PET TURTLES

General Information Several species of turtles are available for purchase as pets. By far the most common species is the popular box turtle. The turtle is a popular reptile pet; the box turtle is probably the most common species of turtle kept as a pet. Salmonella is a bacterium often implicated in food poisoning. While the disease rarely causes anything more serious than vomiting and diarrhea in adults, young children and people with lowered immune systems can easily develop a fatal disease. Turtles are certainly not the only pet or reptile that can spread Salmonella. However, since box turtles were a common children's pet, the danger of infection is very real. Most of the turtles carried the infection asymptomatically, which meant that they were never sick. You can imagine how easily the disease, which involves contact with infected feces, could be spread if young children were placing the turtles in their mouths! Common sense and good hygiene are essential in preventing this and really most diseases. After handling any pet, its excrement, or its bedding and toys,THOROUGHLY WASH YOUR HANDS. Most box turtles never get very large (unlike tortoises). The average adult size for box turtles is roughly 5-7 inches in diameter, with females being slightly smaller than males. This adult size is reached at 4-6 years of age. Turtles that are not allowed to hibernate grow at a faster rate. Sexual maturity is reached about the fifth year of life. With proper diet and housing, many turtles can live 30-40 years or longer. Turtles have a number of "rings" on their top shells. The number of rings on the shell of the turtle has nothing to do with its age. The protective shell makes surgery difficult. Two techniques are available for performing internal surgery. One technique is where the shell is cut and then repaired following the procedure; the second technique involves making an incision in front of and through the muscles of the pelvis and hind limbs. Muscling is limited in turtles, and the protective shells (which are hinged to allow movement) replace most of their bones. The top, or dorsal, shell is called the carapace; the bottom, or ventral, shell is called the plastron. In general, males have a more concave plastron than females; this concavity allows for easier mating. Males are also larger than females, and are usually more colorful (having a male and female next to each other makes the comparison easier). The distance between the vent or cloaca (common opening for the digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts) and the turtle's body is greater in males. The pectoral or chest muscles are well developed. Despite the obvious lack of muscling, turtles are extremely strong. The strength, manifested by the turtle retracting into its shell when disturbed, is one of the signs to check for when purchasing a turtle. Turtles lack teeth but have a strong "beak", and turtles can and do bite! The other weapon of the turtle is its claws, which should be periodically trimmed (your veterinarian can show you how). Turtles have no diaphragm, but rather breathe by movements of membranes enclosing their internal organs and by movements of their legs and head. Turtles have a three-chambered heart, whereas dogs, cats, and people have a four-chambered heart. Turtles have a renal portal blood system, where blood from the hind limbs is filtered by the kidneys before reaching the general circulation. This means toxins from the rear limbs (as could occur from wounds on the legs) as well as drugs injected into the rear legs would probably be filtered before entering the general circulation. Turtles excrete uric acid as their main waste product of protein metabolism (dogs, cats, and people excrete urea). This allows them to adapt to desert environments here water supply might be restricted. Turtles have a cloaca, which is a common opening for the digestive, urinary, and genital systems. The shell is covered with bony plates called scutes. The scutes are usually shed in large patches, unlike snakes which usually shed in one piece. The number of scutes has nothing to do with the turtle's age. The top bony plate is the carapace, and the bottom plate (shell) is the plastron. Unlike many reptiles, turtles have a urinary bladder. Selecting a turtle Most owners buy turtles locally from a pet store or breeders. Ask about a guarantee if the pet isn't what you want. Young, captive-raised animals make the best pets. Older imported animals may harbor internal parasites, and often suffer from the stress of captivity. Avoid sick-looking animals. Start out right with a healthy pet. Avoid turtles that have sunken or closed eyes, have any type of discharge coming from the nostrils or eyes, or appear inactive or lethargic. Eyes that are sunken into the head or swollen shut often indicate dehydration, emaciation, starvation, and Vitamin A deficiency. A healthy turtle is usually active and alert, feels "heavy", and retracts its head and limbs into its shell when handled. Make sure the shell is clean and isn't cracked, missing scutes (plates), or has any signs of infection (often seen as shell discoloration or moldy growth). The vent or cloaca should be clean and free of wetness or stool stuck to it. If you can GENTLY open the mouth (which is difficult in most turtles), there should be a small amount of clear saliva present. Mucus that is cloudy or "cottage cheese" in appearance is a sign of mouth rot, as is redness or pinpoint hemorrhages on the mucus membranes. Always inquire about the guarantee in case the turtle is found to be unhealthy. First Veterinary Visit Within 48 hours of your purchase, a qualified reptile veterinarian should examine your turtle. The visit includes determining the animal's weight, as well as checking for lumps and bumps. The animal is examined for signs of dehydration and starvation. A fecal test is done to check for internal parasites. Many veterinarians consider all turtles (even those bred in captivity) to have internal parasites, so your turtle may be routinely dewormed for parasites. The oral cavity is examined for signs of infectious stomatitis (mouth rot). Your doctor may recommend blood tests, cultures, or radiographs (X-rays) to check for other diseases. If all turns out well, your turtle will be given a clean bill of health. Like all pets, turtles should be examined annually and have their feces tested for parasites annually as well. Housing my turtle Turtles may be housed inside or outside, depending upon environmental conditions and owner preference. If you choose to house your turtles indoors, a 10 or 20-gallon aquarium is usually adequate. Bedding Substrate, or bedding material, should be easy to clean and nontoxic to the turtle. Newspaper, butcher paper, towels, or preferably Astroturf is recommended. When using Astroturf, buy two pieces and cut them to fit the bottom of the cage. With two pieces, one is placed in the cage and one is kept outside the cage and is always clean. When the turf inside the cage becomes soiled, you'll always have a clean, dry piece to replace it. Clean the soiled turf with ordinary soap and water (avoid harsher products unless your reptile veterinarian approves them), thoroughly rinse it, and hang it to dry to be used at the next cage cleaning. Alfalfa pellets can also be used for bedding and are often eaten by the turtle, which is acceptable. AVOID sand, gravel, wood shavings, corn cob material, walnut shells, and cat litter, as these are not only difficult to clean but can cause impactions if eaten on purpose or accidentally should the food become covered by these substrates. Cedar wood shavings are toxic to reptiles! What else do I need? The turtle enjoys natural branches. Make sure they are secure and won't fall onto the turtle and injure it. Ideally, the branch should slope from the bottom of the enclosure to the top and end near a heat source so the turtle can bask. Rocks (large ones) in the cage also allow for basking. A hiding place is appreciated by all reptiles and should be available. Artificial plants can be arranged to provide a hiding place, as can clay pots, cardboard boxes, and other containers that provide a secure area. A heat source is necessary for all reptiles, which are cold-blooded and need a range of temperatures to regulate their internal body temperature. Ideally, the cage should be set up so that a heat gradient is established, with one area of the tank warmer than the other end. In this way, the turtle can move around its environment and warm or cool itself as needed. Purchase two thermometers and place one at the cooler end of the cage and one at the warmer end near the heat source. The cooler end of the cage should be approximately 70-75 F, while the warmer end should be 90-100 F. An inexpensive way to do this is to supply a focal heat source using a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a reflector hood, although pet stores sell other types of heat lamps. Your heat source should be placed OUTSIDE and above one end of the cage, which should be covered by a screen top to prevent the turtle from escaping or burning itself on the bulb. At night, heat isn't necessary as long as the temperature remains at 65-70 F. "Hot Rocks" or "Sizzle Rocks" are dangerous, ineffective, and should be avoided!  UV light UV light is necessary to provide Vitamin D-3. Failure to provide UV light can predispose your turtle to metabolic bone disease, a common condition of pet turtles. The UV light should emit light in the UV-B range (290-320 nanometers). Combining a blacklight (such as one from General Electric) with a Vita-Lite, Chroma-50, or Colortone-50 in a two-bulb fixture is an excellent way to provide UV light, although many turtles do well with just a Vita-Lite. Your veterinarian may recommend other brands of UV light that also provide a source of Vitamin D-3. The UV output of these lights decreases with age; they should be replaced every six months. For UV light to work, it must reach the pet in an unfiltered form, which means that you must make sure there is no glass or plastic interposed between the pet and the light. Finally, the light should be within 6-12 inches from the turtle in order for the pet to receive any benefit. If you choose to house your turtle outdoors, it should be contained within an enclosure. Make sure a shaded area is provided, as well as a hiding area. Turtles can dig out of enclosures, so bury the fencing 6-12 inches or put bricks or rocks under the area. Some owners find a children's wading pool a suitable environment. Of course, food and fresh water must always be available. Bring the turtle indoors if the temperature drops below 60 degrees. Remember that turtles can become prey for neighborhood dogs and cats, so keep this in
mind when housing a turtle outdoors. Feeding my turtle Turtles are both herbivorous and carnivorous, which means that they eat both plant and animal based foods. As a guideline, your turtle's diet should be about 50% plant-based material and 50% animal-based material. Most young turtles eat daily; older turtles can be fed daily or every other day, depending upon each pet's individual appetite. Plant material I can feed my turtle Most (80-90%) of the plant material should be flowers and vegetables, and only 10-20% should be fruits. As a rule, anything green and leafy should make up a large part of the diet. Yellow and orange vegetables should also be included. Avoid fiber-rich, vitamin-deficient vegetables including lettuce and celery; their composition is mainly fiber and water with little vitamins or minerals. Acceptable vegetables include collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, alfalfa hay or chow, bok choy, kale, parsley, spinach (in small amounts), bell peppers, green beans, green peas, corn, okra, cactus, various squashed, sweet potatoes, cabbage or broccoli (also in small amounts), and flowers such as carnations, hibiscus, and roses (avoid azaleas as they are toxic). Fruit can include apples, pears, bananas, grapes, peaches, kiwis, and melons. Fruits that are particularly healthy include figs (which contain calcium), papaya, raspberries and strawberries. Protein foods I can offer my turtle If you and your veterinarian decide that animal-based protein sources are acceptable, some appropriate foods include crickets, sardines (drained), tofu, hard-boiled eggs, moths, and mealworms. Dog and cat food contain too much Vitamin D and fat and should not be fed. Reptile pellets, bird pellets, trout chow, and other fish chows are excellent protein sources. Live prey, such as crickets and worms, should either be raised by the owner, retrieved from a nearby field, or purchased from a pet store or reptile breeder. Care must be exercised when collecting insects, especially from the home garden as fertilizers and insecticides can be toxic to turtles. Vitamins It is recommended to LIGHTLY sprinkle all the food offered to the turtle with a calcium powder (calcium gluconate, lactate, or carbonate). A LIGHT weekly sprinkling of a good reptile vitamin on the food is also recommended. Over-supplementation with vitamins and minerals can cause problems in turtles. Check with your veterinarian for specific recommendations about the need to supplement your pet's diet. Water Fresh water in a crock that won't easily tip over should be available at all times. Turtles will not only drink from the water bowl but will often bathe in it as well (although it is perfectly acceptable to mist the turtle with water a few times a week too). Make sure the water stays clean; many turtles love to eliminate in their water bowl as well as drink from it. Common diseases of pet turtles Common conditions of pet turtles include Vitamin A deficiency, respiratory diseases, abscesses, shell infections and fractures, and parasites. Vitamin A deficiency occurs as a result of feeding turtles an inappropriate diet. The all-meat diet, or the "cricket and fruit cocktail" diet, or the "lettuce and carrots" diet, are all deficient. Lack of Vitamin A produces signs seen with changes in the epidermis (outer layer of skin and mucus membranes), including lack of appetite, lethargy, swelling of the eyes and eyelids (often with a pus-type discharge), swelling of the ear (actually an ear abscess), and respiratory infections. Most respiratory infections are caused by bacteria, and in turtles are often secondary to Vitamin A deficiency. Turtles with respiratory infections may have excess mucus in their oral cavities, nasal discharges, lethargy and loss of appetite, and possibly open-mouth breathing and wheezing.  Abscesses, commonly seen in pet turtles, appear as hard tumor-like swellings anywhere on the pet's body. Abscesses in turtles are often related to Vitamin A deficiency. Shell problems are often encountered in turtles. These can be infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses, or more commonly are the result of fractures of the shells. Parasites, such as roundworms, are common in pet turtles. They often cause no clinical signs and are detected on an annual fecal examination. They may, however, cause diarrhea or weight loss. How do I know if my turtle is sick? Signs of disease in turtles may be specific for a certain disease, such as nasal discharge in the case of a respiratory infection, or non-specific, such as a turtle with anorexia (lack of appetite) and lethargy, which can be seen with many diseases. ANY deviation from normal should be a cause for concern and requires immediate evaluation by your veterinarian. Any disease in turtles can be severe enough to cause a loss of appetite and lethargy. When seen, these signs indicate a guarded prognosis and the need for hospitalization and intensive care, which can include fluid therapy and force-feeding. Special Problems Turtles have several unique problems; understanding these problems will allow you to better care for your pet and minimize future health care issues. Cystic Calculi Commonly called bladder stones, these occur when minerals from the diet form crystals, which then form stones. Usually these are composed of uric acid, which usually results from a diet that contains too much protein (such as a diet high in dog food or cat food). Often, you will detect blood in your turtle's droppings. An examination and radiographs (X-rays) allow your veterinarian to correctly diagnose the problem. Surgical removal of the stones is needed, as is fluid therapy to prevent kidney damage. Your veterinarian will discuss dietary correction in an attempt to prevent future stones from forming. Salmonella Turtles are infamous for carrying Salmonella bacteria. This bacterium can cause severe gastrointestinal disease or septicemia (blood poisoning). Many animals and people carry the bacteria without showing any clinical signs (remember Typhoid Mary?), yet shed the bacteria in their feces which can infect others. During the mid-1970s, it was discovered that many young children contracted the disease from their pet turtles. Many of these children didn't exercise proper hygiene (such as washing their hands after handling the turtles and even placing the turtles in their mouths). Prevention, through proper hygiene, is the best way to control the disease. Since most turtles which carry Salmonella are not ill, they usually require no treatment (treatment often fails to kill the bacterium anyway). Hibernation If given the opportunity, most turtles will attempt to hibernate. While controversial, many feel that it is not necessary for the turtle's health that it does hibernate, but some owners wish to provide suitable conditions for hibernating. Hibernation is very stressful, and subclinical illnesses can manifest themselves during hibernation.  Only turtles that are in good health should be allowed to hibernate, so a thorough examination and appropriate laboratory tests are essential prior to hibernation! A common problem in turtles is "pseudohibernation". True hibernation requires a constant temperature between 50-60 degrees (10-15 C). Persistent temperatures above 60 degrees (15 C) are not cool enough for true hibernation. These animals appear as if they are hibernating, but in reality the turtle increases its metabolism and slowly starves.