General Care Discussion :: tank requirements

[lynn]

Hello my name is lynn and im new here....i live in the country in oklahoma, i have two large ponds and creeks on my property and very loamy soil so as you can imagine i am a turtles favorite habitat....i have aquired a 1 year old baby turtle ( i say 1 yr. because he is only 2"long) who literaly walked up to me i have several fish tanks that range from 55 gallons to 135 gallons....i currentley have Nibbler in a 10 gallon tank with an elevated basking zone and artificial plants an over the back tank filter...bare bottom tank no gravel no sand i have monitored temp and my fish tank light right now is keeping temperature at 78 degrees...i have now had him for 1 month and he is quite fond of his hoppers (grasshoppers) along with some pellet food...its my understanding that they are mostley meat eaters so to speak at this age and size....my goal with Nibbler is the same as it is with my fish the most natural inviroment as possible he knows i am his food source and that is the only time we interact...he begs all the time but i know better ...again i have fish...lol i would like to know what size tank to use to be able to give him/her all the swimming, basking, nesting space he/she will need as a mature adult because i also am aware that because of my choice on taking him into my home i can never release him again he would never know the dangers out there....Racoons, coyotes, big fish, other turtles...i would appreciate any and all information i have already researched and saved all info on turtle health that the internet and your website had to offer...please help with the rest i want him/her to live in turtle paradise...lol

[SquidSox]

Welcome to the site we love new members

The best as far is space is the bigger the better. 10gals to every inch of shell is the minimum but if you can go bigger the turtle will greatly appreciate it.
Live plants and river rocks would be your best option for decoration or even sand.(note*many people like sand it can help with filtration but my Cumberland slider got a partial impaction from eating sand so idk how safe it really is)
Get a good filtration system. A canister filter is the best way to go it will keep your tank exceptionally clean which is good for the turtle to help prevent parasites and other ilnesses and good cause you clean it less often. They can range from 70$-250$ depending on the size you need. Adding a few very fast fish to your tank can make for a more natural feel for your turtle.

I'm sure others here can help you further but this is basics I'm still learning myself.

Also make sure you have proper lighting(both uva and uvb bulbs or an mvb to create both.if you are going to use an mvb u def need a larger tank)

[steve]

I think your new baby will end up with the 135 gallon you have. Welcome to the site!

[lynn]

thank you so much i think i will just go ahead with the 135 from the start ,,,i am going to go ahead and leave my tank floor empty so that i can keep track of what he is and is not eating and i also don't have to worry then about him eating what he should'nt i went and bought real peices of slate for its basking area...and i am definatley going to do a canster filter system on a tank this large....nice thing i am hoping is that it gives plenty of swim area, basking area, and a loamy soil area just incase Nibbler turns out to be Nibblet..i will already be set..what kind of fish would you suggest to go in a tank with him that he wont eat or try to eat right away...lol oh also any comments or suggestions on my feeding him right now...do they indeed eat mostley bugs and such while they are at this age and at what size and age do they start eating more vegtable matter and less live food...im not sure what info out there is correct or not so would love advice on this also...i apologize cause i am a need to know kind of person...

[SquidSox]

As far as food goes its never to early to start introducing veggies but at a young age the chances of him/her eating them are slim you will typically see them get interested in them when they reach roughly 3" in size. There are some great stickies in the feeding forum about what and what not to feed your turtle. Also a section on the home age that helped me quite a bit when o started out. Pellets should be given once a day(only enough to fit in their head if it's empty not including the neck) krill,shrimp,and guppy feeder fish are great but only as snacks maybe twice a week. Crickets meal worms or grasshoppers are okay to. Carrots ate good for their eyes mine turtle love them. Also dandelion greens and water plants duckweed is a good source of protein when they are small and can get them used to eating the leafy look food which can make an raiser transfer to veggies later in the future. As far as fish go its hard because they def try to eat alot of them. Cory cays may work as they have a tough plate on the outside that the smaller turtles can't brake but as the turtle gets bigger they may demolish them. Algae water seem to have always survived well in my tank as well as snails. If you want a nicer looking fish like a goldfish I would suggest getting the small thinner ones because they are very fast. Just make sure you give any fish plenty of hiding places. I.e. Plants(real or fake) Betts plants work well in bare bottom tanks became they are weighted and u don't need subtrate to hold them down. Also you could use little huts or log decorations. Pretty much anything the fosh can escape to. Also I've notice a higher number of fish make for better survival possibility for a few of them

[lynn]

thanks so much for the fish advice....i have gone down to my pond and deliberatley caught water grass for his tank...he loves crickets an hoppers and flies i figured if the turtles at my ponds eat it them he will...and i have some big turtles.lol....also found some baby clear in color crayfish gonna use them to keep tank clean until he decides to eat them...oh and he loves his candy(butterfly's and moths) ..thanks for all the advice....

[SquidSox]

Ghost shrimp,and snails are also good for cleaning the tank the ghost shrimp are also good excerise for a turtle since they are clear its hard for the turtle to see them. Also if they do catch them they make a good snack