General Care Discussion :: Could use some advice

[bonefan03]

So here is first my setup I have. . .

How big is your turtle? 3inches
How long have you had it? I've had him for 6months

What is the water temperature? 76.5
Did you use a thermometer? yes
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? Full 10 gallon tank
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes, reptisafe
Are you using any filtration? A power filter, 10gal

What is the basking temperature? Don't know
Is there a basking light? No
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Common one called turtle dock
Is there a UVB light? A reptiglo 5%UVB
What have you been trying to feed it? Yes
When was the last time your turtle ate? 1 hour ago

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 10 gal
Is the tank near a window?yes, but not in direct sunlight and window is always closed
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Yes,

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes

So here is my predicament. My current apartment complex does not allow tanks bigger than 10 gallons. Normally I wouldn't care and get a bigger tank, but my girlfriend is not comfortable with the idea. So I've gone out and bought a kiddie pool thta I fill up once every two weeks to give him some more room which my girlfriend isn't too keen about. But I was thinking about using the pool full time? So anyway long story short what can I do to take care of my turtle but given landlord and girlfriend restrictions

[TheComputerGremlin]

The only thing you can do is find a loophole, change apartments, or give up your turtle to a better home. Obviously, 10 gallons is a little tight for him, but not so tragically bad. However, in the near future, it will be.

Finding a loophole means you need to read very carefully what you signed. Did you say that you would not have a glass tank that was over 10 gallons, or did you say that you would not have a body of liquid over 10 gallons? Technically, if you just agreed to no aquariums over 10 gallons, you could temporarily use a 50 gallon rubbermaid container filled up. There are some restrictions with these, though. First, you need to inspect the container daily or more to ensure there are no cracks or leaks. You must also replace the container as needed. Second, you may need to stabilize the sides using some type of structural support, like wood or block. These containers aren't necessarily intended to hold lots of water for a long time.

Another option is discussing the matter with your landlord. Some landlords will make allowances if you put an amount of money aside with them for repairs if the tank leaks or if you somehow insure your apartment against floods (don't know if that exists, but you can check).

The obvious other option is to move. Or give the turtle to someone, like a close friend or family member, until you can care for him again.

As for your current setup, you need a basking bulb, they don't just need the UVB, they need heat to metabolize their food!

[bonefan03]

First of all thanks for the help,

I at first thought that the bulb I have would provide both uvb/uva/and heat. But after looking at the packaging closer noticed it only gives off uva/uvb. So, instead of adding an extra daytime light and risk blinding the little guy I know added a 75 wat night time light. This should give him the heat he needs and not give him swollen eyes.

As for the landlord, I think your right about reading the fine print. I believe I can use a container rather than a tank, but whether my girlfriend agrees to this I'm not sure. I'll look into the rental agreement. Thanks again for the help

[mike hill]

Bone-03 The turtle has no idea what is going on in your personal life. The tank is too small. Solution: ditch the girlfriend, move and get a larger tank. That is the shortest, simplest solution for your problem.

[bonefan03]

Since I'm stuck here on my lease until july, I'm going to try to use the 8' kiddie pool as a tank. If full it should provide close to 50 gal which is good for a 3 inch turtle. I'll also take a stab at the DIY filter. Thanks for al the help.

[mike hill]

bone-3 Since you are not going to take my advice try and determine how much water you have in the pool. Your filter pump should pump at least 5 times the volume. Good Luck!