Do turtles get bored?

Nowadays turtles have become a very popular pet to have. And not without a reason! They are quite simple and straightforward, and the amount of time we need to spend on a daily basis just to keep them alive and well is very low. As a result, they are great for all the people who are worried about time-consuming nursery and maintenance. 

Nonetheless, no matter how little time turtles need, you still have to take care of them and make sure that they are not only well fed, but also healthy and entertained. You may even ask: do turtles feel lonely? In theory, turtles are solitary animals, so they do not need company. However, they can be sad. And that is the reason why the question is a bit more complicated than that. Surely, they are going to appreciate some entertainment, but do we really have to do that by giving them company? What kind of help should you look for to make sure your pet is well taken care of?

In this article I am going to present to you the most important things to take into account while finding the most suitable way to entertain your turtle. What is more, the article will provide you with extensive knowledge as far as all the bad choices are concerned. So, if you wish to know a thing or two about the boredom of your turtle and how to handle that, enjoy the reading!

How do you know if a turtle is sad?

First thing we ought to do is to evaluate whether we take care of turtles in the right way or not. One of the easiest ways of finding out if our favorite pet is happy is by simply looking at his behavior. And by that we mean both feeding and hunting behavior. The first one is quite easy to notice. If a turtle refuses food or is not interested in eating what we prepared during its feeding time, then it is the first sign of unhappiness. It is also a sign that there might be some medical condition going on.

Hunting behavior is also a very important factor that can show us the mental and physical state of the turtle. If you throw live insects, small amphibians, or even small fish into his or her tank and it is not interested in hunting, then we may see other signs of depression or unhealthiness. Mental and physical needs have to be taken care of and in the case of predators (turtles are predators), we have to stimulate their hunting needs. If they are not interested in that, then we cannot ignore that obvious issue.

Another thing to consider while assessing the mood of your pet is looking at common behaviors of turtles. They are natural foragers, so it is quite obvious that they love digging. As a result, they should be exploring their tank and digging at the bottom. What is more, their environment should also be explored quite often – provided there are things to explore and things to see for your turtle.

Company for your turtle as a solution for boredom? Not really

If the behavior of your turtle indicates that he is bored or depressed, then you should definitely think about ways of improving his mood. Luckily for us, there are quite a lot of things to do, so we can choose the ones that suit our pet the most. However, before we do that it is imperative for you to learn about things you should avoid.

Firstly, finding your pet company is not always the right way. Truth to be told, in most cases it is a very bad idea. You see, turtles are quite dominant as far as their land is concerned. As a result, if we decide to place another turtle, then they will most likely fight. At the beginning they will try to steal their food (even if you feed them appropriately). After that ,they will simply look for ways to determine who’s the alpha. 

If you think about matching a male with a female, then this will be a bad idea just as well. Male turtles will always look for mating opportunities and, because of that, after a while females are going to attack the intrusive admirer. Adding a juvenile or a hatchling to the tank is also bad because sooner or later a turtle that is larger will be bullying the smaller one. 

What about another reptile? Well, that is a bad option as well. Though they may differ quite significantly, there is one common trait among all the reptiles – they like solitude. As a result, if you add a snake, a gecko, or any other kind of lizard to your turtle, they will most likely fight. Sadly, in this case the fights may not be as equal as in the case of two turtles. It poses a lot of threats and the possibility that sooner or later your turtle will get hurt quite badly. 

If we really want to think about living things and put anything in the tank, then the best way out there is to look at small species of fish. Obviously, turtles will find these small fish a quite interesting meal. However, be sure that you are not afraid of losing some of them for the hunting purposes of your turtle.

Much better option is to look for toys and other activities

Company rarely ever works as a solution for turtle boredom. However, we shouldn’t lose all our hope, because there are quite a lot of other, much better options that will help you to cheer up your pet. Here are some:

Toys

Providing your turtles with a number of different toys that are suited for their use is surely one of the best options to look for. Toys do not necessarily have to be colorful and made of plastic. There are special turtle toys that can provide a natural-looking appearance. Great options are special floating logs for turtles that provide your pets with the possibility to climb on them.

They are very durable and usually easy to clean due to materials used during the production process. Besides that, we should also think about treat toys. If your turtle loves digging, then placing some of these under the gravel is definitely a great option. Furthermore, think about caves and other places to hide for your turtle. Giving them a place thanks to which they feel safe is surely one of the best options you can come up with.

Plants, sticks, and other natural objects or obstacles

Introducing your pet turtle with a wide range of natural objects they would find in the wild is surely a very interesting way to keep your turtle occupied. As we all know, turtles love exploration and giving them a chance to discover new rafts, empty shells, and some other elements that you placed recently to your tank is surely a great idea. Obviously, we have to remember that changing entire decorations may be a good idea just as well. The changed habitat is great for boosting his senses. Still, it is a very important thing to introduce changes once per 3-4 months.

Taking turtle out for a walk

Though it does not seem like a good option, turtles love going out for a walk, especially if it happens occasionally. We shouldn’t do it too often – once a week is more than enough. Interestingly, we don’t have to think about special equipment. We do not need leashes or any other accessories. However, bear in mind that there are several things you have to watch out for. 

First of all, make sure that it does not run into a tight, confined space. It will be really difficult to take it out and surely such a situation will cause a lot of stress to your pet. What is more, make sure you do not startle it, because instead of walking, he will just hide into his shell. Moreover, do not let other animals come to your turtle, because cats or especially dogs like to play with turtles. Sadly, it is one-sided. 

How do I make my turtle not be bored? Now you know!

As you can see, there are dozens of different options to look for. Turtles really get bored and, as a result, they may feel sad or even depressed. It can heavily influence their health, so making sure that your turtle is of utmost importance for all the owners. That is the reason I encourage you to use one of the methods mentioned above.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be an additional company. We can simply look for toys, plants, sticks, or other natural obstacles, or even think about taking your turtle out for a walk provided you keep it safe and do not spook it.