Toys

Understanding the natural activities of Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) is important for choosing suitable "toys" for them since enrichment should increase curiosity, activity, and mental engagement. Environmental enrichment promotes the physical and mental health of turtles, even though they don't use toys in the conventional sense.

Turtles may participate in their natural activities, including as burrowing and excavating, when given a range of surfaces, including aquatic vegetation, sand, and dirt. Turtles may build nests, forage for food, and explore their environments on various surfaces. The physical well-being of turtles is enhanced by natural substrates, which encourage the development of muscles and activity.

Turtles may enjoy a dry spot above the water's surface on floating platforms called basking docks, where they can place a heat lamp for basking. These surfaces need to be strong enough to support the turtle's weight without causing it any discomfort. Basking docks provide a protected area for turtles to relax and take in their environment, which helps with thermoregulation.

Live or fake aquatic plants look nice and provide some much-needed shade for the turtles while they're in captivity.

Turtles may engage with plants in a variety of ways, including munching, hiding, and examining their texture. A healthy aquatic ecosystem also includes plants, which aid in water quality maintenance by absorbing nitrates and producing oxygen.

Turtles may find safe havens in man-made caverns, on rocks, or in logs. These hiding spaces allow the turtles to feel secure while they explore their cage, much like they would in their natural surroundings.

The use of puzzle feeders or other devices that disperse food is one way to encourage turtles to forage. These toys may be designed to challenge turtles by presenting them with goodies or little food pieces that they must handle or solve a riddle in order to get. By posing new problems for the turtle to solve, puzzle feeders keep them from becoming bored.

Some turtles like playing with balls or food that floats. Water currents may gently move these objects, enticing turtles to swim and explore. Floating toys designed for turtles should not include any items that might harm or choke the animal.

Keep the turtle interested and avoid habituation by periodically rotating and changing the enrichment items.

To keep a turtle interested and engaged, try switching up its playthings or reorganizing its current enrichment. One way to learn a turtle's preferences is to see how it reacts to various toys and enrichment items.