Turtle Tanks Information

Kids love turtles. They love to watch them swim and crawl. They love to feed them and hold them. They like to let them out of their tank to take a cruise around the floor or in the grass. Adults like turtles an awful lot as well. Turtles are interesting creatures, and they come in such a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be really beautiful animals as well, once you know a bit about them and how the different turtles species are marked and colored. In general, turtles make really good pets for children and adults alike.

To properly care for your pet turtle, you will want a turtle tank that is properly proportioned and equipped. Your turtle should have plenty of space, water, and dry land to crawl and swim in. Below are a number of tips you can use to determine the best turtle tank for your pet turtle. Make sure your turtle is well cared for, happy, and healthy.

For turtles that are primarily aquatic, most people’s favorite turtle tanks are made of glass. A glass tank allows you to see your pet turtles as they swim and crawl and go about their daily business. A glass tank also lets you check up on your turtle to make sure it is healthy and looking good and to see that its living environment is clean and a pleasant place for it to be. Most turtle tanks that you will buy will be made of plate glass, and this is an ideal material. However, some turtle owners prefer the more expensive turtle tanks made from low-iron glass because it makes the view of their turtles more clear and easier to appreciate its colors and behavior.

In any case, a turtle tank will have to be made with sturdy glass, floor, and seams. It will have to withstand the pressure of water against its sides and floor without leaking or breaking. On occasion, your pet turtle may knock its shell against the glass of its tank, so the tank will have to stand up to this as well.

You turtle tank should be large enough to accommodate the needs and habits of your pet turtle. A general rule is that the tank should be as big as it can provided the space you have available. Of course, different species of turtles will have different needs, but a turtle tank of 40 gallons will keep a pet turtle and a friend or two pretty well. If the turtle is a swimmer, you will need plenty of room for it to move around while swimming and to dive. The minimum water area should be three to four times the turtle’s length, the water width should be two to three times the turtle length, and the depth should be two to three times its length as well. Of course, this is for the adult size of your pet turtle, so if you purchase a turtle that is not yet fully grown you will have to keep this in mind.

There should also be enough space in the turtle tank for the turtle to get out of the water to bask and to crawl around. Again, the amount of crawling space needed will depend on the kind of turtle you have. This type of information should be researched about your turtle’s species before the purchase of the turtle tank. In any case, the basking area should be at least one and a half times of the turtle’s length so that your turtle will be comfortable as it basks.

Although you will not need a whole lot of accessories for your pet turtle, a few items will be very helpful in keeping your pet happy and healthy. First of all, unless you will be cleaning your turtle tank very regularly, some sort of water filtration system will be in order. This will keep the water in your turtle tank clean, which will not only be good for your pet’s health, it will also make a much more attractive site in your home and will help keep the tank from smelling bad.

A top for your turtle tank is also a good idea, and a screened top is often ideal. This will not only prevent your turtle from escaping its tank, it can also be used to set heat lamps upon so that your turtle stays warm and has a chance to bask in the “sun.” A screen top allows for plenty of ventilation and fresh air for the turtle as well.

Many turtle owners like to supply the turtle tank with basking platforms for their pets too. Many of these platforms hang from the lip of the turtle tank and are good space savers. You can also purchase glass ramps for your turtle, which are often affixed with rubber beads to make climbing easier. These ramps are a good idea to let your turtle climb from the water to dry land or onto basking platforms.

These accessories, as well as a well made and proportioned turtle tank, will make your pet turtle as happy as can be. You will have years of enjoyment in watching and interacting with your turtle.