by TJ Stroman

Created on: September 03, 2010

How to care for painted turtles. Well fortunately these little guys are by far the easiest and hardiest of water turtles. Not only are they easy to take care of, they adapt rather well to captivity. I have had about thirty of these over the years and they are still one of my favorites. First off you are going to need a tank. A twenty gallon is a good start as these turtles do need room to grow. Just keep in my mind as they grow, you will need to increase your tank size.

Secondly a filter for the tank is a necessity. All aquatic life should have a filter in their tank to help clean and aerate the water. Although you will have to clean the tank about every two weeks to a month, the filter helps in cutting that time down. I recommend a tetra reptile filter, you can get these as a under gravel or tank side filter. Filters have cartridges, be sure to replace these once they get dirty or you will compromise your filters cleaning abilities.

Tanks should have some substrate in the bottom as well as some decorations. I recommend a fine gravel or river sand for the bottom of the tank. Decorations should resemble the turtle's natural habitat. Your tank should have a floating dock for your turtles to bask. What is basking? Don't worry I will go over everything you need to know. I recommend putting live plants in the tank instead of fake. Although they make more work, they help oxygenate the water.

Basking, most water turtles bask. Basking is when turtles come to the surface and sit, usually on a rock or log. This is the time when turtles collect the natural elements from the sun they need to grow and stay healthy. Thus all tanks should be paired with an adequate heating light or lamp on top of the tank. Not to mention tanks need a top.in order to prevent escape, or a heat lamp from falling in and causing a fire or electrocution.

I recommend that you start each tank out using spring or purified water. Never use tap water as the harsh chemicals may harm or even kill your turtle. Always ensure that the water is at the adequate temperature for your turtle. For a painted turtle the adequate temperature is between 72 degrees 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to check the temperature place a stick on thermometer on the the outside glass of the tank, or place a floating thermometer inside the water of the tank. Ensure the floating thermometer is submerged. If you are not reaching the desired temperature I suggest a under gravel heater. Always submerge a heater before turning it on.

Feeding for these turtles is fairly easy. They feed on small fish, blood worms, and floating sticks or shrimp sticks. They need to be given food once a day probably between every two days to a week depending on the type of food you give them. Floating sticks should be given every two to 4 days. Small fish such as minnows, guppies or feeder goldfish should be given once a week or two depending how fast they eat.

Last but not least enjoy your turtle. They make great pets. Though they should not be be handled or handled once in a while by an adult or trained reptile specialist. They do make great companions and are fun to watch. If you do handle your turtle make sure to express extreme care. Turtles are fragile and if they feel threatened they may bite. After handling be sure that you wash or sanitize your hands thoroughly, reptiles are known to carry salmonella. Which can make you very sick. I hope you have fun with your new pet, and remember everything I told you.

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