new RES .. and I have questions

[RV's mom]

We have a "new" RES and I'm trying to do right... Tis a male (long front claws), and shell length a little over 5 inches. Seems healthy enough, very active and wanting OUT OUT OUT!!!

We've had him less than a week and we're putting a tank together for him. It is in the process of being cleaned and set up. We've bought a canister filter, and have a wading pool currently in the back yard for daytime use .. nights he's in a large tupperware in the bathroom, with water and a rock..... Just to keep him safe.

He has not taken any of the food offered. We've small pellets from the reptile conference. Bought a jar of turtle food (larger bits) by Zoo Med. We've offered Kale, carrot and banana, all with equal and disappointing results. Once the tank is set up, we'll have fish in the tank. A few feeder fish for color maybe, but then minnows from the local bait shop.

Also, are there plants I can put in the tank? Turtle friendly? Or is that just a little too much in terms of .. he may eat them and foul the tank faster than planned? We plan to feed him in a separate feed "tank"..

Is there anything else I should be considering, anything else I can do for him?

Many thanks for what I know will be your very thoughtful replies.

teri

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Teri:

I don't like to keep water turtles in the house because it is hard work keeping a turtle aquarium clean. They are very messy. One way to keep it clean longer is to feed the turtle in a different body of water - a dish pan? and leave him in there for about an hour after he's finished eating. But the easiest way to keep a turtle is outside in some sort of pond.

I keep my rescued water turtles in a large horse trough. I don't have any substrate for ease of cleaning, because because they are rescues and going to be adopted out, there's no filter or frills. Just water, a dock and the turtle. Once a week I siphon out the water and add clean.

I also have a pond with my own water turtles in it. This is by far the easiest way to keep water turtles.

To answer your question, turtles will tear up the tank. You can use any kind of water plant, but if you plant them he'll quickly up root them. So floating plants are better. They love to eat water hyacinth. The turtles I've kept here didn't eat water lettuce, so that might be an option for you.

You might have better luck getting him to eat if you offer him something alive. You can get some minnows, put a few in a fish net and smack the net on the sidewalk to stun the fish. It has been my experience that turtles won't expend too much energy chasing fish, but they'll eat them readily if they are easy to catch - stunned.

Are you having good weather now? Reason I'm asking is I'm wondering the water temp? Maybe it's too cold for the turtle to eat yet.

Don't be such a stranger. We miss seeing pictures of RV.

 

[ascott]

If you are going to keep them indoors/tank...you will want to make sure the filter is strong as they are little pigs when it comes to how quick they can dirty up their tank....like the goldfish of the turtle world...and they will do the "let us out let us out" dance every time you come within view of them in hopes you will offer some food...pigs in a shell I tell you....very funny group of turtles.

When they are young they are very carnivorous and like worms of all kinds, live or freeze dried....I had one in our care for awhile that would literally catch the fish and walk up the stairs to the top of the basking spot, lay the fish down, then the turtle would return to the water and swim around....never ate the fish--he was an interesting one for sure.

The turtles here will also eat mazuri, which they will lose their mind over---I use a long pair of tongs and they have learned it is quicker for the food to reach their mouth if they come along side the edge, pull themselves up a couple inches out of the water and take the piece from the tongs (I used to use my fingers, but once looked away for a split second to answer my son and lets say my finger was mistaken for the nugget....ouch)...as they age they will appreciate some vegetation....but nothing like a wiggling nightcrawler....I will usually offer the worm and once the turtle has it I will walk away, I am not into the national geographic part of the consumption....necessary but not my fav part....

As Yvonne mentioned, the water needs to be warm, I keep the turtles water here at 78 degrees and then they also have a spot they can pull up out of the water under the basking area to dry out....that is it...no plants, no rocks and such---they just take up valuable swimming space....these two will eventually have a pond lay out here that they will go into, but until that comes to be--this is their digs.

 

[RV's mom]

KA (kindle answer) as you know we live in Phoenix so it's going to be HOT very soon. I'm afraid we'll end up with turtle soup. Also, RV views any water /puddle possible pond.. as her personal mud bath soak area. She's not able to breech the kiddy pool, but she's curious. I don't know what we're going to do ..

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