When do red-eared turtles breed? Reproduction of red-eared turtles in captivity. How to care for a red-eared turtle

AT natural environment The red-eared turtle adapts to different weather conditions. Therefore, keeping a pet at home requires only basic care. A pet belongs to hardy individuals and for those who dream of having a pet for the first time, it is perfect. It should be borne in mind that the animal needs water, land and a warm place where it can warm up and dry the shell.

Two beautiful red-eared turtles

General information about the animal

The natural habitat of red-eared turtles is the territory of the United States. But over time, they settled in Asia, Africa and Europe. This type of animal is able to overcome long distances. They are hardy and durable.

Under natural conditions, the animal lives where the following conditions exist:

• fresh water;
• dense vegetation;
• sunny dry place;
• and nesting site.

They called the animals "red-eared" not because their ears are red, but due to the crimson color near the eyes, resembling ears. But just the auricles in this creature are covered with skin, and it is only able to pick up vibration and dull sounds.

The eyesight and sense of smell of these animals are very developed. They perfectly distinguish colors, and not only above the water, but also under it. Thanks to the sense of smell, animals are able to catch the smell of food that is very far away. They notice a moving object at a distance of more than 40 meters.

Red-eared turtle in a terrarium

These creatures make sounds in the form of a short squeak, snort and hiss. They are unable to breathe underwater. For oxygen, the animals are forced to rise to its surface.

Lifespan and external characteristics

Such turtles are also called yellow-bellied, due to the fact that their plastron has a yellow color with dark spots. In young animals, the color of the shell is bright Green colour. With age, its color becomes darker, and the crimson stripes on the head turn pale.

Very young, only hatched animals, when measured with a ruler, have a size of 2.5 cm. Literally a year later they reach a size of 5-7 cm. Puberty in animals occurs when they reach a size of 10-12 cm. The average size of an adult is from 25 to 30 cm .Females are usually larger than males.

It is worth remembering that red-eared turtles at home grow much faster than in the wild. But the life expectancy of pets is half that of their wild relatives. So, living with people with proper care, they can live 40 years or more, and their wild relatives live about 20 years.

Terrarium selection

When choosing a suitable home for a red-eared pet, its physiological properties should be taken into account. The main feature of the animal is the need to hibernate. The most minimal aquaterrarium for one pet is usually bought with a volume of 100 liters or more, but for a more comfortable living it is better to purchase a dwelling for 200 liters. In addition to water, the animal should have a small area of ​​land with a gentle slope so that it can dry out, eat and warm up.

The comfortable water temperature for this creature is 22-25 ͦС. If it is too cold, the animal will stop eating, which will lead to a decrease in immunity and likely death. At higher water temperatures, animals often get out onto land, which slows down their development and growth. In order to maintain the required temperature, you should purchase an aquarium heater with a temperature controller. Only the optimal water temperature will allow your pet to be healthy and active.

Red-eared turtle in the aquarium

It is better not to use tap water, or at least let it stand for several days before use. You need to change the water in the aquarium at least 1-2 times a week. If there are difficulties or there is simply not enough time to change the water so often, you can purchase a filter, then it will be enough to change the water once a month. The presence of harmful organic compounds that appear in polluted water will lead to pet illness.

In order for the turtles to warm up at home, you need to install an ultraviolet lamp and an incandescent lamp over the land area. One window is enough so that the pet does not lack daylight.

Determination of the sex of the red-eared turtle

The sex of red-eared pets is determined at 2-3 years of age, when they reach a size of 10 cm.

The difference between a male and a female can be made on the following grounds:

• the female is always larger than the male;
• females have a shorter tail;
• the cloaca of the female is located closer to the base of the tail;
• in males, the claws on the paws are curved and longer;
• the plastron of the male is slightly concave inward, for more comfortable mating.

Reproduction of red-eared turtles at home

Usually, turtles at home breed very rarely. But sometimes this happens and therefore, it is necessary to prepare for such a process in advance. At the bottom of the aquarium there should be a layer of soil, for example, sand with some impurities. This is where the female lays her eggs. Masonry matures at a temperature of 25 ͦС. After future mom will bury the masonry, it should be moved immediately, otherwise adults can damage the offspring.

What to feed the red-eared turtle?

When feeding a pet, you need to take into account its age. For small pets, ready-made food is best purchased at a pet store.

It usually consists of the following ingredients:

• minced chicken;
• crushed earthworms;
• bloodworm;
• crustaceans;
• beef liver.

Red-eared turtles can eat both meat and plant foods. To diversify your pet's menu, you can feed it with guppy fish.

Calcium plays a very significant role in the life of an animal. Therefore, it is imperative to add bone meal, chalk and crushed eggshells to the pet menu.

An adult pet loves to enjoy plant foods. In its menu, you can include vegetables and fruits: cucumber, banana, pear, apple. It will also be useful to feed the animal with legumes and sunflower seeds. In order for the horny plates of the animal not to turn into a beak, she needs to gnaw something hard, for example, branches of an apple tree or a pear. Do not include cockroaches in the diet of turtles. They may be poisonous.

The turtle feeding schedule looks like this:

• pets up to two years old are fed every day;
• adults - three times a week.

Health and disease of red-eared pets

When purchasing a pet, it is worth remembering that in addition to keeping and feeding, he will need treatment. Like all living creatures, red-eared turtles sometimes get sick. The most important thing is to determine what disease the animal suffers from. Common diseases that affect pets:

• shell disease;
• eye diseases;
• skin diseases;
• diseases of the internal organs.

Red-eared turtles often get pneumonia. The main signs that you should pay attention to: lethargy, the inability of the animal to dive, the pet often gets out on land. During this period, the pet requires more careful care. For treatment, it is better to consult a veterinarian.

The disease of the animal is directly related to improper care and feeding. It is not so difficult for your pet to adhere to the basic rules of keeping.

Basic Rules to Keep Your Turtle Healthy

A sick pet cannot swim normally, so it is worth reducing the amount of water in the aquarium and making sure that she can rise to land whenever she wants.

At the first sign of infection, the pet should be placed in an isolation room and hands should be thoroughly washed after each contact.

The success of a quick recovery of the animal depends on proper treatment and careful care. Therefore, you should not treat the red-eared turtle on your own, but it is better to consult a specialist.

Acquisition of a red-eared turtle

Having decided to purchase a future pet, it is worth remembering that it lives for about 40 years. And throughout this period you will need to take care of him.

After buying a future pet in a pet store or in the market, you should first show it to the veterinarian. This is done in order to check the animal for infections, wounds and diseases.

A newly acquired future pet should not be immediately allowed into the rest of the turtles living in the house. For about three months, he should be kept in quarantine, watch him.

It is strictly forbidden to keep adults with babies. Only animals of approximately the same size can live together without harming each other.

Once in a new environment, red-eared turtles take time to adapt. Therefore, if these animals are not very active in the first days, you just need not to disturb them, but give them time to get used to, while not forgetting to feed them.

First of all, it should be understood that breeding turtles is possible only if the individuals are sexually mature (for land turtles, this is an average of 10-15 years) and completely healthy. In addition, there are a number of nuances that must be considered when breeding. Here are the main ones:

For breeding, choose turtles of the same species, as similar as possible in outward signs and belonging to the same habitat.

Young, elderly, sick and weakened individuals are not allowed to cross.

Proper nutrition is a prerequisite for successful reproduction. The diet of turtles should be varied and balanced. daily requirement pets in vitamins and mineral elements must be fully satisfied.

The hormonal background of reptiles directly depends on temperature. The temperature should be within the range of + 25-30 ° C, which in the conditions of apartment maintenance is achieved through artificial heating.

It is especially important to control the temperature in the spring, as this is the most favorable time for reproduction.

In conditions of temperature fluctuations, offspring will not be obtained. For example, at an unfavorable temperature, spermatozoa will not mature in males. Too much heat in incubation period will provoke an accelerated development of embryos that will not be able to break through the thick wall of the egg and die.

Immediately prior to mating, males are recommended to be separated from females for a few weeks to stimulate their interest. This technique is used by many breeders around the world. The male, temporarily separated from the female, at the next meeting shows a much greater interest in the opposite sex than when kept together with females.

In nature, male turtles fight for the female. In home conditions, to preserve the element of struggle, it is also recommended to have two males. As practice shows, in the absence of competition, the male often ignores the opposite sex.

Male tortoises can be aggressive when courting a female. To reduce the level of aggression, it is recommended to plant the male with the female, and not vice versa, since the male will feel even more confident in his territory.

In the terrarium, it is necessary to provide a place for laying eggs. In nature, turtles lay their eggs in the sand. Before laying, the female begins to worry and dig holes. If one nest does not suit the turtle, it begins to equip a new one. This is important question which also cannot be ignored.

With the right approach, breeding turtles at home ceases to be an impossible task and brings many joyful impressions to the owners, because it is so interesting to watch the development of babies!

currently inhabiting our land. These animals are very popular among connoisseurs of exotic fauna. However, these unique pets need special care and attention. From this article you will learn how turtles breed, and what are the conditions for their maintenance.

Terrarium

Some believe that you can keep a reptile in an ordinary cardboard box. It's a delusion. To make the pet feel as comfortable as possible, he needs to create everything the necessary conditions. For these purposes, only a terrarium with high walls (about 1 meter) can be suitable. Pour enough on the bottom and make a small canopy of fabric or cardboard in the corner. Such conditions of detention are the most natural for these animals. The terrarium must be equipped with heating, ventilation and lighting systems. Since many people need ultraviolet radiation, it is recommended to install UV spectrum lamps along with the usual ones. They should be located at a distance of at least 60 centimeters from the location of the reptile. Small ventilation holes should be made in the walls and on the lid of the terrarium. For aquatic turtles at the same level with the floor, you need to build a small pond. It is very useful for young freshwater species to be placed in an aquarium with water for a while. It should be regularly changed to fresh, settled.

turtle breeding

Breeding reptiles is a rather difficult and painstaking task. It is very important to provide animals with favorable conditions for life: a varied diet, hibernation, a spacious habitat. So that future offspring do not have any deviations, individuals of both sexes must be absolutely healthy.

Stimulation methods. Exposure to light and heat

Reproduction of turtles at home can happen quite quickly if certain measures are taken. It should be noted that if there is only one pair in the terrarium, the chances of success are rather low. Ideally, you should have one female and two young males. As a stimulation for reptile reproduction, it is customary to use a change in humidity, temperature and daylight hours. First, you should gradually reduce t about. At the same time, it is recommended to increase humidity and shorten the duration of daylight hours. You can then make changes to reverse order. Exposure to heat, light and humidity acts on reptiles as a stimulation for reproduction.

Wintering

Another method is cooling. Reptiles are placed one at a time in rag bags and placed in sphagnum. Boxes with turtles should be taken to a cool room (from 0 to 12 degrees). To prevent dehydration, the filler should be sprayed every day with water from a spray bottle. As a rule, artificial wintering lasts about four weeks. The crates of turtles can then be moved back into the house. Two days later, animals can be placed in a terrarium and a heating lamp can be turned on, while increasing the duration of light time to 16 hours. At the same time, it is very important to include foods rich in vitamin E in the diet of pets.

mating games

How do aquatic turtles reproduce? Usually the male, seeing the female, swims up to her head. Animals touch each other with their noses. At the same time, the behavior of individuals does not differ in aggressiveness. A striking example of this is the red-eared turtles. How they breed The mating process usually takes place in water. Before the act of intercourse, the male, as it were, tickles the chin and neck of his partner with long claws. At this time, his paws vibrate finely. In the process of mating, he can even hit the female's shell quite hard. This is usually seen in older individuals. As a rule, sexual intercourse lasts from five to fifteen minutes. After mating, the female waits for the night and comes out to lay her eggs on land. How do tortoises reproduce? Here the action is somewhat different.

Usually sexual activity of reptiles occurs at the end of spring. During this period, males arrange fights for the right to reproduce. At the same time, the female shows one of them her disposition for mating. She stops in place and stands quietly. At this time, the male carefully approaches her from behind and, sniffing into the tail zone, climbs onto her shell. This process may take quite long time. When, finally, he takes a comfortable position, copulation will begin. At the same time, the male will firmly cling to the neck of his chosen one with his beak. How they reproduce Their behavior during the mating season is significantly different from terrestrial and freshwater. Before intercourse, the male behaves quite persistently and aggressively. If the female is on land, he pursues her. In the event that a female individual is in a pond, the male climbs onto it with the help of claws and clings tightly to the shell of his partner. Being in this position, he beats his head against the back of the female's head or grabs her neck with his jaw, blocking any movements. This is how flirting occurs before mating.

Pregnancy period

After mating, individuals should be immediately seated in separate terrariums. The fact is that after intercourse, males often show aggression. So, let's continue to consider how turtles breed. For about two to three months, the female bears eggs. During this period, she behaves uneasily. Experienced zoologists recommend including fresh foods rich in vitamins in her diet. In the terrarium, it is necessary to maintain the temperature within 22-26 degrees Celsius. And on land, you should prepare a separate place for laying eggs. To do this, dig a hole in the soil or sand and place a small container with sphagnum in it so that it is flush with the land. After laying eggs, the female forgets about her offspring.

Incubation period

As soon as the female lays eggs, the container should be removed from the terrarium and placed in an incubator. It is recommended to isolate the young mother from other reptiles for some time. At the same time, her nutrition for two to three weeks should be enhanced. This will restore the strength and immunity of the animal. The temperature in the incubator where the eggs are located should be maintained within 29 degrees. The height of the sand in it must be at least 20 centimeters. There you also need to put a small vessel with water, placing it under a heating lamp.

As an incubator, you can use a simple aquarium or a glass jar. Turtle eggs must not be turned over. They must be handled with extreme care. Three months later, babies will appear from the eggs. Young offspring should be immediately transplanted into an aquarium or aquaterrarium. It should be remembered that some eggs may not be fertilized.

Newborn care

Baby turtles hatch from an egg using a tooth located at the tip of their nose. With this small fang, they pierce the shell from the inside. Two days after hatching, the tooth disappears on its own. All juveniles have a transverse fold on the plastron associated with the position of the reptiles in the egg. Baby turtles should never be placed in the same corral with adult animals. The fact is that mature individuals lack a maternal instinct, and therefore they can cause irreparable harm to young animals. Newly hatched offspring are usually kept in the same temperature conditions as adults. Their diet should consist mainly of plant foods with added calcium. The bottom of the terrarium should be covered with special soil intended for a certain type of reptile.

How do sea turtles reproduce?

Surprisingly, reptiles of this species begin to breed only on the land where they themselves were born. Often, for this, the female has to overcome enormous distances. Nevertheless, not a single female has so far strayed from the intended course. This navigational ability of reptiles of this species still surprises scientists to this day. Reproduction of turtles, as a rule, occurs at night. The female comes ashore, making sure that she is not in danger, and heads up the coastline. She looks for a secluded spot where the tide line does not reach. Having found a suitable piece of land, the female digs a hole with her front paws until the upper part of her shell is at ground level. Then she digs a hole about 50 centimeters deep, where she lays up to two hundred eggs. The turtle is able to make several clutches in one exit to land, filling them with sand. In captivity, the reproduction process is similar. After seventy days, cubs are born. Baby turtles should be moved to a separate container and cared for with warmth, light, and humidity. This is how turtles breed.

Turtles belong to the order of reptiles. In captivity, their life expectancy is up to 50 years. Many breeders want to get offspring from reptiles, but this can only be achieved by creating suitable conditions for turtles. In an unfavorable climate, pets may not show interest in each other throughout their lives. Therefore, it is important to know how turtles mate.

In order to get the offspring of red-eared turtles at home, you should
create favorable living conditions for them

Sex determination

Before breeding reptiles, you need to make sure that there are male and female individuals. The female can lay eggs without mating, but they will not be fertilized and no offspring will appear.

The ability to determine the sex of turtles appears when they turn one year old. It is advisable to take individuals of the same age for comparison. You need to pay attention to the following signs:

• males tend to be smaller than females;
• claws in boys are longer;
• males can be identified by the concave lower part of the shell.

Mating of red-eared turtles takes place after they reach puberty, which, when kept at home, occurs faster than in nature. Males become ready for breeding after 4 years of life, and females after five.

The red-eared turtle is capable of producing offspring at the age of 5 years.

It is undesirable to keep several males in one aquarium, because fights happen between them.

Preparation period

Red-eared turtles are reluctant to mate at home, and the owner has to make considerable efforts to obtain offspring. The diet of reptiles before mating should be high-calorie, rich in vitamins. Be sure to provide protein chopped meat, worms, a mixture of dried crustaceans) and vegetable dishes (pieces of fruits and vegetables, herbs, beet tops and carrots).

A female ready for breeding may be anxious and refuse to feed. A couple of sexually mature turtles place in a separate spacious aquarium. The optimum water temperature is +25°C. It must be borne in mind that, carried away by the mating process, the male can press the female to the bottom. To prevent the turtle from choking, the water level should not exceed 10 centimeters.

If you have more than two red-eared turtles, you should resettle the male and female in pairs

Reptiles lay their eggs in the ground. It is necessary to place a container filled with sand inside the aquarium. The container must be easily accessible and located on dry land.

Mating process

Red-eared turtles at home breed regardless of the season. But it is noticed that reptiles are most active from February to May. Mating is preceded by mating games, the duration of which can reach several days.

The male, seeing an individual of the opposite sex, shakes his head up and down. He touches the female with claws and shell, can hit and bite her paws, sometimes making yapping sounds.

During mating games, reptiles should not be disturbed or picked up. There should be no fluctuations in water temperature, bright light, vibrations. sexual intercourse lasts 5-15 minutes, sperm can be stored in the female genital tract for up to two years. One mating is enough for 4-5 clutches.

After mating, the male should be moved away from the female so that she can safely lay eggs.

After intercourse the male must be removed because he may start to show aggression. Before laying eggs, females begin to look for a suitable place for this, lose their appetite, and become restless. The turtle digs a hole in the ground, moistens it with the fluid secreted from the cloacal bladder, and makes a clutch.

After laying eggs, the female's diet must be balanced so that she can recuperate.

egg care

Do not leave masonry in the aquarium. It must be carefully, without turning over, transferred to an incubator with a temperature of + 25 ... 30 ° C. You can also put the eggs in a sand-filled jar and place them near the central heating pipes.

Eggs from the laying of the red-eared turtle should be moved to a container with sand,
the temperature in which should be in the region of + 25 ... 30C

If it was not possible to observe the reptiles and there is doubt whether the clutch is fertilized, you can consider it. The fertilized egg in the first day is homogeneous in the light, with a dark dot in the center. After 2-3 months, the embryo is visible. If there are no inclusions, the cubs will not appear. It is not recommended to change the position of the eggs unnecessarily.

Turtles hatch in 2-5 months. Their average size is 28-32 mm in length and 30 mm in width, and the weight reaches 4-6 grams. Young reptiles, for at least a year, should not be allowed into an aquarium where adults are kept, which can injure babies. Maternal instinct in females is absent.

When the turtles are completely rid of the yolk sac, they need to be fed:

• chopped fish;
• bloodworm, daphnia, gammarus;

In this video you will see an overview of the red-eared turtle:

This food is high in vitamin D3 and calcium. These trace elements prevent the occurrence of respiratory diseases and eye problems. An island of soil is needed, well lit by a special lamp.

Breeding turtles in captivity is possible with a responsible approach. It is important to monitor the condition of reptiles and their conditions of detention. Particular attention should be paid to fragile young turtles.

Many reptile owners love animals such as red-eared turtles, which require a lot of knowledge to breed at home. As a rule, in captivity, reptiles are not very sexually active, so the appearance of offspring is quite rare. However, the low birth rate of red-eared turtles at home is most often due to the inability of their owner to create conditions suitable for reproduction. It would be a mistake to assume that the turtles on their own, without your help, will begin their mating games and bring offspring. There is a lot to be done to ensure that your living corner is replenished with small red-eared turtles.

All about breeding red-eared turtles

Sex determination

Before breeding reptiles, it is necessary. Reproduction of the red-eared turtle implies the presence of both a male and a female. Of course, even without a male, a reptile can lay eggs, but they simply will not be fertilized, and their storage will not give the expected results.

The sex of a turtle can only be determined after the reptile is one year old. Until this age, the distinguishing features are so imperceptible that it is impossible to determine belonging to one sex or another. It is better to compare two turtles of the same age. As a rule, males are smaller than female reptiles. Also, the visible difference lies in the claws on the front legs and tail - in boys they are longer. Another factor in determining sex can be the shape of the lower part of the shell - in females it is flat, and in boys it is concave.

When will mating occur?

It is worth noting that the reproduction of the red-eared turtle at home suggests the optimal age of the reptiles. Both individuals must be sexually mature, but not old. Sexual maturity at home in turtles occurs somewhat earlier than in nature. Males are ready to breed at the age of about 4 years, and females are ready to give offspring after five years of life. If you have multiple turtles, it's best to have only one male turtle among them. The presence of two boys at once can lead to fights, which is fraught with injuries.

Preparing for mating

Reproduction of red-eared turtles at home involves a huge effort of the owner. It can be quite difficult to achieve the appearance of offspring, but with a responsible approach, even a beginner can achieve a better result. It must be remembered that it can even play a role in reproduction. Before the proposed mating, you need to increase the content of vitamins in the diet, make food more nutritious.

First of all, turtles that are ready for breeding should be placed in a separate, necessarily spacious aquarium. Keep only one male and one female to avoid fights between reptiles. Preparing an atmosphere suitable for breeding begins with the replacement of water and raising its temperature. So, its optimum temperature is 25 degrees. warm water contribute to the generation of offspring. It is worth remembering that during mating, the male may not release the female to the surface. To prevent the turtle from choking, pour only 10 centimeters of water. Place a container with sand in the aquarium (where the female will lay her eggs). The container should be located on land and easily accessible to the reptile. Reproduction of red-eared turtles will occur only in the presence of soil.

The female, ready for breeding, is somewhat different from other individuals. She begins to refuse food, to be more active.

Mating process

Turtles in captivity are not very dependent on the change of seasons, so they can mate at any time. However, it has been observed that reptiles are most active from February to May. It is this time that is optimal for the mating process.

Before mating itself, red-eared turtles arrange mating games. They can last up to several days, and for all this time the reptiles need to be provided with rest. There should be no vibration, noise, bright light. Also remember to monitor the water temperature. It is generally better not to take pets into the hands during the breeding season.

The mating games of red-eared turtles are a beautiful sight. The male flirts with the female, creating vibration with his claws, touching her head, touching the shells. The mating process itself takes only about five minutes, followed by the laying of eggs.

How to achieve the appearance of small reptiles?

Reproduction of turtles at home does not imply only the mating of two individuals. The reptile owner needs to provide Better conditions for turtle eggs. As a rule, in one clutch, the female leaves 6-10 of them, each with a diameter of 4 cm. You can’t leave eggs in the container where the turtle laid them. You need to be very careful, without turning the eggs, to transfer them to the incubator. The temperature there should be 25-30 degrees Celsius. You can also place the masonry in an ordinary jar of sand and place a container near the heating pipes to maintain the optimum temperature.
The development time of small turtles inside the egg is from 2 to 5 months. It is necessary to monitor the temperature, achieving optimal performance. After the small reptiles are born, do not let them into the same aquarium with adults. Even a female that has laid eggs lacks a maternal instinct, not to mention other reptiles. Adult animals can seriously harm newborn turtles. The best solution would be to place the offspring in a separate aquarium and keep them there for at least a year.

In general, breeding red-eared turtles at home is not such a difficult undertaking. All you need is a responsible approach and attention to the condition of the reptiles, and you can get offspring from red-eared turtles. Recommended to study