When is a terrarium suitable for turtles and when does not? How big should a terrarium be and what equipment is needed?
What are the requirements for lamp and lighting and what else must be considered? You can find everything about this topic here.
When Is A Terrarium Suitable For Turtles?
During bad weather periods and the cold seasons, it happens that tortoises are kept in a terrarium for the transition.
Also, newly hatched tortoises or sick animals can be kept temporarily in a terrarium.
At this point, I would like to point out that the exclusive keeping of European tortoises in a terrarium is not species-appropriate.
For example, for the Greek tortoise, only a sufficiently large outdoor enclosure comes permanently into question.
Other animals, such as the slatted tortoise, can also be recommended permanently for a terrarium.
Turtle Terrarium – How Big Should It Be?
How big should such a turtle terrarium actually be? For one, adult European tortoise, the terrarium should have at least the following dimensions – 1.50 m length, 75 cm width, and 30 cm height.
The larger the terrarium of the tortoise, the better.
Terrarium Turtle – What Else To Consider Besides The Size?
The terrarium should also be open at the top. Glass is not optimal for a turtle terrarium, as the animals often do not visually recognize the boundary.
However, it is possible to line the inside of the terrarium with a thin pond liner.
The Terrarium – The Equipment
In the following article, we explain to you, what should belong to your turtle’s terrarium with to the equipment. Most important are:
- Light and lighting (UV lamps, heat lamps)
- Temperature and humidity sensors
- Hiding places
- Climbing possibilities
- Soil substrate
- Water bowl
- Feeding place
Turtle Terrarium – UV Lamps And Lighting
The light and also the right temperature is vital for turtles. In addition to light intensity, light quality and quantity are also critical.
The light should be as bright as possible because turtles associate bright (day) light with warmth. UV-B rays produce vitamin D3 in turtles, which is needed for the storage of calcium in the bone and shell tissue.
Metal halide lamps (HQI) can be recommended as basic lighting for the terrarium, these are most likely to provide the necessary daylight because the light is very bright.
A second option is high-pressure mercury vapor lamps (HQL), but they produce a rather unnatural light and therefore should be used only as an additive. It can be recommended to place the spotlight over a stone plate.
The temperature in the terrarium should be 40°C due to the irradiation. If this is not the case, then another spot radiator must be installed.
The following lamps are not suitable for a turtle terrarium:
- Normal incandescent lamps
- Fluorescent tubes
- Energy saving lamps
- Heating mats and stones
- Dark radiators
Light and heat should also be adapted to the season. Even in their natural habitat, turtles follow the seasons, i.e. day and night.
At night the temperature should be lower than during the day. The lighting or irradiation can be regulated by a simple timer.
Different Zones Within The Terrarium
Turtles prefer to stay in areas with different temperatures. Sometimes they prefer a hot spot for sunbathing at a temperature of 40°C, in other cases, they like to retreat to a cooler place.
That’s why I recommend you divide the terrarium into two zones: a dry and warm zone (with heat or spot radiator) with a corresponding dry substrate and a cooler, more humid zone.
In the more humid zone turtles prefer to cool down and also to sleep. Therefore, the hiding places should be placed in this zone.
The Terrarium For A Turtle – Hiding And Climbing Possibilities
Also, tortoises would like to be alone sometimes and withdraw. Small trunks of cork bark are well suited for this, these can also be used for climbing.
Under the cork bark tube should be a moist substrate, because tortoises prefer a cool place to rest. The hiding place could be covered with moss, for example. A cork tube can also be found here under terrarium decoration.
Stones can also be suitable. But you should be sure that the turtles do not chafe their shells. Stones, roots, or logs laid crosswise also provide excellent opportunities for climbing.
The Substrate For A Turtle Terrarium
In principle, the substrate in the terrarium should always be kept slightly moist. Therefore, when choosing it should be ensured that it does not mold at a certain humidity.
Furthermore, the substrate should be tread-resistant, not dusty, and have a neutral smell. Most importantly, it should not be harmful to the turtles’ health when they eat it, as could be the case, for example, with beechwood shavings if swallowed.
The following substrates are suitable for a terrarium:
- Coconut fiber humus
- Bark humus
- Growing/seeding soil
- Humus garden soil
- Floragard turtle substrate
It is recommended to combine two substrates. In some places, flat stones are also suitable as substrate, for example at the heat spots.
The following substrates are not suitable for a turtle terrarium: Cat litter, beechwood chips, pet litter, pure sand, hay, straw, clay granules, peat, potting soil, and newspaper (only in case of illness). The substrate should be replaced every 6 months.
Water Bowl And Feeding Place
A glazed clay bowl, for example, is suitable as a water bowl. This bowl should be cleaned daily and filled with fresh water. Turtles like fresh water and sometimes they bathe themselves.
A tile or even a flat stone can be used as a feeder. In any case, if possible, the food should not mix with the substrate.
The food can also be placed in several places in the terrarium. Even in the wild, turtles must forage for food.
Planting The Terrarium
Plants increase the humidity inside the terrarium, plus they are part of a turtle’s natural habitat anyway. Of course, a terrarium also looks visually nicer with some plants. Suitable plants are aloe vera, indoor hibiscus, green lily, golliwog, bubicottle, and digging tussock.
Build Or Buy A Tortoise Terrarium?
You can of course buy the terrarium on Amazon or eBay or just build it yourself. Before buying a terrarium, find out in detail about the options.
Tortoise Terrarium – The Costs
First of all, a tortoise terrarium is not necessarily cheap, but the cost is unique.
Aisles terrariums cost in the trade about 100-200 EUR. In addition, the lighting (100-200 EUR), hiding places (15-30 EUR), the bottom substrate (10-30 EUR), possibly a heat spot (100 EUR), and some plants.
So the costs can quickly add up to several hundred euros. In addition, there are the costs for the monthly lighting (10-20 EUR) and the costs for the renewal of the bottom substrate.
What Should Be Considered When Keeping Turtles In A Terrarium?
- Lighting should be intense and bright, but: no lamp replaces sunlight.
- Turtles need a varied diet.
- The water bowl should be cleaned daily and refilled with fresh water.
- Temperatures must be regulated according to the time of day and season.
- The substrate should be kept moist and renewed every 6 months.
- Feces and urine should be removed daily.
Turtle Terrarium – Conclusion
In a suitable terrarium for turtles, there are many things to consider. This concerns the size, the substrate, the lighting, and of course the equipment. After all, it should be possible to keep a turtle species-appropriate.
Furthermore, a terrarium for European tortoises is only recommended as a temporary solution, because they are wild animals. As a permanent solution, only an outdoor enclosure is suitable.
Ni wakati gani terrarium inafaa kwa kasa na ni wakati gani haifai? Ni kubwa kadiri gani shamba la wanyama linapaswa kuwa na vifaa gani vinavyohitajika? Ni nini mahitaji kwa ajili ya taa na taa na nini kingine lazima kuzingatiwa? Unaweza kupata kila kitu kuhusu mada hii hapa. Ni Wakati Gani ambapo Terrarium Inafaa Kwa Kwa ajili ya Turtles? Wakati wa hali mbaya ya hewa na majira ya baridi kali, huwa hutokea kwamba kasa huhifadhiwa katika chombo cha kuhifadhia wanyama. Pia, kasa waliofunguliwa hivi karibuni au wanyama wagonjwa wanaweza kuwekwa kwa muda katika kibanda cha wanyama. Katika hatua hii, ningependa kuonyesha kwamba kuweka tu kasa wa Ulaya katika terrarium si aina sahihi. Kwa mfano, kwa kasa wa Kigiriki, ni makao makubwa ya nje tu yanayoweza kutumiwa kwa kudumu. Wanyama wengine, kama vile kasa mwenye mbao, wanaweza pia kupendekezwa kwa kudumu katika terrarium. Terrarium ya Turtle <unk> Inapaswa Kuwa Kubwa Kadiri Gani? Kwa kweli, kibanda hicho cha kasa kinapaswa kuwa kikubwa kadiri gani? Kwa ajili ya moja, mtu mzima wa Ulaya kamba, terrarium lazima kuwa na angalau vipimo zifuatazo < 1.50 m urefu, 75 cm upana, na 30 cm urefu. Kadiri terrarium ya kasa ilivyo kubwa, ndivyo inavyokuwa bora. Kamba wa Terrarium <unk> Ni Nini Kingine Kinachohitaji Kufikiriwa Mbali na Ukubwa? Pia, chumba cha kulala cha wanyama kinapaswa kuwa wazi juu. Kioo si bora kwa ajili ya terrarium kasa, kama wanyama mara nyingi si kuona kutambua mpaka. Hata hivyo, inawezekana kuweka ndani ya chungu hicho kifuniko nyembamba cha dimbwi. Terrarium <unk> Vifaa Katika makala ifuatayo, sisi kueleza wewe, nini lazima ni mali ya terrarium yako kasa na vifaa. Vifaa muhimu zaidi ni: - Nuru na taa (vito vya UV, taa za joto) - Sensorer za joto na unyevu - Maeneo ya kujificha - Uwezekano wa kupanda - Substrate ya udongo - Mchuzi wa maji - Mahali pa kulisha Turtle Terrarium <unk> Taa za UV na Taa Nuru na pia joto sahihi ni muhimu kwa kasa. Mbali na nguvu ya nuru, ubora na wingi wa nuru ni muhimu pia. Nuru inapaswa kuwa nyangavu iwezekanavyo kwa sababu kasa huhusianisha nuru nyangavu (ya mchana) na joto. Nuru ya UV-B hutokeza vitamini D3 ambayo inahitajika kuhifadhi kalsiamu katika mifupa na ngozi. Taa za halide za chuma (HQI) zinaweza kupendekezwa kama taa ya msingi kwa terrarium, hizi zina uwezekano mkubwa wa kutoa mwanga wa mchana unaohitajika kwa sababu mwanga ni mkali sana. Chaguo la pili ni taa za mvuke wa zebaki za shinikizo la juu (HQL), lakini hutoa mwanga usio wa asili na kwa hivyo inapaswa kutumika tu kama nyongeza. Inaweza kupendekezwa kuweka taa juu ya sahani ya mawe. Joto katika terrarium lazima kuwa 40 ° C kutokana na mionzi. Kama hii si kesi, basi nyingine mahali radiator lazima imewekwa. Taa za kawaida za incandescent, mabomba ya fluorescent, taa za kuokoa nishati, vitambaa vya joto na mawe, radiators nyeusi, taa na joto zinapaswa pia kubadilishwa kulingana na msimu. Hata katika mazingira yao ya asili, kasa hufuata majira, yaani. mchana na usiku. Wakati wa usiku joto linapaswa kuwa la chini kuliko wakati wa mchana. Taa au mionzi inaweza kudhibitiwa na timer rahisi. Eneo Tofauti Ndani ya Terrarium Turtles wanapendelea kukaa katika maeneo yenye joto tofauti. Wakati mwingine wao hupendelea mahali pa joto kwa ajili ya kuoga jua kwa joto la 40 ° C, katika kesi nyingine, wao kama kurudi nyuma kwa mahali baridi. Hiyo ni kwa nini mimi kupendekeza wewe kugawanya terrarium katika maeneo mawili: kavu na joto eneo (na joto au mahali radiator) na sambamba kavu substrate na baridi, zaidi unyevu eneo. Katika maeneo yenye unyevunyevu zaidi kasa hupendelea kupumzika na pia kulala. Kwa hiyo, mahali pa kujificha yapasa kuwekwa katika eneo hili. Terrarium Kwa Turtle <unk> Kujificha na Kupanda Uwezekano Pia, kasa wangependa kuwa peke yao wakati mwingine na kujiondoa. Vipande vidogo vya magamba ya matango vinafaa sana kwa ajili ya hilo, na vinaweza pia kutumiwa kupanda milima. Chini ya bomba la magamba ya matango yapasa kuwa na udongo wenye unyevunyevu, kwa sababu kasa hupendelea mahali pazuri pa kupumzika. Kwa mfano, mahali pa kujificha paweza kufunikwa kwa mwani. Bomba la cork laweza pia kupatikana hapa chini ya mapambo ya terrarium. Mawe yanaweza pia kuwa sahihi. Lakini unapaswa kuwa na uhakika kwamba kasa hawavunji makombora yao. Mawe, mizizi, au magogo yaliyowekwa kwa njia ya msalaba pia hutoa fursa nzuri sana za kupanda. Substrate Kwa Terrarium Turtle Kwa kanuni, substrate katika terrarium lazima daima kuhifadhiwa kidogo unyevu. Kwa hiyo, wakati wa kuchagua ni lazima kuhakikisha kwamba haina mold katika unyevu fulani. Isitoshe, substrate inapaswa kuwa sugu kwa nyayo, isiyo na vumbi, na kuwa na harufu isiyo na vumbi. Jambo la muhimu zaidi ni kwamba haipaswi kuwa na madhara kwa afya ya kasa wanapokula, kama ilivyo na vipande vya mbao za beech, ikiwa vimemezwa. Humus ya nyuzi za kokoni, humus ya bark, udongo wa kukua na kupanda, udongo wa bustani ya humus, substrate ya kamba ya Floragard, na substrate ya mnyama wa mnyama wa mnyama. Katika baadhi ya maeneo, mawe tambarare pia yanafaa kama substrate, kwa mfano katika maeneo ya joto. Substrate ya chini ya ardhi haifai kwa terrarium ya kasa: litter ya paka, chips ya mbao ya beech, litter ya wanyama, mchanga safi, nyasi, nyasi, chembe za udongo, peat, udongo wa potting, na gazeti (kwa kesi ya ugonjwa tu). Substrate inapaswa kubadilishwa kila baada ya miezi sita. Kikombe cha Maji na Mahali pa Kulisha Kikombe cha udongo chenye kioo, kwa mfano, kinafaa kuwa kikombe cha maji. Chungu hiki kinapaswa kusafishwa kila siku na kujazwa maji safi. Kasa hupenda maji safi na nyakati nyingine wao wenyewe huoga. Vipande vya matofali au hata jiwe tambarare laweza kutumiwa kama kifuniko. Kwa vyovyote vile, ikiwezekana, chakula haipaswi kuchanganywa na substrate. Chakula hicho kinaweza pia kuwekwa katika sehemu kadhaa katika chombo cha kulisha wanyama. Hata katika mazingira ya porini, kasa lazima watafute chakula. Mimea ya Terrarium huongeza unyevu ndani ya terrarium, na pia ni sehemu ya mazingira ya asili ya kasa. Bila shaka, terrarium pia huonekana kuwa nzuri zaidi ikiwa na mimea fulani. Mimea inayofaa ni aloe vera, hibiscus ya ndani, lily ya kijani, gollywog, bubicottle, na kuchimba tussock. Kujenga au Kununua Bustani ya Kamba? Unaweza kununua terrarium kwenye Amazon au eBay au kuijenga mwenyewe. Kabla ya kununua terrarium, tafuta kwa undani kuhusu chaguzi. Turtle Terrarium - Turtle Terrarium ni aina ya terrarium ambayo ni rahisi sana kupata, lakini kwa sababu ya gharama kubwa. Kwa mfano, terrariums ya mviringo inaweza kuwa na gharama ya karibu € 100 hadi € 200. Kwa kuongezea, taa (EUR 100-200), mahali pa kujificha (EUR 15-30) na substrate ya chini (EUR 10-30) inaweza kuwa sehemu ya joto (EUR 100) na mimea. Kwa hiyo gharama zaweza kuongezeka upesi hadi mamia kadhaa ya euro. Kwa kuongezea, kuna gharama za taa za kila mwezi (EUR 10-20) na gharama za upyaji wa substrate ya chini. Ni Nini Kinachopaswa Kuzingatiwa Unapokuwa na Kasa Katika Terrarium? - Taa inapaswa kuwa kali na mkali, lakini: hakuna taa inachukua nafasi ya mwanga wa jua. - Turtles wanahitaji chakula chenye kutofautisha. - Chungu cha maji kinapaswa kusafishwa kila siku na kujazwa tena kwa maji safi. - Joto lazima liangaliwe kulingana na wakati wa siku na msimu. Substrate lazima ihifadhiwe na kuhifadhiwa kila baada ya miezi sita. - Mchochota na mkojo lazima uondolewe kila siku. Turtle Terrarium <unk> Hitimisho Katika terrarium inayofaa kwa kasa, kuna mambo mengi ya kuzingatia. Hii inahusu ukubwa, substrate, taa, na bila shaka vifaa. Baada ya yote, inapaswa kuwa inawezekana kuweka kasa aina-kufaa. Isitoshe, nyumba ya kuwekea kasa wa Ulaya inapendekezwa tu kama suluhisho la muda, kwa sababu wao ni wanyama wa porini. Kama suluhisho la kudumu, ni kifuniko cha nje tu kinachofaa.