Red-bellied turtle: size, photo. Maximum size of red-bellied turtle

Red-bellied turtle is the most famous and popular species of waterfowl, which are kept in domestic aquariums. But before you get yourself a little friend, you should learn all about the features, habits, conditions of reptiles. In addition, it is worth to find out exactly what size the red-bellied tortoise reaches after several years of captivity. Some sellers, faced with a naive buyer, can try to convince him that this is a dwarfish animal that remains small throughout life. Disappointment will come in a year, when it is discovered that the size of the red-bellied turtles is intensively increasing. In order not to become a victim of dishonest people and with full responsibility to approach the purchase of a pet, we invite you to get acquainted with this amazing creature.

Written beauty

The literal translation of the name Trachemys scripta from Latin sounds like "delineated" or "painted". The unique beauty of the pattern of the shell, passing to the head and limbs, attracts the sight of the red-bellied turtle. The size of it at first glance seems small and causes a desire to immediately pick up and settle the animal at home.

Indeed, the turtle outfit looks bright and colorful: red oblong spots in the ears and an intricate pattern of rings on the shell. Some subspecies have spots of yellow or orange. The outfit of young individuals is characterized by rich shades of green, yellow, brown. With age, the color of the turtles changes, losing the original variegation and richness of colors. In old age, a bright drawing can lose its outlines and merge into one dark brown or black color.

Features of anatomy

The shell supports the skeleton and reliably protects the reptile from attacks and attacks by enemies. Under natural armor, the normal level of heat remains, in which the red-bellied tortoise feels comfortable. The size and shape of the carapace depends on the way of life and is characterized by a drop-shaped shape that promotes rapid movement in water and on land.

In the front and back holes of the protective armor the turtle hides the head and limbs in case of danger. Outside the paws are covered with dense scales, and on the head there are bone plates.

Dwelling and Dissemination

The red-bellied tortoise is due to its origin in the eastern part of North America. The habitual environment of its habitat is shallow lakes and ponds with low silty shores, wetlands and river floodplains. Unobtrusiveness and omnivorousness allowed freshwater creatures to settle in places with more severe climatic conditions: North Africa, Central and Southern Europe, Asia and Australia.

A short winter hibernation is a typical phenomenon in the natural environment to which the red-bellied turtle is exposed (the size of this amphibian is average). Since they are cold-blooded animals, they fall asleep only at a temperature insufficient to maintain their vital activity: below 10 or above 40 ° C.

At home with a comfortable temperature, there is no need for a natural rest, therefore decorative reptiles have quite adapted to do without it. Abandonment of hibernation did not affect their ability to breed in captivity.

Pond slider. Sizes at home

At birth, all the babies look the same: tiny green lumps with a shiny shell and bright spots on the head. The size of the red-bellied turtles at birth is about three centimeters.

Males and females grow and develop at the same speed, at first they are difficult to distinguish. Intensive growth during the first two years of life is a typical phenomenon for an underwater inhabitant called a red-bellied turtle. The sizes in captivity during this period reach up to 7-10 cm. During growing up, a full and balanced diet is a prerequisite. Otherwise, the turtles will lag behind in development from their relatives living in the wild.

The further growth of reptiles slows down, but does not stop. They grow continuously during the first ten to twelve years of life. The maximum size of the red-bellied turtle can reach 50 cm. But such "giants" are not a typical phenomenon, they live exclusively in the wild. The usual size of an adult red-bellied turtle is approximately 25-32 cm in length, depending on the subspecies. And the male always looks smaller than the female. Since the third year of life, the growth rates for them begin to vary. Adult males are usually smaller than their friends by 4-5 cm. The weight of the female body exceeds the weight of the male by 2-3 times. The jaws are also more developed, so the female feed on rough animal feeds.

We arrange a house for a turtle

For a new tenant to be comfortable and comfortable with you, you should take care, above all, of a comfortable house. Aquaterarium is the most suitable accommodation for freshwater reptiles. In such a capacity, the red-bellied turtle will feel comfortable and cozy. The size of the aquarium should be sufficient to accommodate 150-200 liters of water. To change it it is necessary not less often than once a month, having given preliminary to be settled within five days. To maintain the purity of the aquarium, it is advisable to purchase a water filter.

Features of the existence of freshwater turtle require the mandatory presence of a small area of land. Artificial islands with gentle banks can be freely purchased at the pet store. It is desirable that the slope had a rough uneven surface, then the reptile will be free to go out on land.

The turtle loves the heat very much, therefore it is necessary to arrange an artificial sun for it, which will illuminate the tip of the island well and warm the air at its surface to 30-31 ° C. To maintain a comfortable water temperature (from 24 to 26 ° C), an adjustable incandescent lamp .

It is desirable that the receptacle for keeping reptiles has an elongated rectangular shape. The size of the aquarium for a red-bellied tortoise with a shell length of 25 cm can have such approximate indicators:

• Volume - 150 liters;
• Length - 1000 mm;
• Width - 500 mm;
• Height - 900 mm;
• Depth of water - 500 mm;
• Length of the island - 250 mm;
• Width of the island is 120 mm.

Despite deceptive slowness, reptiles are in fact very agile. Therefore, when constructing the land, it should be located so that the distance from the tip to the edge of the glass wall is not less than 30-35 cm. The offered capacity parameters are optimal for one adult red-eared turtle to fit comfortably in it. Dimensions in the home are not always possible to withstand because of a lack of space in the apartment. For comfortable living of two adults, an aquaterrarium with a capacity of at least 180-200 liters will be required.

Features of reproduction

Red-bellied turtles mature for a long time, so the ability to reproduce the offspring under natural conditions is manifested in them only after 6-8 years. In captivity, maturity occurs much earlier: in males - in four years, and in females - in 5-6 years. The mating season lasts from February to May, when the ponds are already warming up well. At home with a uniform temperature regime, the frequency is not maintained, and the marriage union can occur at any time of the year.

Marriage games for turtles do not look like other animals. The male, having seen the female, swims close to her face and scratches her chin with her sharp claws. When mating, the partner is placed on top of the partner. His plastron (abdominal shield) has a small bulge. Concavity in the carapace (spinal shield) in the female is also a specific feature of the shell, which differs red-bellied turtle. The size of its deepening and the convexity of the male perfectly coincide. So nature has taken care of that during mating there was as much as possible close contact between animals.

Red-eared turtles lay eggs twice a season, from April to June. Clutch female arranges on land, digging the hind limbs deep fossa. The equipped nest has a spherical shape. In it, the turtle lays about a dozen eggs, the size of which does not exceed four centimeters. Having thrown a nest in the ground, the female leaves and does not return here. The cubs are born approximately four months later. It is noteworthy that the sexual identity of red-bellied turtles depends on the heat level during the incubation period. If the temperature did not exceed 27 ^о С, then the eggs hatch exclusively males. In the event that the nest warms up to 30 ^о С and above, the female appears to the light.

Balanced diet

In nature, red-eared turtles feed not only on plant food, but also on animal food. Therefore, at home it is very important to organize for them a balanced diet that corresponds to the natural composition. For active growth, turtles require a lot of protein, so once a day they must be fed with animal food. Young fish are given dry fish food, earthworms, bloodworms, lice, sea crustaceans (dried or live).

Adult red-bellied turtle, the size (photo - below) which exceeds 10-12 cm, can be fed with liver, raw or boiled beef, chicken. It is also useful to treat her with raw non-fat fish, squid, shrimp. You can run several small fish into the aquarium, so that the turtle itself hunts them. In the menu of freshwater, you must enter various insects (beetles and larvae). For convenience, you can prepare a mixture of several feeds based on gelatin with the addition of raw chicken eggs. The finished composition can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time.

As you grow up in the diet of reptiles, you should enter vegetable food. In the aquarium, water plants are planted, which can be eaten by a turtle: algae, duckweed, water hyacinth, edogonia, ludwigia and some others. Turtles eagerly eat fresh herbs: mallow, basil, dandelions, clover, peas. From vegetables, you can give pieces of carrots, fresh cucumber, white cabbage, lettuce leaves. Bone meal is an indispensable source of calcium, which is required for the growth of the skeleton and the strengthening of the shell. Once a week, it should be added to the food of turtles. It is sometimes useful to add a couple of drops of vitamin D oil.

If there is no possibility to create ideal conditions for a turtle and organize a full-fledged diet, it is necessary to take care of introducing into the diet mineral top dressing and vitamin supplements.

Feeding is carried out in the daytime, as freshwater during this period of the day shows the greatest activity. All the turtle food is simply poured into the water. Food should be given little by little, so that animals can eat it. Surplus products will sink to the bottom and, decaying, pollute the water in the aquarium. Young animals are fed daily, and adults are enough to give food 2-3 times a week.

Features of maintenance and care

Keep in the house several turtles can be separately or together. In a group settlement, it is important that animals have enough room for free movement. Turtles are often dirty in the ground, which is poured on the bottom of the aquarium, the remains of food stick to their muzzles. For the purity of turtles you need to follow, regularly bathing them in warm water with the addition of baking soda. Algae, which periodically build up on the shell, should be carefully cleaned with a soft sponge.

Caring for a turtle, you need to be careful, because it can hurt bite. Individuals of the same size, living in the same territory, usually peacefully coexist. When the aquarium contains one decorative red-bellied turtle, its dimensions do not matter. But when there are a few reptiles in the group, it is necessary to remember that large ones can bite and even maim the one who is less than them.

Getting ready for a new friend

Before you buy a new tenant, it is worthwhile to think carefully whether the red-eared turtle really needs it so much. What size grows an animal, how much does it feed, how long does it live? These and many other questions need to know the exact answer. It should be understood that the tortoise requires special attention and great patience. In inept hands the animal can simply die. Red-bellied turtles love affection and are distinguished by their sympathy and peace. It is not necessary to buy a reptile from strangers: attachment to the former masters can cause depression and sickness in animals. For choice and advice it is better to contact specialized stores. There you can get competent advice on the maintenance and care of turtles.

If you decide to acquire young individuals that are several months old, then remember that at this age they are very susceptible to various diseases. From the first day of the appearance of a young turtle, you need to organize for her the proper nutrition and vitamin supplements.

How to choose the right one

The most suitable season for buying a red-bellied turtle is spring. An animal will be easier to live in a new place and adapt to the conditions of existence. Having bought a turtle in the fall, you risk its health. This is due to the fact that the adaptation period in the cold season may be too long. In winter, reptiles eat very little, so a fragile organism can be exposed to various diseases.

When choosing a turtle, pay attention to its appearance. Explore the skin of the animal for the presence of ticks - they often hide in numerous creases of the neck, the tail, around the eyes. Sometimes you can even find a leech. In a healthy turtle, the skin should be smooth, without cracks and dark spots.

Pay attention to the integrity and hardness of the shell. It should not have any deformations, scratches and soft areas. In a healthy turtle, the eyes do not have swelling and discharge. If the eyes have sunk, and around them formed dark circles, then this indicates a strong dehydration of the body of the reptile. The mouth and the area around it should be clean without excreta and sores.

In addition to physical integrity, pay attention to the behavior of the turtle. A healthy individual is distinguished by calm dimensionality and normal coordination of movements. If you take the turtle in your hands, it will actively resist, moving limbs and turning your head. At the moment of excitation, the animal defecates, so to avoid getting dirty, it is better to keep it head to yourself.

When the house already has turtles, the beginner should be kept for about two months in a separate terrarium. All this time, you should regularly inspect the reptile, monitor its behavior and condition. To install a new tenant to relatives is possible only after the successful termination of the quarantine.