Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: Who be newbie?

[CountryGirl68]

Hi y'all. I'm Lary and I came upon this forum while I was looking for information about turtles. My hubby and I are animal lovers but, living in a Co-op in NYC doesn't give us many choices as to what pets we can have.

Dogs are not allowed where we live; my mom is allergic to cats; ferrets are illegal in NYC; I'm petrified of rodents and most reptiles. So we currently have fish (2 pearl gouramies, 1 blue gourami, 2 gold plecos and 1 iridescent shark). They are all very small - less than 2.5" each. We had cichlids for 3 years (3 generations) but eventually they all ate each other - yuck!

We were at the pet store recently getting fish food and we always stop by to see the pets they have. Hubby thinks it would be a good idea to get a turtle but me, being so cautious about proper care for pets, wanted to do research on them since I've never had turtles before. The most important point is ... is it a pet I'm willing to clean up after since I know I'll be the one with that duty . I've enjoyed reading through several posts here to get a better idea of what we would need if we did get a turtle and the information is soooooo great!!

I have a 10g tank (for quarantine) and a 30g tank (where the fish are now). I was considering getting a tall 20g tank if we got a turtle but reading here found that's not a good idea. If we get the turtle, I'd get the 20g for the fish and put the turtle in the 30g. We're still deciding if we should get rid of the 30g altogether and get a 55g but I'm not sure the floor will hold (we're on the 15th floor) and I don't have the space to keep more than one large tank. Since we have a balcony that faces south, we would be able to put the turtle there several hours a week to get that wonderful southern sun.

Now I'm wondering which type of turtle would be better for us: land or water. Ideas about the stock tank are great but hubby likes staring at the fish and would want to do the same with a turtle. Don't worry, he's not the type to have his face in the tank; he likes to sit at the computer or on the sofa (both in the living room where the tanks are) and watch the critters.

I've read quite a bit from those of you who have RES and I was wondering if any of you have had both water and land turtles and what your experiences were with each.

Thanks all.
Lary

[sonyj]

It's a really great idea to do your research first before getting a turtle. Then you will know what to expect and how to care for them. Let us know if you have any specific questions.

Welcome to the forum.

[missibsu]

Welcome!

Most people on this site have Red Ear Sliders. However a few people have other types as well. I know that there are some painteds and a couple of snapper people here. And as far a tortoises go, there are a few as well. There is a section here devoted to that.

I would add, that with the number of tanks that you are already keeping, and being unsure if your floor will hold a 55 gallon tank...if you get an res you are going to need around 100 gallons when the turt is full grown. That is if you have a male. If you get a female you'll need more. If you are planning on a move anytime in the future where you will have more space, then it would be ok.

Land turtles need the larger size tanks as well, but they weigh less because the lack of water...I guess I just stated the obvious. I'm sure others will add their opinions!

[TinySlider2]

Hello and Welcome! This is a great site!!

[CountryGirl68]

Thanks for the welcome and yes, this is a great site!!! I'm happy to know there are other who realize the importance of caring for pets - regardless of how big or small they may be.