RES questions...HELP

[DAC8671]

I'm picking up a RES rescue tonight. I'm putting a tank together last minute as didn't know I would be getting one (Long story...hadn't planned on getting one, couldn't let it be released)

I don't know what I need!!!! I have 29gal tank, rocks, food, water conditioner, basking rock and light. What about a filter? I'm using an old fish tank, can I use the undergravel filter or do I need a specific one for turtles.

I'm probably getting in over my head, but I just couldn't let this lady release it.

Please help!

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi Debbie,
Undergravel filters aren't good for turtles. The best filter type would be a cannister filter. Just get it for 2 or 3 times the amount of water you have.
Gravel isn't a good idea either, unless it's a large size stone. Big enough not to be able to be eaten.

Danny

 

[DAC8671]

Well, first off....I don't think he's a RES. His coloring is not very vibrant at all. He looks more like some type of painted turtle maybe??? His shell looks "off" too. He almost looks sickly. I don't think he was in a very good condition. He had been in a rubbermaid tub in only about 3 inches of water, no basking rock, no heat. When we went to pick him up, all his food and his "house" was outside on the back balcony. I think they just left him there. We have is aquarium set up and I'm not sure if it's just stress or a new environmet (or both) but he doesn't seem interested in his basking rock. Actually, it seems like he has no idea what it is and shows no interest in trying to get up on it. I've turned it off for the night.

Should he have a warming light for when the basking light is off? What should the water temp be?

I put some feeder goldfish and minnows in and he seems afraid of them. However, when I fed him pellets he was VORACIOUS. It seemed like he hadn't eaten for a week. Can I give him shredded veges?

I'll upload some pics tomorrow.

Hi Debbie,
Undergravel filters aren't good for turtles. The best filter type would be a cannister filter. Just get it for 2 or 3 times the amount of water you have.
Gravel isn't a good idea either, unless it's a large size stone. Big enough not to be able to be eaten.

Danny

 

[evin]

are you keeping him or planning on rehoming him? cannister filters are the best but if your not keeping him i dont think you want to drop a couple hundred on one. he is probly getting used to his tank when i got new turtles they wouldnt bask for a few days. its good that he is eating

 

[DAC8671]

We are still undecided if we are going to rehome him or not. We will see what the next few weeks/month bring. My kids, after one night are already attached to "Gunther".

I know with fish tanks that it takes a bit for the water to become settled and the filters to start really doing their job. Is that the same for a turle aquarium? The water is already getting a bit cloudy. I only set it up yesterday afternoon. It's a 29 gal tank filled almost 3/4 of the way up. I bought a zoo med turtle clean filter for tanks up to 30 gal. At max, it cleans 55 gal per hour, at min it does 30. I'm just not sure if it's doing what it's supposed to right now.

The first picture was taken last night. The rest of the pics were taken this morning. Please take a look and tell me what you think.

 

[Crazy1]

Debbie I think he is a RES. The gravel is too small. He can swallow them. You need to place larger rocks or no rocks at all. (easier to clean) turtles are “dirty” they dirty the water quickly. You really need a large filter to handle the turtle water. I had a 40 gal tank and 4 tiny RES in it with a duel turtle filter for a 60 gal tank. NOT big enough. Now that they are larger and they get larger. A female RES can get as big as a dinner plate .How big is your RES? I also added a heater to their tank. The water temp should be about 72 to 76 degrees for sub-adults & adults, 78 to 80 degrees for hatchlings & small. Air Temperature: mid 70's - 80's Basking Temperature: High 80's to low 90's
Here is a care sheet for RES http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm

 

[drgnfly2265]

Yep, looks like a RES to me too. Good luck with it

___________________________________________________

Jamie

1 Sulcata (Bowser)

www.myspace.com/bowsertortoise

 

[Yvonne G]

The best thing for water turtles (don't beat me up, folks..this is my opinion) is to be outside. It is really hard to keep a water turtle clean and sanitary in an indoor tank. Because they eat under water, they foul the water very quickly. Take a look at this site:

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/health/small_tank_filter.html

This person, Mary at the Turtle Puddle, has a great knowledge of keeping water turtles. If you don't want to go to all this trouble, here is how I keep my rescued turtles prior to adopting them out to someone who is going to keep them in a pond:

I have a couple of large rubber troughs that I bought at the feed store. They are maybe a couple hundred gallons. I place a cinder block in the center and fill the water up to the top of the block, which now acts as a basking platform. The troughs are placed up on tables. There is no substrate on the bottom, and once a week I siphon out the water and add clean back in. Depending upon how many turtles are in there, the water might get pretty dirty by the end of the week. But its not any work to start a siphon and clean them out. Much easier than cleaning out an aquarium! If this were a permanent arrangement, when winter comes, you would just box up the turtle in a plastic box of moist leaves and place it in a cool spot like a back bedroom or on a shelf in the garage, adding water occasionally so it doesn't dry out.

Yvonne