Habitat - Indoor :: Turtles

[emma]

Okay, so me and my mom just had a HUGE argument for a turtle tank. I told her that the turtles would be much happier in a 55 gallon rubbermaid container, then the 20 gallon aquarium that we have now. We have 4 tiny turtles. But she says that the turtles are just fine in the 20 gallon and that she WONT!! get a ugly rubbermaid because they don't look good, the turtle can't see through them, and the turtles wont be happy. But i keep telling her that they would be WAY happier in the 55 gallon one then the 20 because they will have WAY more room and who cares if they can't see through. And she told me that if i ever ask her again about the rubbermaid I couldnt have the turtles anymore. So I guess she won and I cant get them a bigger tank.

She says that we will get them a bigger tank when they get older and when it looks like they need a bigger one.

Question is, who do you side with?? My mom?? or me??

Also, if my turtles were born in around june or july, how big will they be by Christmas time?? And how long will it tank for them to get to be 4 inches?

Thanks everyone!!

[powerofvoodoo]

You should probably show her this forum, or at least just the site, especially the parts where it says how big the aquarium needs to be. Hopefully, it will open her eyes to everything.
Or would it be possible to buy the rubbermaid yourself and keep it in your room, that way she won't have to see its "uglyness" and the turtles are happy.

And I'm not sure but I think it takes a little over a year for them to be 4" under proper care.

[emma]

yeah, the turtle aquarium is in my room right now and i have told her about the 10 gallons for every inch of shell thing and everything about this site... she just wont budge!!

[turboturtle8]

Don't worry me and my mom had the same fight to try to get them a bigger tank

Tell them as much info as possible and tell them that a 55 gal rubbermaid will cost less cheaper than a 55 gal glass tank

[emma]

i told her that...i dont think that she is ever going to let me get a bigger tank for now at least..

[zero_tails]

you gotta try you rbest to get that tank. four in a 20 gallon. thats insane. i had trouble keeping 2 in a 20 gallon before i upped. but if you still cant get it, hope for the best. these guys can survive horrid environments. but in all seriousness, get a much bigger tank or give some up for adoption =/

[megcornell]

If you can't handle four turtles now, things will only get harder. They'll be 4 inches plus EACH within the first year. Even a 55 gallon won't be large enough for that. You're going to have to consider multiple tanks, multiple large tanks... and if you cannot give them the space they need fighting will undoubtedly happen leading to injuries and very unhappy turtles.
Now is a good time to start brainstorming on multiple tanks, or to consider giving some turtles up. You just recently bought the map, I think you could probably return him to the petstore, he's still small and they'll know they can resell him. You can always look into rescue groups as well.
Truthfully four turtles either equal a large pond or some serious multiple set ups, that's really the only realistic way of keeping that many turtles safe and healthy.

[untsmurf]

I agree 100% with MegCornell. If you can't get them multiple setups, you need to start finding new homes for at minimum two turtles, if not three.

Please, just ask your mom to come on this forum/site and ask whatever she likes. If she won't come on herself, just ask her to read through some of the requirements. She might not believe you because you are her child. But she'd have a hard time convincing this entire site that we're wrong about their housing needs.

And being that you are her child, she ultimately is responsible for your animals. She needs to research these little guys and give them the care they need.

[emma]

thanks everyone...i really dont want to return the turtles because the guy i bought them from has like 30 in a 20 gallon tank and he has 2 tanks full of baby turtles.

[emma]

i feel so bad for them!! when they get older though i am going to get HUGE tanks for them. Probably like a 500 gallon or so. My mom will definatly let me get a huge tank then!

[hknutson_19]

hey emma...sorry this has nothing to do about your turtles but i have to have surgery on my arm and have pins inside it and a long rod on the outside! it is awful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[emma]

wow heater...this is like the first time you have been on this site!

[ZombieTurtle]

yeah, i agree wit everyone else, its def time to realize 4 turtles might be to many for your situation. 2 would probably be much more realistic.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Wow, too bad your mom couldn't see my Sheba (fully grown adult). People have a new-found respect for those tiny babies after they see how big an RES can get.

Sheba lives in a 90-gallon tank and her shell is 9 inches long. She weighs over 4 & 1/2 lbs.

Is there any way you can set the rubbermaid tank up in your room so your mom doesn't have to look at it all the time? If she doesn't see it, maybe she won't mind it so much.

[Blue Flamingo]

Just keep beeging her, maybe you should cry too. Just print her out a facts sheet and ask her if she would like to live that way.