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hi...
i have my turtles for 2 months already
but i just found out abt this forum
(wish i've had sooner)


i was lookin at other ppl's tanks
and lots people mentioned gravel's not good for them?
and i dont have UVB light
but the seller suggests me to buy dr. turtle which prevents them from having soft shells
if dr turtle serves the same function as UVB
do i still need the light?


here are some pix of my tank n turtles
plz give some comments
thanks!
(i know u guys will haf a lot to say abt my tank.
cuz it's not very 'standard' healthy habitat. =x)


oh.
can somebody tell me their gender?
LOL thnx


i know.. gravel's gota go....









why does it do that?
with feet up high........

Besides the gravel, looks pretty good. Can the both get up on the rock so they are completely dry? (It's hard to tell from the pic).

From what I understand, Dr. Turtle is no good at all, and it's best to not buy it at all. I believe the only alternatives to a uvb light are a few hours of direct sunlight each week, or a vitamin D suppliment.

You won't be able to tell their gender until they're at least 4 inches (shell length).

They put their legs up like that 'cause it feels good It's the turtle equivalent of sun tanning

Awww, aren't they a couple of cutes!! There is really no supplement for UVB or the sun. You can give them vitamin D supplement, but I still think it is better for them to have the "rays".

P.S. I love the last pic with the superman pose!!

Very cute! In the last picture it looks as if he could climb right over the edge if he got up on his hind feet. RES are great escape artists, I don't want you to lose him! Also, when you take the gravel out, what are your turtles going to bask on? It doesn't look like the rock with stand on it's own without the gravel.

Cute babies you've got there!

Vitamin D cannot replace UVB. First of all, vitamin D can be toxic in large amounts and can cause liver problems and calcification (hardening) of the internal organs. So adding extra vitamin D can be fatal to your turtle.

Second, UVB allows the body (in humans and animals) to absorb calcium intake and it helps the body produce vitamin D. Vitamin D cannot make the body absorb calcium. What you do need is to provide a calcium supplement to your turtle, such as cuttlebone or veggies that have calcium such as dandelions. As long as your turtle is getting enough calcium and is basking, that will give him the vitamin D it needs.

Dr. Turtle is a sulfa block that is supposed to help prevent bacterial and fungal infections in turtles. The jury is still out on whether it actually works or not. If I were you, I wouldn't waste my money. As long as you have the proper habitat for your turtle (read through the stickies under Habitat - Indoor), you shouldn't need the Dr. Turtle.

lots valuable comments!!
HAHA!!
thanks for the suggestions!! =)

maybe i'll HAVE to get a UVB light after all~~

missibsu:
yea i guess i'll make the rock stand... somehow!? =D

so the bottom of the tank is supposed to be clean?
like.. nothing?
wouldnt it be... kinda.. not decorated then????
and wont be able to haf plants?

i just saw another tank has gravels too
are the gravels bad for turtles?
or it's just for cleaning reasons?
cuz i really dont mind cleaning the gravels
i vacuum them everytime i change water

may i keep them???
MAYBEEEEE?????????





another Q
how long does it take them to grow to 4 inches??
HA....~~

No, gravel can be eaten and become impacted in your turtle. You don't have to keep the bottom clear though. If you want rocks, use larger river rocks. Most pet stores carry them. The key is to make sure they are bigger than your turts head. You'd be amazed at the size of things that your RES can fit in his mouth.

ahh i see! thanks!!!
wouldnt it be really hard to clean then??
if all the poo poo sink to the bottom of the tank...................
i have to take out all the rocks everytime i clean?
cuz u cant really use the vacuum for the rocks..??

If you use river rock around 2-4" in size scattered on the bottom, you can vacuum them and move them around the bottom to vacuum around them, they'll be too heavy to suck up. The turts will love pushing them around too. Also some plastic plants with weighted bottoms are a nice touch and the turts will move them around also. The live plants you have are very nice too, but when you remove the gravel (as soon as possible), the will float on the top unless you suction cup them to the bottom, they'll look nice floating as well. A good basking dock for them is the Zoomed floating dock and it suctions to the side of the glass. Get the bigger one so both can fit on it together. You can also get the 'aquarium wallpaper' to wrap around the outside of the tank for a more pleasing look. Just some suggestions to help decorate and provide fun for your turts! Keep us updated!

hey, can anyone please tell me the name of that plant turrbee has in his aquarium?

they're cute little ones

and turtles sometimes bask like that