Drinkers and feeders for tortoises
Contents
Feeders
Turtles are not picky and can take food from the “floor” of the terrarium, but in this case, the food will be mixed with the ground and scattered throughout the terrarium. Therefore, it is much easier and more hygienic to give food to turtles in a special container – a feeder. For small turtles, it is better to put ceramic tiles in the feeding area instead of the feeder with the rough side up and put food on it.
Feeders and drinkers for turtles look beautiful when they are made in the form of a recess in the rock. Feeders are resistant to turning over, hygienic, look beautiful, although they are not cheap. The pond should be slightly larger than the size of the turtle so that it can fit in it entirely. The water level should be no deeper than 1/2 the height of the tortoise shell. The depth of the pool should allow the turtle to easily get out of it on its own. It is best to place the pond under a lamp to keep the water warm. The feeder can be a bowl, a plate located not under the lamp. For the Central Asian turtle, which receives a lot of succulent food, you can not put a drinker, it is enough to bathe the turtle in a basin 1-2 times a week. 
As a feeder, you can adapt ceramic saucers, trays for flower pots, or buy a feeder at a pet store. It is important that the feeding container meets the following requirements:
- The feeder should have low sides so that the turtle can easily reach for food.
- It is much more convenient for a turtle to eat from a round and wide feeder than from a long and narrow one.
- The feeder must be heavy, otherwise the turtle will turn it over and “kick” it all over the terrarium.
- The feeder must be safe for the turtle – do not use containers that have sharp edges or that the turtle can break.
- Choose a container that is easy to clean – the inside of the feeder should be smooth.
 | Plastic lids or trays for flower pots Often used as feeders by turtle owners, these lightweight containers are more suitable for very small turtles that will have a hard time turning them over. |
| Ceramic saucers and platesConvenient for use as feeders – they are quite heavy and resistant to overturning. |
 | Special feeders for reptiles They imitate the surface of a stone, they come in different shapes, colors and sizes. These feeders are easy to use and look beautiful in a terrarium. These feeders are sold at pet stores. |
You can choose a feeder for your turtle that you like, and it does not have to be one of the above. And here are some more original types of feeders:
Drinking bowls
Turtles drink water, so they need a drinker. Central Asian tortoises do not require drinkers, they get enough water from succulent food and from weekly bathing.
Young turtles do not get enough water from the food they eat, and even if some of them come from deserts, they have already lost the ability to retain water in their bodies in captivity. Let the little ones drink whenever they want!
The requirements for drinkers are exactly the same as for feeders: they must be accessible to the turtle – choose a drinker so that the turtle can easily climb in and out of it on its own. Drinkers should be easy to clean and shallow so that the turtle does not drown. So that the water does not cool down (the water temperature should be within 30-31 C), the drinker should be placed next to the heating zone (under the lamp). The drinker must be heavy so that the turtle does not turn it over and spill water throughout the terrarium, so light plastic containers are not suitable for use as a drinker.
Use ceramic containers and special drinkers for terrariums.
Hygiene
Do not forget that the food in the feeder should always be fresh, and the water in the drinker should be clean and warm. Turtles are unclean and often defecate in drinkers and feeders, wash the drinkers and feeders as they become soiled with ordinary soap (you should not use various dishwashing detergents). Change the water in the drinker every day.
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