Turtles have webbed feet and are primarily water-dwelling reptiles, while tortoises have more rounded "elephant-like" feet and spend most of their time on the land. They need similar habitats, but there are some key differences that you'll need to know so you make sure you treat your animal right.  Popular turtles to keep as pets include Sideneck turtles, wood turtles, painted turtles, pond turtles, and slider turtles. Popular tortoises include red foots, Greek tortoises, and Russian tortoises. Turtles are aquatic animals, so they need to live in an aquarium. If the turtle is fairly small, a 5 gallon tank will do. If it's a slightly bigger breed, then it will need a 10 or 20 gallon tank at least. All aquariums should have mesh lids to allow proper air circulation and keep the turtle inside.  You need more than a bowl and a rock to ensure proper health and longevity of a turtle. Those little "Turtle Ponds" you can still find in pet stores are insufficient, and sometimes called "Death Bowls" by experienced turtle keepers. Turtles do grow, so make sure you talk to a turtle or pet retailer about your specific turtle breed, and find out more about the species and how much bigger its likely to get. Get a tank big enough for its ultimate size, not the size it is now. Turtles need about 12-14 hours of sunlight a day for the proper amount of Vitamin D. Purchase a high-quality UV lamp for your tank. Set it up with an automatic timer to make sure the turtle gets the light it needs.  For most turtles, you'll need to keep the aquarium around 78 F (25 C), but some turtles might be able to abide slightly lower or higher temperatures. Heat lamps can generally just be clipped to the edge of the tank and angled down. Install an easily visible thermometer stuck to the side of the tank to make sure the temperature stays consistent. There are a variety of ways to decorate and fill your habitat, depending on the specific species. Aquatic turtles need a mostly wet environment, while tortoises and other land-dwellers will need a lot dry area. Both turtles need variety, however.  Create a rock incline for aquatic turtles, to give them some dry area on which to sun and warm. Get a large container and a rock about 4 inches (10.2 cm) long. Clean the rock with untreated water. Wooden boards or bricks make great land areas as they can be cleaned easily. Just make sure they stay dry and are sloped gently towards the water for easy access. Wood chips and bark can get moldy or grow fungus. Turtles will also eat them sometimes, causing problems. It's best to avoid these materials. Some clay or plastic shelter is a good idea. Find an appropriately-sized one at your local pet store or make one with some stones. If you put plants inside the tank, do a quick check to make sure they are compatible and that your turtle will not get sick if he decides to eat a few of the leaves. Real plants are nice but get eaten within days. Unless you have a pond where you grow plants, think about using artificial plants for decoration. Distilled water contains no minerals, and isn't sufficient for keeping turtles healthy. Tap water contains chlorine and possibly fluoride which can upset the pH balance of the turtle's habitat. De-chlorinated spring water needs to be used for the swimming area and filtered water for your turtle to drink.  Adding a teaspoon of salt per gallon of water will reduce the level of bad bacteria and protect the turtles better from shell and skin diseases. Spritz the dry areas regularly with a spray bottle, to maintain the moisture in the area. Again, this will vary, depending on the particular species. Aquatic turtles will need a lot of water in the aquarium, and it would make your job a lot easier to get a water filter and pump assembly, to cycle the water out regularly and clean it. Because turtles eat, drink, and defecate in the tank, it's very important to keep the water as clean as possible for the health of your turtle.  Water filters are generally quite quiet and affordable, and they feature a small sump that sucks the water up and filters it through a filter and back into the tank. You'll still need to change out the water and clean the tank about every month, but you'll need to change out the water much more regularly (every 2-3 days) without one.
تأكد من حصولك على سلحفاة مائية حقًا. ضع السلحفاة المائية في حوض مائي. استخدم مصباحًا بالأشعة فوق البنفسجية ومقياسًا لدرجة الحرارة (ترمومتر) للتحكم في درجة حرارة الحوض. وفر سطحًا جافًا بالإضافة إلى السطح المائي. وفر الكثير من ماء الينابيع الطبيعية غير المعالجة. احصل على مُرشح للمياه.