Red Eared Sliders... Help!

TortsNTurtles

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@tglazie That is sad there is now a turtle trap. That is great you were helping them out.I really enjoyed the post even though it is sad but its a good dose of reality. It would be hard to be an RES rescue because people can go to the Petstore and buy one cheap that is cute and small . I think its good your making everyone aware that turtles let loose in the wild don't always make it. Sadly, I think that happens often when they get to big and people don't want to invest in the proper set up. It is awesome what you and Carlc are doing for these wonderful turtles.

That is how I got my Myrtle from Craigslist as a craigslist rescue. She was in a tank and could not get out of water because she outgrew here tiny basking area. She had algae and pyramiding shell. We love her though and enjoy watching her swim and bask like this is the life.
 

carolc

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Yay! Things were MUCH better than I had originally thought!
Tomahto has a bacterial infection due to previous poor husbandry. The vet said it wasn't bad enough to require shots. Both of the kids are getting a 2-3 hr dry out time every day, which will kill the bacteria (since it can only survive in the water.) I will be doing this until they have a better basking setup and all signs of infection are gone. I also have to apply Silver Sulfadiazine cream to all pink areas on Tomahto's skin at the beginning of her dry out time, once a day. She does NOT like it... I'll have to try to take a video of me doing it tomorrow! Unfortunately, the damage to Tomahto's shell is irreversible, but it's just cosmetic and will be less prominent over time. I don't really mind, I love her the way she is.
I had also been worried because I noticed a protuberance around Tomahto's back legs. Turns out someone's too chubby - to be exact, obese. As long as I don't start feeding her any extra protein, she should work off that weight when she gets her big tank!
Tomato is surprisingly healthy, though I need to keep an eye out for any pink spots on her skin indicative of the same infection. Dr. Crum told me that in general things to watch out for are air bubbles when they're underwater (which mean respiratory distress), and in females especially, unusual aggression, agitation, trying to burrow, not eating well and generally acting hormonal. These are signs that she has eggs (unfertilized, of course, since I only have females!) that she is unable to get out. I don't have to worry about that until they're at least 5, though!
All in all, the vet was well worth the visit, especially since he told me I can pick and peel the loose and broken scutes off Tomato and Tomahto!
 

mike taylor

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That's wonderful! Did you build it?
Yes, me and my 12 year old son . My friend gave me the horse trough . My neighbour gave me the sheet metal in 20 foot pieces . I cut them in half and screwed them to some metal post . I used my tiller to dig the hole my son shoved the dirt into a big pile . We put the trough in the hole . Back filled and added mulch, rocks, plants, and turtles .
 

ascott

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Yes, me and my 12 year old son . My friend gave me the horse trough . My neighbour gave me the sheet metal in 20 foot pieces . I cut them in half and screwed them to some metal post . I used my tiller to dig the hole my son shoved the dirt into a big pile . We put the trough in the hole . Back filled and added mulch, rocks, plants, and turtles .

The out of pond space is perfect and somewhat essential if you have females in the group....very cool.
 

carolc

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Does anyone else use Zoo Med floating basking dock? Have you had any issues with your turtle getting stuck behind the tube underwater that connects the two support pieces? Tomahto has gotten stuck there at least once, and I'm pretty sure it's happened more than that since I've come in before and the rock was pulled away form the wall. I'd thought the suction cups just weren't secured properly, but now I'm not so sure. How long does a turtle have to be underwater before it drowns?
 

riley_bla41000

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Does anyone else use Zoo Med floating basking dock? Have you had any issues with your turtle getting stuck behind the tube underwater that connects the two support pieces? Tomahto has gotten stuck there at least once, and I'm pretty sure it's happened more than that since I've come in before and the rock was pulled away form the wall. I'd thought the suction cups just weren't secured properly, but now I'm not so sure. How long does a turtle have to be underwater before it drowns?

Back when I was about 8 or 9 I had two baby red eared sliders and one of them got stuck like that, my mother pulled him out right away and we got them a new basking spot, But we worry a lot so I would wait for someone else to reply.
 

carolc

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Back when I was about 8 or 9 I had two baby red eared sliders and one of them got stuck like that, my mother pulled him out right away and we got them a new basking spot, But we worry a lot so I would wait for someone else to reply.
I'm glad someone was there right away! I'm so worried that I'm going to come home after a long day at work and find them drowned
 

ascott

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Does anyone else use Zoo Med floating basking dock? Have you had any issues with your turtle getting stuck behind the tube underwater that connects the two support pieces? Tomahto has gotten stuck there at least once, and I'm pretty sure it's happened more than that since I've come in before and the rock was pulled away form the wall. I'd thought the suction cups just weren't secured properly, but now I'm not so sure. How long does a turtle have to be underwater before it drowns?


The two turtles here each would get wedged in the same place when I had the docks at one time....they would even appear to wedge themselves in their on purpose and then sleep the night there....I never messed with them....they always got in and out....
 

tglazie

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I've used those turtle docks, but I've never used the suction cup attachment. Usually, I just tethered the basking spot to the screen top of the aquarium with fishing line, which holds the thing in place. Once they get bigger, it will be a moot point, given that even the largest zoo med turtle dock is far too tiny. Once they get bigger, it will be time to go to a nearby river and seek out a nice big piece of solid drift wood. I'm always on the lookout for bigger, better basking logs, which I boil in a large pot over a propane fire (the ones you use to deep fry a turkey or boil crawfish) to eliminate any creepy crawlies from getting into my pond.

T.G.
 

tglazie

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Log. I've used both, and logs are the best. Rocks have several disadvantages, as opposed to driftwood, which has basically one disadvantage. Rocks are rough on turtle plastra (the undershell), and the abrasions that result may not necessarily cause illness or injury, but are, I feel, rather unattractive. A friend of mine used flat landscaping rocks propped up by bricks in his ponds, and his turtle's plastra are always rough and gnarled. If you're using rocks in an aquarium, you will have to use a large one, and if you drop a large rock in an aquarium, you will no longer have an aquarium. Additionally, rocks take up a lot of space in a tank, especially if you fill the tank to the necessary depth, and also, when a rock takes up that much space in a tank, it works to restrict the flow of the filtration system, often working as a trap for filth. I like logs and buoys because they don't touch the floor of the tank. They also don't take up swimming space, which is awesome. The only disadvantage concerning logs is the fact that they ultimately soak up gross water and degrade. A plastic composite material in the shape of a log would be "ideal," but the only product of this variety I've found costs over three hundred dollars, which is just too deep a gouge to sustain.

T.G.
 

Idahorosie1

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Hey everyone!
A month ago, I was asked to take in two "small" aquatic turtles. The woman said they had everything they needed, but if she couldn't find them a home, she was going to dump them. I love animals, so I immediately said yes. I would NEVER let someone dump an animal! (On that note, anyone in my area want some slightly feral kittens that were living in the sewer? They're still young enough that they might be great pets!)
When I got the unnamed turtles, my heart immediately sank. They were 2 red eared sliders, about 4.5 inches long (she said they're about 3 years old) and living in a ten gallon tank. They have one small filter good for about 5 gallons, a small floating basking rock, and no heating equipment. She was also kind enough to tell me that her young sons loved watching them eat, so they sometimes got fed up to 3 times a day. Also, they NEVER conditioned the water, just used tap. Yikes!
I've named them Tomato and Tomato (toe-mah-toe). For everyone's sanity, I'll spell it Tohmahto here!
Tomato is in better shape, with a shell only slightly ridged. She's a bossy bit of goods, and the only thing I'm worried about with her is that her shell is peeling and flaking off in sections. Should I be worried about this?
Tohmahto is more boxy in shape, with a very ridged shell. It almost looks like someone took a file or a chisel to the top of it, and each segment is white and discolored at the top sections of the ridge. I'll try to get a picture to post where Tomato's not laying on top of her! She is also flaking, but has started coming out of her shell -so to speak!- since she's been with me.
I have very little money to buy the amount of equipment that I know they need (I'm trying to find a 120 gal aquarium so I hopefully won't have to buy another.) I know they need a large tank, filters for 3x the size of their aquarium, basking light, uvb light (can uvb bulbs be used in a heat light? Are they actually the same thing?) water heater/thermometer, and a better basking area. What else do I need to know/get/where to get it/what in the world am I doing???

Sorry for the ridiculously long post!


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I have my 3 RS turtles in a rubber pond used for inground ponds. It is 1200 gallons that is half full so the turtles can't climb out. The cost of the pond is less than for a metal stock tank. The turtles do very well in it, they have a basking spot and are under a roof cover for shade in the hot El Paso, TX weather. It works very well. I bring them into a warm build for the winter.
I also have a baby RS in an indoor aquarium that will live there until about 6 inches in size. By having the babies in an aquarium in my family room, the turtles see me and hear my TV and music so they are entertained. I enjoy interacting with my turtle, and my turtle is never bored.
 

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