Hello All! I have a Female RES named Shelldon Leo Kooper, who has been with us about 9 years (She is likely around 10-11 yrs old, adopted when she was 4 in at a Petco, captive bred).
Shelldon has been doing really well here in Kansas. We will be moving back home to MN at the end of the month. I anticipate a smooth move, using the exact same variables and procedures that made the ride here so smooth.
Shelldon will be moving back in to her old tank (which is very similar to her current tank, same size etc.). Down the line though, when I know what the next step will be, I would like to create a more comfortable set up for her. If I end up staying at MN, with a job, or going to school there, then I would set up the new set up at home, or, if we move again, then we would look into getting the new set up there before moving Shelldon again.
Shelldon's current set up is as follows: Shelldon is 6 In. in Carapace Length
40 Gallon Breeder Tank: 36 X 18 X 17.
Filled Halfway about 23.5 gallons of water, 10 In. Depth (My original formula was to add 1 in., to the carapace length for the head, then another 1 in. for the legs, then 2 in. for swimming room)
Basking Area: Oasis Turtle Ramp (Large). Shelldon is able to and does bask frequently on it. Diving from it is not dangerous (I actually just saw her dive very smoothly off of it).
Tetrafauna Aquatic Reptile Heater: Keeps the water at around 76-80 degrees F.
Tetra Whisper 40i Filter keeps the water very clean. I do partial water changes (1/4) weekly, and full water changes monthly, adding Reptisafe conditioner when I do so.
The rest of the tank is pretty bare. back when we first got Shelldon, we had small blue gravel in the tank, a mistake we corrected immediately. Shelldon doesn't necessarily mind a bare tank. At least it doesn't seem like she does.
At any rate, my goal is to create a very comfortable environment for Shelldon. Her current set-up isn't exactly bad... at least I do not think it is. The tank width is about 6 times Shelldon's carapace length, the length being about 3 times her carapace length, and the water seems to be deep enough for her, with the lights hanging above the basking ramp (about 1 foot distance) to create the perfect range of temperature in the water and basking ramp.
That being said, I want to improve Shelldon's set up down the line, and if I am going to get Shelldon a new tank when I know what I am going to do next, then I might as well go all the way and really work to make Shelldon's habitat as comfortable as possible. Some questions I have:
1. Tank Size: The most important question. My original plan was to upgrade to a 75 gallon tank when Shelldon got bigger. But Shelldon has been 6 in since at least 2014. The vet seemed to relate this to the consistency in her diet, and the consistency of her tank size. Her diet has been changed recently, with less of a focus of romaine lettuce and carrots with zoo med pellets, and a higher focus on green and red leaf lettuce, higher variety in pellets. Who knows if she will get bigger as a result, or if I do upgrade, if she will get bigger then. I have heard the common rule of thumb: 10 gallons/inch of carapace of turtle. I wanted to try for a 50 gallon tank upon moving to Kansas, so that at least it would be slightly bigger, but there were not any 50 gallon tanks available, and a 40 breeder had similar dimensions as a 50 gallon. In my quest to provide Shelldon with a great habitat though, this rule of thumb leaves me confused... Granted a 60 gallon tank would work with Shelldon's current size, does that also mean I should fill it with 60 gallons? Does that rule of thumb indicate the tank size, or the amount of water? Because then the tank would need to be even bigger (I doubt the tank should be filled all the way, for the basking area and the cover, and such). I would also not want to work with Shelldon's current size, but rather her possible size. I would want this upgrade to be the final "best" upgrade. Since Shelldon CAN grow up to 12 inches, would that mean a 120 gallon tank? Or perhaps larger if 120 gallons need to be used? Even if I went with my original plan and upgraded to a 75 gallon tank, if Shelldon ends up being a foot, then I would need to upgrade again down the line. Vets that I have talked to seem to think Shelldon is near her maximum size, though I do not know for sure if she will get bigger or not. This also raises questions of how to heat and filtrate. Tetrafauna heaters work with 30 gallons, but further onward, and I will need to use a different heater. My plan was to use Aqueon Pro heaters, as they have different wattages and power based on the amount of water (unlike Tetrafauna, whichi s preset) and the "Pro" heaters are shatterproof. In terms of filtration though, I am a little lost. My "worst case scenario" was to use multiple whisper 40is, but that might be sort of hectic. Is there a sort of "power filter" one would reccomend with large set ups?
Essentially, I am a little lost with Tank rules. Everything feels vague, and I want Shelldon to be comfortable, but I do not know how large she will get, if she is already at her maximum size, and what tank size/amount of water she would feel most comfortable at.
2. Substrate:The tank bottom is currently bare. After the whole gravel scenario, I figured I would play it safe. Shelldon might appreciate some sort of substrate. The only problem is that A: If Shelldon can eat it, she will, and B. Substrates tend to make things messy. If it is rocks, dirt will get trapped in it, and things like sand will just get sucked into the filter anyway. So far leaving the tank bare has been really good for the water quality, and I can notice piles of dirt and vacuum that up myself too if the filter does not get it. The water has been crystal clear as a result. I'm not sure what to do in terms of substrate. I've read in the "Habitat" section that bare substrate is okay. Still.
3: Plants/Hiding Places: I have been looking into a sort of hiding place for Shelldon to nap or go to when she wants to. She tends to nap under the basking ramp, as it offers some shade. I don't want her to feel exposed all the time though. The problem is I don't want her "Hiding spot" to get in the way of her swimming room. I don't want it to particularly move everywhere either. Having plastic plants that Shelldon moves everywhere and/or try to eat tend to create more issues than it solves, and seems to get in the way of Shelldon's swimming room. I have so far gone with the "If it is not necessary (i.e. basking area, filter, heater), then maybe Shelldon would be happier without it" scenario, but I figured some hidey area would be helpful. I'm just not sure what would work best. A larger tank size might solve the problem of "Getting in the way of swimming room", but I am still not entirely sure how to construct a hidey area that Shelldon won't eat. I would want the hidey area to be stable (A "tent" of rocks for example, would make me nervous and worry without end).
Shelldon and I would appreciate any and all advice. Despite caring for her for nearly 9 years, I still have a lot to learn about caring for Shelldon. I know Shelldon's current setup is "okay", but I want it to be "great" and "comfortable".
What is the water temperature? 78 Degrees F
Did you use a thermometer? Yes
Are you using a water heater? Yes
How much water is in there? About 23.3 Gallons
Current Tank: 40 Gallon Tank Breeder
Tank Width: 17 In. W
Total Tank Depth: Around 17 In.H
Water Depth: 10 In. (Add 4 In. to Carapace Length)
Length: About 48 In L
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes
Are you using any filtration? Yes
What is the basking temperature? 88.2 Degrees F
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Oasis Turtle Ramp (Large)
Is there a UVB light? Yes
What have you been trying to feed it? Vegetables and Pellets
When was the last time your turtle ate? This afternoon
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure?
Is the tank near a window? No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? No
Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes
Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No
