Is it possible for a red-eared turtle to walk around the apartment?

Although the red-eared turtle is not the kind of pet that will happily wag its tail to meet the owner from work, many owners still allow their reptiles to walk around the house. On the Internet, you can find many videos of how the red-eared turtle walks around the apartment to the delight of the household. But is all this really necessary for the red-eared turtles themselves?

Let’s deal.

If you provide the turtle with good conditions and purchase a spacious terrarium for it (100 liters for one reptile), an island of “sushi” where the turtle can bask, an ultraviolet lamp and an incandescent lamp, an external filter – then the pet will definitely not need additional walks around the house.

These conditions mimic the habitat of the red-eared turtle in the wild. And if the owner properly feeds his pet, monitors her health, changes the water on time and creates other appropriate conditions in the aquaterrarium, this will be enough for the turtle to live a long and happy life.

But sometimes a person can get bored with watching the life of a pet in a terrarium. Then the turtle can be taken out of the “house” and sent for a little walk.

And sometimes a turtle just needs to walk not so much in the house as under the sun. This will be useful if the terrarium has a low-quality lamp that does not emit the right amount of light. It is necessary for turtles for the proper formation of the shell and the prevention of rickets.

Remember that a turtle is not a cat or a dog that you can safely let out and go about your business. A lot of dangers await the turtle on the floor.

The owner of the red-eared turtle should be extremely careful if he decides to send his pet on the promenade around the house.

The red-eared turtle is not as slow as some of its counterparts. These reptiles, especially young ones, can be very nimble. You yourself will not notice how the turtle will slip away somewhere behind the sofa or closet.
Walking on the floor can lead to a cold. This is the floor of a comfortable temperature for us. Now imagine what a sharp temperature drop the reptile feels when it is lowered to the floor. Under the incandescent lamp, the temperature remains 30-32 degrees, and outside the terrarium – 23-25 degrees.
Turtles do not perceive walking around the house as interesting entertainment. Once in such a spacious area, the reptile will want to hide somewhere in the corner, where it will not be easy to find.
Little turtles run the risk of falling under the feet of gaping household members. It threatens injury or something worse. And frequent walking on the floor can deform their limbs. Still, red-eared turtles feel much more confident in the water.
Babies should not be touched at all, because. their shell is still developing and can be easily damaged. Even slight squeezing can have a detrimental effect on the later life of an individual.
In no case should you put a turtle on the floor if there are dogs or cats in the house. Believe me, inquisitive four-legged will definitely want to try the reptile for a tooth or play fun bowling with it.
Red-eared turtles are rather aggressive and wayward animals. When you try to take a turtle, you risk being bitten. And their jaws are strong, so it will hurt.

Speaking of jaws. Red-eared turtles are very voracious. Therefore, everything that they meet on their way while walking on the floor, they can easily eat. Even a small carnation or candy. Therefore, the floor in the house must be perfectly clean.

In the summer, you can take the turtle in a basin to the balcony. It’s great if the sun’s rays fall on the balcony, under which the reptile can bask. But do not forget to cover half of the basin with something in case the turtle wants to take a break from sunbathing.

Ideal if you have a private house where you can equip a special turtle pool. The main thing is not to forget to make an island of land for reptiles and cover the pool with a chain-link net. This will protect the turtles from birds of prey.

It is also better to enclose the pool around the perimeter with a net so that other animals do not approach the turtle kingdom.

If you decide to walk with a turtle in the yard, know that this is a bad idea. As soon as you turn your back for a second, a friend in a shell will instantly slip into the tall grass. Find after this pet you are unlikely to succeed.

We must not forget about various poisonous plants, cigarette butts, etc., which an inquisitive turtle will want to try. This will inevitably lead to the death of the animal. Another danger is children. They will definitely be interested in the turtle and surround it with a crowd. Such stress to the pet is useless.

It will be much better if you take care of the comfortable living of the red-eared turtle in the aquaterrarium. There she will be much safer and calmer. And she doesn’t really need walks around the house, and even more so down the street.