When you are ready to purchase your pet turtle you should only consider buying a turtle from a reputable pet store. When looking for a store to purchase from check the turtles living environment. Are the living areas clean? Are there too many turtles in one tank? Sometimes overpopulation can lead to health problems among reptiles. The next thing you will want to do is carefully examine the turtle. Check to see if the turtle resists you touching it. The turtle should withdraw his head if you make an attempt towards it. Caution: do not attempt to stick your finger in front of the turtles face, then can bite very easily.

If the turtle does not make any attempts to avoid you this could be signs that the turtle may be sick. You will also want to examine the turtle’s skin. If it is dry and cracked sometimes it can be a sign a shedding, but if you examine a little more closely you may be able to determine if the turtle may have a fungus. At times the cause of a fungus could be from a cut on the skin. Avoid purchasing a turtle if the shell is soft. Turtles can develop a condition called shell rot, and should be examined by a vet or reptile specialist.

You may also find turtles at your local animal or reptile rescue center. Because of the long life of turtles, some owners decide that caring for a turtle is too much responsibility and may take them to an animal shelter or reptile rescue center. Although at first thought it may sound like adopting a turtle from one of these places may sound a little out of the ordinary, however the care that these turtles can receive from such a center will usually be better than that of a pet store. At an animal shelter or rescue center all animals are carefully examined by a vet or specialist before letting someone adopt them. You may also receive better help for questions you may have about the pet’s health.

Last but certainly not least, you should have a home set up for the turtle before you bring it home. Often times a turtles new home may be an extensive project so you will want to take your time with it. Avoid bringing your turtle home and leaving it in the container from the pet store while you work on its new home. The turtle has probably endured some trauma in the past couple of weeks and will want a place to come home to and relax. With this being said, you should also avoid constant handling and attention at first. Let the turtle get used to his new home for a while and drop by only a few times a day.

When you are planning your turtle’s meal remember to maintain the wide variety of foods that they need to keep them healthy. The leading causes of problems that show up in a vet’s office are from malnutrition. Poor nutrition can be associated with milky eyes, and cloudy skin patches. However, if these symptoms do show up, it is best to have a veterinarian see your pet for proper diagnoses. Other problems associated with poor nutrition are fungus problems and parasites in the intestines. Additionally, any foods that are given to your turtle that are large or bigger than there head, should be cut up or shredded if possible. This will give the turtle a better eating experience and help them digest the food better.

A turtle’s diet should include the following:
• 25% formulated turtle diet food. This type of food can be found in any pet store that sells turtles.
• 25% animal protein. This can from a variety of sources such as meal worms, earthworms, goldfish, and others. Be sure to buy these things from the pet supply store as well. Digging up worms from your backyard could contain harmful pesticides or fertilizer.
• 50% dark leafy greens. These can be such things as spinach, dandelion leaves, and more. Do not feed your turtle iceberg lettuce; they have a poor nutrition level.
• Any foods that are given to your turtle that are large or bigger than there head, should be cut up or shredded if possible. This will give the turtle a better eating experience and help them digest the food better.

Turtles can also be messy when they eat. They may take their food off to another place or spread it around. Lingering food or animal carcasses can lead to disease, fungus, and a smelly, dirty tank environment. Often times when a turtle eats, it will defecate, or urinate as well. This is why it is a good idea to feed your turtle in a place other than its home. If you can use a tub that is separate it will make cleaning easier and is not stressful for the turtle.

Along with the feeding of your turtle, you should always provide clean drinking water. Even thought your turtle may have a nice little lagoon to swim around or soak in, it is also the same water they defecate, and urinate in. Providing clean water for them to drink form will help keep them healthy.