General Care Discussion :: Just Clueless about my babies

[ShellGirl13]

while I was on vacation in S.C. I bought 2 RES hatchlings, that was about a month ago, and I still feel like im in the dark on how to PROPERLY take care of them, i have all sorts of questions and no one to answer them, i now now that these 2 sugarpies of mine were more then likely bred illegally. Lois and Clark are both about an 1 1/2in in lengh, but now I'm starting to worry about Clark, he likes to spend most if his time in the water where as Lois loves to bask, the have a lamp which i keep on most of the time because they can't be outside while I'm at work. he will bury himself under the rocks and not move all day, he will still be in the same spot i left him in over 8 hours ago, he's active when i change the water and they get back in the tank, and he eats on a regular basis as does Lois but he's also not as fond of people as Lois is, he still hides in his shell if you pick him up and they both seem to want to always get out! if they are awake they are trying to swim out the side of the tank which is cute but also sad it's as if they don't want to be in there. because i live in Michigan its still a little too cold for them to be outside much, they usually go out on the weekends if its nice other wise they stay in the garage with a space heater and basking lamp. i just want to make sure they have the best qualitly of life they can have, i don't have a filter so i change the water daily somtimes every other day. when i was a kid i had one i found in the street and we had him for about 5 years he was also very small he grew to be about 4-5in but now there are all these people saying differant things you need to do and i just want a straight answer, health wise they seem okay their shells are nice no eye infections, but how can you tell if your turtle is wheezing because Lois when she breathes sometimes you can her head will move up and down and her throat will do the same as a frog does, in fact thats what she looks like you can see by her back legs she sucks in air really fast, clark will do it every now and them but not as much as Lois. i'm wondering if cigarettes would have anything to do with it or weed for that matter we crack the garage door because we aren't allowed to smoke inside and they live in the garage, could they be inhaling 2nd hand smoke? like i said i have a lot of questions and need the answers, please if anyone can help me and would be willing to answer any questions that come up you would be doing my babies a wonder! you will be helping me to help them. thanks for your time and i know its long but i had a lot to say

[VanishingReality]

NO GRAVEL!!! They can eat it and it will impact them.

Does your water have a heater? Mine is rarely out of the water to bask and I have had him for three months, sometimes it is just how turtles are. If he is swimming normally, eating and basking sometimes then he should be fine.

Living in Michigan, I wouldn't keep them in the garage. The winters get WAY to cold for those little guys and in the Detroit area (even the falls), the temperatures have been all over the place lately. Plus they are native species so if they did get out it would be really bad.

[Nettle]

I'm sure that smoke is causing an irritation for them. As long as they're not opening their mouths when they breathe, then they're ok.

Could you post a picture of their setup? What's the gallon size of the tank?

Be careful when you let them go outside. Many a turtle has met its end when they encountered a dog, hawk, or a super intangible row of hedges. They, in all actuality, shouldn't be out of their tanks too often. They're semi-aquatic and enjoy their swimming time.

What's their diet like?

Here are some links to care from the main site:
http://redearslider.com/startup.html
http://redearslider.com/index_nutrition.html
http://redearslider.com/indoor_overview.html
http://redearslider.com/light_sources.html

[TheComputerGremlin]

Second-hand smoke is actually a cause of pet allergies and lung cancer in cats and dogs. So yes, it could be contributing to the turtle's problems. If the turtle is breathing with their mouth open, both in and out of the water, your turtle may have a respiratory infection. I would try smoking FAR away from where the turtles are for at least a few days to see if the situation gets better.

As for what to do, READ up on this board, everything you can, and then post a list of questions and clarifications that you need.

[imderanged]

About the smoke....I used to be a 2 pack a day smoker, and my husband used to smoke a pack a day. My mom, my dad, my brother and my husband were all living in the same house and everyone but my father was constanly smoking. When my husband and I moved into an apartment we quit smoking. I used to go back to my parent house all the time to see my family and my dog. My mom was still smoking like 3 packs a day at the time. I started noticing that when I would leave there, my HANDS smelled like smoke. I'm sure it was on my clothes and hair too, but it was really noticable on my hands. It took me a while to figure out, but one day I noticed my white dog didn't look so white and her coat felt almost sticky! All the smoke had been coating her hair and got on my hands when I pet her!!! EWWW! Smoke gets into EVERYTHING. Thank goodness my mother finally quit smoking too. We are living with my parents again, but now it's a smoke free house.

[ShellGirl13]

i don't let them out of the tank they just keep trying to climb out or swim through the glass they don't open their mouths when they breath maybe they are breathing normally and im being paranoid like a new mommy.