Heated water tank/pond

Terrapins need heated water in their ponds to stay healthy and active. Having heated ponds throughout the winter as well, this will ensure that the Terrapin doesn’t brumate. If they don’t brumate they’ll need to be fed and they’ll also need to bask, so you’ll need to provide basking lights as you would do indoors, but the air temperature will be too cold so the pond will also need to be enclosed.

Temperature

The ideal water temperature for Terrapins is between 24–26°C, with a minimum of 20°C overnight. Hatchlings should have a water temperature of around 25°C, while adults should have a temperature of around 22°C.

Heater

You should use an aquarium heater with a thermostat and guard to maintain the water temperature. This should be checked regularly with a waterproof thermometer.

Location

When using a tank, you should place it away from direct sunlight and drafts, as these can affect the water temperature.

Pond

When keeping Terrapins out, you must secure the environment to make sure that they cannot escape, and so other animals cannot reach them. Even though they are outside they still need outdoor heating and lighting suitable for Terrapins.

Enclosure

The enclosure should be large enough for the Terrapin to swim without touching the bottom or the sides. A good rule of thumb is to provide 80 litres of water for every 5 cm of the Terrapins shell length.

Cover

You will be best off using a cover that doesn’t trap humidity, like wire mesh, to ensure good ventilation.

Roof

Having a roof over the pond can help maintain a stable temperature throughout the year and it will protect the Terrapins from bad weather and other animals.

Cold water tank/ponds

Providing a cold water pond for Terrapins can be very dangerous as this can make them ill and inactive.

Cold Terrapins have a much slower metabolism, putting them in a very restful state. When the temperature is not correct the Terrapins slow down and go into brumation which is also very dangerous. If they are not in the correct set up, allowing them to go into brumation can cause the infection to get worse as their body cannot fight it off, so leaving this to worsen can eventually kill the Terrapin. Even if they did make it out of brumation, the Terrapin could become ill with respiratory infections or worse, not make it to the top of the water as they will drown due to not being able to swim as they are too cold and their lung won’t have as much oxygen causing them to drown. It’s advised to have a ramp from the bottom of their pond to the top, so they can climb out themselves limiting the amount of deaths.