Pet Information: Turtles
Basic Characteristics
LIFE SPAN: 30+ years
AVERAGE SIZE: Varies greatly between species and even between genders within a species; females are larger than males. Below I will go through characteristics for some of the common turtles kept in captivity. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Hard shell, webbed feet. Feeding your Turtle
Look for foods made specifically for turtles. The ingredients are also very important, and the first three should be fish (NOT "fish meal"). Fillers such as wheat can cause bloating and constipation. "Fishmeal" is also a filler ingredient, and can contain wheat with fish by-products. I feed my turtle a mix of several different foods including: OmegaOne Turtle Sticks, ReptiMin, Gourmet Aquatic Turtle Food, ReptiSticks Suprema and ReptiSticks. All of these foods are specially formulated for aquatic turtles. Feeding him the variety (I bought them and mixed them all together in a large airtight container) ensures that my turtle gets a good mix of nutrients AND that he does not become picky to the point that he will only eat one type of food. Always avoid feeding only one food, as there may be a time when you cannot find it at the store.
Treats for your Turtle
 Leonardo and an apple chunk
The majority of your turtle's diet, about 75%, should be commercially available pellet food. The rest can be composed of a variety of treat items. These treats can be carnivorous (fish, shrimp, mealworms, crickets, earthworms, etc), or vegetarian in nature. Turtles can be fed various fruit and vegetables in addition to their food, with many species becoming more omnivorous as they age. For carnivorous treats I feed my turtle Fluker’s Medley Treat for Aquatic Turtles. Check to see what food would be suitable for your turtle species.
Behavior
 Leonardo in the mouth of his "stream" beneath overhanging plants
Some turtle species are more shy than others, but all of them will enjoy some privacy. This will help reduce stress and make for a turtle that is not just happier, but also healthier. Stress weakens the immune system and makes it easier for your turtle to get sick, and sometimes causes them to stop eating.
Tank Mates
My turtle lives with a school of "pet" guppies as well as a few Otocinclus and Nerite snails. He is quite content eating the food I give him and does not go after the fish, but every turtle is different. (I bought guppies thinking he would eat most of the babies, but he has only eaten 3 fish in the last 7 months. Live food can be a great way to keep your turtle active, and raising your own allows you to ensure that they are healthy)
If you decide to keep fish in the tank with your turtle, follow the general rule of 1 inch of fish per gallon in addition to the gallons reserved for the turtle. Check to make sure the fish you are considering have an average or low bioload (algae eaters, slender fish), allow 2 gallons per inch of fish for those with a higher bioload. Also be sure to quarantine the fish before introducing them, it is easier to treat a sick fish than a sick turtle. 
Leonardo and his pet guppies
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Leonardo's 29 gallon tank: lights on top - new UVB, heat + UVA, old UVB
Tank Size
The best way to determine what size tank you need is to consider the size of your turtle. Turtles need room to swim and turn around, and the water needs to be deep enough to make sure they do not smack into the tank bottom when they dive in and cannot become trapped upside down underwater. Below are the minimum tank swimming size requirements based on the length of your turtle's shell. Since it is currently illegal to sell turtles smaller than 4 inches in size in the United States, I have started with that length. These measurements are for ONE turtle, you will need an even larger tank for multiple turtles. Make sure your aquarium has an escape-proof cover, many turtles are great climbers.
Remember, some turtles also need a large land area (instead of a floating basking platform), their tanks will need to be even longer. So, a 4 inch Map turtle with a 12 inch long land area needs a 28 inch long tank (12in land + 16in water).
Tank gallon sizes are the closest matches, most fish tanks are narrower than what a turtle needs. If you can find reptile specific tanks those are usually wider (just make sure they can be used for water). There are also many companies that make custom tanks, and you can find instructions online to do it yourself.
Lighting
Most reptiles, including turtles, require three types of lighting in addition to light in the visible spectrum.
UVA light: Necessary for proper appetite stimulation, reptiles can see into the UVA spectrum and without this it is similar to being colorblind - they cannot see their food as well and may not eat. UVB light: this is a separate bulb and needs to be replaced once a year. Without it turtles cannot properly absorb calcium, resulting in their bones and shells weakening followed by a slow and painful death. It may be a bit of a hassel to replace the UVB bulb every 6 months, but it is absolutely necessary. I recommend making it your pet's annual birthday/Christmas/Hanukkah/Valentine's Day etc present (I do Christmas and the 4th of July). You can continue to use the old bulb as a source of visible light, in addition to a new UVB bulb. Heat/Infrared Light: Turtles, like all reptiles, are ectotherms (cold-blooded) and require an external heat source to get warm. Place this bulb over a basking area in your tank. This can be either an area of land built up out of the water, or a floating dock sold for this purpose. Basking & Tank Temperatures
BASKING AREA: However you choose to make the basking area, make sure the turtle can get completely dry. It is also important to make sure the turtle can easily get onto it, can dive off it without hitting anything which may cause injury, and cannot become trapped beneath it. Some turtles, like the Map, will bask much more than others, like the Musk.
TEMPERATURES: Aquarium temperatures should be monitored closely. The exact temperature your water should be kept at will vary based on the species of turtle you have, and whether or not you want them to hibernate in the winter. The basking spot should be at least 10 degrees warmer than the air in the rest of the tank, including other areas on land for species that need a large land area. Tank Decorations
Which gravel and tank decorations are used largely depends on personal preference, but gravel size is important. Make sure the gravel is at least as big as your turtle's head so that it cannot be eaten. If using gravel, rocks, or driftwood from outdoors it will need to be sterilized before being placed in your aquarium. This is accomplished by boiling the items in a large pot of water for 20 minutes to 1 hour, or baking it in a low temperature oven (200F) for a few hours will also sterilize it. The wood must be monitored very closely/frequently because the baking process risks drying the wood out enough for it to catch fire.
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Water Quality
Poor water quality can stress your turtle and increase their susceptibility to diseases and parasites. It is very important to keep your turtle's water clean and clear. Dirty water not only increases the risk your turtle will get sick, it is the main way you could get sick from your turtle. While any reptile can have Salmonella, the chance is much higher when the tank is not properly cleaned and filtered.
The filter is one of the most important pieces of equipment in a turtle’s tank. Filters remove solid waste, remove dissolved chemicals from the water, and provide surface area for beneficial bacteria that detoxify harmful waste compounds in the water. There are many types of filters: hang-on-the-side, canister filters, sponge filters, and large filter + land area units like the one I own (Viquarium - product pictures below). The most important aspect of picking the right filter is making sure the filter is rated to the size aquarium you have (for turtles it may be best to get the next size larger). This information will be on the filter packaging. It is always better to over-filter an aquarium than under-filter.
The best and easiest way to do water changes is with a gravel vacuum. A gravel vacuum is a large diameter tube connected to thinner, longer tubing. A siphon is started and the wastewater collects in a bucket or gets poured right down the drain. The gravel vacuum sucks waste out of the gravel without removing the gravel itself. Replace removed water with dechlorinated water that is the same temperature as the aquarium water. If you are using tap water, a commercial tap water conditioner must be used to remove chlorine and chloramines. Alternately, well water or spring water may be used to replace the removed water (a water conditioner may still be required if heavy metals are present - some aquarium water test strips can check for this).
NEVER COMPLETELY EMPTY AND CLEAN AN AQUARIUM - YOU WILL REMOVE BENEFICIAL BACTERIA THAT DETOXIFY HARMFUL WASTE COMPOUNDS! The media in an aquarium's filter should be changed once a month to once every other month. Never change all filter media at once unless your filter uses single replaceable cartridges.
Spot clean your aquarium as needed to remove uneaten food.
An air pump, airline hosing, and airstone help provide increased oxygenation to the water. Air pumps are sold based on the size aquarium they are used for, and airstones come in all different sizes and shapes. This is not necessary for a properly sized tank with a large filter, but it does provide extra water movement and many people like how it looks. Some turtles like rapidly moving water, while other species need calm slow moving water, so be sure any extra aeration and water movement does not stress your turtle.
The filter is one of the most important pieces of equipment in a turtle’s tank. Filters remove solid waste, remove dissolved chemicals from the water, and provide surface area for beneficial bacteria that detoxify harmful waste compounds in the water. There are many types of filters: hang-on-the-side, canister filters, sponge filters, and large filter + land area units like the one I own (Viquarium - product pictures below). The most important aspect of picking the right filter is making sure the filter is rated to the size aquarium you have (for turtles it may be best to get the next size larger). This information will be on the filter packaging. It is always better to over-filter an aquarium than under-filter.
The best and easiest way to do water changes is with a gravel vacuum. A gravel vacuum is a large diameter tube connected to thinner, longer tubing. A siphon is started and the wastewater collects in a bucket or gets poured right down the drain. The gravel vacuum sucks waste out of the gravel without removing the gravel itself. Replace removed water with dechlorinated water that is the same temperature as the aquarium water. If you are using tap water, a commercial tap water conditioner must be used to remove chlorine and chloramines. Alternately, well water or spring water may be used to replace the removed water (a water conditioner may still be required if heavy metals are present - some aquarium water test strips can check for this).
NEVER COMPLETELY EMPTY AND CLEAN AN AQUARIUM - YOU WILL REMOVE BENEFICIAL BACTERIA THAT DETOXIFY HARMFUL WASTE COMPOUNDS! The media in an aquarium's filter should be changed once a month to once every other month. Never change all filter media at once unless your filter uses single replaceable cartridges.
Spot clean your aquarium as needed to remove uneaten food.
An air pump, airline hosing, and airstone help provide increased oxygenation to the water. Air pumps are sold based on the size aquarium they are used for, and airstones come in all different sizes and shapes. This is not necessary for a properly sized tank with a large filter, but it does provide extra water movement and many people like how it looks. Some turtles like rapidly moving water, while other species need calm slow moving water, so be sure any extra aeration and water movement does not stress your turtle.
This is a manual/chemical/biological filter, basking spot, and plant-able land area all in one! It does a wonderful job keeping the water crystal clear and free of ammonia; it is what I use.
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The stream has two parts, one longer than the other, so that you can decide how long you want the land area to be. It can curve to have the waterfall in either the right or left corner when looking down the stream, so you can place it on either side of your tank. When I move I will be buying a larger tank for Leonardo, and am getting one 24 inches wide so that I can put two of these side by side! I love how well it works, and can't wait to have even more plant-able land area and room for Leo to explore.
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Pet Information - Turtles by Caitlin Kempski is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
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The above information is intended to be a resource for educators and can be used freely, so long as I am credited and you are not selling it in any way. Handing it out to students of any age as is or in an edited form is acceptable and encouraged, just include the link to this webpage and identify it as your source. If you post it on your website, be it personal or school affiliated, it must also be credited to me and grant people identical terms of use. Thank you for your cooperation and please email me with any questions at bycaitlin@gmail.com. License terms can be found here http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
The above information is intended to be a resource for educators and can be used freely, so long as I am credited and you are not selling it in any way. Handing it out to students of any age as is or in an edited form is acceptable and encouraged, just include the link to this webpage and identify it as your source. If you post it on your website, be it personal or school affiliated, it must also be credited to me and grant people identical terms of use. Thank you for your cooperation and please email me with any questions at bycaitlin@gmail.com. License terms can be found here http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/