Habitat - Indoor :: Save money on a heat lamp and water heater

[ellman605]

Guys, i just went to walmart in search to snaz my (NEED A BIGGER) 10 gallon tank for my 2 turtles. i notices the leat lamp itself was 9.99, not bad, then i looked at the heat light, IT WAS 6.99! So i forgot that and moved on, i searched for a water heater. 9.99, 15 for better version. i would have payed 32 dollars for it all. Then, i went to the hardware section, and i saw a work light that was made of a reflective metal, for 5.99, so i grabbed it, about to buy my heat light. I spotted some .77 lights (4 pack) and i thought "what the hell". On saturday, i installed the light, and the water temp rose from 65 to 84, and the baskign area is now about 87-89. So i advise you, DONT BUY A HEATER OR HEAT LIGHT, WASTE OF MONEY. Just use a reflective work light (most is with a clamp) and some .77 lights (i use 100 watt). I hope this helps you.

EDIT: Here are some screenshots


This one look at the very right of the thermometer, it shows 85

[marisa]

Can't see your pics from the computer I'm on, but from what you wrote, they have a UVB light as well as that heat light? Many people do use regular lightbulbs to warm the basking area (myself included), and there's nothing wrong with getting fixtures (dome clamp lamps, for example) at places other than petstores. I've gotten them at Home Depot, Lowes, and even Walmart ($4.00 for the last one). With the money you've saved, you should be able to get them a very good one (UVB light) if they don't have one.

If your light can warm the water from 65F (too cool) to 84F (too warm) then in addition to having a very (too) small tank, it sounds like there isn't much water in it. (How deep is the water level?) I wouldn't skimp on a submersible water heater if the weather is getting cold now where you are. What is the temp with the lights off--65F again? (If so, a big variation in temp.)

It would be good to work on getting them a bigger tank/container.

[ellman605]

In reply.

I only have water level two times as high as they are, give them room to swim, and not to high that they have to go real high for air.

In response to the tank, the best i can do is a rubbermaid container at the moment, but i'm requesting for christmas that i get a 55 gallon (starter kit, in wal-mart for 160) and a stand. I also need to get a job (mabey snow will come soon so i can shovel) so i can afford one myself, and i can get myself a new ps2 for christmas! Mine has been acting really odd lately, but this isnt a game forum, so i wont go into that.

I would really like to get one off of ebay, i saw a 200 gallon theatre one that was at 200 bucks and had 2 minutes left, and i coulda won it, but it was in canada and was only for pickup only, and me being in Maryland, i doubt that my dad would appreciate that one.

The light off (i turn it off at night) keeps the tempurature at a steady 72º due to the reflective metal keeping the heat in there. But as i said, I REALLY need a larger tank, but i need some money, i have 40 bucks (i really have 50, but school dance is this friday, and i need some cash) so i can only afford a 10 gallon starter kit (WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE A FREAKING STARTER KIT!!!!!) and petsmart is way to expensive. My dad (thinking he knows everything) keeps pulling the past where my neighbor up the street had a 8" turtle (i think a snapping turtle) in a tank about the size of mine. It is odd, i knew about it when i was 5, but the turtle only lived to 4, hmm, tank size and early death, no simalarities eh?

If i get a new tank, i'll let you guys know ASAP, i would need to save up EVEN MORE money to get more gravel, I bought 2 2lb bags of gravel, and it barely covers my floor and a basking are, so if math is right again, i would need 10 bags, and there goes 30 bucks (sorry DS, no new games for a while).

I bought my turtles down in myrtle beach about 1.5 years ago, whent hey were a little over 1", the guy said they were only 1 month old, and without any knoledge WHATSOEVER about turtles, i bought 2. The only backround knowledge i had were the time we had 17 box turtles in my backyard, and we kept them in a cage outside, half escaped, half liked the free food. I now know that they are going to cost me some, so i'm going into the field of computers or anything electronic, but i've always wanted to do that. I've always fed them turtle pellets, but it seems necessary to give them veggies, which they will take a bite of and spit out (peas, corn, carrot and green beans) but go STRAIGHT for the pellets. seems thats the only thing they want. So i'll keep trying, i dont think they are old enough for liking it yet.

As i upgrade i will consult EVERYONE before buying, cause i think that i will get a lot of good replies, and thanks for your support.

Toitle luva,
Ell (aka E.T)

[jenaero]

I just wanted to jump in and let you know that there's no need to cover the whole bottom of the tank. I have about 10 river rocks in mine. Just enough for them to push around. I caught them both eating gravel last year and I got rid of that right away. It smelled up the tank pretty bad too because it holds all the poop and food particles. The river rocks were only $1 for a bag at the dollar store so maybe you should look into that.

One more thing, get the water level as high as you can without giving them room to escape. Res LOVE deep water.

[cam722]

Just to let you know.. although you think Petsmart is expensive.. you can do pricematching.. find what you want on their website, print it out and take it to the store and they will give it to you for the online price. A 10 gallon tank at Petsmart is like $10.00.. I've gotten all my grandchildren their tanks there. You can use the clamp lights as you said with regular housebulbs for the basking area but you really do need a good submersible heater. You can get those for less at petsmart too with their online price matching. I'd not go with the starter sets as most of them have things you don't need or that are basically useless for a turtle. The tanks I've seen at petsmart are better priced than what you can get at Walmart, at least at ours. I've checked both

What are you using for a basking area? I'd up the water a bit more.. I thought you said in another post that your turtles are like a year and a half.. which mine are too. I'd add as much water as I could so they have room to really swim around, although in a 10 gallon tank with 2 turtles the space is way too small (which you know already).

If you've read through the forum you will see that it's not recommended you use gravel in a turtle tank as they can eat it and it can make them very sick. Go out side and find some rocks.. not huge ones, maybe ones the size of an egg and put those in the tank after scrubbing them very well. Doesn't cost a thing and the turtles love pushing them around.. Not to mention the fact it's much easier to clean the tank with larger rocks.

Read the food list on the website and in the forum for suggestions on food. If your turtles are 1.5 yrs old they are ready to eat veggies, many eat them even younger. Just be patient with them. Also, they should be getting pellets only every other day. So give them veggies on the day they don't get pellets. I bet they'll eat them then, if they have no other food options.

There are a lot of alternatives that don't cost much or nothing at all that you can use for your turtles. This is getting to be a novella, so I'll stop now.. Good luck and hope you get your new tank

[ellman605]

i agree, my turtles dont sem to be eating the rocks, mabey they are to smart

i REALLY need a bigger tank, could you check and see how much a 55 gallon one would be?