Painted Turtle Pet – What To Feed A Painted Turtle

What To Feed A Painted Turtle Pet

Painted Turtles Have Beautiful Colors And Markings

The painted turtle is small reptile that has a shell or carapace with various colors. Some species have red or yellow running through their carapace.

Their legs and neck are dark, with a colored striped tail and yellow eyes. The male painted turtle are known to be smaller and flatter than the female counterpart.

The painted turtle are diurnal species, which means that they are active mainly in the day.

What To Feed A Painted Turtle PetPainted turtle spend most of their time in the night sleeping in the water however some painted turtle have been discovered to be active at night.

Painted turtle become very active when we have sunrise and spend their time in the water and on rocks.

Painted turtle are omnivorous, which mean they feed both on plant and animals.

The male painted turtle reaches maturity between 4 to 6 years. While the female becomes mature from 6 to 10 years. The main predators of the painted turtle are man, bird and snakes.

 

Painted Turtle Habitat

What To Feed A Painted Turtle Pet

Painted turtle are prevalent in North America and are one of the most common turtle species in United States and Canada.  They have also been discovered in European and Asian nations.

Painted turtle prefer shallow water and dense vegetation. They are found around freshwater environments and are also present in brackish waters. Painted turtle can also survive in polluted waters.

 

Painted Turtle Size

Apart from their beautiful color, another aspect of painted turtle is their manageable adult size.

The adult western painted turtle grow up to six inches, while the south painted turtle are more than six inches.

Those painted turtle found in the East are between 6 and 7 inches. The male painted turtle is not as big as the female.

 

How Long Do Painted Turtles Live?

Painted turtle have a long life span, and are recorded to live up to 50 years in captivity. So they are a long time companion as a pet.

If feed and kept in a good environment you can expect your painted turtle to live up to 30 years. The life span needs to be considered when getting a painted turtle as a pet.


Painted Turtle Pet Habitat

Proper lighting and temperature are crucial for maintaining your turtle in good health.

The house should be between 70-90F, and the water temperature may be between 63-76F degrees.  Check measuring tank thermometers and humidity daily will be a good choice in maintaining their body temperature.

Expect to replace the UVB lamp for basking area every six months.

 

What To Feed A Painted Turtle

Since they are omnivorous, painted turtles enjoy a wide variety of foods. Painted turtle food needs to be provided with it’s nutritional needs in mind. You can supplement the basic foods below with turtle treats

But nothing is as good for your turtle as natural foods, such as worms, insects, fish and vegetables, especially leafy greens.

In the wild young painted turtles mainly consume plants until they get older. Ask your veterinarian about providing calcium and vitamins for your pet turtle.

Find a veterinarian specializing in exotic species to care for your pet. It is unlikely that a normal dog and cat veterinarian can treat your painted turtle.

 

What To Feed A Painted Turtle Pet

Painted Turtle Diseases

Turtles are prone to eye disorders, conjunctivitis, and corneal ulceration. Subcutaneous abscesses are another common problem with painted turtle; appearing as swelling of the skin.

In case your painted turtle is not eating well or breathing slowly, go to your veterinary doctor will be a wise choice. Your doctor will take a fecal sample to ensure that your painted turtle have doesn’t intestinal parasites.

When keeping a painted turtle ensure that it is in a suitable aquarium with an adequate lamp for heating. Direct sunlight is preferred.

Make sure you have a cooler place so the painted turtle can take shelter if desired. Furthermore, the housing must be safe, that is to say, that the turtle will not escape.

A painted turtle will require good quality water as dirty water can lead to various diseases and infections. An aquarium pump is necessary. Painted turtles cannot be let loose in the house or garden.


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