European marsh turtle: character, features of appearance and maintenance at home
The European bog turtle is one of the most popular aquatic reptiles to keep at home. The habitat of the animal is quite extensive – from Europe to the Middle East. But before deciding to keep an amphibian at home, you need to get acquainted with the peculiarities of the character and the intricacies of keeping a marsh turtle.
First of all, the maintenance of a marsh turtle at home must be approached with all responsibility. Because of the animal is a reptile, which is found almost everywhere, it does not need special conditions for living in an apartment. But for a full-fledged life of a pet, certain rules must be followed.
Bog turtles are predators with very powerful jaws. If an animal bites its owner, then the sensations will be very unpleasant. Often reptile can be aggressive, therefore, it is better to take a reptile from the back of the shell so that it does not reach out and bite. Many zoologists recommend buying a marsh turtle at a very young age so that it gets used to its owner.
Contents
Habitat
As previously mentioned, the European marsh turtle can be found almost everywhere in Europe, as well as in Asia and Africa. Because reptile is very common, then it is not in the Red Book. It lives in various freshwater reservoirs: a pond, a water channel, a swamp, a stream, a river, etc. Despite the fact that the bog turtle is an aquatic animal, it loves to bask in the warm sun.
Even if it is cool and cloudy outside, the reptile tries to catch a moment to soak up the sun, which barely breaks through the clouds. Like most aquatic reptiles, the turtle in natural conditions instantly disappears under water at the sight of a threat. Thanks to powerful paws and long claws, the animal calmly makes its way through the thickets, and, if necessary, burrows into silt or leaves at the bottom of the reservoir.
Features of the appearance of marsh turtles
The European bog turtle is the owner of a rounded smooth carapace, usually with a black or yellow-green color. There are many small yellow or white blotches scattered on the shell, which can form bizarre patterns or lines. The wet house of the reptile shimmers with brilliance in the sun and fades after drying. The turtle has a fairly large and slightly pointed head and no beak. The skin on the head is dark, almost black. On dark paws, light spots with a yellow tint are visible.
Today, zoologists consider several main subspecies of marsh turtles, which can vary in color and shell size. So, the Sicilian reptile has a catchy yellow-green carapace and the same color of the skin. An amphibian that lives in Russian or Ukrainian open spaces is dark, almost black without bright decorations. A mature bog turtle can grow up to 35 cm in length and almost 1,5 kg in weight. But in captivity, the animal does not reach such sizes.
European the bog turtle is often confused with its American relative, since they are very similar in their habits and external parameters. Therefore, reptiles have long been attributed to one subspecies of the genus Emys. But later, having become more familiar with each species, they were divided according to the difference between the internal skeleton and external signs. The life expectancy of a marsh reptile today remains a matter of debate for many scientists. But they all came to the unanimous opinion that the animal is a long-liver.
Arrangement of an aquarium for keeping at home
The care and maintenance of the swamp subspecies of the turtle at home does not require special encyclopedic knowledge in the zoological sphere from the pet owners, since they spend most of their time in the aquatic environment. But still, some features of arranging an aquarium for a pet must be observed.
- For the bog turtle Must have a large aquarium, the volume of which should be at least 150 liters. These are the optimal dimensions of a home for a pet so that it feels comfortable.
- It is very important to equip a small piece of land in the reservoir. Despite the fact that marsh turtles are aquatic reptiles, land is vital for them. Otherwise, the animal will simply drown. The optimal size of an island of land is considered to be a third of the area of the aquarium.
In addition to water and earth resources, other important elements for the reptile’s habitat should always be present in the aquarium.
- An ordinary electric lamp that will create the optimum temperature in the aquarium. Its placement is recommended over a piece of land where the turtle will bask.
- Of great importance is also ultraviolet lamp, which has a beneficial effect on the health of the reptile.
- You also need to take care of the presence of a water filter. Its necessity is due to the fact that the water in the aquarium should always be clean.
As additional elements to create comfort for the animal, aquarium soil is used to simulate the bottom. In the presence of aquarium plants, it is important that they are not poisonous, as the bog turtle loves to eat them.
How to feed a pet bog turtle?
In order for a pet’s diet to be complete, it is necessary to understand what reptiles eat in their natural habitat. The bog turtle belongs to a number of predators, therefore its main diet in nature consists of animal food. Naturally, the animal cannot be left without plant food. Young shoots of aquatic plants are the main source of trace elements and beneficial vitamins. Ideally, turtle nutrition at home should consist of the following menu:
- animal food – fish fry and small fish, miniature frogs and larvae of various insects;
- vegetable food – leaves of a young dandelion or clover.
To keep your bog turtle healthy, it is imperative to use supplements that supplement your pet’s diet with calcium. As a source of vitamins, powders purchased at a pet store are used.
Should I bathe my turtle and how often should I change the water?
Given that the bog turtle lives in the water, many owners have a question: do I need to bathe the reptile? It is precisely because the reptile is aquatic that some pet owners doubt the advisability of carrying out such a hygiene procedure. But since It is almost impossible to keep an aquarium in perfect cleanliness. and dirt appears on the animal’s shell, then it must be removed mechanically in a mandatory manner.
Water hygiene procedures are necessary as dirt forms on the shell. Wash the pet in warm water with a soft cloth, and preferably with a brush. In no case hard materials are not allowed, which can damage the keratinized coating of the pet.
A bog turtle in an apartment should be kept only in clean water. First of all, this is due to the fact that the animal defecates directly where it lives, thereby leading to pollution of water resources. Reptile owners should constantly monitor the purity of water, otherwise it can cause various diseases in the reptile.
A complete change of water and cleaning of the aquarium should be carried out at least once a month. In order not to disturb the animal, you can leave a small amount of water in the container, diluting it with fresh water. Aquarium specialists recommend using settled tap water. At the same time, if you install high-quality filters, then cleaning in the turtle’s home will occur much less frequently.
Domestic bog turtle and hibernation
For many years, there has been a heated discussion among turtle lovers about the advisability of winter hibernation for reptiles. Under natural conditions, the sleep of reptiles in winter is vital. This is primarily due to the fact that turtle animal cold-blooded and cannot control his body temperature.
With the onset of cold weather, the reptile falls into hibernation, during which all life processes slow down. But a pet does not need a long sleep, since a suitable microclimate is always maintained in the aquarium. Opponents of winter hibernation of domestic turtles motivate their point of view also by the fact that preparation for a long winter sleep is quite difficult.
If the owners of a domestic reptile provide their pet with proper care and constantly clean water in the aquarium, then the pet will delight with its presence for decades. It is advisable to buy a very small animal, which will get used to a person more easily and quickly and will even eat from hands.
Precautions and communication with the reptile
Most cold-blooded animals are smart enough to quickly recognize when they are being fed. But at the moment when the animal rushes to its owner with the hope of getting a favorite delicacy, it is very aggressive. Like most reptiles, turtles are treacherous. So at times like this owners should be as careful as possible, since the bite of a reptile is very noticeable. It is better to keep the turtle in solitude. It was often observed that when keeping several reptiles in one aquarium, they gnawed off each other’s limbs.
An adult bog turtle is quite aggressive and can bite its owner. The bite of a reptile is so painful that the owners of the pain greatly change facial expressions. Therefore, it is better to take the animal by the back of the shell. The correct approach and compliance with the rules for caring for a marsh turtle in captivity will help to avoid a lot of trouble. But, if any oddities are noticed in the behavior of the animal, then you should immediately contact the specialists.
