General Care Discussion :: Fading Shell colour

[missibsu]

btw, for missibsu - regarding your turtle picture, is the turtle on top of another turtle or is that a rock?? cant really tell, but it's a cool picture!

Thank You! It is small because it's my avatar, but it really is two turts. My babies, that aren't that small anymore. One was facing one way, and the other one the opposite. That was the first day they had a nice basking area with heat lamp and uvb. Now that they have the chance to bask all the time, I can't get any good pics of them, they run. For other pics you can visit my yahoo photo page at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/missibsu/ ... /my_photos

[ninja_turtle]

thank you, sonyj.

i measured my turtle and it's about 4"L x 3"W. i had him in the plastic container for a while. i'd feed him and change his water every other day. i have a basking area for him w/ a basking lamp. he grew and he's very energetic, looks fine to me. until recently, i noticed the green spots (yes, it's algae) and i wondered if he's okay or maybe i'm not setting his habitat correctly?

anyway, i got him a 10 gal. glass aquarium tank, w/ filter, heater and accessories. will 10 gal. be okay for his current size (since i'm on a budget)? and question about the heater (i got the terafauna aquatic reptile heater) - does it or is it supposed to get warm in the water? i followed the set-up instructions but the water still feels cold to me.

[ninja_turtle]

missi - thank you for sharing your pictures with me. your tank looks really cool and creative, do you have a more recent picture of how your tank looks like? (i only see the top and sides of the tank on your last few pictures.)

i have much to learn and hope to improve the habitat for my turtle...

thank you again! =)

[missibsu]

This isn't the most up to date picture, but it does show the whole set up. I have since added more plants (fake ones), and I have taken out some of the larger rocks and replaced them with smaller ones that they can dig in. The smaller ones are about the size of a small fist, they can't get their mouth around them.


Edit: Also, here is a link to another post of mine where I have a short video clip. I forgot it was there, but it actually more up to date than the photo I posted. http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3945

[JuelisKaylee]

This forum is very good, I got my two RES two months ago and one is fading but the other is not. So just like you all mention I guess one is just older than the next and the color of the shell is due to the age even though they are both the same size. The brighter turtle (Kobe) is less active than Kaylee (the turtle with the fading shell).

[DanielRES1180]

Say, when does the shell color start to fade from green to brown in baby turtles? I think the shell color of the bigger turtles is growing ever more brownish.

[TinySlider2]

Most of our turtles are a year old and some of them still have green and yellow on them. Their shell bottoms have turned more brown than the top.

[sonyj]

Mine is a year old and I can't say exactly when I noticed him getting darker (more brown). I just noticed one day that he was more brown than green, so it has to happen gradually as they grow. And each RES probably does it in his/her own time due to genetics, etc.

[ninja_turtle]

now that i have my tank w/ the filter, heater and basking area set up (i need to get some rocks for the floor of the tank)...questions just pop up as i watch my turtle, ninja, enjoy his new home.

i have about 5 inches of water. it amuses me to see ninja how he stands on his hind feet, his front feet hold onto whatever support that's inside the tank, and pokes his head out occasionally to breathe.

1. can turtles drown if they dont really know how to swim yet? (after watching ninja yesterday, he's just learning how to swim.)

2. in the past, ninja would either sleep in the basking area or in the water, depending on the temperature. now that i have an aquarium tank with much more water, where/how do turtles sleep? when i checked on ninja this morning, he looked stressed out; he appeared to be falling asleep and sinking but he'd wake up and bring his nose to the surface. apparently, i think for the entire night, he had been standing on his hind feet and poking his head out of the water whenever he needs to breathe. (i have some big rocks inside to assist him, so he could reach the surface easier.)

3. do the turtles really use the floating dock station? i had one but i think ninja isnt used to it yet b/c he just runs away. right now, i have a bridge. he can climb on top of it to bask/sleep but again, he runs away after i place him on it.

overall, i think ninja is enjoying his new home. i'll post some pictures next time.

missi, your video clip was great! and your tank looks really nice! i really like that elbow pipe (where do you get that?) - it reminds me of the warping pipes in mario brothers! LOL! when i watched it the first time, i thought you have FOUR turtles but then i just re-watched it and realized the extra 2 are the reflections. they look pretty funny when they swim.

[sonyj]

You should have as much water as your tank can hold without giving room to escape. RES are aquatic, they don't need to learn how to swim... it's a natural instinct. The only turtles that should have a lower water level are ill/sick RES that have difficulties swimming due to the illness. A turtle will usually drown if there isn't enough water in the tank to right itself if it flips over on it's back, or if it gets trapped under water in decorations such as caves or rock fixtures.

If you have fake plants in the tank at different height levels your turtle will use them as rests, hiding spots, and sleeping areas. Many RES sleep under water. They can stay under water up to 3 hours while sleeping and around 15-20 minutes while awake without needing to come up for a breath. I have fake plants that suction onto the glass right under the water level. Koopa sleeps in these and then just raises his head to breath so he doesn't have to swim all the way to the top of the tank. It works out great for him.

Your turtle will have to get used to his new habitat before feeling comfortable to bask on the dock. Being out of the water makes them feel vulnerable. Let him have time to get used to the dock.

[TinySlider2]

Turtles are really great swimmers. He/she is just not used to you that is why he jumps back in the water and does not bask around you. I have a turtle dock and my turts love it.

[missibsu]

The elbow pipe is from Lowes, but any home improvement store should have them in the plumbing section. It's pvc pipe. It's big enough that I can fit it up my arm, but the time will come when I have to remove it because they won't fit through it. Right now, they enjoy swimming through it, sleeping in it, and just laying in it.

I also agree with the fill it up issue. Your turtle won't drown, and he will probably like you all the more for filling it. The reason he may be scared of the dock is because you are watching him. Give him some time to himself to get used to his surroundings. Mine won't bask when I am in the room, either, and that could be part of why you haven't seen him bask.

[ninja_turtle]

you guys are right! my ninja is a great swimmer, know by instinct. also, when i came home from work yesterday and carefully not to scare ninja, i saw him basking! but then, he heard me and he zoomed into the water. so he does bask when no one is around.

[JuelisKaylee]

Ninja Turtle, my one turtle does the same thing. He would not be caught outside his rock shelter once my husband or I am around. Kaylee ont he other hand, it think she willt ry to fight a poodle if you put her in front of one, she thinks she's the QUEEN and isn't afraid at all. I dont hae my tank filled much but i am thinking i'll add some water, i just like to keep them comfortable by allowing just enough water for them to just poke their heads up and breath.