Owning a Pet Turtle

Turtles are one of the most popular, exotic and fascinating creatures available in a pet store. If you are thinking of adopting a pet turtle, your main prerogative must be to be well informed and aware of the techniques for creating a suitable habitat for your turtle, including a dry area and a wet area. Did you know that turtles can live up to 40-50 years old? You pet's going to be your companion for most of your life. Don't they deserve the best possible care you can give them? To ensure that your pet turtle is delivered high maintenance and proper care, you need to be well endowed with the basic information regarding your pet turtle's care, treatment, diet and factual data.

Pet turtles flourish the best when they are kept outside in the open. Turtles are animals that indulge in hibernation during the winter months and if they are confined inside during those months, they will not but obviously not hibernate as they will not know what time of the year it is. In case they fail to hibernate, it may invite unwelcome health ailments of the liver. Further, pet turtles must be permitted to stay out in the natural environment to enjoy heat of the sun, graze on grass and marvel in the fresh surroundings.

If you decide otherwise and keep your pets largely indoors, then make sure you provide at least a forty gallon tank size in which your turtle can swim around freely. This is essential because there needs to be enough elbow space for a water only area as well as a dry land area and sufficient room between the two for the turtle to survive comfortably. A minimum of 1/3rd of the tank must be devoted to land and a part of this dry land must have direct access to rays provided by a UV light. The best way to offer this is to have large, flat rocks under the lamp that gives the turtle ample area to bask themselves. A temperature of about 80 degrees during the day and 70degress during the night must be regulated and maintained.

Unfortunately but true, turtles are not pets that are meant to be played with. They are best to be observed and watched from a distance through the walls of the tank. Turtles are cold blooded pets and hence it takes them a while to adapt to change in temperature. Taking a turtle out from its comfortable warm tank gives them quite a shock and could also hurt their immune system. Proper turtle care and maintenance commands for it to be as unchanging and predictable as possible. Most turtles, both land and water based, require a similar diet consisting of fresh, leafy greens and vegetables. Some kinds of land based turtles such as the box turtles or tortoise do not demand very extensive habitats and a very basic but safe enclosed outdoor housing is sufficient. Other turtle and terrapins, by contrast require both a dry as well as a wet environment.

Caring for and tending to turtles can be extremely rewarding and satisfying provided it is executed with a sense of commitment and integrity. If you are looking for a quiet and serene but still an exotic and affectionate animal to raise as a pet, you must consider a turtle. Most pet owners are ultimately satisfied with their decision and despite the fact that turtles are not huggable and cuddly pets, they exude warmth and love like any other four legged pet.

Agony Of The Great Mud Turtle (A Poetic Tale In English And Spanish Now!)

I

A great turtle raised up his head-

from the dark, but crimson underbelly

of the inner Earth, His stone like head,

and deep gray eyes of despair-stared,

just stared with a long poiso'd tongue hung.

"Cruel, jealous, selfish are men,"

He said with a failing grin....

His outer body (casing), charred,

from the molten heat of the earth.

"What are your sorrows?" asked

Man to this giant figure.

The Great Mud Turtle replied:

"I cannot hold or balance the world

any longer, there's too much concrete,

streets, buildings, wars, bombs, the

shifting of balance throughout the world,

it's breaking my back, its penetrating

my hide, its tormenting my character,

I care not to be bondage bound!"

But men on earth would not comply

yet asked again "Why?"

II

"Love seeketh not itself to please

nor does it care for itself; and I,

I have loved thee (even while in despair;

for earth, and man are bond as one, I,

well, I am just a mud turtle, watcher

of the balance, between man and earth,

for I and earth are bond, for earth is

mud, and man is soil, we all are one.)

So, yes-you see, I have loved thee

even while in despair, even while being

trodden over by your heavy feet,

and you still, only seeketh, self to please,

even in the course of another loss; thus,

life to man is not sacred, only him: despite

heaven or hell, he does not bend.

(The old turtle took in a deep breath,

He was exhausted, and then continued :)

"He has been given spring for joy, sweet

mornings to bear, flowers to grow

around him for beauty. Does not he

sow night for sleep, plow his dreams

without misery? This my friend, is

because of balance, me, and the moon,

and the sun, and the earth, and the

heavens, and even hell, for heaven

puts out their nightmares."

III

After hearing this, men of earth

release the Great Mud Turtle, from his

binding chains, in the name of liberty-;

hoping He'd regain his contentment

(but he was gone, not to be found)-,

and therefore, the balance of the earth

wobbled to and fro, off its axis, and

earth quakes, hurricanes, volcanic activity,

and much, much more, called natural disasters

prevailed around the globe (glaciers melted,

mountains fell, oceans roared, and the skies

flamed like hell) and then, then man knew,

he had cursed himself, for such foolish labor...

unchaining the Mud Turtle, calling him the Devil-

and then came the eternal winter, there was no

warmth in the air-nor did rain fall,

to man's appall...!

IV

A prophet came upon the earth

(in its hindering seventh winter)

said to man:

"Underneath one of those trees,

there in the great woods, pointing

towards its strong wind, from

where I stand, is a little child turtle!

who knows no better, he does not

know your harm, your heart, nor

your growing despair...I shall take

you to the tree: I'll show you where!"

(Said man in his

anger and hate, 'Is this child from the

Great Mud Turtle?')(but the old prophetic

would not replay, and continued)):

"As I was saying, this child turtle

is best for you to find, he has the means

to balance the earth, although he doesn't know

this (for he has that endurable shell),

but this will be for you, and he, to work out."

But the pride of man was strong, like

a lion, and his heart was full of anger.

Hence, they hung the old prophet, where

he stood.... Alas! Weary were the times

thereafter.

And it came to pass, man had perished from

the face of the earth, and from their graves

all they could see (their corpses, spirits, skeletons,

eyes of ashes, residue), see was: stones, and more

stones, brimstones, rubble and dried up rivers

and lakes, and oceans, and a mud turtle

walking with his son

#2244 (2-9-2008) Written in Lima, Peru

La Agonía de la

Gran Tortuga de Barro

(Un Cuento Poético)

I

Una gran tortuga levantó su cabeza

-desde las oscuras pero carmesí entrañas de la tierra-

su cabeza como de piedra

con una larga lengua venenosa colgada

y sus ojos grises profundos en desesperación

miraron fijamente, sólo miraron fijamente.

"Crueles, celosos y egoístas son los hombres",

dijo ella con una sonrisa fallida...

Su cuerpo exterior (su caparazón),

estaba carbonizado por el intenso calor de la tierra.

"¿Cuáles son tus penas?",

preguntó el hombre a esta gigantesca figura.

La Gran Tortuga de Barro respondió:

"No puedo sostener o equilibrar el mundo.

¡Ya no! Hay demasiado concreto,

calles, edificios, guerras, bombas;

el cambio de equilibrio en todo el mundo,

está rompiendo mi espalda,

está penetrando en mi escondite,

está atormentando mi carácter

y no quiero ser obligada a la opresión".

Pero a los hombres en la tierra

no les importaría aunque preguntarían otra vez

¿Por qué?

II

"El amor no se busca a si mismo para complacer

ni se interesa por si mismo; y yo,

yo te he amado incluso mientras estaba desesperado

(porque la tierra y el hombre están vinculados como uno,

yo, bien, soy sólo una tortuga de barro,

observadora del equilibrio entre el hombre y la tierra,

porque la tierra y yo estamos vinculados,

porque la tierra es lodo y el hombre es tierra,

todos nosotros somos uno)

Bueno, sí-tú ves-te he amado,

yo te he amado incluso mientras estabao desesperad

incluso mientras estaba pisoteado por tus pesados pies,

y tú aún, sólo buscabas complacerte a ti mismo,

aún durante la pérdida de otro; así,

la vida para el hombre no es sagrada,

es sólo él: a pesar del cielo o el infierno,

él no se doblega".

(La vieja tortuga tomó un suspiro profundo,

ella estaba exhausta y después continuó:)

"A él le dieron la primavera para disfrutar,

mañanas dulces para sobrellevar,

flores para cultivar alrededor y embellecer.

¿No siembra él sus noches para dormir?

¿No ara él sus sueños sin tristeza?

Esto, mi amigo, es debido al equilibrio,

yo, la luna, el sol, la tierra, el cielo

e incluso el infierno, ya que el cielo

elimina sus pesadillas".

III

Después de escuchar esto,

los hombres de la tierra,

soltaron a la Gran Tortuga de Barro,

de sus cadenas atadoras (en nombre de la libertad)

esperando que ella recuperara su satisfacción

pero ella se fue para no encontrarla,

y por eso, el equilibrio de la tierra

se tambaleó de un lado a otro,

fuera de sus ejes, y,

terremotos, huracanes, actividades volcánicas

y mucho, mucho más, llamados desastres naturales,

prevalecieron alrededor del globo

(los glaciares se derritieron, las montañas se cayeron,

los océanos rugieron y el cielo ardió como infierno)

y entonces, entonces el hombre supo,

que él se había maldecido a si mismo,

por tal labor imprudente...

desencadenando a la Gran Tortuga de Barro,

llamándola el Diablo,

entonces vino el invierno eterno,

no hubo calor en el aire,

ni tampoco las lluvia cayeron,

para espanto del hombre...!

IV

Un profeta vino sobre la tierra

(en su penoso séptimo invierno)

y dijo al hombre:

"Debajo de uno de aquellos árboles

allá en los bosques inmensos

(apuntando hacia los grandes bosques)

según lo sé, ¡hay una pequeña tortuga joven!,

quien no sabe de tu daño,

de tu corazón ni de tu creciente desesperación...

Te llevaré hacia el árbol:

¡Te mostraré dónde está!"

Preguntó el hombre lleno de enfado y odio,

"¿Es esta tortuga hijo de la Gran Tortuga de Barro?

Pero el viejo profeta

no respondió y continuó:

"Como te iba diciendo,

es mejor que tú encuentres a esta tortuga joven,

ella tiene los medios para equilibrar la tierra

(ya que ella tiene esa caparazón resistente),

aunque ella no sabe esto,

pero esto será para ti y para ella,

algo que tendrán que trabajarlo juntos".

Pero el orgullo del hombre

era fuerte -como un león-

y su corazón estaba lleno de enojo.

Así, ellos ahorcaron al viejo profeta,

donde estuvo...¡desgraciadamente!

Difíciles fueron los tiempos

a partir de entonces.

Y llegó a pasar que los hombres

se extinguieron de la faz de la tierra

y desde sus tumbas todo lo que podían ver

(sus cadáveres, sus espíritus, sus esqueletos,

sus ojos llenos de cenizas, sus residuos)

todo lo que podían ver era:

piedras y más piedras, azufre,

escombros, ríos y lagos secos;

océanos secos y una tortuga de barro

caminando con su hijo.

Moses The Turtle and My Arrogance

Years ago, I owned a turtle named "Moses". We had a special relationship that scared my family because I would hold Moses right in front of my face and kiss him. They were always afraid Moses would, as most reptiles do, jerk his tongue out and sting me. But he never did! He crawled on my chest and nestled in my neck, feeling safe with me. I loved Moses more than I can describe.

I took him outside with me every day, allowing him to get sunshine and eat bugs as I trimmed my trees and hedges. The back yard was totally fenced in, so I never dreamed he would get out. But the inevitable happened one day. Moses was no where to be found, and I cried for weeks.

About eight months later, I was digging weeds out of the flower bed in the front yard, and my shovel hit something hard. Thinking it a rock, I reached down to get it with my hands and was shocked beyond belief to find dear old Moses under the dirt! How had he survived without me to feed him?

It's amazing how arrogant we humans can be! God created turtles to survive on their own to the ripe old age of 50 or 60 years of age! He "programmed" each species to survive without the help of human beings. Yet I, in my arrogance, thought God needed me to help Him out with His plan!

I learned a lot from Moses after that. I learned how awesome our mutual Creator is! There is nothing that slipped by Him when He was creating all creatures great and small -- no detail He wasn't aware of!

I learned how valuable hibernation is. Just look at the seasons God created: Spring bursts forth with new life only because of the root growth during the "barren" season of Winter.

I learned to hold possessions much looser. Possessions can be lost, or they can die, or they can obstruct my view of God Almighty.

I will always remember Moses and our unique relationship. To this day, I have a wonderful "turtle collection" on my furniture to remind me that in the fairy tale, it was the focused slower creature that won the race. I will always be grateful for the lessons I learned from loving Moses.

(c) 2007 April Lorier | Related Articles

A Properly Functioning Turtle Tank Filter is Very Important

I once took a ten day cruise all around the Caribbean. A relaxing, stress-free ten days turned into an anxiety-ridden week upon my return home. After entering my house, an unbearably foul smell radiated throughout the air. My turtle tank was literally black from feces and debris. My filter had failed me for ten days, leaving the health of my turtles in jeopardy. Fully expecting to go on more vacations in my life, I knew that this filtration system simply would not suffice.

I needed to find myself an adequate turtle tank filter. I feared that my 55 gallon fish tank would require an intricate filtration system costing hundreds of dollars. After all, any turtle owner knows that turtles produce a lot of waste, so I set out to find the best bang for my buck. First off, when you visit your local pet store, skip the substrate. Small pebbles and other rocks only complicate matters when it comes to filtration and cleaning your tank. Although it might be aesthetically pleasing, only large rocks upon which your turtle may rest are acceptable in this sense.

I purchased an A-160 Fluval 1 "Plus" Underwater Filter, and was generally content with the results. The filter, which cost about $20, is compact and effective, allowing for maximum swimming space while at the same time filtering the water. The filter is very quiet, and not bothersome at all. Pad replacements are generally about $3-$4 each, a relatively cheap filtration system. However, I was left wanting more. Any good aquarium filter has a process that involves activated carbon filtering the water in conjunction with a special sponge. As such, I sought to find the most economically priced and effective filter containing both.

Hagen, the manufacturer of the aforementioned filter, is the preeminent name in affordable aquarium filtration equipment. I purchased the AquaClear 300 External Power Filter for $40, and I've never been happier. The filter has a siphon which sucks up the water, which is ideal for turtle tanks with a relatively low water level. Water is suctioned through the siphon and forced through a foam filter insert that traps particles suspended in the water. The second stage of filtration involves a carbon inset, which is used to absorb hard-to-remove and invisible wastes in the water.

There is also an optional third filtration stage, which removes excess ammonia. The filter provides an aesthetically pleasing waterfall effect as the clean water is returned into the tank. A trip to the pet store to replace all of the filter cartridges mentioned will cost about $20. The best part of the system, however, is that your tank remains clean for about 2 months. With these two cost-effective filters running, your turtles will enjoy swimming around in crystal clear water. Remember, this is the water that your turtles drink - you want it to be as clean as possible.