Turtles in general are very resilient pets that can provide hours of pleasure just by looking at them.

They need a certain level of care to thrive, and even though keeping a common species like musk turtles, for example, their life expectancy is between 30 and 50 years, this must be taken into account in the choice of an animal of this type. Investing in good quality equipment, such as reptile systems, will save you time and money in the long run.

Most popular turtle species require an enclosure that provides both aquatic and terrestrial areas. However, proportions can vary greatly between species and must be taken into account if you want to avoid problems. It's worth doing some research before making any decisions about which turtle you want to keep and how much space it will need. In our test center we have a musk turtle, which is more aquatic and moves very awkwardly on land, while the box turtle is more terrestrial in nature but needs a shallow water area to thrive. Housing these fascinating creatures must provide heating and lighting, including UV, on the land areas, and heating and good filtration for the aquatic part. UVB is essential to your turtle's well-being and will allow it to metabolize calcium from its diet. The latter is essential for strong growth of the shell and bones, for the functioning of muscles and for many other important bodily functions. A diet must have it if you want to avoid problems like metabolic bone disease (MBD) and other problems related to hypocalcemia. Heating is also important for digestion and contributes to all metabolic processes. With a Visitherm heater, the water should be kept at a temperature of approximately 22°C - 26°C (72°-78°F), which is suitable for most varieties. Although turtles do not directly absorb water through their skin, as many amphibians do, filtering it effectively eliminates any risk of problems caused by ammonia burns. It also helps control unpleasant odors caused by poor water quality.

In nature, diet is primarily opportunistic and environmental. Some sea turtles adapt to eat large quantities of jellyfish, while some freshwater, tropical, fully aquatic species, like the Pignose, feed primarily on the fruits and leaves of the wild fig (we won't cover the care or maintenance in captivity (these are extreme examples!)

Most species will eat whatever is available to them in their natural range, including a mixture of fish, worms, shrimp, aquatic vegetation, frogs, insects and snails, as well as an assortment fruits, berries and flowers. This list therefore suggests a wide variety of what is available seasonally. Interestingly, many types of turtles are more carnivorous when young and become more omnivorous as they grow. There is no substitute for the natural diet of your chosen turtle, but due to our modern lifestyles we fully understand that it is not always possible to provide this. However, store-bought foods generally don't have the proper nutritional profiles your pet needs to live a long, healthy life.

We will cover turtles that are commonly available as pets, which of course differs slightly from country to country and state to state. In the UK, the sale, trade or breeding of red and yellow eared sliders is prohibited and these animals are considered invasive species. In Germany, for example, snapping turtles are banned, to name just a few examples.

To feed