Photo Gallery :: PICs of RES and his tank

[SaweetTURTLE:)]

HI ALL! here are some pics of my baby RES's tank ans him!! ENJOY!!


Tank veiw #1



Tank view #2



My RES







ANy Advice on the tank? i know i need a bigger one i will get one as soon as i can.... THANKS

[oobie58]

Looks like a nice setup and a nice turtle to me.



Johnny

[DavidY]

Hi and welcome to the forum! Your tank looks very nice and so does your new baby turtle. Some suggestions about your lighting...you should place the light above the basking platform to entice the turtle to climb out of the water to bask. It's important for RES to completely dry off while they bask to help prevent shell rot or fungus. Also, what kind of light bulb are you using? You need to have a regular household light bulb to warm the basking dock up to 88 to 90 degrees. You also need to have a UVB light which it looks like the bulb you have now might be a UVB bulb. But if you know what brand and type of bulb let us know and we can tell you if it's a good one or not.

Other than that, everything looks really good. Also make sure to keep your baby RES away from cold drafts like an AC vent since they are very susceptible to respiratory infections.

[urbancleopatra]

I see you have a sulfa block in the bottom of there. Unless you're trying to treat a small issue I wouldn't use them because then the won't work when you need em! What a little cutey

[lotsofpets]

One thing I noticed is that you have the middle bar on the basking dock on the bottom. Little turtles like to wedge themselves in between the bar and the tank. I know of at least one incident where one got stuck and drowned. To remedy this situation, just turn it around so that the supporting bar is on top above the water. You can also leave the bottom suction cups unsuctioned. You may try adding a few more plants to the setup also so your little one has somewhere to rest when it is tired of swimming.

[Safdar]

Yup hes a little cutee

And i would take that sulfa block out, unless hes sick
If you keep it in there if hes not
He might become immune to it
And when you need it, it wont work

[SaweetTURTLE:)]

Thank you for everything!! the light is UVB, and i am gettin plants soon.. should i get real or fake??? if real what kind do you recomend??

thanks again,
Katie

[xsavingsaturdayx]

You also need to get another lamp with a regular light bulb to give off heat, the basking area should be around 88 - 90 degrees and be sure to move the basking lights (UVB and UVA/heat lamps) over the basking area, to me it looks like its too far.

I'd get real plants because it helps with water quality and its good stuff for your turtle to eat. If you come across it, anacharis is good, as well as others mentioned here: http://redearslider.com/plants.html

[marisa]

You have a cute turtle.

The lights (both UVB and heat light) should be positioned over the basking area.

I'd actually have both fake and real plants, the fake plants for him to hide and sleep in and the real ones to eat.

Just have to ask---are those turtle statues meant to be in water? Some of the cheaper ones I've seen are more for gardens, and I wonder if any coloring/chemicals could leech off...

[SaweetTURTLE:)]

they had wholes in the bootom so i assumed it was made for the water.. adn if there are chemicals i have it covered...... i dont have another lamp to use though.... write now my family is kinda low on money because both my brothers are in college, one in avaiation one it photography... so i have to limit myself and do the best i can with out useing much money....... but i try real hard to find as much money laying around they house as i can.... how do you think i got the filter and heater?? its alot cheaper at fleamarkets.... like i got my whisper at the fleamarket for $6 and when i went to Petsmart they were selling it for $20!! same thing with my heater!!!my uncle is a landscaper.. im sure he can lend me somekind of (safe) plants..

[haimish321]

whats that white turtle?

[Safdar]

its a sulfa block

Which should be taken out
Reasons where explained in previous posts

[DavidY]

You can use a regular desk lamp for a heat light. The turtle needs the heat light to help him digest his food and to entice him to bask.

[SaweetTURTLE:)]

yeah i know... i used my only one... so i have nothing... i move the UVB light to the other side. what ways beside talking to him and taking him outside can i make him ond with me faster... i have had him for about 3 weeks and he hasnt warmed up at all.... could he be sick? if so... there are not any vets that know about turtles around here... so i dont know what to do..... please help... im sooooo worried... i want my littl guy so have a PERFECT life...... are there anytoys i can put in ??? i put a ping pong ball in thinking he might chase it.. and there are two guppies in there... what else can i do??? And i keep hearing about a cuttle bone and bubble wall? what are these and how expensive are they??

[tissigirl]

Bubble walls/tubes/stones/wands are basically a stone that comes in various shapes and sizes. You put it in the tank and it adds bubbles to the water that float up from the stone. The stones themselves are fairly inexpensive, but you attach them to a pump with air tubes which costs a bit more (the pump not the tubing). Neither of them are outrageous though. If you are just attaching one large or a couple small bubble walls or stones to it you don't need a very powerful one. I have a 55 gallon tank and using only 1 medium size bubble attachment I use a 20 gallon pump, and it's more than enough power for it. I've had aquariums for years and used several different pumps and bubble walls, so if you have any specific questions let me know. Really they aren't complicated, so whatever you pick out as your preference should work.

Cuttle bone, or calcium block, you can find in the bird section of the pet store. You know the white stuff that birds chew on in their cage? That's cuttlebone. It provides calcium to your RES. You can break it into chunks and let it float in the water so your RES can chew on it, or you can sprinkle it on his veggies and he can ingest it that way. Mine refuses to just chew on it so I have to use the sprinkle method.

Hope that helps!