Habitat - Indoor :: How much water

[joem1481]

I am getting two Baby RES. I have a ten gollon tank filled 3/4 the way. Is that to much i would think not but i just wanted to make sure or do they like shallower waters?

[cam722]

you're going to put both turtles in 1 10 gallon tank? First off that's too small for two turtles. What else do you have for their setup? You have to keep in mind the rule of thumb is 10 gallons of space for each inch of shell. I've also read that when adding another turtle, you should add a MINIMUM of 5 gallons for the additional turtle. So at the bare minimum you should have a 15 gallon tank for the 2, but getting a larger one would help with their growth and not having to upgrade as often. So, the suggestion is to buy as large a tank/container as you can possibly afford.

Babies don't like shallower water, but you should put plants and the like in the water for them to cling to .. to hide or to take a rest if they need it. Many babies like sleeping in floating plants.

[jenaero]

I've heard that 5gal for each extra turtle too, but I can't see how that would work if both were adults I read it in some reptile magazine. It said that a 20gal was perfect for 1 adult and to add 5gal for each additional adult turtle

Anyway, for 2 hatchlings, the minimum you should have is a 20gal tank.

[ellman605]

yea, make sure you have everything ready, read the site. I made the mistake of not researching, and for a year and a half, they were living horribly, no heat, no uvb, no filter, no nothing, only reptomin, and a shell for them to bask on. Until, whenever i joined this site, i found out what i need, and constantly annoyed me dad (it works, trust me )and we have a 50 gallon tank with everything, and yes, once i get a job this summer, i plan on getting a bigger everything.


20 gallon for 1 adult and 5 for each turtle? so in theory, if you added 2 more adults, the'd only have a 35 gallon , those reptile magazines need some real editors, hm.....mabey turtle talk can create some magazines

[jenaero]

yeah, it was one of those bigtime magazines from the states too. I bought it because that one issue was all about turtles. Then I told the guy at the pet store how seriously off the info was. Shocking. If I went with that info, I could have all 4 of my large res in my 50gal

[marisa]

You'd want to had half as much for a second turtle (and each extra turtle beyond that, but there is a limit, I would think). For example, for a 5-inch turt, a 50-gallon tank. For a second turt, half of that (25 gallons) or a 75-gallon tank for the two of them.