Singaporean turtles are semi-aquatic animals that make pretty good pets. These turtles which are popularly called the red-eared slider turtles will give you all the fun you need when caring for them. They grow pretty fast and you will find them as pets in a lot of households.
You should know that there are different methods of caring for your Singaporean turtles. Different turtle species have their unique mode of maintenance and this turtle is no different. We are going to be giving you tips on how to care for your Singaporean turtle and a lot of other things you should know.
How to Maintain a Singaporean Turtle
There are different things you should consider if you are looking for ways to keep your Singaporean turtle in good health. These things go a long way in ensuring your turtle remains as healthy as possible. Here are some tips you will need.
Step 1: Build a Good Habitant
This is the first thing you need to do if you are looking to maintain a Singaporean turtle. You will have to build a very good habitat that will be large enough to accommodate the turtle. The size of the tank or cage has to be between 30 to 50 liters of water for a baby turtle. However, you might need to get a larger tank as the turtle grows.
You need a tank that can accommodate at least 70 liters of water. You also need to provide a basking area in the tank. The basking area has to be sloppy so the turtle can easily transition between land and water.
Step 2: Temperature and Light
This is another important thing you need to put in mind if you are looking for ways to keep your pet turtle healthy. You need to ensure it has the appropriate light and temperature in its cage. If there isn’t enough light in the cage, there will be no basking area which will ultimately lead to your turtle falling sick.
Apart from light, the temperature is another thing you need to consider important. Turtles like these have a certain temperature or humidity requirement. Keeping it in an habitant below the requirement will do more harm than good to it. The temperature must be between 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, provide a UV lamp and a host of other things.
Step 3: Feeding
There is no way you can maintain a Singaporean turtle without a proper dietary pattern. You need to pay a lot of attention to the feeding of your turtle as it is one thing that affects or determines the health of your turtle. If there is one certain thing, it is the fact that your turtle will have some nutritional requirements, ensure you give it all it needs.
There are a lot of things you turtle can eat from canned turtle food to rodents and a lot more. All these food play a very important role in the growth and healthiness of your turtle.
What is the Lifespan of a Singaporean Turtle?
If you are thinking about adopting a Singaporean turtle as a pet, you should know that you are going to have to take care of it for a very long time. These turtles are known to have a lifespan of between 20 to 30 years. This means the turtle is going to be with you for the next 20 years of your life. It is a pretty big commitment
This is why you should deliberate properly before adopting a turtle for a pet. You should know that they are invasive animals and state laws don’t allow you to release them in the wild randomly except if they are fit and can survive in the wild.
What are the Common Health Problems of a Singaporean Turtle?
Just like other turtles, a Singaporean turtle can occasionally come down with one or two health challenges. If not properly attended to or overlooked, it could cause serious damage to the health of your turtle. Below are some challenges you should consider.
1. Cystic calculi
While this sickness might not be very popular, it is still something that can affect your turtle and if left unchecked, it can lead to the death of your turtle. You need to take your time to ensure your turtle doesn’t come down with this sickness.
Cystic calculi in a turtle cause the urine to crystalize. When this happens, the turtle is going to have some problems urinating normally. You need to take your time to check if there are any signs of blood in the droppings of your turtle. The moment you see any signs of blood in their droppings, it means there is a problem. Your turtle could be suffering from bladder stones and will need a vet.
2. Skin and Shell Sloughing
This is another thing you should watch out for when it comes to the health of your turtle. You need to check if your turtle is shelling too much. Although shelling is a pretty normal thing for most turtles, it becomes a little abnormal when it is large pieces of shells that keep coming off. It is even more worrisome when you notice skin injuries underneath the shell that just come off.
Once you notice any of these, it is a sign that your turtle has a fungal or bacterial infection. It is the infection that is causing excessive skin and shell sloughing. Simply find a way to treat the bacteria and the shelling should stop.
3. Shell Trauma
This happens to a lot of turtles and your Singaporean turtle is no different. If there is a heavy object that fell on your turtle, there is a pretty good chance that your turtle will have shell trauma after a while.
You have little to nothing to worry about when something like this happens, all you need to do is to wait for the trauma out and try to fix the shell as things like these are easily repairable.
Try as much as possible to prevent heavy objects from falling on your turtle as regular occurrences will do more harm than good. It will also reduce the regenerative activity of the turtle.
4. Shell Growth Issues
This is another health challenge your turtle might get. However, you should know that this is usually associated with a lack of proper nutrition. If your turtle isn’t well-fed, it will likely come down with a shell growth issue.
Shell growth issues happen when there is a lack of calcium in the blood. The moment you notice this, you need to feed the turtle with as much calcium as possible. If you fail to do this, the shell growth issue might degenerate into a metabolic bone disease.
Conclusion
There are a lot of things you need to consider if you are thinking about maintaining your Singaporean turtle. There are things such as habitat, food, and a lot more that are pretty important for the proper health of your turtle. You need to ensure all of these things are in place if you want a good and healthy turtle
You should know that turtles can live as long as 20 to 30 years. However, there are a couple of diseases your Singaporean turtle could get. A few of the diseases and their causes have been discussed in this article.
