There is no fun in watching a turtle being lazy and just floating in the tank. Toys are the best way to keep your pets busy and they do enjoy playing a lot. You can just put these toys in your aquarium and soon your turtle will start to recognize them. There are a variety of toys for turtles available which I’m sure that your turtle will have fun playing with.
In this blog post, we have listed out various types of toys and their features with links to all of them so that you can buy them easily online. You just have to find out which one your turtle will love based on their habits.
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Best Toys for Turtles (2021 Guide)
Just as humans love doing different activities for being mentally and physically healthy, pets like turtles do the same. Before we get on to the list of toys you need to understand why you need to interact with your turtle and create a playful environment for them.
Importance of Enrichment for Pets
Enrichment means improving the quality of life and creating a happy environment for pets. Just as other pets like dogs and cats do love to play with toys, the same case is with turtles. In a boring and isolated environment, no turtle will be able to survive much longer and this is proven by studies. It has been found that an isolated turtle with no interaction and activities can suffer from depression.
Some of the signs which you can notice in a depressed turtle are:
- Lack of appetite.
- Lethargy.
- Unusual swimming patterns.
- Panic attacks.
- Self-injury.
These are some of the signs that your turtle needs a change in environment and you need to do some enrichment activities to keep your turtle healthy.
7 Best Toys for Turtles
Treat Balls
If you want to feed your turtle fresh food in a fun way then this is the best toy out there. Treat balls can fit in leaves, grass and other natural food which turtles do eat in their habitat. Turtles can play with them while eating without the wastage of food. It is an excellent option to make feeding fun for your turtle.
Marble Balls
Marble balls or shooter balls come in a pack of 24 balls each of different colors and sizes. It is an amazing toy option and is loved by most turtles. The color of these balls attracts the turtles making them try to roll them in the tank. If your turtle is lazy you can try these balls and change the color so that he doesn’t get bored of the same color again and again.
NOTE: Some of these balls are small, if you have a turtle with large mouth size be cautious as they can swallow the ball thinking of it as a food item.
Floating Logs
These are natural-looking log toys for your turtle. These floating logs will sit at the bottom of your tank and will make turtles curious to investigate them. Your turtle will love rolling it over and making it his hiding place, also these are easy to clean so that you don’t have to worry about waste getting accumulated inside it. Overall it’s a great product for all fish tanks as it can be used by fish and turtles to play.
Glowing Bath Toys
These glowing bath toys are definitely gonna draw your turtle’s attention as soon as you put them inside the tank because of their shapes and colors. These toys come in 8 different shapes like a shark, mermaid, duck etc each one having different color light inside them. The only downside of this toy is that you cannot change its battery but the company claims a battery life of about 6 months for each toy.
Floating Treats
Floating treats are a great way to encourage your turtle to move and chase after the treats as they do in their natural habitat. These treats are healthy and also loved by almost every turtle. You can give your turtle these treats once in a while and do not give too much as its residue can block the filter if it gets stuck.
Basking Platforms
It is a must-have accessory for every turtle owner. A basking platform sticks to the top of your tank through suction cups and provides a platform just above the water level. It provides a natural habitat for your turtle to come up to the surface and absorb some light. Also, he can play and rest there for a while.
Live Plants
Live plants act as toys and for turtles. Having plants in your aquarium can be very beneficial, it will act as a hiding and playing spot for your turtle also, they do eat the leaves so you will have to change the plants once in a while.
We have listed some of the plants which turtles love:
- Amazon Sword
- Crystalwort
- Eelgrass
- Frogbit
- Waterweed
Caves and Hides for Turtles
Cave and hide is a perfect fit for your aquarium. Turtles prefer to hide in a dark place because they cannot be exposed to light all the time as it can stress them so these caves provide a dark hiding space for turtles. These caves are of perfect size for medium and big aquariums and you can easily clean them once in a while.
Closure | Turtle Enrichment Toys
Toys are necessary for every pet to keep them physically and mentally healthy. In this blog post, we have listed some of the best toys for turtles with their links to buy.
You can try these toys and see what your turtle likes but change the toys once in a while because your turtle might get bored playing with the same toy. If you have tried any other toy which turtles like do let us know in the comment section down below.
