Turtles are perhaps the most
ancient reptiles that currently live on our land. These animals are very popular with 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 the reptile in an ordinary cardboard box. It's a delusion. To make the pet feel as comfortable as possible, he needs to create all the necessary conditions. For these purposes, only a terrarium with high walls (about 1 meter) can be suitable. Coarse enough sand should be poured to the bottom , and in the corner a small canopy made of cloth or cardboard should be made. Such conditions of detention are most natural for these animals. The terrarium should be equipped with heating, ventilation and lighting systems. Since many types of turtles need ultraviolet radiation, it is recommended to install UV 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 water turtles on the same level with the floor you need to build a small pond. It is very useful to place young individuals of a freshwater species for some time in an aquarium with water. It should be regularly replaced with fresh, settled.
Breeding turtles
Breeding reptiles is a rather difficult and painstaking task. It is very important to provide animals with favorable living conditions: a varied diet, winter hibernation, and a spacious habitat. So that future offspring do not have any deviations, individuals of both sexes must be absolutely healthy.
Methods of stimulation. Exposure to light and heat
Propagation of turtles at home can occur quite quickly if certain measures are taken. It should be noted that if only one couple lives in the terrarium, the chances of success are rather low. Ideally, you should have one female and two males of a young age. As a stimulation for the reproduction of reptiles, 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. Then you can make the changes in the reverse order. Exposure to heat, light, and humidity acts on reptiles as a stimulation of reproduction.
Wintering
Another method is cooling. Reptiles are placed one by one 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. Then the boxes with turtles can again be moved to the house. After two days, the animals can be placed in a terrarium and the 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.
Courtship games
How do aquatic turtles breed? Usually, the male, upon seeing the female, swims to her head. Animals touch each other with their noses. Moreover, the behavior of individuals is not aggressive. A striking example of this is the red-eared turtles. How do these reptiles breed ? The mating process usually occurs in water. Before the act of intercourse, the male tickles the chin and neck of his partner with long claws. At this time, his paws vibrate finely and finely. In the process of mating, he can even hit hard enough on the carapace of the female. This is usually observed in more mature individuals. As a rule, sexual intercourse lasts from five to fifteen minutes. After mating, the female waits for night and goes to lay eggs on land. How do land turtles breed? Here the action takes place in a slightly different way.
Typically, sexual activity of reptiles occurs in late spring. During this period, males arrange fights for breeding rights. In this case, the female shows one of them her disposition for mating. She stops and stands still. At this time, the male carefully approaches her from behind and, sniffing into the tail zone, crawls into her carapace. This process can take quite a while. When, finally, he occupies a comfortable position, copulation will begin. At the same time, the male firmly clings its beak to the neck of his beloved. How do marsh turtles breed ? Their behavior during the mating season is significantly different from terrestrial and freshwater. Before intercourse, the male behaves quite aggressively and aggressively. If the female is on land, he pursues her. In the event that a female individual swims in a pond, the male climbs on it with the help of claws and holds tightly on the carapace of his partner. Being in this position, he bangs his head on the back of the head of a female or grabs her neck with a jaw, blocking any movements. This is how flirting occurs before mating.
Pregnancy period
After mating, individuals should be immediately planted in separate terrariums. The fact is that after intercourse, males often show aggression. So, we continue to consider how turtles breed. About two to three months later, the female lays 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 of heat. And on land should prepare a separate place for laying eggs. To do this, dig a depression in the soil or sand and place a small container with sphagnum in such a way that it is located on a level with 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. For a while, she recommends isolating the young mother from other reptiles. 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 kept within 29 degrees. The height of the sand in it should be at least 20 centimeters. There you 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. The eggs of turtles cannot be turned over. Transfer them very carefully. 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 be unfertilized.
Newborn Care
Young turtles hatch from the egg with a tooth located on the tip of the nose. With this small fang, they pierce the shell from the inside. Two days after hatching, the tooth disappears by itself. All young individuals have a transverse fold on the plastron associated with the position of the reptiles in the egg. In no case should small turtles be placed in the same pen with adult animals. The fact is that mature individuals lack maternal instinct, and therefore they can cause irreparable harm to young animals. Freshly hatched offspring are usually kept under the same temperature conditions as adults. Their diet should consist primarily 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 breed?
Surprisingly, reptiles of this species begin to reproduce only in that land area where they themselves were born. Often for this, the female has to overcome enormous distances. Nevertheless, not a single female has yet to go astray. This navigational ability of reptiles of this species to this day surprises scientists. Reproduction of turtles, as a rule, occurs at night. The female goes ashore, making sure that she is not in danger, and goes up the coastline. She searches for a secluded place where the tide line does not reach. Having found a suitable land area, the female digs a hole with her front legs 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 in one exit to land is able to make several clutches, covering them with sand. In captive
sea turtles , the reproduction process is similar. Seventy days later, calves are born. Young turtles should be transplanted into a separate container and taken care of, maintaining heat, light and humidity. This is how turtles breed.