Three-Striped Mud Turtles: BOLD & PINSTRIPE

Pastel Tortie

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I thought I would provide some background context regarding the previous picture I posted (above).
I guess you could call him foreground context, since he's sitting in front of the turtle tank...
WP_20190224_20_56_41_Pro.jpg
He's a small tuxedo cat named Whoosh, and he's one of Bold and Pinstripe's biggest fans!
 

Pastel Tortie

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The filter in there now is a waterfall type filter that I got early 2018 when Drs. Foster & Smith were clearing out their reptile related inventory.

I purchased a few different filters then, but the one we have been using is a TetraFauna Decorative River Rock Repto Filter. It's the artificial rock structure you see on the left in the pictures of the turtle tank.

Apparently it's the same as the TetraFauna Repto Filter 90 GPH / Whisper technology; uses their Medium size replacement cartridges. It's supposed to be "ideal for shallow water terrariums with 4-6 inches of water" and able to filter 55G tanks filled 20G of water.

Naturally, I doubt those claims, but this one is self contained within the tank and met the cat mitigation requirements without modifications to the metal screen lid on top of the tank.

The filter structure sits on the bare bottom of the tank (no sand under it), and the water level from the bottom of the tank itself is just over 4 inches high. The sand substrate makes the functional water level less than that, maybe around 3 inches or so deep in most places.

Not the best filter out there, I know, but not bad for $8.99 on clearance. :D
 

Toddrickfl1

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Anne they sell something called egg crate diffuser at home Depot. You can cut a small frame of it that sits around your intake for your filter and it will prevent it from getting clogged up from the large plant pieces.

Pic-W%2FEGG.500X2X4_media-1.jpg
 

Pastel Tortie

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Anne they sell something called egg crate diffuser at home Depot. You can cut a small frame of it that sits around your intake for your filter and it will prevent it from getting clogged up from the large plant pieces.

View attachment 265899
I've been thinking of something like that, although some of these plant pieces wind up being quite small (after the turtles get hold of them, anyway).

Yesterday after work I went by a craft store and got a few pieces of plastic canvas (mesh) in a couple different sizes (number of holes across, per inch) to experiment with. The plastic canvas is flexible and bends to a certain extent. I'm hoping that will do the job to screen off the filter from the plant material.
 

Pastel Tortie

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When I got home today, I again found someone in the marimo moss ball. At first, I wasn't sure which turtle it was. This was all I could see to start with...
WP_20190228_18_31_50_Pro.jpg
Then I saw a little bit more, but the head ducked back into the moss ball.
WP_20190228_18_32_12_Pro.jpg
Finally the mystery was solved.
WP_20190228_18_32_17_Pro.jpg
It was BOLD inside the moss ball this time! Every other time, it's been PINSTRIPE.
 

Pastel Tortie

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I caught Bold basking again! I know it may get old at some point, but I still get excited when I see one of the turtles basking. That, more than anything else, tells me it was absolutely the right call to put Bold and Pinstripe into this kind of setup together. It's definitely worth the effort.
wp_ss_20190228_0001.png
The orange artificial rock structure that Bold is basking on, we call that "Pride Rock" because it reminds us of the one in The Lion King (original animated movie).

Obviously, cleaning the aquarium glass is also on the To Do list for this weekend.
 

Moozillion

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When I got home today, I again found someone in the marimo moss ball. At first, I wasn't sure which turtle it was. This was all I could see to start with...
View attachment 266168
Then I saw a little bit more, but the head ducked back into the moss ball.
View attachment 266169
Finally the mystery was solved.
View attachment 266170
It was BOLD inside the moss ball this time! Every other time, it's been PINSTRIPE.
That is HILARIOUS!!!!!:D
Jacques has never paid much attention to her moss balls...:confused:
 

Moozillion

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I caught Bold basking again! I know it may get old at some point, but I still get excited when I see one of the turtles basking. That, more than anything else, tells me it was absolutely the right call to put Bold and Pinstripe into this kind of setup together. It's definitely worth the effort.
View attachment 266175
The orange artificial rock structure that Bold is basking on, we call that "Pride Rock" because it reminds us of the one in The Lion King (original animated movie).

Obviously, cleaning the aquarium glass is also on the To Do list for this weekend.
I always love to see my turtles/torts basking!!!:):<3:
I, too, feel like I'm giving them what they need, which makes me feel like a successful turtle mom!!!
AND I really think they only bask if they feel it is safe to be out of the water and exposed- so that feels good too!!!
Looks like you're doing a FABULOUS job!!!! :)
 

CarolM

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CarolM

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I caught Bold basking again! I know it may get old at some point, but I still get excited when I see one of the turtles basking. That, more than anything else, tells me it was absolutely the right call to put Bold and Pinstripe into this kind of setup together. It's definitely worth the effort.
View attachment 266175
The orange artificial rock structure that Bold is basking on, we call that "Pride Rock" because it reminds us of the one in The Lion King (original animated movie).

Obviously, cleaning the aquarium glass is also on the To Do list for this weekend.
It does look like the lion kings rock. So that would make Pinstripe and Bold the kings of the tank. [emoji3]
 

Pastel Tortie

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I hope this picture turns out clear enough. It's one of the last pictures I posted of PINSTRIPE (above), except that I zoomed in and did a screen capture.
I wanted to show you teensy tiny mud turtle BARBELS. :D
wp_ss_20190301_0001.png
Keep in mind, Pinstripe's head is about the size of a No. 2 pencil eraser. You're looking for those two tiny, short little yellow lines (almost too short to call lines) hanging down from the front of Pinstripe's chin.
 

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