Turtle: Care Of A Pet (1962)

[Music] in ponds and rivers small turtles may often be found turtles like this one are called sliders or red ears they make good pets they are gentle animals interesting to watch and easy to care for to keep a red eared turtle as a pet learn all you can about it the best way to learn to care for any animal is to find out how it takes care of itself let's see how a red eared turtle is in its natural home a red-eared turtles spends most of its time underwater where it looks for food it will eat almost anything it finds in the pond plants small fish tadpoles worms and insects this one is trying to catch a pill bug sometimes two turtles will try to eat the same food a turtle eats under water but after it eats it usually swims to the surface for fresh air and sunlight all turtles breathe air just as we do a turtle needs sunlight the Sun warms its body helping it digest its food if you know how a turtle lives you will be better able to care for one to keep one as a pet a place as much as possible like its natural home should be made for it an aquarium or large bowl will do a turtle needs a high place like this rock so I can leave the water when it wishes indoors a small light about a foot from the turtle will warm it helping to take the place of the Sun a turtle will stay healthy if it is properly cared for it needs plenty of clean water as it would have in its natural home it needs food as much as possible like its natural food live food like this meal worm is best for a turtle if live food is not available a good dried food made of different kinds of insects and green plants will do since a turtle will not overeat it may be given all the food it will take however leftover food will spoil the water in which the turtle lives to keep the water clean change it every few days after its meal a turtle usually crawls out of the water to digest its food and to rest now that our turtle has a good home and has been well fed we can look at it closely notice the turtles I each eye has a stripe running through it when it takes a nap it usually pulls itself inside its shell and closes both eyes but one eye closed and one eye open a turtle's ears cannot be seen they are covered by skin however the red patches on the side of its head locate the ears and give it its common name red eared turtle a turtle breeds through two small holes it has no teeth it bites off food with the hard edge of its mouth a turtle shell is part of its body and a turtle can never leave it it grows as the turtle grows the upper and lower parts of the shell are joined on each side the tough hard shell protects the turtle from harm when frightened it can pull itself into its shell the shell should never be painted they cause paint may injure it preventing it from growing properly and the turtle may die a turtle's feet are flat and