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There’s something very special about turtles that makes so many people all over the world fall in love them!
Turtles are kept in extravagant aquarium, but they’re much more exciting and unique than fish. Also, they can live for up to 50 years! Excellent and cute partners that can live with you for most of your life.
Turtles are fun to watch, beautifully colored, and are easy to handle, making an excellent match for those who want enclosed animals they can watch all day or play with from time to time without running around the house and making a mess.
However, keep in mind that turtles are are actually high maintenance pets, they require plenty of care and attention to their habitats so they can stay healthy and happy.
Today we’re going to show you some of the best pet turtle habitats some owners have created to keep their pet turtles healthy.
Turtles and Tortoises
First, let’s clear this up! Turtles and tortoises are different animals, they might share similar looks and behaviour, but there is one massive difference…. Turtles are aquatic animals while tortoises dwell on land.
Make sure you know what animal you’re buying or you could end up creating an entirely incorrect habitat that might not be ideal (and could be deadly) for your pet.
In this article, you’ll find only turtle habitats, that means aquatic or semi-aquatic tanks that can house healthy turtles.
A Healthy Habitat for Your Pet Turtle
Keeping a turtle happy requires a specific set up so they can grow to their fullest and live a healthy life.
You need a large tank to house a turtle! For young turtles you can get away with a 40-gallon aquarium per turtle, but for adults you’ll need a container that can hold up to 90 gallons, depending on the specific breed you have.
Like all aquariums, you’ll have to install a water filter to keep the tank clean. Experts recommend canister filters since they’re powerful and durable enough to deal with turtles ‘mess’.
If you don’t get a filter, you’re going to have to change the water frequently as turtle habitats can get filthy and your turtles will probably catch a disease. You should also take care about the temperature of the aquarium, and a durable aquarium heater can help you to regulate it.
Although turtles are aquatic creatures, it doesn’t mean they don’t need a dry place on land to catch a break. Either leave one side of the aquarium with some sand or create a wooden dock where the turtles can stand and bask in the sun.
Speaking of which, if you’re keeping your pet turtle indoors you’re going to need UV light bulbs to provide the sunlight your pet needs. If you’re building an outdoor habitat make sure you build in a place where the sun doesn’t hit directly all day, and build some sun shaded areas for them to hide in.
Turtle Habitat Examples
Here you’ll find some of the coolest custom turtle habitats some lucky little turtles get to call home.
If you’re just starting off with your pet turtle you won’t have to immediately create these little paradises for your turtle as long you’re fulfilling the basic needs we covered above. Most turtle habitats get more elaborate over time
1- Indoor Spa for Your Turtles
This is possibly the perfect example of covering all the bases for a turtle, with a huge water tank for them to swim around, a large spot for them to bask and good directed UV lighting.
2 – For Small Turtles
Not all aquariums have to be huge to keep your pet healthy, this one is a fish tank that happily houses a small turtle! It covers all the needs of the turtle without taking too much space.
3 – An Alternative to Clear Fish Tanks
If you don’t like the fish tank look for a turtle habitat you can also use other materials. Large plastic containers like the one pictured above show an example of an amazing way to make a good looking habitat that keeps your pet happy, plus you can keep it indoors.
4 – A Variant for Larger Turtles
Like the previous tank, this is a larger environment for turtles that doesn’t require clear fish tanks and still looks fantastic.
5 – Indoors Turtle Habitat
If you have plenty of space (and budget), you can dream up a beautiful pond like this one, mixing clear fish tanks with external habitats.
6 – Outdoors Pond for Turtles
With a large yard you can also try making a garden pond for your turtle, this will not require UV lights but it still needs a dock for the turtle to land and plenty of filtration to keep everything clean.
7 – Indoor Pond
If you like the outdoor style but don’t have enough space outside, you might want to replicate this indoor pond.
8 – Another Indoor Pond
In this one you can see clearly that the pond is a plastic tub, repurposed to create a fascinating turtle habitat.
9 – Turtle Tank Toppers
The problem with fish tanks is trying to correctly balance the water and dry land ratio. If you add a tank topper, which is a separate smaller tank that goes above the aquatic tank, you can have a complete habitat with plenty of space.
10 – An Outdoor Paradise
This massive outdoor pond will let your pet explore and play to its heart’s content.
11 – A Double Tank for Your Turtle
Instead of using tank toppers, you can fit two tanks, one above the other, to make separate land and aquatic environments.
12 – A Smaller Tank Topper Habitat
Although the tank and the topper may be smaller in size this habitat provides everything the turtle needs to stay healthy and happy, a small dock with plenty of UV light and a considerable space to swim around.
Keeping Your Pet Turtle Healthy
Turtles require plenty of care and attention to stay healthy, and the first way to successfully raise a pet turtle is to create a habitat where they’ll feel safe and happy.
You don’t have to break your budget and build an aquarium like the ones we’ve shown in this article, all you have to do is make sure you fulfill all the basic needs of your pet turtle, and you’re all set.
Once you have more experience and have spent years with your companion, you might want to start investing and making some creative environments like these.
As always, make sure you learn as much as you can about the pet you want before you make a purchase, that way you’ll know if you can keep the animal safe, happy, and healthy. you can find a lot of the info you’ll need here on GeoZoo.
What do you think about these environments? Do you have a cool habitat you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments.
No I don’t yet because I don’t know how to even start. Would you please email me what I need. My husband found, I believe, a dwarf turtle walking up our sidewalk. I have a tiny aquarium to put him in right now but want to move him to a bigger one.