How long do turtles live in an aquarium at home?

What kind of reptile is this?

The red-eared turtle (also known as the yellow-bellied turtle) belongs to the family of American freshwater turtles. Natural habitat is small, often swampy bodies of water with weak currents. They feed on both plant and animal foods. Distributed throughout North and South America.

The external feature is two symmetrical stripes, red, yellow or orange, located behind the eyes (on both sides of the head). The color of the dorsal part of the shell (carapace) is rich green with black and yellow lines. The lower part (plastron) is painted pale yellow with a dark pattern. The pattern from the shell extends to the skin of the paws and head, so the reptile looks striped.

Species of reptiles

There are many species of turtles found in nature, each of which has its own characteristics and lifespan. But not all of them can be grown at home. The most popular are:

Land turtle - this species includes more than ten genera. Its habitat is the warm latitudes of many continents. Most often, representatives of this species can be found in the desert or steppe, but you can also see them in the forest. They are represented by large-sized individuals with thick legs and a large shell. A distinctive feature is the fused fingers. They can live in natural conditions for up to 100 years. Most people do not live in households longer than 40 years.
Central Asian - refers to a type of land. A distinctive feature is the shell, which is divided into several sectors and has a yellow or spotted tint. This species can be found in the desert, foothills and near bodies of water. These are small individuals that live no more than 30 years in captivity. Their lifespan in nature is not precisely determined, but on average it is accepted to take 50 years.
Marine - most often found in warm waters of seas and oceans. They differ from land animals not only in their legs, which look like flippers, but also in their elongated shell. The animal cannot pull its head and legs inside its shell. Most often, sea turtles can be found in large aquariums and zoos. In nature, they can live up to 80 years. But it is impossible to determine how long sea turtles live at home. They are not grown in houses and apartments, because such large individuals will not fit in any aquarium and their maintenance is associated with certain difficulties.
Aquatic turtle - refers to small individuals that do not grow more than 30 cm. Most often found in the fresh waters of South Africa, Asia and Japan. At home he feels great. This turtle lives up to 50 years both in captivity and in the natural environment.
The red-eared or yellow-bellied variety is a freshwater species. Its size rarely reaches 30 cm, males are slightly smaller than females. It got its name because of the red spots on the head in the eye area. Makes sounds similar to hissing or squealing. Found in fresh water lakes and ponds. Able to live up to 50 years.

Not all representatives of these species of reptiles can be kept at home. But still, most of them are found in captivity.

How to determine age and gender?

It is possible to determine the sex of a turtle only after it reaches the age of sexual maturity. But even in adult individuals, the differences between males and females remain very blurred and sex determination is possible only by secondary characteristics. The most notable include:

Claws on the hind limbs. In males they are long, sometimes curved and thickened.
Tail. The male is wide at the base, long with a narrow tip.
Size. Females are noticeably larger.
Shell shape. In males it is longer and narrower.
The structure of the abdominal part of the external skeleton. The plastron of females is smooth, while that of males is concave.

Please note: some differences are subtle or may be absent altogether, so conclusions are drawn based on several signs.

To obtain more reliable data, you can use scientific methods - blood tests for hormones, radiography and ultrasound.

Finding out how old a reptile is is an even more difficult task. The easiest way is to clarify this point with the seller. If this is not possible, then the date of birth can only be determined approximately. The error will be several years.

One of the most reliable ways to find out the age is to measure the turtle's shell with a ruler from the front to the back edge, without taking into account the bend. By one year, its length should be three to four centimeters.

In the future, sizes depend on gender:

2 years. Females - 9 cm, males - 8 cm;
3 years. Females – 14 cm, males – 10 cm;
4 years. Females – 17 cm, males – 12 cm.

In addition, you can find out your age:

Counting the rings on the shell. The first is formed before the turtle reaches twelve months. Every year 2–3 rings are added to the pattern.
By color. The darker the shell, the older the animal. Young turtles (up to 4 years old) have rich, bright colors, then the shell begins to gradually darken.

Life at home

You should not give turtles citrus fruits and fruits, nuts, tomatoes.
At home, a turtle can live a very long time compared to its natural habitat, which is achieved by balancing risk factors.

Several conditions can affect the lifespan of a reptile:

correctness of the selected diet;
conditions of detention;
detection of diseases and their timely treatment;
possible injuries to the pet.

Small individuals can live in captivity up to 30 years, larger ones - up to 50. But in a zoo, this period increases significantly. This is due to better conditions in old age.

Causes of premature death

The most common causes of death of pets are:

Improper conditions of detention. Small aquarium, dirty unfiltered water, untimely cleaning, inappropriate temperature conditions.
Infections. They can appear from aquarium plants, decorative elements, and live food.
Poor nutrition and lack of vitamins. In nature, a turtle can compensate for the deficiency of any element on its own; when kept at home, monitoring the diet is the owner’s task.
Lack of qualified veterinary specialists who can correctly and timely diagnose health problems and prescribe adequate treatment.

Lifespan of turtles

Many people consider turtles to be the record holders for life expectancy. But this opinion is based on rare cases of old-timers belonging to large species. But in fact, the survival rate of the young is very low, and the population is maintained by the large number of eggs in the clutch. In the best case, no more than 60% of them hatch, and in the worst case, no more than 5%. The remaining eggs are eaten by predators. Young animals are also a tasty morsel for most animals, as well as for people.

Very few individuals live to be 30 years old. On average, it is believed that a turtle lives no more than 20 years. And the age of old-timers largely depends on the factor of luck. The reptile cannot get out of its shell - it is fused with it.

The larger the individual, the longer its lifespan:

small ones live no more than half a century;
large ones - up to 80 years and longer.

If you raise a turtle at home, its life can be either shortened or significantly increased. The latter becomes possible thanks to comfortable living conditions and the absence of dangers.

With enough control and proper care, a turtle can live a fairly long life.

How to extend life?

The lifespan of a turtle depends only on its owner. When creating favorable conditions, proper care and a balanced diet, it increases. To do this you need:

Select the aquarium size. Minimum 150 liters per adult reptile. Smaller containers can only keep small turtles up to 2 years old.
Equip the aquarium not only with water, but also with a small island of land (up to 1/3 of the total volume).
Maintain a stable temperature and avoid drafts.
Carry out timely sanitization once a week.
Select decorative elements carefully. Some types of algae are poisonous to reptiles. In addition, you should not decorate the aquarium with artificial plants and shallow soil - turtles will definitely try to eat them.
Carefully pick up the turtle and avoid falling, even from a small height. In addition to the fact that they have a smooth, slippery shell that can easily slip out of your hands, some individuals can bite and scratch quite strongly.
Ensure proper feeding. Turtles cannot eat processed food. It is forbidden to give beef, rabbit, turkey, pork, fruits, and grains. Be sure to include in the diet: animal protein (crustaceans, fish, snails, feed cockroaches), greens (algae, lettuce, dandelions).
Add mineral supplements to food.

In fact, extending the life of a turtle is quite simple - you need to provide it with comfortable living conditions that are closest to natural ones, monitor its condition and promptly apply the necessary measures.

Adviсe

Do not keep reptiles of different species in the same terrarium.
If the reptile escaped from the aquarium and cannot be found, place a bowl of water and your pet's favorite food indoors. Turtles have good eyesight and will respond quickly to treats and water.
Remember that the depth of the reservoir should allow the animal to easily stick its head out and keep it on the surface.
Install two thermometers in the aquarium: one for water, the other for air.
When taking baths, clean the shell with a soft sponge. Brushes injure the animal.

The longest-living turtles are the elephant turtle named Harietta, who lived 175 years, and the Madagascan radiant turtle, Tui Malila, who lived 192 years. Domestic species do not live that long, but they delight their owners for a long time.

Inhabitants of the 16 most popular species of pet turtles

Inhabitants of the Mysterious Cherry Shrimp in your aquarium

Interesting facts about turtles

It is known that large turtles have the longest life expectancy among representatives of the animal world. This is possible due to the fact that turtles have a very slow metabolism in the body. It’s hard to imagine, but some of them can survive for several months without water or food, and there are unique turtles that can live in such conditions for up to 2 years. Here are some more amazing facts about turtles:

Turtles have well-developed sensory organs, and nerve endings are located on the shell. With prolonged contact with a person, turtles are able to recognize him.
The turtle shell contains phosphorus. If a turtle spends a lot of time under the sun's rays, then in the dark you can see how the shell glows.
Turtles, hearing a pleasant and affectionate voice, stretch their necks out of their shells.
The sex of the future turtle depends on the ambient temperature. Males will appear if the temperature in the nest is low, and females will appear if the temperature is high.

By the way, May 23 is World Turtle Day. These silent and mysterious creatures have lived on our planet for a very, very long time. They appeared about 200 million years ago. I think it is well deserved that these inhabitants of nature have their own holiday.

Mr. Tail Explains: Common Mistakes

All problems with these unpretentious pets arise due to the owners’ ignorance of basic maintenance rules. Most often, turtle owners make the following mistakes:

They do not provide any terrarium for their placement. The pet is forced to look for a secluded corner in the house on its own. He collects dust under cabinets and sofas, and can get hurt and catch a cold from drafts.
They forget to install an ultraviolet lamp in the turtle's housing. The absence of this radiation spectrum can cause many diseases in your pet.
Scales are forcibly removed from the skin and scutes from the shells during molting. This is absolutely forbidden to do so as not to injure your pet. When washing, use only a soft cloth.
They keep several aggressive males together. This can lead to injury and even death to the turtles.
Wash terrariums using homemade disinfectants. This can easily poison your pets. To clean their territory, you must have your own equipment and special means.

How long do little turtles live?

How long do little turtles live?
How long do turtles live?
How to determine the age of a turtle

Amazing reptiles. They appeared on earth long before man began to rule it. And they survived all the cataclysms that dinosaurs and mammoths could not survive. The turtle calmly carries its shell, not claiming the love of a person, but people are happy to keep them at home as pets. It is believed that these animals live for hundreds of years and can outlive their owners and their descendants. Is it a myth or truth, zoologists have long found out.

Care, maintenance and treatment of your pet

The shell is an important part of the body of every turtle. It protects the turtle from phenomena dangerous to it.

Aquatic turtle The largest turtle in the world

Features of feeding by season

Despite the fact that at home turtles practically do not feel the change of seasons, by winter they become less active. Owners of an exotic pet should remember that it is better not to let it hibernate - it requires special care, and in the spring the animal may not wake up.

As activity decreases, the amount of food consumed also decreases. However, the menu should remain as varied as possible. During this period, seasonal vegetables will be useful for turtles - cabbage, beets, carrots, as well as raw meat and boiled eggs. All products are consumed in moderation.

In addition, calcium supplements continue to be given, and special multivitamins are given to prevent diseases.

If there are doubts about the balance of the home diet, you can switch the animal to ready-made food.

Feeding your pet turtle well is quite easy. Her diet includes familiar foods that are constantly in every person’s refrigerator. However, you should not treat your pet to everything in unlimited quantities. The main thing is that the food is varied, suitable in appearance and fresh.

Aquariums for red-eared turtles

Turtles are born up to 3 cm in size, but by the age of 3, with proper nutrition, they can grow up to 15 cm, so even at the stage of purchasing a terrarium, you should immediately think about purchasing a spacious tank. When thinking about which aquarium for a red-eared slider will be the most successful, give preference to glass tanks with a volume of 100 liters or more (even better, 200 liters or more) per mature individual. It is advisable to choose low and wide containers with a large bottom area; you will have to allocate up to 25% of the space for arranging an artificial coastline.

Reptiles need land for rest and sunbathing; here they dry their bodies under ultraviolet lamps and warm up after water procedures. To prevent your pets from running away, do not place artificial islands closer than 30 cm from the edge of the aquarium and take care of a durable terrarium lid with ventilation holes. A red-eared turtle at home requires a pool with a water layer depth of 40 cm. The islands are made durable, with rough soil and a slope from the bottom; you can use ready-made store-bought structures.

What does a red-eared turtle need in an aquarium?

To solve the problem of how to equip an aquarium for a red-eared turtle, you need to purchase a complete list of the most necessary equipment. With suitable devices, it is easier to maintain an optimal microclimate and a stable temperature of the aquatic environment inside the terrarium. The design of the interior space has aesthetic value; without artificial plants, snags and grottoes, the home of a red-eared turtle at home looks poor and unpresentable.

Basic equipment for a home terrarium:

water heaters;
external or internal filter;
ultraviolet spotlight with UVB 5% radiation to accelerate the synthesis of vitamin D3 by the turtles’ body at home (kids need a UVB 10% lamp);
lamps with incandescent lamps for heating the interior space;
thermometer;
artificial island;
artificial decorations.

Water temperature for a red-eared slider in an aquarium

At home, the red-eared turtle spends most of its time in the aquatic environment, so its standing directly affects the health of the reptile. We make sure that the water temperature stays between 22-28°C. When it decreases, animals become lethargic, their appetite decreases, and their immunity deteriorates. If the temperature is high, then the pets do not swim, they sit more on the island, which negatively affects their health. Water for red-eared turtles at home is used purified and settled, without ammonia and chlorine impurities.

Price

You can find out how much a land turtle costs by deciding on the species. The cheapest thing to buy is a Central Asian reptile. Exotic species of turtles will cost more. The price of such a pet ranges from 500 to 2000 rubles. Sales are offered by both specialized stores and private individuals who are engaged in breeding.

Shop	Price in Moscow (rubles)
Avito	1000-1500
Planet Exotic	1500
Velesans	2000
Zoo-Oasis	700-2500
Bird Market	1200

Land

Land turtles live in deserts, steppes and tropical rainforests. Some members of this family live longer than all other species and are considered centenarians. Depending on the subspecies, the average age of a turtle can reach 50-100 years.

At home, land turtles live for about 30-40 years, exceeding the life expectancy of their waterfowl counterparts. This is due to the unpretentiousness of the family and simpler living conditions.

Central Asian

The most common type of turtle, the mottled yellow-brown turtle, can live for about 50 years. In captivity, the average lifespan is reduced to 30 years.

Desert

Western desert gophers live in North American deserts and some southwestern states (Nevada, Utah). On average, desert tortoises live 50-80 years.

Gigantic

It is in this group, distinguished by impressive parameters, that long-lived turtles are found:

Radiant. The maximum life expectancy was recorded for the turtle Tui Malila. The turtle belonged to the leader of the island of Tonga and was donated by James Cook himself. There are no surviving documents indicating her exact age, but it is assumed that she was at least 192 years old at the time of her death.

Elephant. The cause of death of the tortoise Harietta from the Australian Zoo was heart failure. She died at the age of 177, having acquired the impressive size of a small dining table. IMPORTANT! Unlike Tui Malila, Garietta's age is documented, so she is awarded the title of the oldest turtle in the Guinness Book of Records.
Read also: African pygmy hedgehog: care and maintenance at home
Gigantic. Among the record holders from the Seychelles there are 2 representatives: Female Advaita. The exact age of this giant turtle could not be determined, but it is known that at the time of death she was at least 150 years old.

Male Kiki. Kiki lived in the Paris Zoo and died at the age of 146, having contracted an intestinal infection.

IMPORTANT! The maximum age recorded for turtles exceeds that of other vertebrates.

American freshwater

The turtle family lives on the territory of 2 continents of America, Asia and Europe. Freshwater fish are distinguished by their small or medium size, streamlined oval shell, sharp claws and bright color.

Asian freshwater

Asian freshwater fish live in the Middle East, southern Africa and Asian countries (China, Vietnam, Japan).

In the territory of the former socialist countries, you can find only 1 species - the Caspian turtle, which lives in natural ponds and lakes and artificial reservoirs with river water supply.

The main condition for this species is the presence of running water.

Aquatic turtles are often kept indoors, where they live for about 40 years.

Painted

Turtles with interesting colors are very popular in the United States. If in nature their duration is about 55 years, then in captivity it is reduced to 15-25 years.