The land-based Central Asian turtle is found naturally in the steppes and semi-deserts, in the arid environment of Kazakhstan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, is characterized by sluggishness and sluggishness, uses burrows as a dwelling. Because of the simplicity of captivity in captivity, most people choose this species for a room terrarium.
Central Asian turtle - species
Land-based Central Asian turtles are small in size - they reach only 15-20 cm in length. They have a rounded shell, similar to a patty, protective brown-olive-straw color with darkened clearings. 25 horn shields are placed on the sides, 13 on the carapace, 16 on the plastron. The head of the tortoise is olive with a hooked upper jaw. On the front legs are 4 blunt claws. Five species of the Central Asian turtle are distinguished:
- Bogdanovi. It is endowed with a low, flattened and smooth cover of olive or emerald-straw color;
- Horsfieldii. Characterized dome-like carapace chestnut or emerald hue, with developed tubercles;
- Kazachstanica. It differs in sand color, thickened with a subquadrally weakly convex carapace;
- Rustamovi. Characterized by small size, hunchback shell with high pineal hillocks;
- Kuznetzovi. It is endowed with a carapace with darkened clearings on a straw background representing an almost perfect circle.
How long does the Central Asian turtle live?
The life of turtles in the natural environment is 40-50 years. In the room, the reptile reaches an average of 15 years of age. If the content is flawless for active existence, it can survive in captivity and up to 30 years. Before determining the age of the Central Asian turtle, it is necessary to count the furrows visible on the middle plates of its carapace. Their number is equal to the number of years lived by the reptile.
The content of the Central Asian turtle at home
The land-based Central Asian turtle for long-term life in captivity requires a spacious dwelling, equipped according to the habits of the pet. Some breeders in the summer make it large pens in the local area. If this is not possible, the reptile should be carried out more often in the air, in the sun. It is important in the content of the Central Asian land tortoise - to give her more room for living, so she will remain active and healthy for many years. Settle the reptile in plastic boxes, aquariums, terrariums.
Terrarium for the Central Asian turtle
For an inland Central Asian turtle, when the contents in the terrarium are limited to a single individual, an area not less than 60x130 cm is recommended, or better - even more. Housing arrangement:
- The vessel is selected of a horizontal type with top and side venting.
- The temperature in the terrarium should be at 25-27 ° C, in a separate corner under the lamp - up to 33 ° C.
- On the lid for heating and lighting, a 40-watt light bulb is fixed at a height of 20 cm. Heat ensures the normal functioning of the turtle's body.
- Certainly it is necessary to put a shelter, which plays the role of burrow. For this, an inverted box, half a pot, is suitable.
- In the terrarium, sometimes put a container of water, but it is not necessary - the turtle has enough juicy grass and weekly bathing to saturate the body with moisture.
Soil for the Central Asian turtle
It is important to know what is needed for the Central Asian turtle, so that it feels almost like a free will. Steppe reptiles like to dig. In a vessel in the corner, you need to pour a layer of earth with coconut chips. Sand is not used, the Central Asian turtle is able to swallow it and clog its entrails. Soil should be moistened, the layer - 10-15 cm, so that the reptile could dig into it. In a turtle house in a warm corner it is necessary to pour in pebbles, to put in bulk flat stones. They help reptiles to grind off their claws. In addition, the turtles like to climb onto the stones and bask under a light bulb.
Lamp for the Central Asian turtle
In addition to heating, the landed Central Asian turtle needs a UV flux radiator at home. For this purpose, 10% UVB reptile lamps have been designed, they do not give off heat to the terrarium, but supply it with ultraviolet light. UV rays are important for the production of vitamin D3 and the absorption by the body of calcium, on which the hardness of the cover depends. The lamp is fixed at a level of about 25 cm. The acceptable time of its operation is 5-12 hours a day.
Care for the Central Asian turtle at home
To maintain water balance, the Central Asian steppe turtle needs bathing once a week. To do this, fill the tub with warm water 25 ° C to a level of 5-7 cm, just around the neck of the reptile. The turtle is immersed in it for 15-30 minutes, at this time it drinks and absorbs moisture through the skin. The procedure replenishes the water-salt balance of the body, improves the functioning of the intestine. In the bath, the reptile first floundered, then blissfully freezes, drinks water, defecates. Then the individual washes, it is necessary to remove it when she already tries to leave the container.
Sometimes a tortoise asks to sleep - refuses to eat, behaves sluggishly. The process for it is harmful, caused by the mismatch of temperature regimes with natural ones. The Central Asian turtle, who lives in captivity, must not hibernate, otherwise she may wake up already sick. To avoid wintering, you need to raise the temperature in the terrarium, increase the frequency of bathing.
What to feed the Central Asian turtle at home?
When the contents of the apartment turtles require a variety of vegetable menu. Approximate portion:
- In the first place, the greens - up to 85%. For this fit: lettuce, lettuce, dandelions, mother-and-stepmother, clover, plantain, alfalfa, sorrel. In winter, dry grass and hay, dried fruits are used.
- 10% of the ration - vegetables: pumpkin, carrots, zucchini, beets, radish.
- 5% of food should be fruits - apples, bananas, pieces of melon, watermelon, as well as strawberries, raspberries, cherries.
- To support the shell of the food, calcium make-up is introduced.
Variety is the key to turtle health, it is necessary to give it more different feeds. It is forbidden to use bread, meat, milk, cottage cheese, eggs and other "human" food for food. Young individuals are fed every day, adults - every 2-3 days. The amount of food is about 1/2 of the size of the shell. Feeding of the Central Asian turtle from the hands is better not to produce, but to impose food in special containers.
Central Asian turtle - reproduction in captivity
The land-based Central Asian turtle, whose maintenance and care is produced at home, reaches puberty at the age of 5-6 years. For breeding, a minimum of a couple of individuals - a male and a female - is required. Couples, starting from February, duration of pregnancy - 2 months. Then in April-July, the female lays 2-6 eggs in a moist soil. During the season, she can make 2-3 masonry in the holes.
Incubation will last 60-65 days, turtles 3-5 cm in size hatched in August-October. Sometimes they remain wintering in the ground, only coming out in the spring. At birth, the turtle can see the yolk sac, it retracts after 2-4 days, after which the babies begin to eat. Feed them with soft vegetable food, bathe every day, in 2-3 months they can be transferred to a standard diet.
How to determine the gender of the Central Asian turtle?
Adult males are smaller than females, the first ones are 13-20 cm in size, the second is 20-23 cm. It is difficult to distinguish a boy from a girl from the outside, the difference between them can be seen only at the age of 2-5 years with a shell size of 9-11 cm. turtles land Central Asian:
- In males, the tail is longer and broader at the base. On the plastron, closer to the bottom, a dent is visible. The cloaca is further along the tail.
- In females, the plastron is flat, the tail is shorter, without thickening due to the placement of the oviduct. Cloaca is seen near the end of the carapace.
Diseases of Central Asian turtles
In good conditions reptiles live dozens of years, but they can also pandemonium. Central Asian turtle - possible diseases:
- Rickets. The individual softens and deforms the cover and bones, fractures occur. The problem is a lack of vitamin D3 and calcium, insufficient lighting. In the diet of the reptile, it is necessary to introduce mineralized additives, to increase the light day under a UV lamp, to take out in the sun. Under the skin, you need to prick calcium glucanate.
- Abscesses. The reason - injuries and bites of insects, are manifested by edema, abscesses, tissue necrosis. The place of the abscess is opened by a vet, washed with hydrogen peroxide, smeared with antiseptic trypsin, antibiotics may be needed.
- Fungus. On the shell appear white dots and peeling. Affected areas are lubricated with antifungal ointments.
- Pneumonia. Happens because of a draft, a walk on the cold floor. The reptile has a hoarse breath, mucus forms in the mouth, a bubble fluid flows from the nose. A course of antibiotics for 5 days is mandatory (amikacin 5 mg, 5 mg per kg of body weight).
- Rhinitis, sinusitis. From the nose appear mucous discharge, the individual behaves sluggishly. The pet should be kept warm, rinse the sinuses from the syringe with chlorhexidine, sea salt.
- Conjunctivitis. There is inflammation and redness of the eyelids, the ailment is caused by streptococcal infection. The course of therapy includes ointments (tetracycline), antibiotics.