Lovely Small Pets: July 2012

The story of the turtle and the hare was a popular story among kids 20 years ago that teaches us the value of patience and hard work. At the present time where speed and efficiency is always in the minds of our employers the lesson of that story have seem to have been forgotten. Even technology is developing and develops at an alarming rate that what is considered to be the standard or the hi-tech today would be considered to be inefficient after a year or even a few months. Truly the turtle has no more room in the tomorrow.

Hurt the humble sea turtles

Turtle

Unknown to most sea turtles are actually immune to jellyfish sting and eat them as part of their diet. They eat a large amount of their favorite food and keep the population of jellyfishes in check; this helps the beach goers enjoy the beach without the fear of being stung by the jellyfishes. Unfortunately for the sea turtles God created man and man created plastic bags and wrappers, and by not properly disposing them in beaches turtles often choke on these or inadvertently eat them mistaking them for jellyfishes. And those beaches you love to go to, well those are actually where they lay their eggs and the more we go there the less likely turtles will go there too.

The old man shell head

Turtle

Some turtles can live almost as long as we do, and maybe even longer. There are even known centenarian turtles around the world, the secret to their long life may be found their genetic make-up. Some scientist noticed that their lungs, kidneys and liver do not change over time and centenarian organs are still functioning healthily. This has inspired some scientist to study the genetic structure of the turtle to achieve human longevity. This also may be why there is still a large and illegal market for turtle parts of the world, the longevity of turtles have long been desired by human beings.

The fast and the furious

Being turtles is often associated with people who are slow in work or have a hard time catching up to classes and lessons. This unfair to the turtle because they may move slowly on land but some of these creatures swim fast when in the water. For example the fastest claimed and proven speed of any reptile is 22 mph by a frightened pacific leatherback turtle. And its cousin the sea green turtle has been known to travel great distances with speeds of 20 mph. A marine green turtle was once recorded to have travelled for 480 kilometers in a span of 10 days. This is hardly any work of slow moving and slow thinking individuals.

The defensive and successful reptile

Turtles are an ancient species of reptiles; they are almost as old as the dinosaurs and the crocodiles. The first turtles were said to have first appeared in the Triassic period of the Mesozoic era about 220 million years ago. Their primary feature which is the hard shell on their backs is the chief reason that they have survived countless millennia and present even today. Their hard shell provided around the clock defense system that they can rely on immediately if they were to be attacked or they were trying to be eaten. They are indeed hardy creatures that have survived and adapted to the many changes in their environment.

Getting a Pet Turtle for Your Kid

Pet Turtles' Tank

There are certain things that you should know before deciding on getting a pet turtle for your kids. There are different species of turtles that are being sold as pets. A turtle is generally herbivorous and are not so hard to maintain as a pet. However you need to consider the fact that turtles are not really high energy pets and might bore your kids if they wanted to play with their pets. On the other hand, a turtle can be a really safe pet for your kid. Research on turtle care first before you buy one for your kid to know the things needed to be done to take care of it.

Turtle-Cam

The Life of a Sea Turtle

A sea turtle is a very fascinating creature. What’s most fascinating about the sea turtle is its life cycle. They start off in one nesting area where the eggs hatch after which they would all go scamper to the sea to feed and grow. Not all 50-200 hatchlings would survive their first year as turtles due to the predators at sea. Those who do go very far from the nesting ground that they were from. When mating season comes, they migrate to a specific place and afterwards the females would travel back to their original nesting place to lay another set of eggs.

The Many Endangered Turtle Species

Pet Turtles

A lot of people might not know that the majestic sea turtle is at the brink of extinction. Not many know that other turtle species are also endangered. Turtles have fought to live due to many factors that affect their state as being endangered. Many turtle species are endangered because of illegal poaching. Some countries poach turtles for their meat to eat them. Others use their shells for decorative purposes while others use their leather. If you want to stop turtle species from being endangered, please do not support any products that are causing turtle species their extinction to stop them from poaching them.

Why You Should Buy Turtles For Your Kids

Baby Turtles

Choosing turtles as pets is a good decision for you as a parent. Why? It’s because raising a turtle is not that expensive. You don’t have to buy big aquariums, just a small fish bowl will do. If they grow bigger, you can place them on your fish pond. On the other hand, you can teach your kids on how to feed their new pets. This is their main responsibility as pet parents. Your children will probably rush home from school everyday to be able to spend more time with their pets. You will no longer need to encourage them to go home early always.

Help Save Sea Turtles Through Waste Management

Sea Turtles

Turtles are part of the ecosystem. They play an important role in maintaining the cycle of life. Sea turtles for instance, consume jelly fishes. In this way, the population of jelly fishes is controlled. If they keep on multiplying, they could destroy fisheries and other marine activities. In order to save sea turtles, a community must start with planning a waste management system for beach goers and residents living near beaches. Proper waste segregation should also be implemented. Trash bins should be available everywhere to avoid littering on the shores. Keeping the beach surroundings and the shores clean would be a big help in saving sea turtles from extinction.