In ancient times, there was a belief that the planet Earth rested on the shell of a gigantic tortoise. In Chinese mythology, this reptile was one of the sacred animals. Adherents of esotericism used the shell of turtles for predictions. Apparently, the number of plates that are located along the edge of the "turtle house" contributed to this. The Chinese people depicted this animal on the imperial banners, believing that the turtle protects from fire and war.
In Japan, this mysterious creature was considered a symbol of longevity, wisdom and immortality. Oriental doctors tried to make a miraculous drug from a tortoise shell that could slow down the aging of the human body. In India, people noticed that the turtle tends to hide in its shell. They identified this feature with meditation and spirituality.
The Legend of the Turtle
Among the Mongolian people there is a legend that once a turtle moved from north to south. On the way, she met a warrior who fired an arrow at her. The arrow pierced the tortoise's shell, striking it to death.
A forest sprang from the side of the damaged shell, and from the blood of a dying anim althe sea was formed - that was the northern side of the world. The flame that finally escaped from the turtle's throat was called the south side. According to legend, lumps of earth were clamped in the paws of the animal, which subsequently formed the soil with the entire plant world. This is how, according to the myth, all directions of the world and the earth occurred.
Scientists believe that turtles appeared on Earth 200 million years ago. They have changed little since then. The only thing is that some of them mastered the land, others - the deep sea and fresh water. Researchers suggest that the lifespan of a turtle on earth is over 200 years! The age of this amazing creature can be judged by the shields on its shell.
The structure of the shell
The shell of turtles around the world consists of two shields: dorsal and ventral. They are interconnected. The shell has openings for the head, legs and tail. When danger approaches, the turtle hides in its shelter.
In some species of this animal, the shell is soft, but it is quite durable. Therefore, a formidable predator will not be able to gnaw it. The shell serves as a real protection for the turtle. After all, by nature she is clumsy and slow, and “home with you” will always protect and hide from ill-wishers.
Turtles are divided into sea, river and land. Scientists have about 230 species of these interesting creatures. They have some differences between themselves in color, size and body structure.
For example, land and river turtles are smaller than their sea counterparts. Allreptiles are extremely heat-loving creatures. Their habitat is the tropics and subtropics.
Only in the very hot deserts of New Zealand and the Pacific coast of South America travelers do not happen to meet turtles. The land species lives in almost all corners of our planet. River turtles and sea turtles are known in Russia.
Red-eared turtle
The most beautiful representative of the turtle world is red-eared. This is a freshwater turtle that has a shell size of more than 25 centimeters. The beautiful reptile has been growing for many years. The carapace of the red-eared turtle in 1.5 years reaches a diameter of about 7.5 cm. Then it continues to grow more slowly, adding 1 cm per year. The shell of the red-eared tortoise can reach a maximum length of 30 centimeters.
She herself hails from the southeastern part of the United States. Outwardly, this is a cute creature. On both sides of the head, the turtle has scarlet spots, for which it received the name "red-eared". She doesn't really have ears though. Interestingly, the shell of red-eared turtles is able to change color depending on their age and habitat. In young individuals, light shades predominate, in adults - darker tones, up to black.
Turtle maintenance
Russian lovers of a living corner willingly acquire this particular type of turtle. The point is not only in the bright color of the reptile, but also in its unpretentiousness. But there are some features to consider.
For example, it is a mistake to choose a smallterrarium. After all, the reptile will grow up and require more and more space. It is necessary to stock up on terrarimum for 100-150 liters. It must provide a dry space, and the water level must exceed the size of a tortoise shell.
It is recommended to change the water in the aquarium 1-2 times a week and maintain the temperature in it at least +20-26oC. If you neglect these rules, then after a while you can find spots of an unhe althy color on the animal's shell. Connoisseurs advise placing the aquarium with a turtle in a sunny place, as the pet loves to soak up the warm rays.
The he alth of a turtle, including the condition of its shell, is directly dependent on nutrition. It must be balanced. There is a considerable amount of turtle food on the market, but not all mineral and vitamin supplements are taken into account.
This will sooner or later affect the he alth of the reptile. In parallel with this, you can find that the red-eared turtle has a soft shell, which is not its natural feature. You can supplement the diet with finely chopped fresh fish. Moths and earthworms can serve as excellent feed additives for turtles.
Shell is an indicator of he alth
Turtle shells often suffer from traumatic injury. Land reptiles are especially suited to this. The reason may be a turtle falling from a height. Sometimes a turtle can be accidentally stepped on or pinned in a door.
That is why the shell of a tortoise should be periodically inspected for cracks, scratches and other changes. If the owner notices spots on the turtle's shell or a suspicious change in color, then this may indicate the presence of secondary bacterial and fungal microflora. Such lesions can lead to partial or complete destruction of the shell. If you experience these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor!
Shell softening
Let's look at the reasons why a turtle's shell becomes soft. If this is not due to a natural feature, then, most likely, this is the result of a lack of calcium in the animal's body. It also indicates non-compliance with the rules for keeping a turtle, a lack of ultraviolet rays and a lack of vitamin D.
If you notice, for example, that the red-eared turtle has a soft shell, then hurry to see a doctor for an examination. Only he can say exactly what caused this phenomenon and what needs to be done. Often, owners of reptiles notice spots on the shell of a turtle in the form of algae. If they are mild and there are few of them, then there is nothing to worry about. If the turtle is "overgrown" with such a pattern, you should pay attention to the pollution of the water and lighting. White spots on a turtle's shell can signal the presence of a fungus. Self-treatment of reptiles is not recommended. In any case, if spots are noticed on the shell of a red-eared turtle, it is better to consult a herpetologist in time.
Leather Turtle
This reptile is considered the largest turtle in the world. Her weightbody ranges up to 600 kilograms, and its length reaches 3 meters. Why does a turtle's shell draw attention to itself? The shell of reptiles of this species consists of interconnected bone plates. But he is not connected to the skeleton. A distinctive feature of the leatherback turtle shell is its extremely dense skin! Scientists note that this reptile cannot retract its head into the shell due to the unusual structure of its body.
Science knows another large species - a giant tortoise. Sometimes it is called gigantic, or Seychelles. The reptile lives on the island of Aldabra. The turtle is interesting for its structure: it has rather powerful paws and a small head relative to the body. Its shell is quite sloping and reaches 130 centimeters.
Musk Turtle
Muscovy turtle is the smallest in the world. Its habitats are water bodies of the USA and Canada. This creation of nature weighs a little more than 200 grams. The length of the turtle is about 8 centimeters, the shell reaches about 6-7 centimeters. As a defense, the reptile is able to exude a rather unpleasant odor due to the fluid that accumulates in its back of the shell. The turtle is omnivorous and unpretentious. Her diet includes small fish, various aquatic vegetation.
Roof turtle
Roofing stands out among the turtles with an unusual structure. Her homeland is India. The shell of this interesting turtle is about 40 cm long.
The reptile has a keel on its back. Especiallyconspicuous is the posteriorly directed tooth on the third vertebral shield. The coloring of the roof turtle is excellent!
The belly of a reptile is reddish-yellow, with distinct black spots. The head and back of the head are highlighted in bright red. The shell, bordered with a light yellow ribbon, plays with greenish-brown hues.
Interesting
Female turtles lay their eggs in sand or rotten plants. The number of eggs can be from 7 to 100 pieces. After hatching from them, the little turtles rush to the water, considering it their refuge.
But already on the way, reptiles can serve as food for various predators: crabs and birds. They all want to taste turtle meat. However, reptiles can also be eaten in the water. It's just that, being in the body of water, the turtles move faster, and they have a better chance of survival.
