Best substrate for Pink Belly?

[TardisTortoise]

I have a pink bellied short necked turtle who is over a year old. I have had her on aquarium sand. I am switching her to a larger aquarium and wanted to try something else. Her outdoor pond does not have substrate, but I don't leave her out there when I am not home.

 

[ascott]

I have a pink bellied short necked turtle who is over a year old. I have had her on aquarium sand. I am switching her to a larger aquarium and wanted to try something else. Her outdoor pond does not have substrate, but I don't leave her out there when I am not home.

How about rive rocks and some driftwood? Like a river?

 

[TardisTortoise]

What about fluorite with river rocks on top? I like to keep plants in her tank, but i would be afraid she might eat the flourite.

 

[natureguy]

I have a pink bellied short necked turtle who is over a year old. I have had her on aquarium sand. I am switching her to a larger aquarium and wanted to try something else. Her outdoor pond does not have substrate, but I don't leave her out there when I am not home.

I have 3 Pink-belly Sideneck turtles. They are still quite small. They are in a bare tank except for rock caves for them to swim THROUGH. (a dead-end "cave" has the possibility of getting stuck... anyway... just in case!) I understand that these are river turtles that may not emerge very often to sun such as other water turtles. They also prefer deeper water than the average water turtles with an adequate shallow water area where they spend much of their time. You will notice how excellent their swimming skills are! They are quite rapid and fluid in water. They have more foot webbing than the others.

FEEDING: Remember that these are "Side-neck" turtles! They cannot withdraw their head and neck into their shells! Make sure the food is in small "bites" as they seem to not like bigger materials than they cannot easily swallow. I use a straight razor blade to size pellets etc. I have heard that shrimp are a no-no...! I guess that it could possibly get caught in their long throats. They do not have the ability to "crunch" their head and necks into their shell as most other water turtles in order to swallow larger portions or when they have eaten too fast! [Notice the snapping turtle has a long neck but is capable of swallowing large portions because they can "crunch" their head and neck into their shells!] Another suggestion with feeding these guys especially when small is to gently remove them to about a 1 gal container with shallow warm water.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Indulge my curiosity... When your side neck turtles tuck their heads in, which direction does each normally tuck its head?