Dreaming of terrapins or pets is another way of continuing reality in dreams.
1. If you have seen a terrapin in your waking life, you may dream about it in your sleeping life. The same goes for other pets.
2. If you keep a terrapin as a pet and have seen something wrong with it, you might dream of your terrapin. If you had a worry about your terrapin in the day, this anxiety might carry forward into the night and you dream of your terrapin as a consequence.
3. Terrapins don’t make sounds as reptiles. They might snort or sneeze sometimes. If you own a terrapin and you’re worried about it, then you may dream scenarios about it.
4. Terrapins make noise to attract their owner’s attention. They may use their front claws to scratch the glass or plastic of their aquarium. Or they climb one on top of the other to show anxiety. They usually want food when they display irritated activity. Some memories of your terrapin may remain fresh in your brain, for the cells to be activated during sleep. Then you see images of the terrapins.
5. The latent meaning of dreaming of terrapin is related to its manifest image. A terrapin hides inside its shell when it is afraid. Your subconscious brain may have processed some data during the day and derived at a conclusion that you might like to hide away. Perhaps the issue is not good to confront and it may be better for you to hide away. For every situation, there are two responses, either to fight or take flight. Every person’s response is different to a set of parameters. Taking flight and hiding is a typical response from a terrapin. Instead of dreaming of a response directly, your brain called up the image of a terrapin. When you wonder why you’ve dreamed of this terrapin, you will understand that you are being reminded to behave like a terrapin. You have a subconscious desire to hide to protect yourself from stimulants in the environment.
6. You need to pay attention to the traits belonging to terrapins.
7. Terrapins are cold blooded reptiles. They are affected by extreme temperatures. When the weather is cold, they like to slow down their movements. They appear sluggish. If you dream of a terrapin being slow in cold weather, it could mean that you are also affected by cold weather. You need to take steps to protect yourself against extreme weather, to safe guard your health. Besides eating a healthy diet, you need to wear warm clothing and keep your home heated.
8. Terrapins are relatively timid reptiles in that they hide inside their shells when they see a stimulus that is frightening. Your brain may have processed the information about you behaving in timid manner when faced with intimidating stimulus. Your subconscious may be trying to send a message to you, to tell you that you had been behaving like a terrapin.
9. A terrapin is not a friendly reptile. Apart from hiding inside its shell, it can show an aggressive response. It can snap when it is forced to face a hostile situation. For instance, I used to scrub my terrapin’s shell, with a sponge sponge, to clean it. Then I scrubbed its limbs. The terrapin viewed this as a hostile act and would snap at the sponge. Some folks are unaware that the terrapin can fight back. It can turn its head to follow the threat (like the sponge) and snap at it. Using this trait, we can examine ourselves, to reflect on what aspect of our behavior resembles this snapping. Are we quick to get angry and we snap at people? Is our inner consciousness aware of this trait and has invented this dream of terrapin to alert us?
10. The terrapin is associated with slow movements. Perhaps in your waking life, you are a slow person. Maybe you take your time to decide to do something, or you do things slowly. Dreaming a terrapin is your brain’s way of telling you that you had been slow. Maybe its time to make changes and speed up a little.
11. Although a terrapin is known to be a slow motion animal, it can move as fast it its strength warrants, when it thinks it is being threatened. It can withdraw its head into shell quickly. It can scramble and crawl away from the threat. Does this remind you of your own behavior? This dream could be a message to reflect on the manifest traits of terrapins, and see how these relate to your real life.
12. A terrapin portrays a hardy amphibian. Its thick shell protects it from extreme temperatures. The terrapin dream symbol suggests a tough animal with a protective covering. Does this theme play a part in your waking life? Are you called to use your tough exterior to protect yourself?
Dream interpretation on dream symbol terrapins
The meaning of a terrapin dream depends on your personal experience dealing with this reptile. The image of a terrapin should be holding specific significance to you. This image brings to mind certain connotations that are unique to yourself. In solving the dream interpretation, reflect on what the dream symbol means to you.
Art on terrapins:
Sketch of a woman posed to take a video of terrapins.
Do Terrapins speak? For the record, I haven’t heard a terrapin making sounds, apart from the occasional snorting. It likes to climb on top of its rock, on top of another terrapin, or scratch the walls of its aquarium.
The young lady in the picture is on the phone with her Dad. She asks the terrapins to talk, or make some noises to transmit over the phone. I think a video call or recorded video would serve the purpose better.
Mindful Doodles #246
Some folks call this kind of reptiles, pet rocks. Its because they resemble rocks, especially when they retract their heads and hide inside their shells. They can’t talk but they come to you when they’re hungry and want food.
What terrapins like to eat
The graphic is incomplete. I’m still discovering what they like, versus the obvious, which is commercially prepared food pellets. Vegetable scraps from the kitchen are good. You need to peel off the outer skin because the cellulose and fiber are tough. Small insects are a natural source of calcium.
Regarding this art:
Two species of robot terrapins battle it out atop a hill. Two Claws has been backed into standing at the edge of the hill. Three Claws has the upper hand. May the best terrapin win!
Prior to reading this drawing prompt, I had actually thought about drawing a series on terrapins. They are freshwater reptiles and ideal inhabitants on land. I could make their trait a challenge for them by putting in circumstances where their needs can not be met. Like inventing difficulties for terrapins to locate a source of freshwater.
How terrapin climbs
This terrapin grew out of its small plastic aquarium. It is at a size that is in-between a big aquarium and a bigger one.
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How much calcium does a terrapin need?
If you buy commercial terrapin feed pellets, calcium is usually included inside the food. It is not necessary to buy a separate piece of calcium to feed the terrapin. If you feed extra calcium to terrapin, it will grow at a faster pace. Calcium to terrapin, is like spinach to Popeye!
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FAQ on terrapins
How to supplement terrapin’s food with ordinary foods found in your kitchen
Terrapins enjoy the occasional change in diet. They may eat tiny amounts of fresh vegetable scraps from the kitchen, cooked chicken meat, fish flavored cracker, bread and other mild flavored food. When you cut vegetables and fruit, set aside the scraps. Store them in a container/ tupperware box and keep it in your fridge.
Store organic green produce by itself. Use another box to keep small slivers of cooked meat and other meat flavored food for terrapin. Take out appropriate quantity whenever required. This way, you don’t need to prepare your pet’s food every day. You can use these foods while they look fresh.
How much money to spend on a terrapin monthly?
This depends on how you keep your pet. If you rely only on ready made commercial food pellets, then you need to have one open bottle and one unopened bottle as back-up.
A terrapin needs one feed per day.
A tiny terrapin the size of your thumb nail requires around 10 pellets of food.
A large terrapin the size of your palm needs one teaspoon of pellets.
I use the brand “Everyday Nutri Pellets” and the size of pellets are really tiny.
You are encouraged to change the water of your terrapin’s terrarium after its feed. Terrapins like clean, clear water to chill in. Water needs to be changed at least once a day.
How to buy toys for pet terrapins?
Domesticated terrapins maintain their basic habits which give them simple pleasures. Besides a variety of food, they like to bask in the sun. Put at least one large, flat rock into the terrarium. The terrapin will like to climb atop this rock and keep dry there. It is their time out to bask in the dryness or in the sun. If you have two terrapins and only one flat rock, then the reptiles will have to share the rock or take turns to be on it. There is a large selection of artificial rocks, ramps, docks, and whatever fancy names, to denote the raised platforms for the amphibians to crawl up and sit there dry and comfortable.
How long can a terrapin stay alone?
The terrapin is a low maintenance pet. It can stay alone in its terrarium. The times it requires attention are when it is hungry and thirsty for clean water.
If you have space in your backyard or garden, take your terrapin out of its terrarium and place it on the ground. Initially, it reacts with shock as it needs time to get used to the dry ground. It will not move. After it adjusts itself to the new environment, it will begin crawling around. Keep an eye on it. These reptiles are incapable of making noises and can not indicate its position. It usually does not crawl to you even when you call its name. Only some terrapins can be trained to respond to your call.
How often do you need to change the water in your terrapin’s terrarium?
I change the terrarium’s water early in the morning. Then I measure out the required amount of food and drop it into the clean water. Usually, I don’t change its water after this to allow the terrapin to finish eating its food. Later in the afternoon, I may change its water if I notice it to be murky brown.
There are a few types of commercial pellets. There is one type that states on its container that the food does not cause the water to turn cloudy (dirty). I usually buy this type of prepared food for my terrapins.
Don’t provide too much food in the water. If your terrapin does not want to eat all the food, it will dirty the water. You can also decide to give food in two stages. Divide the food into smaller portions. Space out feeding times.
How to spot calcium deficiency in a terrapin? How to determine when a terrapin needs to eat extra calcium?
Usually, all commercially prepared terrapin food contains calcium supplement. It is not necessary to feed extra calcium to your terrapin. If your terrapin has calcium deficiency, its shell will have non-green patches. Sometimes, its shell will have flaky thin scales that look like they are dropping. You can buy calcium blocks from your usual pet food supplier. Calcium blocks are small and shaped like a small terrapin. Place one calcium block into the clean water of your terrarium.
If your terrapin is new to the calcium block, it will show a nervous reaction when it sees the calcium block for the first time. Slowly, it will crawl towards the calcium. It may jerk away as it is suspicious and fearful of this strange block. However, it will overcome its fear and take a bite out of the block. Terrapins love to nibble at calcium blocks. Don’t be surprised if a terrapin treats the calcium like a treat and continually nibble at it the entire day.
How to maintain personal hygiene after handling terrapins
You must wash your hands with soap and water. Terrapins naturally have parasites in their digestive tract. They also pass out parasites in their waste.
I usually throw away waste water from the terrarium, into the toilet bowl. Once or twice, I used the waster water as fertiliser for potted plants. After a few days, I saw white, fat, wriggling worms on the surface soil of the pots. I understood the worms to have originated from the terrapins’ waste water. From that day onwards, I never recycled waste water to use as fertiliser. The worms died after about one week, without any intervention.
I have learned how to drain away the terrarium’s waste water, without touching the terrapins. However, if I have to touch the reptiles, or if any of their water splashes onto me, I would ensure I washed with soap, or wiped with antibacterial disinfectant like Dettol.
How to transport terrapins from one place to another
Although terrapins are amphibians and do not require to be in water 24 hours a day, it is still better to carry a terrapin in a container, with some clean water. A plastic basin with some depth is useful. The terrapin can’t climb out of the tub, and water won’t be spilled out of the tub. The issue is how to carry this tub? Find a large plastic bag with handles, that can contain this tub. Put it inside the plastic bag. Now you can carry the tub comfortably.
A terrapin is like a pet fish. It is quiet. You can carry it almost anywhere. Keep its container tub and water clean and there is no smell. People in the environment will not complain.
Updated 2024 terrapin photos:
Terrapins’ shells are darker in color.
We’ll be uploading new pics of terrapins soon. They spent a few years in a pet store, along with many of their kind, in a large plastic tank with very little water. The pet store owners refused to disclose exactly how old the terrapins were. We reared them for about 8 years. They moved house with us about a dozen times. They thrived in fresh tap water, commercial terrapin feed, and the rare occasional bits of bread, biscuit, vegetable & fruit scraps.
September 2024
Sad news. Its about terrapins dying, terrapins getting post mortems, & terrapin cremations.
One early Saturday morning in Sep., I was changing the old water in the terrapins’ plastic box when I noticed the male not moving. The female was conscious but not feeding. I changed their water anyway. I had a suspicion that all was not well. Then I tried to wake up the male. He didn’t respond. By now the female had stopped moving. Sometimes they are dormant on rainy and cold days. But today wasn’t cold and there wasn’t any rain. Trouble. Terrapins had passed on.
What happened? What could have been the cause?
- Old age?
- Water?
- Disease?
- Attack from other animals?
- ?
Being a Saturday, the national animal and veterinary service didn’t work. Its not their fault that some animals do die on weekends. I had to call on Monday.
Meanwhile, what do I do with the carcasses? I couldn’t put them in my freezer. I took them out of their water and wrapped them separately in thick wads of newspapers. I couldn’t bury them before their post mortems. I placed them each on their own containers, which were on trays of water. The water acted like a moat to prevent ants and small insects from feeding on the carcasses.
On Sunday, some reptile blood oozed out to wet the newspapers. Rigor mortis had set in and their heads hung loosely out of their shells.
Monday came. My family and I spent the morning and afternoon calling the national animal and veterinary service to arrange for a post mortem to be performed on our reptiles. The department had only one person manning the hotline – probably the hottest hotline I’ve ever dialled. When I eventually got through, the male operator was in a hurry because he had also to attend to the customers in queue at his front desk. The Service staff asked me to fill up a form online and get an acknowledgement number before we could send in the carcasses. The online form was elusive because it wasn’t apparent in any link and the website was user unfriendly.
