Is it okay to use tap water for turtles?

Is it okay to use tap water for turtles?

Do not use tap water for your tank, as tap water contains chlorine and possibly fluoride which can upset the pH balance of your system. De-chlorinated water needs to be used for the swimming area and filtered water for your turtle to drink. Turtles can carry Salmonella.

Can turtles hear?

A person's outer ear is shaped to help draw sounds in toward the outer ear, but turtles have no outer ear. The skin flaps allow vibrations and low-frequency sounds in the ear canal — so the turtles can hear to some extent, but their hearing isn't sensitive.

How can u tell how old a turtle is?

To tell a turtle's age, start by counting the number of rings inside one of the scales on the turtle's shell. Then, divide that number in half to get a general estimate of the turtle's age. You can also estimate a turtle's age using its size. First, measure the turtle from tip to tail.

Do turtles bite?

Though their shells provide very effective protection, most turtles will bite to protect themselves if necessary. This is especially prevalent among wild turtles, but pet turtles may bite as well. While this is a relatively minor concern for owners of small turtles, bites from large turtles can cause severe damage.

Are boy or girl turtles nicer?

Males are definitely better, females are too high maintenance.

Can male turtles lay eggs?

Like chickens, female turtles can lay eggs without a male turtle being around to fertilize them — although these infertile eggs won't hatch. Pet turtles, however, often do not follow these seasonal rules as their environments do not change significantly and they can lay eggs year-round.

How old is a box turtle?

Eastern box turtles live thirty to forty years in the wild and have been alleged to reach ages of one hundred years or more in captivity. A box turtle grows very rapidly for the first four or five years of its life reaching sexual maturity in four years but full adult size only by age twenty.

Can turtles drown?

Because turtles aren't fish, they don't have gills, which means they can't breathe under water. Turtles have lungs and breathe air just like we do. They can hold their breath for a very long time, but they have to come up to breathe every so often, or they will drown. There are no SCUBA tanks for turtles.

How long can water turtles live?

A: Healthy water turtles can live up to 40 to 60 years old. Red ear slider turtles can grow between 5 and 12 inches in length.

How fast do turtles grow?

This makes sense when you realize all hatchlings are close in size but some only grow to a few ounces while others reach hundreds of pounds. Juvenile red-eared sliders can grow at an annual rate of half an inch whereas larger hawksbill sea turtles have a rate of nearly 4 inches per year.