Health check
Checking your animals’ health
Anyone who purchases terrarium animals presumably want to look at them every day. If you look out for a couple of few things during the daily check and when feeding, you’ll learn to recognize problems early on and then be able to treat them in good time. The later you react to problems, the lower the chances of recovery.
The following points should be kept in mind:
Mouths should be closed and free of foam or slimy films.
Moulting should have taken place evenly, check the eyes aren’t too deep in their sockets.
Check for wounds, boils and other irregularities.
Check lizards’ toes and feet for unshed skin which can cause constrictions.
Only very young turtles or tortoises should have soft shells.
The skin should not have too many folds and the ribs or vertebrae should not be too prominent.
It should have all 8 legs. Whitish, fungus-like areas on the body are suspicious, whereas a “bald patch” on the abdomen presents no problem.
When buying, make sure the carapace is smooth, especially with Mediterranean tortoise species. Humps are a natural feature of map turtles! A certificate is required for the purchase of many tortoise species (CITES). Pay attention to the eyes of the tortoises when buying them: they should be clear, not swollen and not inflamed. They must be able to open and close their eyes without any problems. There shouldn’t be any visible ulcers on the body, neck, head, limbs or tail.
When transporting turtles, it is important to ensure that both terrestrial and aquatic or terrapin turtles are always transported dry, i.e. without water. A darkened cardboard box is ideal. Never leave them in a cold or hot car: A transport temperature between 18 and 25 °C is ideal.
You are welcome to keep many hardy turtle species in an outdoor enclosure. However, outdoor means your own property and does not include a public swimming lake or park. The turtles we care for must not be released into the wild, as they either die in winter or pose a threat as invasive species to our native species.
