Turtle Tanks
How to Choose the Best Turtle Tanks for Your Turtle
A turtle in the wild has a great range of area to traverse if they so wish; turtles in captivity are generally kept in turtle tanks. While the two may sound worlds apart, it is possible to design a turtle habitat in a manner that imitates nature.
The first step to make when taking a turtle as a pet is that of designing an appropriate home. Turtle tanks are the logical choice, especially for an aquatic turtle. The size of the tank will need to be determined, and will depend on how large of a turtle you are adopting and how many turtles will be in the habitat. Larger is better, with a minimum of a 20-gallon tank recommended for one aquatic turtle. More volume, of course, would be needed for multiple turtles. A glass tank with a screen lid and a light mounted on top is the best choice.
Turtle tanks can be placed near a window to supply the necessary sunlight that turtles need as long as the heat would not be overly intense. If no natural sunlight is available, lights that provide UV-B can be purchased in pet stores that are a good alternate source. Sunlight or UVB rays are necessary to provide Vitamin D to the basking turtle, which is vital to their health. Lack of Vitamin D could cause swollen eyes and misshapen shells in your pet.
Water is a necessary component in turtle tanks, and should be in varying degrees of depth. If the turtle is aquatic in nature, it will need deeper water in which to swim. It will also need, however, shallow water where the turtle can lounge with its body partially submerged with its head sticking out. Water is a crucial feature in the tank, as turtles need to be in the water in order to feed. Since they do not have saliva, the water is necessary to aid them in swallowing their food. A calcium block needs to be added to the water feature area to enable the turtle to absorb the minerals needed for shell health.
A level dry area should also be part of the environment within turtle tanks. Turtles not only enjoy basking in warm sunlight, but need to do so to maintain their health. There should be a natural slope leading from the water to the dry area to allow the turtle to crawl out easily. Rocks and logs are great choices for dry areas, being sure that there are no sharp or jagged edges on which the turtle could harm itself.
Any one of many turtle tanks is available; the one that you design will be the only home your pet turtle knows. Keeping it as close to nature as possible will help your turtle to remain happy and healthy in its habitat, and provide you with a pet that is a joy to own.