Habitat - Outdoor :: cost of outdoor habitat

Ponds and other outdoor enclosures.

Post Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 4:11 pm   cost of outdoor habitat

Any idea how much it would cost to have an outdoor pond / fountain area built to house me RES? Thank you
tucktheturtle
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Mar 24, 2015
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 7:21 pm   Re: cost of outdoor habitat

How big or how many RES? Like indoor setups, the setup costs can be significant and but gets cheaper/easier after that.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:29 pm   Re: cost of outdoor habitat

We have 2 small RES each smaller then 1.5 inches. Just looking to set them up in a basic outdoor pond to meet their needs and get to house them outdoors. We've only had these RES for 1 day now so lots to be learned. We found them in our pool.
tucktheturtle
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Mar 24, 2015
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:54 am   Re: cost of outdoor habitat

I'd wait till they are larger and you know their sex. Males will pretty much need to be separated unless you can create a multi-thousand gallon pond.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:03 pm   Re: cost of outdoor habitat

We would like to keep them in an outdoor set up. Right now they are just in a big metal tub with an aerator and some big rocks to bask on. We are trying to come up with something that isn't too much of an investment but that meets their needs so we can keep them outside on the patio. Then later once they are bigger and we know they are doing well we can upgrade their set up to something more permanent and nicer. I know they need air in the water but my question is do they need a water heater or a heat lamp? We live neat Houston so there is plenty of sunshine now and will just be plain ol' hot soon. Do we need to worry about the water getting too cool during the night? Also, if you have an outdoor pond, do you still need some kind of water filtration system? How long will it take them to get to the 4 inch size and sexually mature?
tucktheturtle
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Mar 24, 2015
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:04 pm   Re: cost of outdoor habitat

I agree with Steve about waiting for them to get larger. RES at the size of your turtles have a good chance of being attacked by a predator, as well as acquiring health problems from environmental fluctuations. Whether you have male/male, male/female, or even female/female, it's usually best to separate in the long run--which would require you to set up more than one outdoor enclosure. (Either that, or keep one inside while the other goes outside, and switch them off regularly). This year, I'm taking the latter approach.

That being said, if you really do want to go through with an outdoor setup, you might be able to use the enclosure you already have (am I right in assuming that it's a galvanized stock tank)? If you put the tub in an area on your patio with access to both unfiltered sunlight and some shade, all you have to do is find a protective top for it and you should be okay. As long as the temperatures are above 70F (preferably 75F and up), you don't need a heat lamp outside. Remember that water is usually a few degrees lower than the air, so you may need a water heater until the air reaches at least 80F (again, warm temperatures are a little more crucial in your case because you have such young/small RES).

Yes, you will still need filtration outdoors. You can buy a commercial pond filter, or build your own (there are lots of instructions online; I build barrel filters from plastic drums. Soda manufacturers and car washes frequently give them away).
Jeremiah
 
Posts: 575
Joined: Jun 7, 2013
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 10:47 pm   Re: cost of outdoor habitat

It wasn't too much to build our pond. I think we got our 125G liner and pump for $100. Found a deal on Craigslist. You'll spend more time than money setting it up.
1 F RES 9" (Kingler)
1 F Belize Slider 7" (Agamemnon)
My Youtube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/condorboy1/videos
User avatar
Linus
 
Posts: 1260
Joined: Jul 31, 2008
Location: Los Angeles
Gender: Male


Return to Habitat - Outdoor

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 2 guests