In this article we’re going to talk about – Can My Turtle Swim In The Pool?
Turtle owners often wonder whether swimming with their pets is something they should do.
There are many pros and cons associated with this idea, so here are some tips to consider before taking your pet swimming.
Your pet can safely swim in any type of water provided it meets its specific requirements.
For example, turtles require freshwater pools while fish do fine in saltwater aquariums.
Here we discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks associated with allowing your pet to swim in the pool.
We provide tips on how to ensure safety while swimming.
If you decide to give this option a try, please follow our guidelines below.
Benefits of letting your turtle swim
A great way to get your pet turtle outside is to provide him or her with access to natural light, fresh air, and open spaces.
This will give your pet turtle the opportunity to experience nature in a way he or she has never experienced before.
It gets lots of light and nutrients from the sun
If you’re a pet turtle owner, you know how much joy your little buddy gets from basking in the sun.
However, artificial UVB light can certainly do the trick, but basking in a more natural setting is even better.
Turtle will have fresh air to breathe
Your turtle’s aquarium is most likely indoors and may be subject to some contaminants, especially if its tank is near the kitchen.
An additional downside of the indoor environment is that air circulation isn’t always great.
Your pet turtle will love spending its days basking in sunshine, breathing in fresh air, and enjoying natural spaces.
This will give him or her a chance to explore nature in ways he or she hasn’t experienced before.
Turtle has plenty of space
Your pet will feel comfortable exploring the outside environment, even if it means venturing into a bigger enclosure than your home aquarium provides.
Turtles love exploring natural surroundings and seeing what they have to offer!
Dangers Of letting your turtle swim
There are many benefits to allowing turtles to live outside of their natural habitat, however, there are also several drawbacks.
Here are just a few of the potential issues associated with keeping your pet turtle outside.
Reacting to bad weather
Your pet turtle spends much of its time inside, so it isn’t accustomed to being outside during rainy or cold days.
As a result, he may not know how to regulate his body temperature when temperatures outside vary.
Danger from other animals
Turtles are unlikely to come across other animals indoors.
If you own other pets, they are probably never allowed inside your home.
This means your pet turtle won’t know how to protect himself or herself from potential predators.
Being handled by different people
Turtles are social animals and require interaction with others. If left alone, turtles may wander off and get lost or injured.
The situation could result in injury to both the turtle and the person handling it if your pet feels threatened and becomes aggressive.
A pool meant for humans may contain dangerous chemicals.
Turtles should generally not be placed in chlorinated swimming pools because ammonia and nitrate levels can cause serious harm to turtles.
If you do decide to swim with your turtle, make sure its water level is checked regularly to ensure safety.
Turtles carry diseases that could harm humans if they come into contact with them.
Turtles can carry Salmonella bacteria that can spread to humans if they swim in the same pool.
Swallowing water while swimming is also common, so you may ingest turtle feces, which can lead to illness.
Related articles
Can turtles swim in chlorine pools?
Why is my turtle struggling to swim?
Small turtles can have trouble swimming if they don’t filter their pool water properly.
If you let your turtle swim in a large pool with a filter, it’s a possibility they could get sucked up and injured or even killed.
You’ll need to keep a close watch over them to ensure their safety.
Here’s how to create a safe pool for your turtle
Creating a safe pool setup for your turtle isn’t too difficult, but there are many factors to consider before creating your own swimming enclosure.
Sunscreen and Kiddie Pools
A great option for setting up a safe swimming environment for your turtle is to buy a large plastic kiddie pool.
After you’ve purchased this pool, you’ll want to move it outside and position it under some bright light.
This will ensure that your pet drinks up all the vitamins and minerals from the sun.
Shade is crucial during summer months
Natural light should be your top priority when deciding where to put your swimming pool.
However, you’ll also want to provide some shade where your turtles can go to cool off.
This is especially true during summer months since kiddie pools get extremely warm very quickly.
A plastic table that you can move as the sun moves across the sky is an easy way to provide shade.
It’s not recommended to place anything directly over the pool to create shade because it can actually trap the heat, which is the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve.
Windy Conditions May Cause Problems
Even if it isn’t a very windy day, there’s a good chance that a gust of wind may come along and knock down your swimming pool.
If that happens, place something heavy like a brick or concrete block at the base of the pool to prevent any damage.
This way, even though your turtle may feel scared, he won’t be hurt and he’ll also stay put until you return home.
Adding Accessories
Add some fun items to your swimming pool so your turtles won’t get bored.
They also shouldn’t feel trapped in the shallow end of the pool without anywhere to hide or escape.
Create a small cave, some fake plants, and a basking spot, and your pool should be ready to swim in!
Check the temperature
The pool should always be between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Check it with a thermometer at least once an hour.
If the water gets too hot, there’s a very real risk of cooking your turtle alive.
On the other hand, if the water is too cold, your turtle may struggle to maintain its body temperature.
Watch Out For Turtles’ Behaviors
If your turtle appears to be closing its eyes frequently and for extended periods of time, it’s probably due to something in the water causing irritation.
You can either replace the water source or move your turtles indoors until the behavior stops.
Cleaning the pool
Cleaning a pool is easier than cleaning a turtle tank.
Just empty the pool of everything and then drain the water out.
Rinse the pool with a garden hose to remove any debris.
Make sure no algae or waste remains in the pool.
Use a garden hose to spray down the pool accessories you stored inside the pool.
Then you can fill it back up again, either letting the water sit for 24 hours or adding dechlorinated formula to condition the water.
The pool shouldn’t smell foul or contain any algae.
You’ll need to do this process once per day or every two days.
Watch over the water; it should never give off a bad odor or contain any algae.
Wrapping up
At the end of the day, the risks of allowing your turtle to swim in a chlorine pool mean much greater than any potential harm caused by keeping him/her away from water altogether.
In fact, creating a safe environment for your turtle means taking care not only of how he/she feels during exposure to chlorine, but also monitoring his/her body temperature and behavior while at home.
If you are careful to follow the guidelines below, your turtle should have a wonderful time swimming and exploring nature!
