Photo Gallery :: Veronica's new set-up.

[buffyfan9005]

New Set-Up:



Old Set-Up:



I took out the tiny gravel (except for where I'm using it to plug in between the shells so she doesn't swim back there and get stuck). I got her bigger rocks and a plant that she already loves to play in.





I also put a suction cup soap dish (the metal thing) in the tank as a little sleeping dock. I believe I got the idea from someone here on the forum. Can't remember who but it was genius.

Soon I'm going to be getting her a better basking area that will hopefully allow me to raise the water level for her. I also need to get her a UVB light strip and then I think she'll pretty much be set-up.

I tried to give her her first feeder fish today. She just looked at it and turned her back on it. I think I'll wait a few months before I try again. Right now her diet consists of pellets but I'm trying different methods to introduce lettuce and such to her. I read about someone rubbing the lettuce against bacon to make it smell meaty...that kind of sounds if-y to me but let me know if you think that's safe. I'm not so sure about it.

If you have any other ideas on how to get her to eat veggies let me know.

Update: http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2855

[jenaero]

cute setup!

For veggies, just leave them floating and he'll munch on them eventually. Dont leave them there long enough for them to get soggy. Lettuce goes bad after a couple days.

Don't do the bacon thing. I don't have any proof of it doing any harm but it can't be good. All that grease and such. Not to mention how odd it would be for a wild res to chew on a pig

[buffyfan9005]

Jenaero:

Will the lettuce cloud up the water? I'm really crazy about water quality.

Yeah, the bacon thing didn't sound too hot. :-/

Veronica really likes the river rocks. She keeps pushing them with her nose.

[jenaero]

The lettuce won't cloud up the water unless it's left there for too long. I learned that with my snail tank. If left long enough, especially in heated water, the lettuce will pretty much liquify. Just give a fresh leaf every day and you won't have to worry about it.

Another thing you can try is anacharis. It's an aquatic plant found in most big pet stores. Res will eat it, and if they don't, it can contribute to good water quality.

[buffyfan9005]

I'll definitely try the anacharis. What do you think the price range is on it? What nutrients does it offer a RES?

I'm playing twenty questions with you haha. Thanks for giving me these tips.

[khobbs]

anacharis around here costs about $3. not too bad, but the thing is, my turts love to eat it as soon as it is put in there tank. they shred it up and it gets in the filter. other than that they love it. and the pieces that don't get picked up by the filter either float around or settle on the bottom. I like giving them lettuce personally, its easier to get out if they dont eat it, too. but most of the time they eat it so no problems there.