Feng Shui turtle - which direction should its head face? European swamp turtle with yellow spots on the body North American painted turtle.

The most popular domestic reptiles in our country are turtles. Many owners of such animals are confident that keeping turtles is less burdensome than, for example, lizards or iguanas. This is the main reason for buying such a pet for children or simply as a beautiful living “toy” to satisfy aesthetic taste. However, the unpretentiousness of turtles is a myth, and when getting such a pet, it is important to know everything about the peculiarities of its life.

Turtles are certainly beautiful and interesting in their behavior animals of the order of reptiles. The main feature that distinguishes this type of reptile from other animals is the presence of a shell. This strong and “practical” armor consists of a lower part - the plastron and an upper part - the carapace. The shape, size, number of scutes and shell pattern are important species characteristics of turtles.

It was the shell, despite its heaviness, that helped this reptile survive for 175 million years. All modern turtles have retained their shell, although its shape and color differ from various types and depends on the habitat and method of existence of the animal. For example, at sea ​​turtles a significant part of the shell is missing, thanks to which these animals have learned to move quickly. Soft-bodied turtles have a round, frying pan-like shell that allows them to easily burrow into mud.

Over many millennia of existence, these beautiful animals have not changed much, but the number of some species has changed last centuries has reached a critical point. That is why it is important not only to carefully monitor the health of your pet, regularly showing it to a veterinarian-herpetologist, but also to pay serious attention to the maintenance of the turtle, its diet, maintaining the temperature in the terrarium, and bathing. You cannot get a turtle without first preparing a specially designated place for it and without studying all the features of a turtle’s life.

The most common “domestic” reptiles are land and freshwater turtles. When breeding such animals, you need to know that most land animals are herbivores, and freshwater animals are predators and omnivores. Therefore, the former should not consume animal proteins (meat, eggs, cottage cheese, etc.). Their diet should consist of vegetables, fruits, berries, dandelion grass, clover, plantain. Conversely, the diet of freshwater animals should consist mainly of “animal food” such as snails, fish, squid, bloodworm shrimp, etc. For insipid aquatic turtles unlike the land-based industry, it produces a number of good dry foods (Sulfur, Tetra, etc.)

Freshwater turtles

The habitat of freshwater turtles is ponds, rivers, lakes and swamps. Such animals spend most of their time in the water, only occasionally climbing onto land to bask in the sun. The most popular types of turtles as pets are: Pond slider(Trachemys scripta); European marsh turtle(Emys orbicularis); Chinese trionix or Far Eastern turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). When purchasing such reptiles, you need to know their characteristics and differences from each other.

Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta)

The red-eared turtle can most often be found in aquatic terrariums. This is a very beautiful reptile with bright red, yellow and orange spots, which are located on both sides of the head, resembling ears, for which the turtle earned its name. Young individuals up to six months have the brightest coloring than their older relatives. The upper part of their shell has a color from yellow-salad to emerald green. Over the years, it becomes olive or yellow-brown. In addition, on the shell there are patterns of bright yellow stripes and green circles.

This is a fairly active turtle, not only in water, but also on land. In addition, this beauty has very strong and sharp nails, which it often uses for self-defense. When removing a turtle from the terrarium, you should be wary of its hind legs; with them it will try to push off from your hands. And in general you should not bring it to your face and open areas bodies.

European marsh turtle (Emys orbicularis)

This is an aquatic turtle that prefers shallow water. She swims well, quickly moving her paws, and hides at the bottom, under stones, burrowing into the silt. Like most aquatic turtles, the European marsh turtle is a predator.

This turtle has an oval, smooth, dark olive-colored shell covered with yellow stripes and spots. The head, paws and neck are also dotted with large yellow dots; the shell is usually dark brown, less often yellow. The turtle has a long tail, which is approximately half the length of the shell, it serves as an additional “rudder” when swimming, the main tool for this is the hind limbs, and the fingers have rather long and sharp claws.

This turtle is an excellent swimmer and diver and can remain underwater for a long time. However, every 15-20 minutes, she needs to float to the surface to stock up on air. On land, European marsh turtles are not so active, but they still move faster than land turtles. On land they bask in the light for a long time, but at the slightest danger they hide in the water.

Chinese trionix or Far Eastern turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)

This turtle has a greenish-brown shell with a glossy surface. It reaches 25-30 cm in height, covered on top with soft skin without horny scutes. In young individuals, the “back” is covered with tubercles, which gradually disappear with age, and the shell takes on an almost flat appearance. Trionix's neck is very mobile and long, and its muzzle is elongated into a proboscis, at the end of which there are clearly visible nostrils. The powerful jaws of this predator have sharp cutting edges, which can cause serious injuries to the turtle, which makes it quite dangerous. Wounds after such “bites” do not heal well, so you need to be very careful when handling this pet. In addition, there are sharp claws on three toes, which also pose a threat. An unusual feature of Trionix is ​​additional skin respiration, along with pulmonary respiration.

According to amateurs, Chinese Trionix is ​​a very suitable candidate for keeping in a terrarium, since the ratio of water to land should be 5:1, and it is very convenient to observe the behavior of the turtle. However, it must be kept separately, since Trionix can pose a threat not only to its owners, but also to other soft-shelled turtles.

Land turtles

Land turtles live in steppes, forests and deserts. With enough high temperature these animals move actively, since the processes in their body occur normally, and closer to winter they fall into suspended animation, that is, hibernation.

Such turtles feed on plant foods - any edible fruits and berries, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots (grated or thinly sliced), lettuce, dandelions, clover, some cruciferous plants (leaves, flowers), young tree leaves, but sometimes they also eat insects - earthworms, snails. Externally, land turtles are all similar, their differences being the coloring, shape of the shell, number and type of scutes and claws. The most popular as pets are:

Central Asian or steppe tortoises (Agronemys horsfieldii), Mediterranean tortoises (Testudo graeca), Balkan tortoise (Testudo hermanni), Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleimanni).

Central Asian (steppe) tortoise (Agronemys horsfieldii)

As a pet, this is the most accessible animal of all reptiles; it can most often be found in terrariums. The size of such a turtle reaches 18-30 cm, its shell is relatively wide and round, colored in gray and green-yellow shades, the tail is thin and bony, in males it is much longer than in females. The forelimbs of such animals have four toes, and the toes of the hind paws are fused. These turtles are quite slow and very resilient to unfavorable conditions. environment This is probably what makes them the most popular.

Water Central Asian turtles They rarely drink, because in nature they have practically no access to it. When there is excess moisture, they urinate, but in the absence of it they can get by and not excrete urine. At the same time, a humid environment can provoke the development of pathogenic bacteria in such animals, so it is enough to bathe such a turtle occasionally. Central Asian turtles love to dig holes, so it is best for them to lay the ground with large pebbles in a layer of at least 6-7 cm. Also, these turtles have great “claims” to light and ultraviolet radiation, which must be taken into account when creating a place of residence for them.

Mediterranean (Greek, Caucasian) turtle (Testudo graeca)

The shell of such a turtle is convex and high, it has a round-oval shape, usually slightly jagged at the edges. The size can reach 30 cm. The carapace has dark spots on a light olive or yellowish-brown background, which increase with age. Sometimes the spots merge, and the entire turtle acquires a dark, almost black color. There is one horny tubercle on the back side of the shell. The front feet of these turtles have five toes with claws. The tail is short and blunt. The head is covered on top with large symmetrical scutes. Interesting difference These turtles have "spurs" on the backs of their thighs.

Mediterranean turtles live in dry steppes, semi-deserts and mountain slopes covered with bushes; this must be taken into account and added to the “interior” of the terrarium, for example, sprouted cereals, which are also eaten with pleasure by such a turtle. This animal is less “burrowing” compared to the Central Asian one, so the soil layer can be thinner, about 4-5 cm. Such turtles are active only in the morning and evening, at night and in the middle of the day they hide and even bury themselves.

Balkan tortoise (Testudo hermanni)

There are two subspecies - western and eastern, they differ in size, the eastern Balkan tortoise is much larger. The main difference between these animals and their relatives is the conical spike at the tip of the tail, which is also slightly longer than that of other turtles. The high shell of such reptiles is usually 14-16 cm, but in rare cases reaches 20 cm. In young representatives of this breed, the upper part of the shell is colored brownish-yellow; in adults it darkens, and only a bright yellow border remains along the edge. Adult males are smaller than females, but their tails are longer and thicker.

In nature, the Balkan tortoise lives in dry steppes and bushes, which should be taken into account when creating living conditions for it in captivity. Very important factor for a comfortable existence is the humidity of the air and soil in the terrarium; the soil should not be allowed to be moistened by spilled drinking water. Such turtles are very active; in the spring, summer and autumn, in the mornings and evenings they move around their territory in search of a stranger. Balkan tortoises tend to live together, they even climb on top of each other, forming a pyramid, while the males like to “sort things out” by getting into a fight.

Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleimanni)

The Egyptian or Kleimann's tortoise is the smallest of them all. land turtles. Its size is a maximum of 14 cm, while the length of the shell itself is 9-10 cm in length. Males are slightly smaller than females. The carapace is very convex yellow-green with a black stripe along the edges of the segments. There are black spots on the ventral scutes; such turtles have five toes with claws on their front paws.

The Egyptian tortoise is also original in its way of life. Unlike most turtles, it is active in winter and hibernates in summer. This is due to the fact that in the summer in the homeland of Egyptian tortoises there is intense heat, which they do not tolerate well. These animals prefer a diurnal lifestyle and can be kept in groups of several in a terrarium. Such reptiles live on average up to 30 years.

The European marsh turtle (Emys orbicularis) is a very common species of aquatic turtle that is often kept at home. They live throughout Europe, as well as in the Middle East and even northern Africa.

We will tell you about its habitat in nature, maintenance and care of a marsh turtle at home.

As already mentioned, the European marsh turtle lives in a wide range, covering not only Europe, but also Africa and Asia. Accordingly, it is not included in the Red Book.

She lives in various bodies of water: ponds, canals, swamps, streams, rivers, even large puddles. Swamp turtles live in water, but they love to bask and climb onto stones, snags, various rubbish to lie under the sun.

Even on cool and cloudy days, they make attempts to bask in the sun that breaks through the clouds. Like most aquatic turtles in nature, swamp turtles instantly flop into the water at the sight of a person or animal.

Their powerful paws with long claws allow them to swim through thickets with ease and even burrow into muddy soil or under a layer of leaves. They love aquatic vegetation and hide in it at the slightest opportunity.

Description

The European marsh turtle has an oval or rounded carapace, smooth, usually black or yellow-green in color. It is dotted with many small yellow or white spots, sometimes forming rays or lines.

The shell is smooth when wet and shines in the sun, and becomes more matte as it dries. The head is large, slightly pointed, without a beak. The skin on the head is dark, often black, with small spots of yellow or white. The paws are dark, also with light spots on them.

Emys orbicularis has several subspecies that differ in color, size or detail, but most often in habitat. For example, the Sicilian marsh turtle (Emys (orbicularis) trinacris) with a striking yellow-green carapace and the same skin color. And Emys orbicularis orbicularis, which lives in Russia and Ukraine, is almost completely black.

Adult marsh turtles reach a carapace size of up to 35 cm and a weight of up to 1.5 kg. Although, when kept at home, they are usually smaller, despite the fact that the subspecies living in Russia is one of the largest.

The European marsh turtle is very similar to the American marsh turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), in appearance and habits. They were even classified for a long time in the genus Emys. However, further study led to the fact that these two species were divided according to differences in the structure of the internal skeleton.

There is no information about how long a marsh turtle lives consensus. But everyone agrees that she is a long-liver. According to different opinions, life expectancy ranges from 30 to 100.

Availability

The bog turtle can be found commercially or caught in the wild during the warmer months. But, with normal maintenance, owners with zero experience in breeding turtles successfully produce offspring. All individuals kept in captivity are unpretentious and easy to care for.

However, it is important to note that to keep a marsh turtle, you need to create fairly precise conditions. And just bringing it and putting it in a basin won’t work. If you catch a turtle in the wild and you only need it for fun, then leave it where you found it. Believe me, this way you will make your life easier and will not kill the animal.

Juvenile marsh turtles should be kept indoors, but older individuals can be released into home ponds for the summer. For 1-2 turtles you need an aquaterrarium with a volume of at least 100 liters, and as they grow, twice as much. A couple of turtles need an aquarium 150 x 60 x 50, plus dry land for heating. Since they spend a lot of time in water, the larger the volume, the better.

However, it is important to keep the water clean and change it regularly, plus use a powerful filter. While eating, turtles litter a lot and there is a lot of waste.

All this instantly spoils the water, and dirty water leads to various diseases in aquatic turtles, from bacterial eye diseases to sepsis. To reduce contamination during feeding, the turtle can be placed in a separate container.

You don’t have to use decor and soil, since the turtle doesn’t really need it, and cleaning it up in the aquarium is much more difficult.

Approximately ⅓ of the aquaterrarium should be dry land, to which the turtle should have access. They regularly come out onto land to warm themselves, and so that they can do this without access to the sun, a heating lamp is placed above the land.

Heating

Natural sunlight is best, and it is advisable to expose small turtles to sunlight at summer months. However, there is not always such a possibility and an analogue sunlight needs to be created artificially.

To do this, in an aquaterrarium, above land, an incandescent lamp and a special lamp with UV rays, an ultraviolet lamp for reptiles (10% UVB), are placed. Moreover, the height must be at least 20 cm so that the animal does not get burned. The temperature on land, under the lamp should be 30-32C, and the length of daylight should be at least 12 hours.

In nature, they spend the winter and hibernate, but in captivity they do not do this and there is no need to force them! Her home conditions allow her to be active throughout the year; it’s not winter when there’s nothing to eat.

Feeding

What to feed a marsh turtle? The main thing is not what, but how. Swamp turtles are very aggressive when feeding!

It feeds on fish, shrimp, beef heart, liver, chicken heart, frogs, worms, crickets, mice, artificial food, and snails. The best food is fish, for example, you can put live fish, guppies, directly into the aquarium. Juveniles are fed every day, and adult turtles once every two to three days. They are very greedy for food and easily overeat.

For normal development, turtles need vitamins and calcium. Usually artificial food contains everything a turtle needs, so adding food from a pet store to the diet will not be out of place. And yes, they need sunlight to absorb calcium and produce vitamin B3. So don’t forget about special lamps and heating.

Appeal

Very smart, they quickly understand that their owner is feeding them and will rush to you in the hope of feeding them. However, at this moment they are aggressive and you need to be careful. Like all turtles, they are cunning and can bite, and quite painfully.

You need to handle them carefully and generally touch them less often. It is better not to give it to children, as they pose a mutual danger to each other.

Take a look:

IN feng shui turtle- a symbol of wisdom, longevity, heavenly support and gradual but sure progress. This is the most respected feng shui symbol, one of the most powerful talismans. Turtle is one of the Celestial animals. There are four of them: tiger, dragon, turtle and phoenix.

The support provided by this symbol is quite multifaceted, but it is mainly aimed at protection, stability and advancement in life. career ladder. And a turtle can really help you achieve your goals, but only if you work for it, since this animal is also symbol of hard work, which is never in vain and is always rewarded. She will not give you a lucky lottery ticket, she will not change your life in the blink of an eye, but she will direct your aspirations in the right direction, give wisdom to make the necessary decisions, will ensure stability and protect from many negative factors.

First of all, the turtle helps head of the family, because the well-being of the whole family depends on him. That is why it is important that he always has this symbol. It is also very important for old people, because it gives them vitality and improves their well-being.

Turtle Feng Shui types of talismans

Metal turtle

A figurine made from any metal, covered with gold or silver - the best option this talisman. Metal gives rise to water, and water is the turtle’s native element. For this reason, such a talisman acquires special power and is considered the most effective. The heavier such a figure is, the more significant its support will be.

Pyramid of three turtles

Three turtles, one on top of the other, are symbol of generations. Such a talisman will bring stable prosperity and wisdom to more than one generation in your family.

Black turtle feng shui

Actually, the shape and material do not prevent the figures from having different colors. Therefore, it cannot be said that the black turtle is some kind of special symbol. But the black color corresponds to the water element and the career zone, which this symbol affects special influence. As a result, black is simply enhances the effect mascot in this area.

Dragon turtle (dragon head turtle)

As we have already said, the dragon and turtle are two of the four most important animals in feng shui. Accordingly, such a figurine assumes power and strength two celestial animals and gives its owner unsurpassed strength, protection and prosperity.

Turtle on coins

With this symbol, which unites coins and animal, everything is very clear: a turtle sitting on a hill of coins will help you if you are waiting for some financial issues to be resolved or you need to increase your level of income.

Live turtle

It is no longer just a symbol, but also a feng shui pet. It will bring you wisdom and protection in the same way as the figurine, but it will require attention to itself. Despite the fact that it is better to place the figurine behind your back (we will talk about this a little later), there is no place for an aquarium with an animal there - there will be water sweep all your endeavors and efforts that you make while climbing the career ladder.

Other types of turtles

Regardless of what material the turtle is made of - be it ceramics, wood, a soft toy, or even just a picture - its energy will still fill your home. Therefore, you can even make such a Feng Shui talisman on one's own. For example, draw this animal on paper or find an image in a magazine, cut it out and hang it on the wall. You can add a triangle to the shell of blue color, symbolizing water, and your photograph.

Where to place the turtle feng shui

Turtle matches career area, located in the North. It’s logical that that’s where she belongs. But since her job is to cover your rear, let her be behind you. The best form of turtle to choose depends on what is located behind the back: if the surface is flat (for example, a closet or wall), stop at the image of the animal, hanging it so that the turtle crawled up. Then it will pull up your standard of living.

If there is a shelf or window at the back, you can put a figurine. This should be done so that the turtle looked out the window. This way you will allow it to neutralize the harmful Sha energy coming from the outside. These could be factory pipes outside the window, dirt, a sharp corner of a neighboring building, etc. Direct her gaze at such objects - and she will absorb their destructive energy. But under no circumstances is the turtle shouldn't look into the room, otherwise she will take away vitality those living in the house.

Do not forget that the principle “the more the better” is not appropriate in the case of a turtle: it loves solitude, so the figurine should be only one. This talisman does not need any special activation, but its influence can be strengthened by placing a container with water or some plant(except for cactus) - what is natural environment turtle habitat.

Although the best place for a turtle in the quarry area, please note material, from which the figurine is made. A ceramic or metal turtle will take root in its rightful place. And here wooden better bet on South or East. Stone let the figurine stand on balcony, a pyramid of three turtles- on Northeast, in the family zone (this symbol is appropriate if all three generations live in the house at the same time). Just like feng shui horse, a turtle should not be placed in the bedroom.

Many Feng Shui talismans can be depicted on other talismans so that they enhance each other's effects. As we have already realized thanks to the Dragon Turtle, our symbol today is no exception. Just draw a turtle on any other symbol or stick it on it and you will get double interaction of talismans.

The Orthodox Church is categorically against Feng Shui!

The shell of a fairly mature turtle is usually covered with wrinkles. Its length depends on the specific subspecies and, as a rule, reaches 28 centimeters.

has a small spot near the eyes. The peculiarity is that their colors are diverse and tend to change over the years. Thus, in youth they are green in color, and in old age they are completely black. The ventral shield of the carapace is bright yellow with darkish round spots. A turtle grows as follows: for the first year and a half of its life, its height reaches 7.5 cm, then the pace becomes slower and it increases by only 1.25 cm per year. In two years, growth can be more than 20 cm, that is, it is mistaken to consider it dwarf. And you shouldn’t listen to sellers who convince you otherwise.

The length of the Scripta Scripta species reaches approximately 27 cm. This turtle has a bright yellow postorbital spot. Its plastron is a rich yellow color.

Another subspecies is Elegant, has a length of 28 centimeters. A reddish postorbital stripe is located on the head, and there are narrow stripes on the chin. The ventral shield of the carapace has large spots on all scutes.

The third species of turtle, Scripta Troostii, has the shortest length of all - about 21 centimeters. There is a narrow yellowish postorbital stripe on the head, and wide stripes on the chin. And its plastron consists of unusual patterns in the form of “eyes”, and sometimes of ordinary small black spots.

Habitat

Turtles live in shallow lakes with low, swampy shores. They can be found in the USA in Florida, Virginia, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, as well as in Mexico, throughout Central America, and in northern Colombia.

What to feed the red-eared slider

Adult turtles are individuals that are much larger than 12 centimeters. They must eat food once every two or three days and half of their diet must be some kind of vegetation. The aquaterrarium must contain any edible plants so that turtles can eat them between meals of animal food.

The amount of food given is determined based on the size of the turtle. For kids, the norm is two or three pieces of one cubic centimeter, and for older turtles - two or three pieces several times larger in size.

It is necessary to ensure that the food is at a suitable room temperature and must have a raw consistency. It is important to remember that young turtles are, first and foremost, predators. Their main food is fish. You can add live fish to the aquarium that they cannot eat. It is necessary to diversify the diet given and not feed only gammarus and dry food. And adult turtles are omnivores. They eat both animal and plant food.

Types of feed

As for fish, it is useful for turtles to eat pollock, gobies, cod, blue whiting and any other fish, but not fatty ones. The liver can be beef, or you can also give liver or chicken heart. From insects and crustaceans: non-dry gammarus, earthworms, daphnia crustaceans, legless crickets, beetles. You can diversify the food served to them with the help of small snails, mollusks, squids, frogs, small tadpoles; you should not get carried away with seafood, since any turtle is itself a sea turtle. Aquatic plants are not prohibited from plant food: duckweed, hyacinth and others. In addition, it can be dandelion, daisies and any non-poisonous meadow flowers and plants. It is not advisable to give vegetables other than carrots and lettuce.

It is strictly forbidden to give turtles any meat: any minced meat, sausages, beef, sausage, lamb, chicken, pork, etc. Prohibited fatty fish, cheese, fruit and bread. It is better to avoid dry food.

If the aquarium is well equipped, has ultraviolet lighting, and appropriate temperature conditions, then vitamins may not be included in the diet. But, in the case when the conditions are far from ideal, it is necessary to remember about the vitamin and mineral base. Vitamins are already included in the food specifically for this purpose.

Reproduction

Puberty occurs differently in females and males and this is also influenced by their lifestyle. If they are in captivity, then this period begins at 4 years for males and at 5-6 years for females. And in the wild they reach maturity at about 8 years of age. The mating season begins in the spring: in March - April. Their process is as follows: the male crawls very close to the female, sticks his muzzle into her and tickles her chin with long claws.

The eggs laid do not exceed 4 cm in size. They are laid on land, not in water. But the place for the eggs must be moist, so the female moistens it with water from the anal bladder and then digs out a small hole. Female turtles lay no more than 10 eggs in their nests, which are subsequently buried. The incubation period is up to 150 days. Interesting feature with temperature. If the temperature remained above 30 degrees, then females hatch, and if below 27, males hatch.

What should an aquaterrarium be like for a red-eared turtle?

It should be quite long, but at the same time not wide and low. Volume not less than 120 liters. The water level must match the proportions of your turtle's shell so that it can turn over. A small bank should be installed near the aquarium. Water temperature maintain within 25 degrees, on land – 31 – 33 degrees. To keep the temperature at the same level, a special heater must be provided.

The water must be changed and cleaned depending on the degree of contamination. But you can also use a special filter. For young turtles, external is preferable, and for adults, only internal. An ultraviolet lamp will not hurt, but it should not be located low, the approximate height is 25 cm, so that the turtle does not get a burn to the eyes. Another option for arranging an aquaterrarium is an incandescent lamp with the same requirements. They both need to switch off at night.

If it's nice outside warm weather, then try to take the turtles out to bask more often. But remember that the first time you do not need to keep it in the sun for more than 5 minutes. And it is important to increase the time spent on fresh air gradually. They also need a dark place where they can periodically hide from the sun, as they are susceptible to overheating.

So, for the remaining two turtles from January to March the temperature should be 18 degrees, and the duration of illumination should be 8 hours, April - 21/8, where 21 is the temperature, and 8 is the duration of illumination, May - 24/10, June - 27 /13, July – 28/13, August – 28/11, September – 25/10, October – 22/8, November and December – 18/8.

And for Trachemys scripta troostii the requirements are as follows: January - March - 18/8, April - 20/8, May - 21/10, June - 23/13, July - 26/13, August - 25/11, September - 20/ 10, October – December – 18/8.

Hibernation

Some scientists argue that Trachemys scripta hibernates and that they need to do so. But it’s quite difficult to imagine this process at home. It would be more logical not to create difficulties for yourself and not to cause unnecessary harm to the turtle’s health by organizing its hibernation.

Up to 45 years, and European swamps can last up to 80.

Many fishermen use their eggs to attract fish.

Be careful, as turtles can bite not only their own kind, but also humans! But if they are accustomed to being handled, then there is nothing to be afraid of.

And don’t forget that a balanced diet is the key to a turtle’s active growth and longevity!

Video review

Which direction, according to Feng Shui, should a turtle face?- that is the question.

Help me get out of this terrible situation! I accidentally moved the stone turtle from its feng shui place at the west-facing front door of our house and now I don’t remember its exact feng shui position/direction.

I am well aware of how important this is for my wife, who has been absent for several days now, and if by the time she returns the turtle does not take its previous feng shui position, I am in danger of trouble!!! So serious that I might even have to help her with the cleaning! Any help regarding Feng Shui will be greatly appreciated!

Answer: Good feng shui question. First of all, there is no reason to worry. Even if the Feng Shui talisman is out of place for several days, the likelihood that its Feng Shui influence will weaken significantly is extremely negligible.

There are several Feng Shui rules, or guidelines for placing a turtle Feng Shui talisman in your home, garden or office.

The turtle is one of the four Heavenly Animals, or Feng Shui Guardians, which are the Green Dragon (East), Red Phoenix (South), White Tiger(West) and Black Turtle (North).

They are considered the guardians of positive Feng Shui energies, and their symbolism and application in Feng Shui practices are deeply rooted in the very origins of Feng Shui teaching, namely the school of landscape Feng Shui. All this leads us to the original use of turtles as a Feng Shui talisman, namely as a protective Feng Shui amulet, the purpose of which is to protect and strengthen the energy of the house if the turtle is placed in its depths. This also means that you can place little turtle figurines in your office, behind your back, or hidden in the back of your garden.

Another use of the feng shui tortoise symbol, especially the black one cast in metal, is its role as an energetic career booster and feng shui Guardian of the North, as it helps attract calm, down-to-earth energy for business projects and career advancement.

The third use of a turtle as a Feng Shui talisman and amulet is to attract stable earthly energy to the Feng Shui zone on your Feng Shui map, that is, Bagua, which requires protection and support. You mentioned that you have a stone turtle near the west facing front door, which (turtle) attracts earthly energy (stone/feng shui element Earth) to it and gives protection to the main entrance.
Great choice! If your wife prefers this feng shui application for the turtle, make sure that she faces her head towards the main entrance door.

The fourth application is based on a slightly more advanced - also compared to your case - Feng Shui, when the Feng Shui turtle turns its head in the direction most favorable for the inhabitants of the house. This most favorable direction is calculated based on the Kua number, the Feng Shui element of the year of birth and the direction of Feng Shui energy flows in that year.

There are many varieties of Feng Shui turtles, among which there are some very unusual ones in their design, made from the most different materials and with various kinds of accessories, such as Feng Shui coins to attract money or improve health, etc.

There are also feng shui terrapins, which should not be confused with feng shui turtles as their feng shui uses are slightly different.

So, in general, there is no need to worry. Most likely you remember the approximate position of the turtle. If you have any doubts, install it with your head facing the main entrance, but definitely ask your wife for advice if she has used this talisman in a more advanced, in terms of Feng Shui, way.

You can't go wrong if you treat this Celestial Feng Shui symbol with respect. In addition, your wife will appreciate not only your help in cleaning, but also your respectful attitude towards the subject of her interest (feng shui)!