Each time a Turtles movie is released it seems that demand for baby pet turtles goes wild. Over the years hundreds of thousands of pet terrapins have been imported into the UK in order to satisfy this demand. The first point therefore is what the real difference is between turtles and terrapins and so which word we should really be using to describe these little chelonians.
Think of green turtles or loggerhead turtles. Consequently you would never keep a turtle as a pet, while pet terrapins are quite commonly kept. Terrapins have some quite specialist needs in captivity. For example they will need warm heated water to swim in, and then an area of dry land where they drag themselves out. Here they will need a basking lamp to lie under, which will allow them to dry out fully as well as raise their body temperature.
They also need artificial sunlight in the form of UV light in order to synthesize vitamin D3 and so grow healthy bones and shells. Baby terrapins may look small and cute when you see them in the pet shop, but they can grow rapidly under the right conditions.
As active animals, they require a large tank, together with all the electronic gadgets already mentioned. This means that housing terrapins can be a very expensive business. Just note that terrapins are freshwater creatures, being found mostly in streams or ponds in the wild.
In captivity, their water should be warm between 75F and 80F and there will also need to be an area on which they can sit and bask under an artificial heating lamp that offers both UVA and UVB light. This allows them to dry out as well as providing them a chance to synthesize vitamin D3 this helps their shells and bones to grow and remain healthy. What you might not know though is that terrapins eat their food in the water. They are omnivorous meaning they eat both meat and plants but their diet consists mainly of meat.
While small fish and insects are popular food sources, they will also eat a number of human foods if it is offered to them. These can include raw chicken, beef, and pork, all of which needs to be cut up into very small, manageable pieces. As terrapins do not have saliva glands, they have to eat their food underwater.
Nevertheless, these animals do breathe air, so this leads us on to the question of how long can they hold their breath for and, consequently, how long can they stay under water. You might also be wondering if terrapins can drown. If you have a terrapin, you will probably have noticed that it spends quite a lot of time swimming about in the water.
Well, some terrapin species can hold their breath for up to thirty minutes before surfacing for air; others can happily remain underwater for a much longer period of time. A quality dried terrapin food should be used alongside thoroughly defrosted freshwater fish and live invertebrate foods. A healthy terrapin has clear, bright eyes and a smooth shell. The skin should be smooth and without blisters, which could be a sign of infection. A varied diet is essential to prevent thiamine poisoning, metabolic bone disease and eye problems.
Monitor your Terrapin's health daily and seek advice from your specialist reptile vet if you're concerned. If you keep more than one terrapin you'll need to provide a basking spot for each animal and make sure they are getting enough food or they may become aggressive towards each other. Reptiles can carry Salmonella. Wash your hands before and after handling the terrapin or its equipment, to reduce the spread of infection.
Terrapin ownership should not be undertaken on a whim. They require lots of care and equipment to keep them healthy for life. See page 7 of the document 'FAQ for UK stakeholders' for information about what these regulations mean for you as an owner.
We have concerns about the trade and keeping of wild animals as pets, known as 'exotic' pets. Information on keeping a non-domestic animal as a pet, plus care sheets for more common species.
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