Things You'll Need:
- 10- or 20-gallon tank or plastic container
- Turtle food
- Lamps
- Water
- Several rocks
- Soil
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Step 1
Know what kind of baby turtle you have. There are turtles that can live in water and out of water, while others only live out of water. For example, red-eared slider turtles have red stripes on each side of their heads while snapping turtles have large heads. They both live in and out of water. Box turtles have bright yellow markings on the shell and are considered ground turtles since they live out of water.
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Step 2
Prepare a container or glass tank for the baby turtle to stay in. Box turtles can stay in a 10- to 20-gallon plastic tub without water. For red-eared sliders and snapping turtles, put no more than 2 inches of water inside the tank until the turtle is 4 months old. Situate a couple rocks around the tank so that the baby turtles can climb up on them to get out of the water. Spread out some soil on the bottom of the container so the baby turtles can hide when they feel the need to. Put out small food and water bowls for them to eat and drink from.
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Step 3
Place lamps over the container or glass tank. The lamp will provide heat for the baby turtles. Place one lamp at each end of the turtle's housing. The temperature needs to be at least 70 degrees in the turtle's living area.
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Step 4
Provide the baby turtle with food. Baby turtles will eat worms, insects, berries, mushrooms, bananas, tomatoes, lettuce and fish. You can also purchase dried ant eggs from the pet store to add to the baby turtle's diet. To feed box turtles, wet the food before placing it in their food bowl. Feed baby turtles three times a week with crickets, fish and other nutrient-rich foods. Feed baby turtles fresh fruits and vegetables daily.
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Step 5
Keep the baby turtle's living area clean at all times. Give fresh water daily, remove feces and food from the water, and wash off the baby turtle after it finishes eating to remove any excess food left on its body and shell.
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Step 6
Use filtration for tanks with water. This will help keep the water clean. Even with filtration, it is important to still remove feces and dirt floating in the water since filtration will not capture it all.
