Other Turtle Discussion :: Hatchling? Adult?

[Cathy]

Ok what is diff. from a hatchling and Adult.

I got my RES about 4 years ago and it was only the size of a quarter when I got it. Now she is bigger than the palm of my hand.

Yes I know that it is aginst the law to sell them that young. I found that out when I took it to a pet store to find out what kind of turtle it was and how to care for it. And that is when they told.

[sarah]

I think your turtle would be considered an adult.
From what I've read I believe that you can tell by the size of their shell. Although, my turtle was treated poorly in her other home and is tiny but still and adult. lol Which makes it difficult.
Also, the color of their shell gets more like black and dark.....something like that.

Aw...don't listen to me. lol
*Sits back and waits for the experts*

[TexasJagsFan]

I would say she is an adult. How long is she in inches? What kind of setup do you have?

[cam722]

A hatchling is a turtle that is under 1 year old, at one year they are called a yearling and after that they are I believe considered an adult.

[marisa]

At four years of age, a turt is considered to be an adult.

[ellman605]

oh, mine are year and a halflings lol

[Cathy]

Shelly is what the kids call her. And if i looked right she is a she. And she is 3 and 3/4 inches. Right now I have her in a ten gallon tank with a basking dock and a heat lamp. I have a 29 gal that i am going to set up with a heater and a filter system. I need to get a stand for it the tank.

Does any one have any sugestion about things that I mite need. Every store that I have gone to and the books that I have read all have something diffrent to say.

[cam722]

Here is a basic guide for new turtle owners...

http://www.redearslider.com/res-guide.pdf


You need, a tank that provides 10 gallons of water for every 1" of shell, a heater, uvb/uva light sources, filter and a basking area. You also need equipment for cleaning the tank, nothing special just remember to keep it separate and only use it for the turtle cleanings. You may want to keep some white vinegar on hand for cleaning off mineral buildup on the glass. Many of us use a Python clean and fill, it surely saves on the back breaking work of carrying buckets of water. Oh and a net or turkey baster for in between cleanings to scoop out debris. I think that's about it. If I missed anything, I'm sure someone else will add on

[marisa]

Your RES is 4 years old and "her" shell length is 3.75 inches? This is rather small for that age...What, how often and how much is your turtle fed? She needs a UVB light in addition to the heat light...

As for other things your turtle needs, start looking for info on the site. The basics are there for tank size (29 gallons is already a little small), lighting, heating, filtration, and a basking area.

[Cathy]

I guess I have been keeping her a tank that is to small. I didn't know about the 10 gallons for every inch of shell. So I guess I will have to look into a 75 gallon tank that way she has room to grow.