Housing of the turtles
It is estimated that 200,000 American pond sliders have been released into the wild in the Netherlands. In addition, there are many other species of turtles and tortoises that are dumped. These turtles often starve slowly (over years). This takes so long because of a turtle’s slow metabolism. Also, the turtles pose a threat to local flora and fauna. So the problem is huge and shelter capacity is very important.
Most turtles we receive are very sick, due to years of – often unintentional – neglect. For example, many turtles have deformities due to UVb light deficiency. UVb is important for the activation of vitamin D and then for the absorption of calcium, an important resource for the development of the shell and bones. Also, we see many turtles being fed the wrong diet, causing them to be deficient in vitamin A, for example, which increases the risk of eye infections and pneumonia. As a consequence, getting turtles healthy is often a major challenge.
To make sure that the welfare of the turtles is good, we think it is important to use Brambell’s 5 freedoms as the basis for the welfare of the animals in our shelter. These 5 freedoms are internationally recognized as the basis for good welfare.
There is fairly little research done on turtle welfare compared to regular domestic and farm animals. Consequently, we know little about turtle behavior, physiology and the like. However, we are convinced that mental well-being in turtles is also very important. For example, it has also recently been shown in fish that they have feelings when they see another fish being killed. Such things are increasingly being demonstrated and the emotional and general development of animals often turns out to be much greater than previously thought. This will certainly be the case with turtles as well.
In many pets, “ethological needs” have been described. These are behaviors that an animal must be able to perform in order to be in good well-being. So turtles will certainly have “ethological needs” as well, just like all other animals, but unfortunately these are not described precisely. In any case, it is important that they live in a challenging environment.
Because about 200,000 turtles have been released into the wild, we need to have enormous shelter capacity.
Turtles
Given the climate of the countries in which most of the turtles staying in our sanctuary are naturally found (Mexico and North America), it is best to keep the turtles at a temperature of at least 15 degrees Celsius. During the warmer months, the turtles are housed outside. Given the large number of animals that carry diseases, the turtles are housed in small groups in residence ponds. Groups are formed based on origin, sex, species, disease history and behavior. The turtles have access to a pond, a piece of land for sunbathing and a sandy beach for egg-laying. The turtles do not reproduce at the shelter, but they do lay eggs. An opportunity to lay eggs is very important for the health and well-being of the animals. Each pond is individually filtered by a biofilter. All ponds are planted so that the animals can also eat from the plants, find insects in the plants and have hiding places. This ensures that the animals are kept busy and the presence of hiding places provides safety and prevents aggression. In the winter, the animals are placed indoors in pond containers. These are also equipped with a sandy beach and a water section. There is also a lamp above the sandy beach that provides the turtles with Uvb radiation and heat. There is a special filter system in place that ensures that the water is virtually sterile, to prevent the spread of disease.
Tortoises
The tortoises live in tortoise enclosures during the summer. In these enclosures there are several bushes to shelter under. There are also many edible plants. This ensures that they can (partly) look for food themselves. The tortoises also have a “solarium”: a house with a glass roof in which they can shelter and warm up. They also have the opportunity to bathe, which is very important for many tortoises. In winter, non-tropical tortoises go into hibernation in a room with a constant temperature. Tropical tortoises live outside in the summer and have a heated indoor enclosure. In winter, they also live in a heated enclosure.
Turtles and tortoises
We ensure that the turtles are monitored by having them undergo a health check both before and after winter. With the help of a chip, we can identify the turtles and therefore also track their weight over time, for example. New turtles are quarantined and extra monitored. They are also examined clinically and parasitically before being placed together with the other turtles.
