In lovers of domestic turtles, the most popular species is the fresh-water red-eared or, as it is also called, the yellow-bellied tortoise. It is unpretentious and great for keeping at home. However, one should know how to properly care for this reptile, and what conditions must be created for her long life. If you provide the necessary care, the red-bellied tortoise can live 20-40 years.
Red-bellied turtles have one important feature that all animals who want to have this animal in the house need to know. Most of the time the red-bellied turtle spends in the aquarium water. Therefore, water should be clean and warm all the time. But, as well as in the water, turtles need and land. In this case, there must be heat in this place and ultraviolet rays must fall on it.
Sometimes the owners do not provide these conditions for their pets due to ignorance, which can cause illness and even death of the turtle. In fact, in dirty water, various infections develop rapidly, in the absence of heat and UV rays, the turtle does not absorb calcium and begins to ache, and its shell becomes crooked.
Let's consider what should be the care of the red-bellied turtle, and how much it can live without water.
Care and maintenance of the red-bellied turtle
Many owners are wondering whether a red-bellied tortoise can live without water. By nature red-turtled turtles are water reptiles that need dry land to rest there and get warm. They also feed on water. Therefore, on land, the turtle can spend no more than two or three days without harming one's health. Moreover, there is a certain dependence: the younger the turtle, the less time it should spend on land, as young individuals without water can quickly die.
To keep the red-bellied tortoise, you need a spacious aquaterarium with a volume of up to 150 liters. There is an erroneous opinion that for a small turtle it will be enough and a small aquarium. But we must remember that the turtle grows quickly and in order to float and freely turn the turtle at an age, for example, 10 years, much more space is needed than a young person. Therefore, in an aquarium, the thickness of the water should be at least 40-50 cm.
Water in the aquaterrarium should be regularly replaced by 30-40% of the total volume. Install a filter in the aquarium that will help keep the water clean, because the red-bellied turtle is a big mess. In addition, it is necessary to install a heater in the aquarium to maintain the temperature within + 22-28 ° C. If the temperature drops below +20 о С, the turtle will become sluggish, stop eating, and may get sick.
Do not forget to equip in the aquatorium an islet of artificial land, so necessary for the red-bellied turtle. You can buy it in the store or make it yourself. At the same time, remember that the island must be sloping enough and not slippery, so that the turtle is comfortable to get out on it. Such an islet should be large enough: up to 25% of the total area of the aquarium. And one part of it should fall into the water.
Sometimes two-level islets are equiped in water aquariums: the upper part is located above the water surface, and the lower one is at such a level under water so that the head of the turtle sitting on it is above the water level.
The island of the land must be heated with a UV lamp: the temperature on it should be about 10 ° C higher than in the water. Do not place the lamp too low above the island: the turtle can get burned from overheating. In addition, such a lamp should have protection from moisture and water vapor.
As you can see, the answer to the question is, can a red-turtle be kept without water, only negative. Freshwater reptiles need both water and land.