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My cousin has bought a turtle like last week from a flea market... he already owns 1 RES. His parents say that he can't keep this one and were going to release it out into the wild. He came over and asked if I could take care of it. He gave me a 5 gal. tank but I didn't think it would be large enough so I cleaned out an old 30 gal. tank I have and filled it so that the water is about like 3 times deep as the turtle is long... is that too much water?


Anyways I've NEVER taken care of or owned a turtle before, I was planning to but decided not to get one. So I have no equipment to care for the little guy. His shell looks like it has undergone what I've seen is called pyramiding... i'll post some pictures.

I don't have a basking lamp ATM (get paid on thursday so i'm going to make a trip to big als and get some stuff)

Rite now all I have inside the tank is 2 SMALL plastic plants and a margarine container with a sort of stairway to a flat area decoration...(I'm pretty sure it's for turtles but it seems too small to be any sort of basking area...) The turtle can climb on this to get completely out of the water. The water was warm to the touch... sooo yeah any help would be greatly appreciated

Seems you don't have the necessary equipments like me when I was given my turtles.

At that time I kept them in a shallow water with a basking are made by two big river stones and a work lamp as a heating source and an external heater to keep the water warm.

But definitely you have to do some shopping because these guys really need to be cared of. So at least you need a water heater, a filter, a turtle dock, UVB lamp and a light bulb. Also you have to keep watch out for the water temprature.

About the shell pics will be good.

Well here is what he looks like:


This is a view of what I was talking about with his shell:


Here is the entire tank:


How can I ensure that for the next 4 days (when I get paid) that it will be living most comfortably. Under normal circumstances I would've already been prepared before getting the animal but they were going to release it into a creek near our area and I didn't like the sound of that.

u should at the very very very least give him a source of warm where he can get out, like a normal lamp with a bulb that provides heat and if u have a filter that would be good too
make sure u get a uvb/uva bulb
basking bulb
filter
most ppl say u should have a heater i dont have one bc my water stays at pretty much the same temp and the heater doesnt keep it exact either
i have anarchis in my tank a real plant is a good idea to have bc it provides oxygen in the water and i have guppies in with mine but u dont need a real plant of fish(although if you choose to get fish do not get goldfish)
id say a must have is cuttlebone, a hatchling like yours (and mine) need calcium bc the shell is not hard yet
read through the site and u will know pretty much everything

I would have done the same as you did and kept him/her.

I am not sure about the pyramiding cause I don't see any.

I think he can get along for just 4 days but if the water is too cold she/he won't eat food.

Is that stair like platform steady up there? If not make sure it is and won't heart him by falling. Use a work lamp if you have one.

yeah the stair thing is steady he's been swimming around and stuff but now that i took pictures he is hiding underneath it lol.

thanks for the help

Just wonderin though what exactly would pyramiding look like.

Like looking a triangle from the front and sometimes bumps up on the top.

thanks for the info

can be fixed by adjustments to the diet correct?

Welcome to turtle ownership!
If you haven't already, be sure to read through the main site (www.redearslider.com). There's tons of information there!

The 30 gallon is a great size starter tank, and should last your little RES about a year. The amount of water in there looks just about right for a hatchling. RES are aquatic, so they like lots of water. You can raise the water level as he grows, and when you get a more permanent basking area.

When you get out to get supplies for your new little guy, beware of "basking bulbs". You want to make sure the bulb you get actually emits UVB light. "Full Spectrum" bulbs don't emit much, if any UVB light. A UVB light will say "X.0" or "X%" UVB. Most people recommend 5% (or 5.0). There are tube lights that fit in aquarium hoods, or there are CFLs that fit in a regular socket. If you go for a CFL, it's recommended you get a 26watt, not 13 watt. You can use a regular incandescent household bulb for heat.

You'll also probably want a heater for the tank. Hatchlings are especially vulnerable to temperature fluctuations, so the water heater will keep the water temp stable.

You'll need a thermometer too. For hatchlings, you'll want to keep the water temp at about 78*F.

A filter is also a must. You'll want a filter that is rated for at least 3x the volume of your tank (so for a 30 gallon tank, you'll want something rated at least 90 gph).

The little basking area that you have will be OK for temporary, but he'll quickly outgrow it. Many people use the Zoo Med floating docks, or these type of acrylic ramps:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=8809

You can also build your own (there are lots of idea in the indoor habitat forum). In general, it's better if you can maximize swimming room, rather than take swimming room up with something like stacked rocks.


Pyramiding is when each individual scute is raised, not the whole shell. Hatchlings often have a shell that is raised towards the center (like yours), and it's absolutely nothing to worry about. As he grows, his shell will fill in and become more rounded.

Thanks for all the info BullDog much appreciated .

I'll go read all the other info as you suggested as wel.

sry -- New owners have a habit of taking the turtle out a lot. That is not good for them as they cool off too quickley and then you put them back in warm water. That can cause RI which is common in small turtles. Keep water temp at 77 or 78 degrees, basking at about 90 to 91 degrees. Filter should pump at least 5 times the water volume in the tank. Cloudy water will be your next challange.