General Care Discussion :: Need Comparison

[eazyegee]

I would like to compare my baby RES which I've had for almost 4 months now to your turtles because I feel something's wrong with him. I feed him in the morning with about 3 or 4 pellets that fit in with the size of his head. I go off to school. When I come back he's on the edge of the ramp all the time. If I crouch down to look at him he looks over and swims around and begs for food. Sometimes he swims around. He may swim to the side of the ramp where he hangs off of for a while then go back to his usual spot. Or he may swim around alittle and go back to his usual spot. I've only seen him bask a handful of times I don't know if he basks while I'm gone. But when I'm home he's on his spot. The basking temperature is 94 and the water temperature is 76. I know my water temperature may not be correct because my previous tank broke and I had to put him in an 20 gallon rubbermaid. The water heater doesn't heat to it's full potential, but as soon as I get paid I well get an optimal heater. He also has a filter.

[eazyegee]

I forgot to mention throughtout the day when I'm gone there's little or no activity in the house so he has the privacy to bask and not be scared.

[SpotsMama]

What is it that you are concerned about specifically? Is it that he's not more active? That you don't see him basking?

The basking temp is rather high. If you don't think he's basking enough you might lower it to around 88 or 90 and see if he likes that better.

[eazyegee]

I'm concerned that I don't think he's as active as he should be. And I don't think he's basking.

[Hoooneylynn]

I agree with spots mama, the temp is too high and that may be why he isnt basking... the temp of the basking area should be around 88 degrees... try moving the light farther away and that might solve your problem.

[luv4sun]

He shounds exacly like my turtles. i do pretty much the same think. but most of the time when i come in thier sitting on the basking dock and then dive in when they see me. how far away is you baskingn light? it also sounds like the basking area is to hot.

[eazyegee]

The basking light is maybe a couple inches maybe 6-10 inches away.

[SpotsMama]

Move the light back until the temp on the basking area is 88 or 90 degress and see what happens. Raise the water temperature a few degrees to 78 or 80.

A little hatchling is usually pretty "jumpy". Does he eat his pellets every day? Do you notice any other sympoms - like swollen eyes, breakthing with his mouth open or "yawning", difficulty submerging, swimming lopsided, mucus around his nose? Does he poop regularly?

Is he an only turtle? If there are other turtles in the tank with him, do you ever see any snapping?

What does he eat? You mentioned pellets - what kind? Does he eat anything else?

Is there any gravel in the tank?

I suppose you've read up on a good turtle setup on here. Is there anything else you think is unusual that might be a factor?

[eazyegee]

Sorry for taking a long time to reply. He is an only turtle, I had another one but it died in Febuary. The other turtle which was bigger than he was used to snap at him when I first got them into the tank. But later they got along and ignored each other. I once tried to feed him vegetables and he took interest in carrots, he never ate any vegetables while being with me for almost 3 and a half months. He took a nibble and the tiny bits of carrots I put there but I don't know if he swallowed it. He eats mostly 3-6 pellets a day, depending on which one I feed him. The two kinds of pellets I feed him are HBH Turtle Bites, they're multicolored and round. The other kind are Nutrafin Floating Turtle Pellets, which are long and brown. I also occasionlly feed him some ReptoTreat brand shrimp. There's no gravel in the tank. Sometimes while swimming I'll see him blow out a bubble or something. I don't know if he poops regularly but when I take out the thermomiter that stays in the water it's pretty slimey. In the last two days he's been doing well and not worrying me as he usually does. He's been really active. Yesterday he basked for a long time until I shut off the lamp. Today when I came home he wasn't in his usual spot he was under the ramp and inbetween the gap of it and the Rubbermaid. I've seen him diving looking for food down under which he hasn't done yet. The only thing that puzzles me about him is after I lift the cover off the Rubbermaid (It's only half on I use it so nothing falls inside.) and he's on the ramp on the dry side sleeping. Maybe if there's noise during the night before I wake up that he hears he goes to his regular place and sleeps there.

Also I was wondering can I just use my UVB bulb to give off heat since the UVB also gives out UVA. When moving it around it gave off the proper basking temp. and he basked. And about the mucus around the nose and swollen eyes I really don't know because I don't know if it looks different on a turtle. Here's a picture:

Also here's a picture of my bulb to verify that it's the proper kind:

[DavidY]

That is a UVA only bulb. It does not provide enough if any UVB. But it is fine for providing heat. You need to have either a flourescent tube, compact flourescent or Mercury Vapor Bulb in order to get the UVB your turtle requires.

[eazyegee]

Okay I have several bulbs, I have the one you're speaking of. Also this is kind of a stupid question but the Sun is a good provider of UVA and UVB as I read on this site. Can sunlight affect my turtle even if it's coming a couple feet through a window?

[DavidY]

No, window glass is treated to filter out almost all of the UV radiation from the sun. Direct sunlight can also cook an aquarium very quickly so you really need to keep an eye on the temperature. When the weather starts to warm up you can take your turtle outside with you for short periods. If you do, try to avoid the noon time sun and make sure the turtle can move into some shade to cool off. Also don't place the turtle on any dark surface since that will absorb a lot of heat and burn him.

[SpotsMama]

Unfortunately window glass filters out the beneficial rays so you still have to have the two light bulb.

And that's NOT a stupid question at all. The sun is the very best source of light but it just doesn't work for turtles that live inside.

You do need to be careful if your tank is by a window. Some of the problems are overheating if the sun shines directly on the tank or drafts if the window is left open. Also if the sun shines on the tank you're likely to have an algae problem - the water will turn murky green.

[Hoooneylynn]

Not stupid, but a VERY smart question!!!!

[xsavingsaturdayx]

I second that, There are people who dont even ask in the first place.


And davidY is right, that is not a UVB bulb, just a UVA(heat) bulb. When you do get a UVB bulb. Make sure that it clearly says 'UVB' and that it has a UVB output around 5%.