Habitat - Indoor :: A few setup questions (long post)

[CountryGirl68]

Okay, I’m still doing research before I decide fully on whether hubby and I get a turtle or not. Based on what I’ve read throughout this site (pages and pages and pages during 2 days), it seems that an aquatic turtle would be more to our liking.

I’m still trying to find out about whether to get a 55g or 75g at this time – my biggest fear is that my floors won’t support a 75g. (I live in a 15th floor Co-op – building is fireproof, built in 1971. We hope to move in about 5 years to a house down south). If anyone lives in an apartment building and has a 75g tank, let me know please. The tank would be positioned in a corner at a slant and at a diagonal from the window (3’ from the window and the only place I have in the apartment where a large tank fits). Note: below the window I have central AC/Heating system which I control. I will be trying to get a small turtle but if I can't, I'd be getting one about 4".

I’d be switching my fish to another tank to make space for the turtle. This is what I currently have for the fish:
30g glass tank (will most definitely be changing to a larger tank for turtle)
Whisper 60-75g filter
Tronic electronic aquarium heater (100W)
10” bubble wand
Two Stick-On Thermometers (1 on each end of the tank)
Digital light timer

I know I’ll need to buy lamps. I’m looking at a T-Rex Dome Style Heat & Light Reptile Reflector and the Active UV Heat Bulbs. Then I’ll need a turtle dock, turtle hut, large river rocks, and plant décor. Does this sound okay so far? I’ll be getting a book about turtles this weekend. I figure that’s a much cheaper investment than getting all the stuff for the turtle then having the turtle die because I did something wrong. That would devastate me.

Now for some questions that I didn’t see an answer to in previous posts:
- Where would the thermometer for the dock go? I'm not getting how to keep track of the temp in the basking dock.
- When putting veggies in the tank, do you just drop them in or use a clip?
- If you keep live plants in the tank, won’t the turtle eat them, causing them to overeat?
- How long do you keep the heat lamp on in the tank and does it stay off all night?
- Others have posted that the turtles eat anything in the tank. Will they "chew" on the cord for the heater?
- What is “crickets (preferably gutloaded)”???
- Is it true that turtles poop only a few minutes after eating? (I was told this by someone who suggested a separate container for feeding – I’ve read what everyone here thinks about the separate feeding box thing.)

Sorry this post is so long but I’d like to be 100% sure of what I’m going to do before I do it. Thanks for any and all suggestions and recommendations.

Lary

[sonyj]

I consulted with my dad who has been in carpentry for my whole life. He said more than likely you'll have no problems with the 75 gallon tank.

Now for your list of equipment:

You will need a larger filter. Filters for turtles should be rated for at least three times the size of tank they are in. Example a 20 gallon tank needs a filter rated for 60 gallons.

The only thing I see that you won't need from your list is the turtle hut. I've never heard of anyone using this with an aquatic turtle. I believe they are more for land turtles/reptiles.

Now for your questions:

To measure the basking temp most people place a rock on the dock about the size of the turtle and place the thermometer on top of the rock for about 20 minutes. This should get you an accurate reading. I usually just check the basking temp at cleanings or tank maintenance times.

You just drop the veggies in the tank. A lot of little turtles like to float on their lettuce leaves as well.

Yes, turtles will eat live plants... If you decide to go this route you probably would cut back on the amount of lettuce you give during the time they are eating the plants. Live plants can be costly, so I just stick with the veggies. You should worry more about them overeating on foods high in protein rather than veggies though... such as live feeders, krill/shrimp, pellets etc.

The heat light and UVB light should be on a day/night cycle and on for around 12 hours a day. Some lengthen this time in the summer and shorten it in the winter to follow the natural light of the sun. They do not need the light at night since they need to sleep like we do.

Usually when it's referenced that the turtles will eat "anything" in the tank it means anything "live and moving" such as fish/snails etc.

Crickets that have been gut-loaded have been bought to feed the turtles with as live feeders and have been feed for a day or so prior to placing them in the tank with a special food high in nutrients/calcium. This way they are more nutritious for the turtle.

I haven't ever really paid attention to when Koopa poops since I feed in the tank, but that's what I've read as well. A lot of keepers do feed in a separate container to help keep their tanks cleaner. I personally am just too lazy...

Hope this helps.

[the_orphaned]

As regards to the pooping question. Mine poops a couple of minutes after eating. And he poops a lot. The separate feeding tank is something nice to have if you have the time. But its better to get him used to feeding in an area. So if you start feeding him in a separate tank, better stick to it.

What I do is feed him at his tank, come back a couple of minutes later to "sweep" the poop towards the filter so it'll get sucked in. This helps to keep the water as clean as possible. For me anyway.

[steve]

Since I bought a digital thermometer ($5 online), I often compare it to my stick-on (liquid crystal) thermometer. A stick-on thermometer used to measure water temps is placed on the outside of a glass or acrylic tank. Therefore, the air temperature surrounding the tank affects the reading. If the water is actually 78 degrees and the room temp is 70, then your thermometer may read as 76 degrees. I still like the stick-on type as a quick reference, but a digital thermometer is nice to have around.

[CountryGirl68]

Thank you so much for your responses.

Sonyj - thanks for finding out about the tank from your dad. (Give him my thanks too!) Your answers are really helpful to me. Things make much more sense to me now and is making my decision to get a turtle much easier. I won't have to worry so much.

Orphaned: I like your idea of "sweeping" the poop towards the filter. This sounds like it would be less stressful to the turtle than taking him/her out every feeding time. Thanks for your idea!

Steve: (Great site, btw) I had never thought about the difference in temperature readings a stick-on thermometer can give vs. one inside the tank, since fish are pretty "flexible" on water temperatures. But, given that my AC/heating unit is so close to where the tank is, it makes sense what you stated. Thanks for that info. I'll be adding a digital thermometer to my list of things to get.

Again, thanks for your replies. I'm really excited to venture into getting a turtle - though it'll be some time since I still have lots to buy and set up before I can bring a little guy (or girl) home.

[Erica&spikey]

About the pooping after eating, it seems to be true with my turtles. I feed them in a separate container. They dont seem to mind. I have even got them now so that they follow me to a different room where their feeding container is, they are pretty smart to do it.

[sQuirtle]

Erica&spikey, what kind of feeding container do you use? I tried to feed him in a separate container but he's uncomfortable & lost outside of his home so he didn't eat. Any suggestions?

[Erica&spikey]

I use a plastic rubbermaid container, at first they seem lost but they eventually get used to it, try to make it a routine. So do it at the same time and add a noise....i would shake the food jar and they kno it means feeding time. leave them in there a good amount of time the first few times you try it , they smell the food and look for it. Let me know how it goes.

[CountryGirl68]

Just an update:

I bought the XP3 filter ($90 at BigAl's Online), the ZooMed large turtle dock, digital thermometer and large river stones. I already have some fake plants (I buy them when they're on sale for the fish tank and have several that I have never used), a 100W heater w/heater guard, and an aquarium rock to give the little guy a resting place under water. I'm going out this weekend to get some chicken wire to make a cover (thought that idea on another post was great) and the UBV lamp.

Lucky me, I was going to keep the turtle in my 30g tank until after xmas, when I was going to buy a larger tank. Well, I spoke to a friend of mine who used to keep all kinds of reptiles, which he had to get rid of a few years ago. They kept 2 turtles, though. Anyway, I mentioned how we are planning on getting a turtle and he offered to give us a 75g tank with the stand for FREEEEEEE! Yipee! What a stroke of luck!!

Since we are hoping to get a small turtle, this start-up set up will be perfect!! Now I'm looking to make space in my dining room in order to fit my 30g tank and get some more fish; if not, then I'll look to get rid of that tank. Anyway, just wanted to keep all of you up to date on what's going on with my turtle preparations. If it wasn't for this site, I'd have been lost.