How the Turtles Live Here

Summer Care:

All but the small turtles are put in their outdoor enclosure once the temperatures during the night stay above 55 degrees.

At this time we have a 100 gallon & a 200 gallon pond. Both ponds are fenced so that the turtles can't escape and animals can't enter.

These ponds have a basking spot within the pond so the turtles can easily dive into the water to hide. The area around the ponds is landscaped to give them plenty of cover and a bit of room to roam.

The summer diet is about the same as the winter except we offer fewer insects.

The water is kept clean with external filters which are cleaned every two weeks.

Since water turtles sleep under the water we provide our turtles with 9 in. x 15in. terra cotta tiles that they use.

All turtles are checked throughout the day with the last check done at dusk.

Turtles are brought back inside in the fall when the temps. start to drop below 55 degrees.

Winter Care:

Depending on the size of the individual the enclosure could be an all glass aquarium, we paint the outside of the glass for the turtles safety, a water/land tub or a pre formed pond.

The enclosures are filtered either with a Magnum 350 Canister or a submersible pond filters. A water change is done once a month.

All enclosures have basking areas where a UVB/heat lamp provides warmth and the needed UVB rays, lights are on for 12 hours a day.

We do not heat the water because the turtles will bask less and most species we care for need to bask to dry out their shells to stay healthy.

Since these are winter enclosures we do not see the need for a land type area.

Depending on the species of the turtle their diet can be a combination of live feeder fish, assorted insects, turtle pellets, green lettuce or shrimp.