Christyk
Member
Just one more picture. I took it this morning while cheese was getting sunshine. Okay, maybe 2.That's a great name! Say Cheese!
Baby mud turtle
- Thread starter Christyk
- Start date
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
Cheese is SO beautiful! Absolutely adorable!
Christyk
Member
Thank you. I saw your post on the progress of your babies. So cute. Pin and bold, right? Great names.
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
Try to work some commercial turtle pellets into Cheese's regular diet (daily), along with the rotation of worms and snails. A good commercial pellet will have enough D3 in it to make UVB exposure OPTIONAL, instead of a requirement. That may allow for some flexibility on indoor UVB lighting, if/when you ever need it.
I like the ReptoMin Pro Juvenile turtle pellets for hatchlings that size. They soften easily in water, yet hold together well. The short sticks make an easy target for baby turtles. Both of my mud turtles and my Gulf Coast box turtle found these pellets (short sticks) palatable when they were little.
I've also had good luck with the Omega One Juvenile Turtle pellets and the Zoo Med Natural Aquatic Turtle Hatchling formula. I haven't tried the Hikari Carnivore Sinking pellets, but I've heard good things about it. @Moozillion feeds it to Nelson, her razorback musk hatchling.
Especially for the Zoo Med hatchling pellets (which are tiny), you won't need a large container of it, as the hatchling will likely outgrow it before you run out.
You can still use any pellets your turtle refuses to eat, by gutloading earthworms and other feeder invertebrates. That's basically the only good solution I know of to get vitamins and balanced nutrients into a picky turtle.
I like the ReptoMin Pro Juvenile turtle pellets for hatchlings that size. They soften easily in water, yet hold together well. The short sticks make an easy target for baby turtles. Both of my mud turtles and my Gulf Coast box turtle found these pellets (short sticks) palatable when they were little.
I've also had good luck with the Omega One Juvenile Turtle pellets and the Zoo Med Natural Aquatic Turtle Hatchling formula. I haven't tried the Hikari Carnivore Sinking pellets, but I've heard good things about it. @Moozillion feeds it to Nelson, her razorback musk hatchling.
Especially for the Zoo Med hatchling pellets (which are tiny), you won't need a large container of it, as the hatchling will likely outgrow it before you run out.
You can still use any pellets your turtle refuses to eat, by gutloading earthworms and other feeder invertebrates. That's basically the only good solution I know of to get vitamins and balanced nutrients into a picky turtle.
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
Thank you! I think they sort of named themselves!
Christyk
Member
I will. So far he doesn't have any interest in any pellets I've tried but I offer daily anyway. I'll look for the ones you have recommended and see if we have better luck with those.Try to work some commercial turtle pellets into Cheese's regular diet (daily), along with the rotation of worms and snails. A good commercial pellet will have enough D3 in it to make UVB exposure OPTIONAL, instead of a requirement. That may allow for some flexibility on indoor UVB lighting, if/when you ever need it.
I like the ReptoMin Pro Juvenile turtle pellets for hatchlings that size. They soften easily in water, yet hold together well. The short sticks make an easy target for baby turtles. Both of my mud turtles and my Gulf Coast box turtle found these pellets (short sticks) palatable when they were little.
I've also had good luck with the Omega One Juvenile Turtle pellets and the Zoo Med Natural Aquatic Turtle Hatchling formula. I haven't tried the Hikari Carnivore Sinking pellets, but I've heard good things about it. @Moozillion feeds it to Nelson, her razorback musk hatchling.
Especially for the Zoo Med hatchling pellets (which are tiny), you won't need a large container of it, as the hatchling will likely outgrow it before you run out.
You can still use any pellets your turtle refuses to eat, by gutloading earthworms and other feeder invertebrates. That's basically the only good solution I know of to get vitamins and balanced nutrients into a picky turtle.
Standing outside in the sun every morning kinda gets old in our southeast Texas heat. Lol.
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
I understand completely. Pin doesn't want anything to do with pellets, although she(?) used to eat a small amount of them, very early on. Bold has gotten more finicky lately and insists on the Omega One Juvenile Turtle pellets.
6strings
Member
Those are great turtles to keep! Here is my experience when I raised a baby and eventually released it into a backyard pond. Maybe it can help you..
1. I kept mine in a 30 gal Tuff Stuff tub (bought it on Amazon) with water about 4 inches deep. Mine seemed to like the dark color of the tub. But a 10 gal tank is fine as well.I would maybe put some dark paper on the back and maybe one side (that is my opinion, not science.) They are very shy while young, not bold like red-eared sliders. Filtering water that shallow is a pain in the neck, that is the part I had trouble with. I used sponge filters, and they are not as effective with water that shallow, but better than nothing. Maybe you have a better way.
2. From advice from others, I put in some floating plants (real) and some plastic plants. The turtle really liked to climb onto a plant near the surface with just its nose out. I did have a brick platform for it to climb out on, but I never saw the turtle climb all the way out. It preferred to bask in the water while clinging to a plant.
3. For UVB, I first used a coil bulb but then switched to a T8 tube. The T8 is way better. These turtles do not need as much UVB as turtles that are serious baskers like sliders, maps, etc. You can hang or prop up the T8 about 14 inches up from the water surface and be fine. I would not go closer than 11-12 inches unless you have screen or something to diffuse the light a little. I used egg-crate diffuser under my T8 to break up the light a bit.
I hope that helps. They really do well as long as they are not stressed. Mine is in a pond now. I did not see it for almost a year, but this Spring I saw it poking its head out of the surface. It grew a bit more since its release.
Christyk
Member
Thanks for your response. We have a T8 we aren't using right now. I'll try it out when we move to the bigger tank next month. As for filtering, I'm just changing the water every 3 days right now. I have a pothos in the tank with him but I can put in more plants. Maybe anubis or java fern.
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
Anacharis works well, and it can just float freely in the water (no planting required). Your hatchling might even sample the leaves a bit.
lizznet15
Member
Can you us some pics?
Christyk
Member
This is what I'm working on for the 10 gallon tank. I still need a little dirt and a filter. A few plants and well, all the other stuff. I'm happy with how its going. 
Christyk
Member
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? What do I need to change? I know I still need a filter and aquatic plants.
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
Plan on getting an aquatic heater for at least the cooler part of the year. You may find it easier to keep the water at a stable temperature vs. the air. Definitely keep an eye on the temperatures.
You will just need to observe your hatchling for a while, and see what trouble Cheese can get into with the setup. Make sure he can't get flipped over or stuck anywhere.
Otherwise, Cheese will redecorate to his liking!
You will just need to observe your hatchling for a while, and see what trouble Cheese can get into with the setup. Make sure he can't get flipped over or stuck anywhere.
Otherwise, Cheese will redecorate to his liking!
Christyk
Member
I will keep a close eye on Cheese. My plan is to keep him in his current 5 gallon with visits to the 10 gallon when I can watch and be home.Plan on getting an aquatic heater for at least the cooler part of the year. You may find it easier to keep the water at a stable temperature vs. the air. Definitely keep an eye on the temperatures.
You will just need to observe your hatchling for a while, and see what trouble Cheese can get into with the setup. Make sure he can't get flipped over or stuck anywhere.
Otherwise, Cheese will redecorate to his liking!
Babies do tend to get into trouble. Lol.
I didnt even think to get a heater. I'm so glad I have all you fantastic turtle people.
Pastel Tortie
Well-Known Member
How deep is the water in the 10 gallon tank? Whether real or fake, Cheese will appreciate some aquatic plants to perch on and hide behind. If you go with real plants, anacharis strands have worked well for me.
For Bold and Pinstripe, I initially cut pieces of longer trailing plastic plants (reptile safe), and I added or replaced the plastic plant strands with anacharis.
For Bold and Pinstripe, I initially cut pieces of longer trailing plastic plants (reptile safe), and I added or replaced the plastic plant strands with anacharis.
6strings
Member
This is what I used to house a baby mud turtle. A plastic tub, a UVB light fixture hung on a PVC stand. This is a Tuff Stuff KTM102, but you can use a cement mix tub from Home Depot or Lowes that are only $15 or so. Much better than a 5 or 10 gal tank once your baby mud turtle is starting to grow out of the 5 gal. You have to think of how you will be able to easily clean the water, because turtles are dirty. Tubs make it easier, well, in my opinion anyway. The light fixture in the pic is an Arcadia HO T5 from lightyourreptiles.com.
That is a fantastic set-up
6strings
Member
BTW, Christyk, your baby turtle is very cute.
And now the lecture.. be very careful with heaters and small water volumes/levels. For the 5 gal tank, you cannot use a standard aquarium heater - that will cook the turtle. Instead, try a betta tank heater, which is a small heat pad. Always use a thermostat. Amazon has many inexpensive ON/OFF thermostats that work. Many are sold for seed germination - those are just fine. So a small heat pad and a thermostat will allow you to heat the low water level in the 5 gallon very easily and safely. Good luck.
