General Care Discussion :: My Turtle is Brying himslef?

[salesguy]

HELP!!! I just bought 3 baby turles 1 week ago, they can't be more than a few months old. I keep them outdoors in a little tiny pond that has some mud areas around it, one of the turtles always gets out of the water and tries to bury himself in the dirt? Should I leave him there or take him out? Why do they do this?

I live in Mexico and the tempeture is always warm.

CAN SOMEONE ASSIT ME?

Thanks,
Albert....

[grey goose]

How tiny is tiny? Is the pond in direct sun? Are they basking at all? My guess would be the water may be way too warm for them......

[missibsu]

Be sure to read the basic care information on the main site. Also, reading through the forums outdoor set up section may give you some information that you are looking for. There are also some pictures in the photo gallery of other outdoor set ups.

[steve]

Where do you live? What are the water temperatures? Do you have a water heater?

[salesguy]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you guys. I just bought a tank for the turltes and have it setup nicley.

I have a very good filter setup and they even have a place to sun themselves on a rock. I put the tank next to one of my windows, were the sun shines in everyday from 10am to 2pm, so they have plenty of time to catch somerays.

My next question is, whta temputure should the water be. The temputure reads anywhere from 23C in the morning and evening to 27C in the afternoon.

Is this to warm or to cold?

Please advise.

thanks.

[Shavannah]

The window is not a good source of basking light. The glass in the window and tank filter out the UV rays the turtles need. For small turtles, the water temp should be 77-79F, older turts around 72-75F. The window could also cause drafts in the tank. The basking area should be large enough for both turts to fit on and get completely dry on. You'll need 2 kinds of lights, a household (incandescent) bulb for heat, and a flourescent bulb with UVB rays. No glass or screen under 1/2" squares between the lights and the basking area. The basking area should be warmed with the lights to around 10 degrees higher than the water temp. This is just basic quick info. You should read up on all the basic care on the main site page and in the forum 'stickies'. There's a lot of info, and we're here to help with any more questions! Keep us updated!