Urgent Care :: Some questions i need to know about RES asap!

[munkly]

oki guyz i believe u all r qualified and hv much more knowledge then me regarding Red Eared Sliderz i have a Red eared slider and i provide him with a 2 foot aquarium with 15w halogene bulb fr basking and crystal clear water with filer nd heater , my turtle is active and he eats well he plays with me when i come near him he swims fast comes swimmin to me and looks very happy bt i have some problems which i need to ask u guyz ... i dnt hv a UVB in my country so i am gonna order it tmr so i hope u guyz answer my questions asap! which will b highly appreciated so i need to knw tht ...

Q.) Fr my 2 foot aquarium nd baby RES will reptisun 5.0 12 inch 15W be enough?

Q.) When my turtle is basking he gets dry quickly but i notice small white patch type thing on his FACE near nose nd mouth what are those?(i hv seen white patches tht is RES prob i googled it bt thts something diff then this so im confused)

Q.) My water temperature is 86F without heater as its hot in my country here so is 86F too hot for my RES?

These were the few questions that i have on my mind these days and i need answers asap! i luv my little guy more then anythin in this world! and i want to give him THE BEST I CAN no matter how nd frm where! i googled aloooot 24/7 abt turtles bt i dnt have turtle vets in my city here! so u guyz r the only help ill give u the link as i have uploaded my turtles video on youtube which u can see by clicking the link below....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qm51u5f-Pg

So now u guyz have seen how my turtle looks like and my aquarium etc so give me some suggestions plz and what more should i order for my turtle!

and i also need to knw the major diff between ... Repti sun 5.0 and reptisun 10.0 and also if reptisun is better or exoterra repti glow?

thanks alot every1 yr replies will be highly appreciated! ill keep monitoring this thread fr yr replies!

[TheComputerGremlin]

Q.) Fr my 2 foot aquarium nd baby RES will reptisun 5.0 12 inch 15W be enough?

I can't speak for that particular type of bulb, but most users prefer a compact fluorescent, 5.0, 26W if you can get one of those instead. They are a little easier to work with because you can use a clamp lamp fixture and leave the top open. I think you are talking about a tube-style bulb, which are a little harder to work with because you need a fixture that will set atop your tank and you cannot have anything between the bulb and the basking area (no screens with small holes or plexiglass or actual glass).

Q.) When my turtle is basking he gets dry quickly but i notice small white patch type thing on his FACE near nose nd mouth what are those?(i hv seen white patches tht is RES prob i googled it bt thts something diff then this so im confused)

Hmm, a picture is worth a thousand words! It's hard to photograph them up close, but it may be helpful for us. It almost sounds like mineral deposits, but you would find those all over him if so. It may be shedding skin, but again, you'd likely see it all over.

Q.) My water temperature is 86F without heater as its hot in my country here so is 86F too hot for my RES?

It's a bit warm, but when the water is warm like this, it will only mainly cause increased skin shedding and an increased metabolism. It won't likely harm your turtle. If you can, you can try to cool down the water. A few methods are adding water bottles filled with ice into the tank, something called a cooler (the opposite of a water heater, but they are expensive), or you can try rigging up fans to blow across the surface of the water. It was suggested in a previous post that maybe a series of small computer-style fans might work? You don't want it to be very drafty, though, as that could cause illness.

Read all of the info on the main site, www.redearslider.com, as it is very helpful! Oh, and feel free to post additional questions!

[marisa]

I'm currently using an 18-inch Reptisun 10.0 UVB bulb in a set-up; the 5.0 one is half the strength of the 10.0. Either is fine; you could have the 5.0 one 6 - 8 inches from your basking turtle and there shouldn't be a problem, the 10.0 one a bit further away. Reptisun tubes have a good reputation; the compact flourescents have resulted in eye problems for some. I'd use the Reptisun 5.0 if it fits in your set-up.

The white could just be dried skin, if it's really warm where you are. A pic would be good, however.

I know it can be difficult to do, but it would be good to lower the water temp if you can. Prolonged exposure to temps that are too warm isn't good for a turtle...

[munkly]

thnx fr yr reply alot! both of u tht really helps me alot ... i was using fan nd also used some ice manually so i guess i did the righ thing yr reply really is a sign of relief fr me! ill post the pic of those white patch type thing fr asap! the next time i see him i will def tk a closeup i am a lil into photography and u can see some of my turtle closeups on my page here ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/_w1cked_/


oh and i just saw tht i took one of the closeups and u can see the white spot type thing in that pic which i mentioned so ill give u the direct link fr tht pic below..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/_w1cked_/3279636918/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/_w1cked_/3276111599/

compact fluorescent, 5.0, 26W provide UVB/UVA both? ... but if eye prob then i wont buy ever i can spend money bt cant tk any risk ... bt why does it cause eye infection? is repti sun also risky?

and metabolism is a normal process rite? its like a good sign infact?
also if i buy repti sun or compact fluorescent, 5.0, 26W it will be at the top bt there will be a grill in between with big holes tht will be okay or wud i need to remove it? the pic of my aquariums top u can see frm the link below...

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj30 ... arge-1.jpg
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj30 ... arge-1.jpg

[SpotsMama]

If you go compact flourescent, then the Exo Terra Repti Glo 5.0 26 watt bulb is a very goood choice. It does provide both UVB and UVA. If you use that bulb, you will also need a second bulb for heat. The heat bulb can be a regular household incandescent bulb. 60 or 75 watts is plenty.

For tube fluorescents (the long, straight kind of bulbs), Reptisun is top of the line. Do like Marisa said if you use a tube.

For compact fluorescents, the Reptisuns have been know to cause eye irritation. The problem is that the frequency range is sometimes too high and they are sometimes stronger than they are supposed to be. The Repti Glo's, however, appear to be safe - no problems reported with them.

What determines whether you should use a tube fluorescent or a compact fluorescent is the type of light fixture you'll use. Because you have to have two light bulbs shining down on the basking platform for a turtle, some people find the compact fluorescent, which uses a clamp light fixture , simpler. They have two clamp fixtures - one for the UVA/UVB bulb and one for the heat. But others, like Marisa for example, do fine with a tube for the UVA/UVB.

If there's a grill between a light bulb and the turtle, and there are big holes are big, then no problem. If the holes are small, like in a screen, then you need to cut out a section to let the light go through unimpeded.

Here's the definition of metabolism: "metabolism n. The chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life."

[munkly]

thanks alot fr the reply ... so i think i should buy exo terra repti glo 5.0 then bt ... is tube better for turtle? or bulb? and how many WATTS and how many VOLTS? my aquarium is 24 inches in length and 12 inches in width and 14 inches hieght im just worried tht the bulb or tube doesnt harm his eyes or somethin ... cz im a bit overprotective when it comes to my turtle :$ ... anywayz as u said heatin lamp should be 70 watts ... now is this watts or VOLTS? cz my haloegene lamp bulb which i use for heating is 15W bt 200VOLTS or 220 somtin like tht! and this 15W bulb is pretty damn hot if i touch the glass so wudnt 70+ be too hot? and thanks alot fr all the info i really appreciate and am luvin the fast response frm u guyz and one more thing ... i post the link of my turtles pic plz look at them and tell me about tht white patch thing tht my turtle has is it normal skin dryness or what?

and one more thing take a look at these pics of my turtle and tell me if this is also normal or not and whats the cause? ....

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj30 ... 2Large.jpg
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj30 ... 0Large.jpg

[SpotsMama]

Your turtle is absolutely precious! Adorable!

Halogen's do tend to burn hot - hotter than incandescent bulbs - so you don't need such high wattage. If your 15 watt halogen gets hot to the touch, then you're fine - don't change it, just continue to use it for heat until it burns out. When the halogen eventually burns out, you may replace it with a cheaper, higher wattage regular incandescent bulb (that is, if your fixture can handle it - otherwise just get another halogen.)

The important thing is that the bulb is hot enough to make the basking area warm. Turtles are attracted to warmth and need it to motivate them to get up and bask, when is very important for their health.

For the other bulb - the one that will provide UVA/UVB - the reptisun tubes are very good and reliable. The problem with them is that you have to use a special long fixture which some people find awkward.

The simplest way to do it is to use a clamp light fixture with a compact fluorescent UVB/UVA bulb. The best bulb is the exo terra repti glo 5.0 26 watt bulb. There is also a 13 watt version of the same bulb but it's too weak - don't waste your money.

I see a small white dot behind your turtle's eye - is that the area of concern? It doesn't look like anything to worry about to me. If the area starts to look swollen or the turtle acts like it's bothering him, then we'll take another look. There is some sort of white residue on the shell - perhaps from hard water. If you moisten a q tip with vinegar and rub gently on the white on the shell, does it come off?

[munkly]

thanks alot spot i really feel like kissing him when he looks at me just sooooo cute ^^ well thanks fr yr reply once again really apreciate it ... abt tht shell i used a wet tissue by diping it in SALT WATER nd then cleanin my turtles shell with it 2-3 times ive done tht .. the shell is clean and looks perfect when its wet bt when it gets dry then again it has those patch type things which u saw in the pic do u think this is an over feeding case by any chance? and ill buy exo terra bulb 26 exact same tht u mentioned bt i cant find it on amazon nd ebay :S ... do u knw any safe site where i can order it? nd i need to get it delivered to pakistan

[SpotsMama]

Here's a site I've used many times and have never been dissappointed. I once had to return a light bulb and they refunded my money with no questions asked. Note, however, they do not accept returns or make refunds for lightbulbs shipped overseas. I have shipped light bulbs overseas myself and if they are packaged properly, it's no problem.

Here's the link and halfway down the page is info on international shipping. They ship just about everywhere - I don't think Pakistan will be a problem.

http://www.reptilesupply.com/shipping.php

[munkly]

OMG! they dnt offer to pak also *crying* ... i have googled fr HRS and i cant find any site tht will send UVB to pakistan tht sux im dyin to buy the light

[steve]

Can you look for the European brands of UVB lighting? You might have an easier time finding them.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Also, try checking ebay. A lot of those sellers may be willing to ship, esp. if you're willing to pay shipping. I would recommend if you go that route that you buy a few bulbs and stock up for awhile. The bulbs themselves shouldn't go bad, and you'll need to replace them every 6-8 months.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Exo-Terra-Reptiglo- ... 0340594086

http://cgi.ebay.com/Reptiglo-5-0-UVB-Co ... .m63.l1177

[munkly]

computer gremlin ... THANKS ALOT!!

@ steve i just want reptisun or reptiglow at most! cz i cant risk with any other brand as it might affect the turtle with eye irritations etc! maybe not bt reptisun was said to cause eye irritations fr turtles :S so im goin fr reptiglo thts y

[munkly]

oki just one more thing ... i also found 10.0 26w on ebay which can b shipped to pakistan as well ... so should i go for 10.0 26w or 5.0 26w reptiglo? my aquarium is 2 foot in lenght 1 foot in width and 14 inches in hieght and my RES is a baby so which would b better?

[TheComputerGremlin]

5% is best because the 10% frequently irritates eyes. 10% is esp. good for other tropical reptiles.