Question for you turtle people...

[Triathlete]

I know a few of you here are into turtle and such. I was given a new addition to the family however know nothing about it. Wanting to make sure it is given the proper care it deserves/needs I have a few questions.
1. What kind of turtle is it? It is about the size of a silver dollar, green, with red on the sides of it face/neck. It is the common kind you see in pet stores.
2. What kind of enviroment do the do best in?
3. What is a proper diet for them? I have some store bought pellet type food but wonder if there is something better.
Thanks for any and all help!
He will be joining my two dogs as part of the family!

[Marlin]

Ummmmmmmmm, a turtle, for a triathlete? Sorry, someone else would have said it if I didn't. I hope the turtle can keep up.

[circmand]

Y/M/M Please

[Osteomata]

1. That is a Red Eared Slider. They are the most common aquatic turtle kept as pets, and are extremely hardy, quite easy to keep. They do not, however, "cuddle" well. Or house train. heh.

2. You want to get them out of the death bowl they usually are sold with, and into an aquarium. At that size, I would start with no less than 20Gallon tank filled about half way. Many people choose to buy the specialized turtle tanks with half of one side cut down so you can place a "Hang On Back" filter there. I prefer a regular aquairum with a canister filter. Eheim is generally the best, but at 20 Gallos you could start with a zoo med 501 for cheaper.
You will also need some kind of crawl out area, to serve as a resting spot and sunning spot. Lastly you will need a heat lamp of some kind.

3. Pellets are fine, supplemented by blanched veggies and meat on occasion. Here is the key: If you want to minimize your cleaning, then alwasy feed the turtle OUT of his tank. Get a bucket, put a couple inches of water in it, put the turtle in the bucket, put in food, wait one hour or so until it has deficated. After that, turtle back in tank, waste water in the toilet. This is the true secret to keeping a clean turtle tank, free of the bad smell, cause they are really messy.

Don't let fish stores talk you into nonsense. Fish stores are the equivalent of shady mechanics and dealerships, some are great, but there interests and yours do not entirely align.

If you want to go big, VX style modding: Then you should mod the tank with natural virgin cork on the back, some kind of plant holder with a growing vine, and make a bit of a waterfall with the pump return. Turns a rather boring turtle tank into a cool natural environment. I would be happy to answer any questions, I've kept these things for years. Be interesting to see if any of the other turtle keepers here have differing ideas.

- Os

I know a few of you here are into turtle and such. I was given a new addition to the family however know nothing about it. Wanting to make sure it is given the proper care it deserves/needs I have a few questions.
1. What kind of turtle is it? It is about the size of a silver dollar, green, with red on the sides of it face/neck. It is the common kind you see in pet stores.
2. What kind of enviroment do the do best in?
3. What is a proper diet for them? I have some store bought pellet type food but wonder if there is something better.
Thanks for any and all help!
He will be joining my two dogs as part of the family!

[Triathlete]

Here is the new habitat...

Much better than the little plastic thing he was given to us in.
You can see him hanging out on the rocks in the background.
He will get a few goldfish to keep him company soon!

[Chopper]

Every time you see these guys around here, they are hauled out onto a sunny log, or root. They need lots of UV...good ol' sunlight is best...direct, not filtered thru glass. We had one named Oscar, that had been my mom's when she was young. He spent summers in a kiddie pool in the yard, placed in a partly shady area (so the water wouldn't overheat) . He was over 40yrs. old when a summer storm washed him over the rim, and set him free ((there was a two acre pond on the property...I'm sure he's fine) Females are the larger...ten inch shells are not uncommon....Males about 5 or 6 inches. They are carnivores...shiners, tadpoles etc etc but a good pellet food is convient and ok...avoid the Cheap Hartz Mtn types....Do it right, your great grandchildren will know this turtle

[nfpgasmask]

Yup, Red-Eared Slider. The most common turtle you will encounter. These buggers have infested just about every fresh body of water in the US, and probably most of the world. They are bred in vast numbers and sold for the pet trade (which I think should be illegal, but that is another story).

The hardest part of turtle care is filtration. I use an Eheim Pro II external canister filter and it ROCKS. I actually have an extra one. If you are interested in upgrading I will give it to you for a steal.

The next thing to make sure you have after clean water is a basking spot with a UV lamp. PetCo carries a lot of good reptile stuff, but their prices are TWICE that of most good online shops. I buy all my stuff from these two places:

The Bean Farm
This place sells the good UV spectrum bulbs at nearly HALF the price as PetCo.

For filters and quality service, go to:
Drs Foster & Smith

With turtles, the more space you give them, the better (happier) they will be. For substrate you can use thoroughly cleaned PlaySand or aquarium gravel. Driftwood makes for good basking areas.

Keep the tank area in a warmer part of the house (should be easy in AZ) and away from cold drafts. Water should be kept around 76 degrees for this species, a little warmer or cooler will be fine too. These guys are super hearty.

As for food, I always offer a variety. For Trachemys scripta elegans (your little guy) offer Reptomin regularly and any other over the counter aquatic turtle food. The Reptomin that comes with freeze dried shrimp will be gobbled up with joy. I also feed earthworms and the occasional minnow or goldfish (gives them something to chase and keeps them busy). I would also chuck in some Romain lettuce now and then, as these turtles will sometimes enjoy real green stuff. Just don't overfeed, otherwise you will end up with rotting food in the tank and the water will fowl quickly.

I think live plants are great. I just think that it will be hard to keep any live plants with a Red Ear because they will eat them and tear them up.

Good luck,

Bart

[Triathlete]

Thanks for all the info guys.

[circmand]

Yup, Red-Eared Slider. The most common turtle you will encounter. These buggers have infested just about every fresh body of water in the US, and probably most of the world. They are bred in vast numbers and sold for the pet trade (which I think should be illegal, but that is another story).Bart

Keep the tank area in a warmer part of the house (should be easy in AZ) and away from cold drafts. Water should be kept around 76 degrees for this species, a little warmer or cooler will be fine too. These guys are super hearty.

If these turtles are so healthy that they inhabit just about every frewsh body of water I wonder why the temperature needs to be around 76 degrees.