General Care Discussion :: Baby Turtle

[Nessa]

One of my friends had a turtle the size of a quarter in a pewny tank with a little hawaiian tree. It was pretty much in the water 24/7 so it has that white stuff, which is shell rot I think. I need to get it stuff from the store for that. I'm pretty clueless I just know it is in a better spot than before.
Edit: I forgot to mention I asked her for it and she gave it to me since she didn't want it.

I gave it lettuce and a pellet from this bag they gave me which I think is turtle food. I'm going to buy new food though. Being as stupid as I am, I put gravel in the tank. He never moves and I don't think it is warm enough in his tank. I have him in a 10 gallon and half is water and 1/3 a huge rock (its huge) and then the cracks are filled with gravel.

I don't know what I NEED to get. My other friends pond is really nice and they will make it good for a turtle and will spend however much money adjusting it so he'll be fine then. But for the 6 months or whatever I have him, I need suggestions. I really was not looking to spend over $100 total... but I will if I need to since I'm trying to save him. Do I need a filter or heater? I think my light has UV in it but it doesn't make it 90 degrees, probably like 80. Will I need to move to a bigger tank in 6 months? I have a lot of questions. Please don't be angry at me for 'mis-treating' him or something. I tried my best to set up his tank with what I had, and I know it is a LOT better than before.

Edit: I've been reading around this forum and Im doing everything wrong except having the basking area. I have to go to school but I'm going to try and fix a few things when I come home.

[taylor_a]

In order for your turtle to be healthy you NEED a UVB bulb. It should say around the base of the bulb what it is. Mine was $20 from a pet store.
Where do you live? How warm is the room where he is being kept? You can buy a thermometer for his tank for like $2-3. You likely will need a water heater since water needs to be kept between 78-80* for a hatchling.
A filter is also a necessity since turtles are MESSY. Unless you plan on doing constant water changes (as in multiple times a week since the tank is so small).
Get rid of the gravel on the bottom of the tank. It makes cleaning an even bigger pain in the butt, and there's a possibility of your turtle eating the gravel.
In an ideal situation, your turtle should be in 10 gallons of water for each 1 inch of shell. But, since you're only planning on having him for 6 months I wouldn't worry too much about that rule, epecially if you keep the water clean and provide him with a basking area and UVB light. To give yourself more swimming space in the 10 gallon down the road, try building a floating dock that he can climb up onto easier. There are a lot of threads on building docks in the Indoor Habitat section. The best way to get your turtle to bask is to have a approximately 10* difference between water temperature and basking temperature. This requires a light that produces heat. I've heard of people using incandescent bulbs (normal household light bulb). Most people have heat lamps from pet stores, but they're significantly more expensive. Purchase a thermometer for the basking area so you can see how warm it is.

SO! The things you NEED to have are....

a UVB bulb (5.0 26 Watt)
a bulb that produces sufficient heat to get the basking area to 90*
a water heater
a filter
thermometers (one for the water, one for the basking area)
a floating basking area to maximize swimming space
a water conditioner to get rid of the chlorine in tap water

If you shop around you should be able to minimize your spending. The filter will be the most expensive part. Another thing to note is that if you don't plan on ever using the stuff again after you have the turtle...it might be worth it to buy some better quality equipment because then you'll have a better chance of selling it later on down the road.

[SpotsMama]

Congratulations on wanting to make a better home for your turtle. A healthy turtle can be a good companion for years to come.

The setup has to be right or your turtle won't thrive. The best advice is to read read read everything on this site so you'll know what to do. then come back and ask questions. The info in the post above is on target. It's especially essential that your turtle stay warm. temps that are too cold will slow his immune system down until he's suseptible to disease.

here's more info on the setup:

http://www.redearslider.com/startup.html

[packfan1]

I am a newer owner of three turtles. It can be a little spendy but from this sight and reading I have learned much over the past three weeks.
You need uvb light, basking area, water heater, water thermometer, filter to handle the water. You also need a seperate feeding area. I have seen some suggestions here like a plastic tub, or like a large tuberware container. Water needs to be around 75 and they need the uvb light on more hours than off. I run about 12 hours a day and my guys all spend time basking. Basking is really important for turtles as that is how they absorb calcium. It also helps for growth, shedding and so on. Be sure to right down a lot of possible questions and then go to a pet store that sells turtles and ask away. You may not get a huge amount of great information there, I didnt. Keep asking questions here as I sometimes do and these other turtle lovers will guide you.

[taylor_a]

Pet stores aren't typically that knowledgable....If you have serious questions you're better off to contact a herp vet than a pet store employee.

[Nessa]

The light I had I used for my lizards when they were babies and I'm pretty sure it is the UV kind. My dad thinks so too.

a UVB bulb (5.0 26 Watt) Check!
a bulb that produces sufficient heat to get the basking area to 90* Whats a good one to get from petsmart?
a water heater $26.99

a filter I think it was $15-$25 at petsmart I couldn't decide if I should get it and I can't find it online
thermometers (one for the water, one for the basking area)
a floating basking area to maximize swimming space Check! The rock I have now will be fine until he gets bigger I think.
a water conditioner to get rid of the chlorine in tap water Check! I also got this stuff called turtle sulfa dip.. it is for the shell rot I think (HELP ON THIS). It was the only thing they had.

Thanks for the help. I'll try to get all the stuff this weekend and then I will take a picture of him and the tank

[taylor_a]

An normal incandescent bulb should work fine for producing heat. So...anywhere that sells normal light bulbs...
If you do want to spend the money and get a proper one...Zoo Med and Repti something or other are pretty popular. There is a search function on the website which is really helpful if you want to know exactly!

Thermometers are really cheap and are totally necessary!!

As for the filter...I would get one because I wouldn't have time to do the frequent water changes not having a filter would require. Having a filter will also cut down on how often you have to actually scrub down the tank as well. Since you already have the UVB bulb, you're already totally cutting down on costs. I would get the filter. If you found one for $25 dollars that's good and you'll still be below your $100 budget. Check to ensure that it cycles 4 to 5 times the water volume per hour (so for a 10 gallon tank, you want something that says 40-50 gph). Anything less isn't very useful for a turtle tank.

I'm not sure about the sulfa dip so I'll let someone else answer that.

[TheComputerGremlin]

If your UVB bulb was used for more than 6 months, it's UVB output is basically at zero. Invest in a new bulb.

And you don't *need* a filter, it just means less cleaning for you. If you only intend on having him for 6 months, go buy a larger rubbermaid container from Walmart as your tank, you can forgo the filter, you'll just be cleaning the tank every day or two. The basking area, bulbs, and water heater are necessary, though.

You'll probably find yourself hopelessly attached to your new turtle friend after a few weeks, though, and decide to keep him rather than put him in a pond and then you'll be doing the full upgrade! You can't help those tiny green eyes.

[imderanged]

I had a zoomed 501 filter for my 20 gal and it worked fairly well. Its a mini canister filter, so it doesn't take up room inside the tank. I think I paid around $50 at petsmart for it..

[taylor_a]

If your UVB bulb was used for more than 6 months, it's UVB output is basically at zero. Invest in a new bulb.

Completely forgot about this!


Definitely go buy a new bulb!

[VanishingReality]

a water conditioner to get rid of the chlorine in tap water Check! I also got this stuff called turtle sulfa dip.. it is for the shell rot I think (HELP ON THIS). It was the only thing they had.

They have reptosafe. It is over where the reptomin and all the reptile food is on the very top shelf of actual items in between the tank wipes and the hand sanitizing foam. I should know, I work there

And if you need a new UVB bulb, they are on sale there until the 25th for around 15.

Also the zoomed 501 filter is on sale for um... $45 I believe and it actually works well for the smaller tanks.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Oh, I missed the sulfa dip thing. DON'T PUT THAT IN. If your turtle eats it, it will give him a tummy ache. It's only used when turtles are sick, otherwise, you are just medicating a healthy turtle. A regular old water dechlorinator is fine, though the ReptiSafe is nice because it provides other things, like calcium in the water.

[res08]

Go to Petsmart.com and print out the items you want and bring it to the store for a price match. I bought my turtle supplies at Petsmart.com with coupon code NEXTTEN for $10 off $50 with free shipping. I was able to get 2 Stealth heaters, Zoo Med pellets, and 8.5 oz Seachem Prime for about $40 shipped.

[imderanged]

lol I just did that today (the price match at pestsmart) It's really worth it to check thier online prices and print the page before going in to the shop. I got a $37 dollar heater for $21 dollars today!

[Nessa]

I am still far from having a complete tank. I'm thinking of getting the 20 gallon if I can find a good one on craigslist. I'm currently making a corner basking spot that will be 7" by 6" and ramps on the sides 3" long. I'm really excited about this all coming together. The white on his shell is going away and he he ate two pellets today! It is so cute to watch him swim .

My friend has that exact heater left over from frogs so I'm going to get it from her (the same friend with the pond). Then I will just have to buy the filter ($25), heating lamp (I think my dad has one, so $0?), new UV light, and a thermometer ($4).

I had a few questions... is silicone glue (I think that is what some one used) the best for attaching wood to plastic? I cannot explain the basking spot, but it'll be great ! I want to paint it but was worried it would hurt my turtle. Is there any paint safe for turtles? What about making the wood waterproof? Is that needed? Or do I just put the wood in the water?

Is this a good UV lamp?
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2752589

The long kind is the one that fits in my lid.. but I can always get a mesh lid and then get two lights if needed. Thanks for all the help! I'm sure my turtle appreciates it too.