# Turtles!!!!



## shark

Hey does anyone on GTAA have any turtles?


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## ryno1974

I do. I have a 1.5 year old Red Eared Slider.


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## shark

really? I am planning to get one does a fluorescent bulb work for lighting? or do i need the uv bulbs?


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## ryno1974

You need:

A tank that is a 30 gallon for a baby, will need to upgrade to a 75 or a 100 for full grown

Ridiculous over filtration. I run a fluval canister and an aqua clear 70 on my 30.

A basking spot (the zoo med turtle docks are the easiest and best - I broke a tank trying to DIY one to save $20)

Either a bare bottom (ugly in my opinion) or a sand substrate. Gravel can get eaten and kill them, large rocks are ALWAYS nasty and dirty. I have had all, sand is by far he best.

Water heater

A heat lamp over the basking area

A UV bulb for light. I have used both the regular fluorescent tube ones and the spiral compact fluorescent. The tubes need to be replaced yearly as tey loe their effectiveness over time. I just move them over to a non-planted fish tank and get another light only year or so from them.

Regular light (non-UV) will lead to shell disfigurement and death. Not good.

Remember turts live for like 40 years if cared for properly, so this thing will be around for awhile.

Check out Turtletimes.com - there is tons of great knowledge out there.


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## shark

ryno1974 said:


> You need:
> 
> A tank that is a 30 gallon for a baby, will need to upgrade to a 75 or a 100 for full grown
> 
> Ridiculous over filtration. I run a fluval canister and an aqua clear 70 on my 30.
> 
> A basking spot (the zoo med turtle docks are the easiest and best - I broke a tank trying to DIY one to save $20)
> 
> Either a bare bottom (ugly in my opinion) or a sand substrate. Gravel can get eaten and kill them, large rocks are ALWAYS nasty and dirty. I have had all, sand is by far he best.
> 
> Water heater
> 
> A heat lamp over the basking area
> 
> A UV bulb for light. I have used both the regular fluorescent tube ones and the spiral compact fluorescent. The tubes need to be replaced yearly as tey loe their effectiveness over time. I just move them over to a non-planted fish tank and get another light only year or so from them.
> 
> Regular light (non-UV) will lead to shell disfigurement and death. Not good.
> 
> Remember turts live for like 40 years if cared for properly, so this thing will be around for awhile.
> 
> Check out Turtletimes.com - there is tons of great knowledge out there.


Thank you so much!! I might pick one up soon because i have spare 30 gal lying around great information


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## AquariAM

If you don't want to run a 75G for a turtle, consider something like a mud or map turtle. Menagerie often has map turtles.

For any terrapin the needs are similar.

You want a cycled tank, well filtered, ideally overfiltered because they do produce a lot of waste, and treat the filter maintenance as you would in a fish tank. Do water changes, dechlorinate, all that stuff.

Substrate wise the situation is similar, choose a substrate you like, and maintain it like you would for fish. If you have a thin gravel bed, vaccuum it. Honestly turtles are soo dirty I'd run it bare but you can do whatever you want. Give it a nice little environment, some rocks, stuff to look at under water, lots of free space to walk and swim underwater, and also a decent sized land portion.

Personally I'd run something like a 30 long (4x1ft) for a small turtle like a map turtle (fiveish inch shell usually) and I'd fill it with about 7" of water, leaving 5" of free space, and build up an island of rocks on eachside of the tank. (1 hot 1 cold)I'd leave that Island of rocks with about 1/2" of water over it so that any urine/poo released by the turtle while there would still be biofiltered (you want current over the spot) so as to avoid any smells. The 1/2" of water is fine the turtle does not need to be 100% out of the water. If it's feet are still wet it can still thermoregulate. Mud and musk turtles don't really need to get out of the water at all, so they would not really benefit much from the basking spot whereas a mud turtle or slider would. You can also get yellow bellied cooters, which are GORGEOUS, and yellow eared sliders now through many petshops. BA's has them.

I'd use a steel heater rather than glass, because angry or frightened turtles can really move, and they have hard shells, and glass breaks.

I'd use a quality UV bulb and a quality heat lamp or ceramic heat emitter over the 'hot' land spot and nothing over the other, and I'd run a light timer for the lights. Water changes I assume would depend on the size of the turtle. I'd probably go with once a week unless it proved inadequate. You should also keep a piece of cuttle bone in the tank. It helps their shell and they like to chew on it, which is good for filing the beak down.





Tim Cole has informative youtube videos on turtles.

You should also look into Box turtles. They live on land. They are harder to care for, feed, etc etc. They're also expensive, and not too active. They're just neat looking. Odds are if you're into red ear sliders and similar turtles it is not for you but worth a look.









Yellow bellied cooter









Yellow eared slider









Map turtle









box turtle


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## shark

thanks but I'm getting a red ear slider turtle off kijiji, thanks for the info I have a lot of filters lying around my house so they will be put to good use. The only thing i have to get is a turtle platform and change my fluorescent bulb to a UV.


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## AquariAM

shark said:


> thanks but I'm getting a red ear slider turtle off kijiji, thanks for the info I have a lot of filters lying around my house so they will be put to good use. The only thing i have to get is a turtle platform and change my fluorescent bulb to a UV.


You need a heat lamp too. Just remember you can haggle a yellow cooter down to like 20 before you grab that red slider. Those are so last season  (sorry man couldn't help it)


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## carmenh

LOL, on the subject of turtles...
http://hamilton.kijiji.ca/c-pets-other-pets-for-sale-Breeding-Pair-of-Turtles-W0QQAdIdZ196078032


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## shark

AquariAM said:


> You need a heat lamp too. Just remember you can haggle a yellow cooter down to like 20 before you grab that red slider. Those are so last season  (sorry man couldn't help it)


thanks I will seriously reconsider getting a RES, all turtles are in season because they are so cool


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## Ciddian

Do you know if you are getting a male or a female shark?? I would stay away from the girlies if possible only because they get so friggin big.. LOL

I have two boys myself. One RES and one yellow Cooter. :3


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## shark

Ciddian said:


> Do you know if you are getting a male or a female shark?? I would stay away from the girlies if possible only because they get so friggin big.. LOL
> 
> I have two boys myself. One RES and one yellow Cooter. :3


well I'm 100% sure its a male, sounds cute Cid they give you any problems?


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## Ciddian

Well they can't be together anymore since they like to rape eachother. They are large and need lots of care.

My res was a bit of a snob and wouldnt take anything veggie wise for a long long time, he also has some shell issues because I didn't know that the UV bulb I had was crap. (the screw in compact type) So I personally did have shell issues and still do since it takes a while to fix.

However the Yellow cooter is great! growth wise, loves veggies and is pretty sweet. The RES is a doll as well but he loves to climb out and tour the house too much so be aware of that. RES seem to be excellent escape artists. lol

Turtles are extremely smart and really do have their own quirky little personalities... I used to have one when I was little that would scratch his shell on your fingers if you held your hand out. Its pretty funny to see them 'flirt' with you through the glass of the aquarium too.

Hope you don't mind a pic or two??

















LOL I just realized we like a lot of the same things eh shark? Rofl.


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## shark

Nice pics Cidd of course i wouldn't mind, looking forward to my turtle!!! I love the males because of their front claws look so cool!


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## AquariAM

Ciddian said:


> Well they can't be together anymore since they like to rape eachother. They are large and need lots of care.
> 
> My res was a bit of a snob and wouldnt take anything veggie wise for a long long time, he also has some shell issues because I didn't know that the UV bulb I had was crap. (the screw in compact type) So I personally did have shell issues and still do since it takes a while to fix.
> 
> However the Yellow cooter is great! growth wise, loves veggies and is pretty sweet. The RES is a doll as well but he loves to climb out and tour the house too much so be aware of that. RES seem to be excellent escape artists. lol
> 
> Turtles are extremely smart and really do have their own quirky little personalities... I used to have one when I was little that would scratch his shell on your fingers if you held your hand out. Its pretty funny to see them 'flirt' with you through the glass of the aquarium too.
> 
> Hope you don't mind a pic or two??
> 
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> LOL I just realized we like a lot of the same things eh shark? Rofl.


I didn't know you had a Cooter Jess! Those are really neat turtles. It's one of the many things I'd have if I had the money/space to do a big turtle pond/tank of some sort.


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## clubsoda

Saw an albino soft shell turtle at dragon aquarium in sauga, looks really cool. Did abit of research online they can grow up to 3 feet and a lifespan of 50 years


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## Ciddian

I wish I did have the room I need for them. Totally lots of work but really worth it it my opinion. Trying to slowly sneak in some sort of tubs or something for the boys lol


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