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two days ago i rescued two turtles.
ive never owned turtles before no reptiles nothing other than dogs and 1 fish.
i know they are both females although not how old, they are 6-7 inches i think?

i take the responsibility for their health and happiness very seriously but im SO NEW to all of this. a little overwhelming, ive been reading up on them every day but ANY advice firsthand from an owner would be so appreciated! 2moro i go shopping for everything.

p.s (ive taken them out to exercise and be in the sun multiple times a day fed them romaine and spinach so far [i have yet to see them eat] let them swim in my tub for a cpl hours in warm water and they are in 66 qt container with rocks to get out of the water and enough water to be half submerged) its not much but its the best ive come up with until 2moro

Hi, you're probably looking at a 100+ gallon tank to keep two girls in... I'd start checking local craigslist ads for used tanks. The other stuff - lighting, filtration and heating can be bought online for decent prices.

Nitrogen cycle would probably be your first obstacle.

Don't worry about your turtles not eating much yet, they're still scared of you if you just got them. Give it time, after about a week or two they'll eat off of your hand.

Some owners feed their turtles in the tank, I prefer not to, since it makes it a little messy after the feeding. Feed them on separate containers so you'll know if they've both eaten. If you feed them in the same place, you won't be able to tell as much if one is eating the other's share of food.

More swimming space for the turtles, they love to swim.

NO GRAVEL. Stick with river rocks, sand or bare bottom.

I might have missed some other stuff.

steve wrote:Hi, you're probably looking at a 100+ gallon tank to keep two girls in... I'd start checking local craigslist ads for used tanks. The other stuff - lighting, filtration and heating can be bought online for decent prices.

ok so the 100 gallon tank will be enough for the rest of their lives? or will that be good for them now and i have to go bigger later. i much rather just get a huge tank or huge enough tank now that will be good enough for now and when they get older and bigger.
will 100 gallons be good with that?

sagoy wrote:Nitrogen cycle would probably be your first obstacle.

Don't worry about your turtles not eating much yet, they're still scared of you if you just got them. Give it time, after about a week or two they'll eat off of your hand.

Some owners feed their turtles in the tank, I prefer not to, since it makes it a little messy after the feeding. Feed them on separate containers so you'll know if they've both eaten. If you feed them in the same place, you won't be able to tell as much if one is eating the other's share of food.

More swimming space for the turtles, they love to swim.

NO GRAVEL. Stick with river rocks, sand or bare bottom.

I might have missed some other stuff.

what is nitrogen cycle? so even if they dont eat for a week they will be ok? yeah ive been using a smaller container to try and feed them but they just turn around when i put food to float in front of them. but once i get their home tank ill be using the container they are in now to feed them. yes i read up on the gravel too and they have flat rocks and medium rocks, i can use sand? they wont try and eat it?

I am going to assume that both turtles have gotten used to living with each other. That being said, the bare minimum tank size they should have is a 90 gallon, but I highly recommend a 100 gallon or higher. If you do not want them to live together, you could simply get a pair of 55 gallon wide tanks, which is technically a bit cheaper than one big tank.

Every turtle owner needs the following supplies:

Ultra violet output (UVB): I use "Repti-Glo Tropical", and I have the 2.0 output for my smaller turtles. For a larger pair of turtles, you should have double that, so, 4.0 or even 5.0 is fine (assuming 4.0 exists... I can't remember their other outputs off the top of my head).

Heat source (UVA): These can be spotlight bulbs of red, green or blue, or you can use ceramic heat emitters. I prefer the red spotlight bulbs because they are a lot warmer, last a long time, and if you upgrade and have an extra bulb lying around, they can be used for other reptiles such as snakes.

Basking dock: If your turtle can't bask, then they will eventually develop shell rot. A basking dock needs to float, it needs to be strong enough to support the weight or both turtles and it needs to be easy from them to climb onto. A dock's ramp should penetrate the water's surface by a couple of inches. Don't use those lily pad shaped basking docks by Fluker's, they are better for frogs, and, for some reason, their paint coating peels off over time. (It's a shame cause the lily pad is adorable looking).

Filter: Go with a canister filter. The popular brand of choice is Fluval, Cascade is also popular, Eheim is the most sought after. It's easier for you to go with a filter that has an intake at the lower part of the filter. The filters that sit on the edge of the tank, are for fish and sometimes their carbon can break apart and release fuzzies into the water. It's really annoying and difficult to get rid of.

Water heater: Some people don't use them in the summer time and just let the water heat to room temperature. I find that to be okay in the short term, but in the long term, it is NOT a good idea. Glass water heaters are good, just don't buy from Marineland, they sometimes explode. I use a Rena Smart Heater, which is not a glass heater, but, it's expensive. Most other glass heaters have great track records and if used responsibly, last a long time.

Those are the things which are most important. Rocks, plants, and other tank decor are not necessary.

well yeah i got them from someone that wasnt taking care of them and didnt want them and she herself found them in her backyard i guess the neighbors moved and then she found 2 turtles in her backyard. so im assuming the neighbors just abandoned them and she just had them in a sink in the backyard all night in the cold and wind and when i went to pick them up she said she "couldnt find" the food she had been giving them, if any. hahah i started crying cu z i thought its shell was cracking the petco lady was like "its just shedding"oh man... sry im new to ALL OF THIS

ok so i got the UVB is on my list im getting it all today. 4.0? are those numbers that come on the box? is it a light bulb? or the lamp itself? the UVA also. is that basically a heat lamp? yeah i was wondering about the colors.

yeah the basking dock i was wondering if they sell them in stores ready to attach or if i hve to build one. and if so what could i use and where to find it.

the water heater is a must? i mean like as important as the lights and basking dock or can the water heater wait til next week?
its totally fine getting that today as just curious.

yeah i want to keep them together so im gona keep my eye out for a container or aquarium 100g plus. but that will definitely have to wait til next week. aquariums are so expensive. i was thinking maybe a fancy rubbermaid or a stock tank what i really want is a preformed pond

thank you so much artbook. this is so helpful im so overwhelmed.

Water heater's importance depends on your location. I live in the tropics, we don't need a heater here. If you live in the colder areas especially if you guys have winter then you should have a heater.

You can buy a basking area, but you can also make one yourself. I'm talking about an ATBA (Above Tank Basking Area). You can see some members' ATBAs in this link... ATBA Thread

As with the UVB bulb, we don't have those available here, and if we did, it's insanely rare and hard to find. I've been looking for months. If you're like me, and don't have a UVB bulb you can expose the turtles to unfiltered sunlight. Just make sure they have a shade they can hide under if it gets too hot for them. I take them out to sunbathe at least 30 minutes a day.

Nitrogen cycle, to put it simply, because the details are confusing at first, is when food, waste, etc are broken down into ammonia (toxic), then "good" bacteria that grow/live in the tank's water, decor, substrate and most especially your biological filter will turn ammonia into nitrites (toxic) and another kind of "good" bacteria turns nitrites to nitrates (not too toxic, but can be controlled by frequent partial water changes).

A new tank doesn't have these good bacteria yet, you have to trigger the process by putting some food in the water to start the breaking down to ammonia. I've read there are products in pet stores that can quicken the cycle, because usually it takes about, I don't know, give or take a month. I didn't need one because I couldn't find one, yeah.. lack of supplies. So I just let the tank cycle with two goldfish in the tank, you'll notice it's still not mature if the ammonia and nitrite levels are high. And the goldfish develop bruise-like patches on the head and body, meaning the water's not yet "mature" for fish. After two weeks, I noticed the patches were gone, ammonia and nitrite levels were zero, and I was happy. Turtles are a little tougher than fishes, they might not be affected right away with this, but it's best to play safe.

Air stones or bubblers help a lot with the process since they introduce oxygen to the water, and the good bacteria need oxygen to live and grow.

And about the water, make sure it's not too "hard" with minerals and it doesn't have chlorine, like water straight from the tap. The water might be chlorinated and that will harm them. You can age the water for a day or two in a barrel, or just put some dechlorinator or something.

Do partial water changes frequently, to eliminate too much nitrates building up, as well as general cleaning. Don't go below a 50% water change, unless absolutely necessary.

I might have missed some other stuff.

yeah thanks for the thread, i had been looking at that and it was SO HELPFUL. i love this site. its been such a life saver, some of the habitats and ATBA are so creative and awesome. im thinking of making one myself. right now in their temporary rubbermaid i have huge flat rocks i found outside and formed them to a slope with smaller rocks. when on the rocks no part of the turtle touches the water.

ok so since you dont have a UVB bulb, just taking your turtles sunbathing 30 min a day works good for you? Like, they have no health problems and live long that way? i thought they needed both the heat lamp and UVB light on at the same time for 10-12 hrs a day?

i still dont understand the differences between mechanical, biological and chemical, or what it all means. i know canister is the way to go. thats going to be my next purchase. they have a filter now but its a H.O.T. i also added one of the little turtle shaped water conditioner its tetra brand i think... are those ok?

again thanks and i know im asking alot but im so new to it all and so much to learn i just want to make sure i get it all right.

leopard167 wrote:ok so the 100 gallon tank will be enough for the rest of their lives? or will that be good for them now and i have to go bigger later. i much rather just get a huge tank or huge enough tank now that will be good enough for now and when they get older and bigger.
will 100 gallons be good with that?

No, it'll be hard to know since they might still have some growing to do and might not get along. If anything, I would look at getting a 300 gallon stock tank, but it all depends on what you can have at your place.

leopard167 wrote:ok so since you dont have a UVB bulb, just taking your turtles sunbathing 30 min a day works good for you? Like, they have no health problems and live long that way? i thought they needed both the heat lamp and UVB light on at the same time for 10-12 hrs a day?

i still dont understand the differences between mechanical, biological and chemical, or what it all means. i know canister is the way to go. thats going to be my next purchase. they have a filter now but its a H.O.T. i also added one of the little turtle shaped water conditioner its tetra brand i think... are those ok?

again thanks and i know im asking alot but im so new to it all and so much to learn i just want to make sure i get it all right.

30 minutes in the sun is great, probably better than an artificial UVB light on for 8 hours. However, you should have a good basking area with UVA, UVB and heat.

As for what to get or what versions... start with the biggest possible tank you can get and go from there. You don't want to upgrade every year or so, so think big and find out the largest you can afford now.

thank you so much you are such a great help steve.

steve wrote:30 minutes in the sun is great, probably better than an artificial UVB light on for 8 hours. However, you should have a good basking area with UVA, UVB and heat.

I know, right? I noticed this because when I had them in the tank without UVB for the first two weeks I had them they were all lazy looking, but when I added the 30 minute sun time they were active and looking really healthy, swimming around everywhere and rampaging on the decor. And they eat a lot better too.