It's a boy!!
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 3:31 pmFirst off, I want to thank everyone here who was so helpful in giving me advice and suggestions for the care necessary for a turtle.
I am proud to annouce that WE HAVE A BOY!! Yep! And he is a cutie patootie!! I'll post pictures soon (if I can find the cable for the digital camera!).
I had looked around to adopt a turtle but every place we looked the turtles were too big (7-8") for the setup we currently have (30g tank). Although we will be getting a 90g tank in the next few of weeks when I'm on vacation, I refused to keep a larger turtle in such a small tank for even a day and my hubby was really looking forward to getting the turtle.
We went to PetLand and I noticed one small RES (4" - the smallest in the bunch) that had two larger turtles sitting on top of him. There was very little water in the tank and ... well, the habitat was terrible (no surprise there). This small RES seemed to have the skin around one claw turning brown. I just couldn't let him stay in that environment. So we bought him. I almost hit the guy at the store because he was going to put him in a tiny cardboard box lined with plastic!! The box was about the size of the turtle shell!!! I said "Oh, no!!" I insisted he put him in a plastic container which I lined with a wet towel (thanks to suggestions from here). The little fellow seemed content - he burrowed into the towel and was just looking about.
Once home, he peed when I picked him up to put him in the tank. That's boys for you!!
A few hours later and he is so content in his "larger" home. He's practically doing summersaults. I know that with 4" he should be in a larger tank - I'll be on vacation in about 2 1/2 weeks and that's when I'm picking up the larger tank. I'll be watching his claw and if it gets worse he'll be going to the vet this week - if not, I plan on taking him for a check up anyway while I'm on vacation. I'm going to try the neosporin tip as a precaution. He was on the turtle dock for about 2 minutes but he seems to be enjoying the freedom of swimming so much I don't want to take him out just yet. (He's a fiesty one! He doesn't hide when I pick him up - he kicks!)
Well, as soon as I find the darn cable, I'll post pictures of my boy!! Again, thanks everyone for all your suggestions, advice and concern for turtles.
I am proud to annouce that WE HAVE A BOY!! Yep! And he is a cutie patootie!! I'll post pictures soon (if I can find the cable for the digital camera!).
I had looked around to adopt a turtle but every place we looked the turtles were too big (7-8") for the setup we currently have (30g tank). Although we will be getting a 90g tank in the next few of weeks when I'm on vacation, I refused to keep a larger turtle in such a small tank for even a day and my hubby was really looking forward to getting the turtle.
We went to PetLand and I noticed one small RES (4" - the smallest in the bunch) that had two larger turtles sitting on top of him. There was very little water in the tank and ... well, the habitat was terrible (no surprise there). This small RES seemed to have the skin around one claw turning brown. I just couldn't let him stay in that environment. So we bought him. I almost hit the guy at the store because he was going to put him in a tiny cardboard box lined with plastic!! The box was about the size of the turtle shell!!! I said "Oh, no!!" I insisted he put him in a plastic container which I lined with a wet towel (thanks to suggestions from here). The little fellow seemed content - he burrowed into the towel and was just looking about.
Once home, he peed when I picked him up to put him in the tank. That's boys for you!!
A few hours later and he is so content in his "larger" home. He's practically doing summersaults. I know that with 4" he should be in a larger tank - I'll be on vacation in about 2 1/2 weeks and that's when I'm picking up the larger tank. I'll be watching his claw and if it gets worse he'll be going to the vet this week - if not, I plan on taking him for a check up anyway while I'm on vacation. I'm going to try the neosporin tip as a precaution. He was on the turtle dock for about 2 minutes but he seems to be enjoying the freedom of swimming so much I don't want to take him out just yet. (He's a fiesty one! He doesn't hide when I pick him up - he kicks!)
Well, as soon as I find the darn cable, I'll post pictures of my boy!! Again, thanks everyone for all your suggestions, advice and concern for turtles.
