not amenable to being touched or carried, then you must respect that. The only way for the animal to communicate this is sometimes with a painful bite; so if your pet is struggling and trying desperately to get away, do not pick him up! Remember, some exotic pets may be more dangerous than others, as some are poisonous or harbor dangerous germs that can make you very ill. Exotics can also be very unpredictable, so there may not be any actual warning signs given before a strike. Be especially cautious when allowing younger children to handle your exotics, a child may inadvertently squeeze or scare your pet, or may panic and release him.
Be sure that your exotic pet’s cage is escape proof. There is nothing worse than trying to recapture a creepy crawly or a slimy slitherer- snakes just do not come when called! Rats and other rodent exotics are very adept at escape, and can be very destructive when out of their own habitat, so careful monitoring of their cage is necessary. One very smart hamster managed to pull a neighboring curtain through the bars of his cage and then use the material to shimmy to the top of the cage, and out the top, never to be seen again. Watch for any signs of escape and thwart the attempt!
Always make sure that handling is done when everyone is calm and focused. A brief interaction in the evening is fine, holding the pet mouse during a child’s birthday party is not. Again, monitor the pet and the pet holder for the first sign of problems and end the interaction immediately. Do not allow the pet to be taken out of its cage or habitat if there is someone who professes they afraid of your pet. Terrence the tarantula should not be invited out of his home if Aunt Tilly has arachnophobia! Wait until Auntie goes home to play with the big hairy spider.
Finally, after you are done handling your exotic, make sure that you and your children thoroughly wash your hands. No matter how you feel about your pet, they can harbor germs in their fur or on their skin. Do not allow anyone to eat while handling an exotic pet, and make sure that your exotic does not get any human food- some items can be highly toxic for some species.
