The Turtle Blog » turtle http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com Turtle and tortoise information from Martins World Exotics Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:33:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Do I need to use a calcium supplement for my tortoise? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/do-i-need-to-use-a-calcium-supplement-for-my-tortoise.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/do-i-need-to-use-a-calcium-supplement-for-my-tortoise.html#comments Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:23:41 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=285 Any turtle or tortoise kept indoors needs to be fed calcium supplements. The calcium supplements should include Vitamin D3 and should be accompanied by a good UV lighting system for maximum beneficial effects.

Any turtle or tortoise kept outdoors should be supplemented with calcium without Vitamin D3.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/do-i-need-to-use-a-calcium-supplement-for-my-tortoise.html/feed 0 What plants in my garden are poisonous to my box turtle or tortoise? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/what-plants-in-my-garden-are-poisonous-to-my-box-turtle-or-tortoise.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/what-plants-in-my-garden-are-poisonous-to-my-box-turtle-or-tortoise.html#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:29:43 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=159 There are many plants that could prove lethal to your turtle or tortoise so the following list consists of just a *few* of the more common ones:

  • Chrysanthemums (“mums”)
  • Daffodils
  • Euphorbia
  • Privet
  • Crocus
  • Cyclamen
  • Delphinium
  • Foxglove
  • Hydrangea
  • Jasmine
  • Lilly of the valley
  • Lobelia
  • Lupine
  • Mistletoe
  • Potato leaves
  • Rhubarb leaves
  • Rhododendron
  • Wisteria
  • Yew

It is imperative that you do not use any toxic garden chemicals such as weed killers, pesticides, mouse/rat/slug poison, etc.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/what-plants-in-my-garden-are-poisonous-to-my-box-turtle-or-tortoise.html/feed 1 How can I be sure my female tortoise/box turtle is getting enough calcium? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-can-i-be-sure-my-female-tortoisebox-turtle-is-getting-enough-calcium.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-can-i-be-sure-my-female-tortoisebox-turtle-is-getting-enough-calcium.html#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:45:04 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=155 During egg-laying season it is very important to be sure that your female tortoise/turtle is receiving adequate amounts of calcium to ensure proper egg formation. We do this by placing multiple cuttlebones in their feeding area. We do this every 2 weeks during egg-laying season and once a month in the off season. It is also a good way to ensure that both males and females have calcium available to them at all times to support their bones. Cuttlebones can be found at your local pet store, most grocery stores, and can also be ordered online at http://www.reptilesupply.com.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/how-can-i-be-sure-my-female-tortoisebox-turtle-is-getting-enough-calcium.html/feed 0 Why is iceberg lettuce not recommended for reptiles? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-iceberg-lettuce-not-recommended-for-reptiles.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-iceberg-lettuce-not-recommended-for-reptiles.html#comments Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:05:31 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=153 People have long been told not to feed their reptiles iceberg lettuce because it does not contain enough of the essential nutrients necessary to keep your animal healthy and because it is “mostly water”. Both varieties of lettuce contain the same nutrients however romaine lettuce contains almost 3 times the amount found in iceberg.  Iceberg can be fed to your reptile but should not replace romaine or other greens in their diet.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/why-is-iceberg-lettuce-not-recommended-for-reptiles.html/feed 0 What does an ear infection in turtles or tortoises look like? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-does-an-ear-infection-in-turtles-or-tortoises-look-like.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-does-an-ear-infection-in-turtles-or-tortoises-look-like.html#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:58:11 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=49 When turtles and tortoises get ear infections, you will most commonly see a swelling on the side of their head. This is more commonly known as an abscess. Unlike infections in humans, when turtles and tortoises develop pus, it solidifies into a ball. This occurs because, although turtles/tortoises can absorb moisture through their skin, they cannot release moisture from underneath the skin. When this happens, it is imperative that you take your animal to see a veterinarian, preferably one that specializes in herps. If left to heal on its own, it can lead to serious complications such as eye problems, the rupturing of their ear, and even death.

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/what-does-an-ear-infection-in-turtles-or-tortoises-look-like.html/feed 0 Brrr…it’s cold! http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/news/brrrits-cold.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/news/brrrits-cold.html#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:42:47 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=45 So when people think of Florida, they think of beautiful, sunny, hot weather. WRONG! We are experiencing quite the cold snap right now here at the farm. It has been quite the undertaking to ensure the health and comfort of all of the animals. We have brought all of our baby turtles in and locked all of our breeders and sub-adults up in their nest boxes with infrared heat lamps going to keep them warm. That means we had to move thousands of animals around and this is something that we have been doing almost every other week due to the erratic weather of “Sunny Florida”.

We hope that all of you reptile/amphibian enthusiasts out there are taking the necessary precautions to keep your animals safe as well. If you are not sure how to set them up or what to do, feel free to contact us and we can help!

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/news/brrrits-cold.html/feed 0 Turtle/Tortoise Kits on the Way!! http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/news/turtletortoise-kits-on-the-way.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/news/turtletortoise-kits-on-the-way.html#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:46:22 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=43 In just a few days we will be launching our new turtle and tortoise kits. There will be 3 types of kits available – 1 for turtles and 2 for tortoises (either forest/tropical or savannah/grassland). They will be available in different sizes depending on the size of your tank. We cannot ship glass so you will have to purchase the tank and a screen lid either from your local pet store or another tank dealer.  

What the kits will include:

Turtle- proper filtration for tank size specified, lighting, basking platforms, water conditioners, and food

Tortoise- proper substrate, lighting, hide, mineral supplement (ex. vitamin/calcium dust), water bowl, and food

We will make an announcement on here and on the home page of the website once they become available!

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/news/turtletortoise-kits-on-the-way.html/feed 0 Basic Hatchling Water Turtle Care http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/basic-hatchling-water-turtle-care.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/basic-hatchling-water-turtle-care.html#comments Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:31:59 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=15 Baby turtles are wonderful and fascinating animals to have as a pet. I have spent countless hours watching them do their water acrobatics in their tank. They are just incredible to watch as they hunt for food and inspect every nook and cranny of their habitat. They can be a very low maintenance pet if set up the proper way. This article will help you to achieve a low maintenance habitat so that you may enjoy your new turtle with little work involved.

One of the most important things to consider is what type of turtle you are interested in getting. There are many different species being bred in captivity by private breeders which gives you hundreds of choices. When deciding on a species make sure you do some research on the feeding and size that the animal will grow to. Turtles will not stay small if kept in a small habitat. This is an old wives tale that has been used by many unscrupulous dealers into fooling people to buy that cute baby turtle. All that you will accomplish ending your pets life prematurely. To keep your overall cost down you will want to get a habitat that will accommodate your turtle for its entire life. The animal will be happier and healthier in a proper sized set up. Never use the small turtle bowls that are sometimes seen a pet stores. These are called “death bowls” by breeders and are totally inadequate to keep any turtle in.

                                    Water quality is very important to all turtles. Do research to find out the proper pH and temperature for the turtle you are getting. Make sure that your water is aerated and has the proper sized filter to handle the load that a pet turtle will create. We use canister type biological filters for all of our hatchlings and adults. The size of the canister will depend on the amount of water being filtered and the number of turtles that will live in that habitat . One way to cut down on the load in your tank is to feed your turtle in a separate container such as a Rubbermaid container. This will keep all uneaten food from fouling your water . Here is a hint on filtration: if the water stinks, it’s not an adequate filter. Biological filtration is by far the most effective means of cleaning your water. Inside the filter bacteria will grow and it will consume all the waste that is filtered through it. It may take up to two weeks for your filter to “cycle through” and become efficient in cleaning your water. Your water may cloud up for the first week or so and then should become crystal clear if the filter is of adequate size. The filters are usually cleaned once a month by squeezing out the filter material on top and rinsing the solid waste off. Water changes can be done periodically but try not to change all of the water unless necessary. A complete change could kill off all of your beneficial bacteria and cause the filter to have to recycle .

                                    Make sure you find out the optimum water temperatures needed for the species you are keeping .Most often room temperature will suffice however there are certain species which may require colder or warmer water temperatures. Many dealers sell chillers that will cool the water as it passes through the unit . These should be used on cold water species only. We use titanium submersible heaters with built in thermostats to heat all of our tanks during the winter months with great success . Make sure that the heater is completely submersed so that no turtle can climb on it above the water surface as this could cause a burn and possibly death of your turtle.

                                    With the exception of a very few species most turtles need to bask in the sun to warm up their body temperatures and to get the much needed uva/uvb rays they need to metabolize calcium and there dietary proteins . All species should have a dry area to crawl out of the water on. This is where you should place a heat bulb and uva/uvb bulb. The basking area should reach temperatures of 85 degrees to 90 degrees . You will find that some species will lay there all day long. Basking helps to control many diseases such as upper respiratory disease and fungal infestations which are the two leading killers of baby turtles. A good uv bulb should also be used and we would suggest a coil type florescent bulb in the 10.0 range. This bulb should be no farther away from the basking platform than 12 inches as after that only minimal if any uva/uvb rays will be available to the turtle. Heat lamps should be placed safely above the basking platform and will depend on the wattage of the bulb as to how far away it should be. We place all of our lighting on automatic timers that are set to be on for 10 hours daily in the fall and winter and 12 hours on in the spring and summer.

                                    The best way to insure you and your turtle many happy years together is to do your research ahead of the purchase. There are many good books on the market as well as the Internet and many breeders that are available to answer your questions. Ask the person you are purchasing from how they have kept them and what their current diet is. Beware if these simple questions can not be answered. Check your turtle over closely and make sure that it has both eyes open and seems alert. Make sure that the plastron and yolk sac area are healed and clear of any discharge. Gasping or stretching its neck out with open mouth are bad signs. Fungal infections will usually show up as white cotton like substance on the feet , head or legs. Shell infections will look pitted or raw . In the event that you are purchasing via Internet website make sure it is from a reputable breeder or dealer. Some breeders may send you pictures via email of the exact animal you are trying to purchase. It doesn’t hurt to ask them. Some may be too busy to do this for you but many would be more than happy to send you pictures. Good luck with your new pet!

 

 

Written By: Greg Martin

www.martinsworldexotics.com

]]> http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/care-sheets/basic-hatchling-water-turtle-care.html/feed 0 Will my turtle only grow to the size of his tank? http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/will-my-turtle-only-grow-to-the-size-of-his-tank.html http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/q-a/will-my-turtle-only-grow-to-the-size-of-his-tank.html#comments Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:04:17 +0000 admin http://blog.martinsworldexotics.com/?p=9 Contrary to popular belief, placing a turtle in a small tank will not stunt their growth.

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