General Care Discussion :: Temperatures

[hrly]

I have a red ear slider that's about 6 years old. She is getting bigger and bigger, we just can't afford to buy another tank. I have a friend who says when warm weather gets here, he could turn her loose in his parents 3 acre pond. I live in North Carolina, and want to be sure she can survive outdoors in the winter.
I love her dearly, and it will break my heart to let her go, but I really want her to be where she can have room to swim well and be happy. There's at least 17 other turtles at this pond.
Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Hrly

[megcornell]

It is NEVER recommended to release a captive turtle into the wild.
Not only are they not accustomed to hibernating but they're also not used to providing their own food. More likely than not, it will be a death sentence for your turtle.
On the other side of things, you have to take the pond's ecosystem into account. Your turtle could have something that they aren't immune to and could easily wipe out the population. RES are considered an invasive species and are very dangerous to local ecosystems.
Finally, there's the legal aspect. In many states, it's illegal to release captive turtles. You'll have to check your local laws to see what N.C allows.

If you can't afford another tank, have you considered alternatives like storage bins or stock tanks?
Another more plausible solution than dumping your turtle in a pond would be to put ads out and find a new home for it, once you own the turtle it's your responsibility to make sure it's needs are met. A pond simply isn't the answer.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Precisely. You had 6 years now to know she could need up to a 120 gallon tank, there is no excuse for not having saved up money to this point. Stock tanks are a great option, think of them like an indoor pond. You can often use your existing filter and lighting as well. Also, spring cleaning is coming up and a lot of people find great deals on Craigslist this time of year for large tanks.

Last option, though, should be adoption. Well, the option right before releasing her, because as Meg said, that's basically a death sentence. There are many adoption resources available on the main site.

[hrly]

Yes, I've had 6 years but I never realized just how big she could get when I
got her. It tok me a while to learn what to do for her at all. I love her very much or I would not have written to this site looking for answers, I would have just turned her loose in the pond!!!!

[SpotsMama]

That's a good suggestion about looking into something like a stock tank for a roomier home for your turt. Lots of people on here use them. They aren't nearly as expensive as glass aquariums and some feel that the fact that the sides of the tank are opaque instead of transparent makes a turtle feel more at home. There are lots of examples on here of very nice homes people have made for their turtles using stock tanks - try doing a search.

[Raphulk]

Yes, I've had 6 years but I never realized just how big she could get when I
got her. It tok me a while to learn what to do for her at all. I love her very much or I would not have written to this site looking for answers, I would have just turned her loose in the pond!!!!

I don't want to sound rude, but through those six years you never once looked at how big your turtle could get? I know that many people get their turtles when they are small, but even puppies get bigger and bigger. Don't use your "inadequate" knowledge over the past six years as an excuse to release your turtle into an environment that is unfamiliar.

On the other hand, at least you've come to this site to get some advice. In any case at least try to adopt him or her out to someone that is able to take care of your turtle.

[hrly]

I did not research this turtle before I got her, I rember having them as a child and we never had one live to get big. I will not turn her loose if it is a "death sentence " for her. I will do whatever I have to for her. I have been fighting Trigeminal Neuralgia for over 6 years--------excruciating face pain, and also working to get my daughter on a donor list for a new kidney-------yes, my plate has been full. But I will do whatever it takes for my turtle to be safe!!

[EmperorTunaFish]

Sorry to hear about you and your daughter. I hope you both get the treatments you need.

[SpotsMama]

Hrly, hang in there. You do indeed have your plate full. Things will get better, I promise.

What size tank do you have now?

[megcornell]

I'd say your plate is more than full, I'm so sorry to hear it.

Keep in mind that the 10 gallons per inch is ideal, but not always something we're able to meet. If you've got your 6 inch turtle in say a 55 gallon, that will be fine for quite a while, turtles grow much slower once they're past a year old. Even if you had a 30 gallon you could give the max swimming space by rigging up an above tank basking area.

If sometime in the future you can upgrade your tank, then a few months or years in a tank that's a little too small won't hurt.

[zoologist]

Yes, please tell us more about your tank. we could help you make it better for your turtle so you wont have to upgrade right now. Perhaps you can think about building your own pond in your backyard for your turtle.

[hrly]

She is in a 55 gallon aquarium, and has a large floating dock ( which she pretty much fills up) We made her an above tank basking area, but she would not go in it at all, it was made with a square plastic bin and the ramp was made with diffuser panel. I think the ramp was the biggest problem with that set up, because by the time she got to the top of the ramp, she was in too much of a straight up position to get in the plastic tote.

[TheComputerGremlin]

A 55 gallon will suffice until she is around 8-9" at least! You have plenty for her right now. And it will give you time to find a potential adopter if you still wish to take that route. You can try contacting your local humane societies and say that if someone comes in looking for a RES, they can adopt yours.

As for the above-tank basking area, how long did you give her with it before giving up? Sometimes a new basking area can take several weeks before the turtle will bask. You should also remove the existing basking area so the turtle has no other option.

I'm sorry your plate is so full right now! I hope for the best for you and your family!

[theartbook35]

The other options you could explore, are possibly building a temporary backyard pond, with a tall fence that your turtle can't climb. Or, save up some money, and buy a large enough tank. Maybe even get this friend of yours to loan you some money.

[Diamondbacks4Life]

Remember the turtle doesnt have to stay in an actual glass tank.

100-150 gallon plastic bin only costs around $55 thats as much as what you would pay for a 20 gallon glass tank., I know my 300gallon stock tank only costs me $100.