Hullo! Just joined...
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 5:56 pmHi, I just joined.
A bit about me... I have one RES. His name is Ralpheal (Ninja turtles were big when I got him!) And I believe he's about 11 years old. For close to 10 years, I've fed him a diet of mostly just turtle pellets, with the occasional lettuce or carrot scraps. I recently switched his food (his usual food was unavailable) and noticed his poop was the same colour as the food (orange). Definatly not good. I started doing some turtle research, and found out all kinds of things which made me thankful that Ralph has had no major health complications!
I used to have two turtles, but a few years ago the younger one passed away. In hindsight, the tank was MUCH too small and having two males together may not have been the best idea. I should have realized this when Ralph bit off the end of his tank-mate's tail... 
Any how... I've been remedying his mistreatment lately. I bought him 3 aquatic plants, which he really enjoyed. He chopped the stalk of the aluminum plant down twice the first night, then set to work chopping down the eel grass to little stubs the second day. The third one he didn't seem to like as much, but I took it out a week after I put it in. So now all 3 plants are recooperating. The eel grass is coming back nicely, and a piece of the aluminum plant has sprouted roots. I've decided to rotate the plants, so he can only gnaw on one at a time
In the mean time, I've been putting leafy lettuce from the garden in his tank an anchoring it so he thinks it's a new plant he can destroy. He usually just leaves it alone if it's floating on the top. His favourite food is carrots, but from what I've seen I shouldn't feed him these too often. The same with fruits. But I keep experiementing with different veggies to see what he'll eat and what is best for him.
Also, once it warms up, I bought him a kiddie pool for outside. Any suggestions as to how to turtle/preditor proof it would be appreciated
Wow, that was longer than I intended xD Feel free to skip reading the essay and just smile and nod
A bit about me... I have one RES. His name is Ralpheal (Ninja turtles were big when I got him!) And I believe he's about 11 years old. For close to 10 years, I've fed him a diet of mostly just turtle pellets, with the occasional lettuce or carrot scraps. I recently switched his food (his usual food was unavailable) and noticed his poop was the same colour as the food (orange). Definatly not good. I started doing some turtle research, and found out all kinds of things which made me thankful that Ralph has had no major health complications!
I used to have two turtles, but a few years ago the younger one passed away. In hindsight, the tank was MUCH too small and having two males together may not have been the best idea. I should have realized this when Ralph bit off the end of his tank-mate's tail...
Any how... I've been remedying his mistreatment lately. I bought him 3 aquatic plants, which he really enjoyed. He chopped the stalk of the aluminum plant down twice the first night, then set to work chopping down the eel grass to little stubs the second day. The third one he didn't seem to like as much, but I took it out a week after I put it in. So now all 3 plants are recooperating. The eel grass is coming back nicely, and a piece of the aluminum plant has sprouted roots. I've decided to rotate the plants, so he can only gnaw on one at a time
In the mean time, I've been putting leafy lettuce from the garden in his tank an anchoring it so he thinks it's a new plant he can destroy. He usually just leaves it alone if it's floating on the top. His favourite food is carrots, but from what I've seen I shouldn't feed him these too often. The same with fruits. But I keep experiementing with different veggies to see what he'll eat and what is best for him.
Also, once it warms up, I bought him a kiddie pool for outside. Any suggestions as to how to turtle/preditor proof it would be appreciated
Wow, that was longer than I intended xD Feel free to skip reading the essay and just smile and nod
Try some dandelions as well.
