Feeding and Nutrition :: Have always fed pellets, looking to add variety?

[SpotsMama]

A conventional fish tank light does not generate heat. A lot of people use a common incandescent light bulb for heat - the kind you'd put in a lamp will do. Most people wind up with two different lights for their turtles - a flourescent UVB bulb and another light for heat. Both are essential for a turtle's health.

There is a type of bulb that provides both heat and UVB called a mercury vapor bulb (MVB) but it's pretty expensive and can only be used with a larger tank - 55 gallons and up.

The rule is you can have rocks in your tank that are too large for the turtle to eat. They can eat a surprisingly large item - their heads just split open when they take a bite, have you noticed? - but if your turtles are only 2" long then they wouldn't be able to swallow a rock the size of a dime.

But go ahead and take the gravel out anyway. Eventually your turtles will be large enough to swallow it, it makes it much harder to keep the tank clean, and small pieces might break off that even your little guys could eat.

You can put what they call river rocks in the tank. They are pretty big. You can get them in the fish section or some people get them at Home Depot where they are real cheap. They are decorative and your turtles will like to push them around the tank!

[adam85491]

How do they survive in the wild without artificial UVB lights

[xsavingsaturdayx]

.....The sun provides UVB.....lots of it,lol.

[Biohazard]

the sun naturally gives them all the nutrients they need from light

[adam85491]

How do you set one up in a regular fish tank, they usually have room for a light...one...would I put a regular bulb in there or a 'uvb' bulb in there...i saw a flourecent light at the store...is that what i should get?

[adam85491]

I cannot afford a 40 dollar light right now, I have them by a window and they can get up and out of the water and i give them calcium bones and nutritious pellets, so I hope they will be fine until I can get a light.

[Biohazard]

What most people do is just to get a spot light with a uvb bulb in it most have clamp so you can slamp it right onto the tank. just make sure you have a mesh covering with at least 1/2" holes in it so it does not absorbe all of the UVB light. No the flourescnet light is not what you need. That does nothing but give off light. NO heat and No UVB. You will need to get one from a pet store

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Take them out of the window,glass blocks all those wonderful UVB rays,plus it cooks the water to dangerous temperatures.

[adam85491]

What most people do is just to get a spot light with a uvb bulb in it most have clamp so you can slamp it right onto the tank. just make sure you have a mesh covering with at least 1/2" holes in it so it does not absorbe all of the UVB light. No the flourescnet light is not what you need. That does nothing but give off light. NO heat and No UVB. You will need to get one from a pet store

sounds very complicated

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Its not that complicated he or she is basicly saying to buy one at a pet store and to make sure the screen/mesh top is atleast 1/2 " so it doesnt block the UVB.

[adam85491]

Its not that complicated he or she is basicly saying to buy one at a pet store and to make sure the screen/mesh top is atleast 1/2 " so it doesnt block the UVB.

For a rubbermaid container, what would you use to cover it?

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Well,it depends you dont HAVE to have a top..but if you feel unsafe about them escapeing then you can use chicken wire (easily purchased at a home depot or lowes or any hardware store) get some wire cutters and cut a perfect fitting top for the rubbermaid just make the holes are 1/2" so it doesnt block out UVB.

[adam85491]

Well,it depends you dont HAVE to have a top..but if you feel unsafe about them escapeing then you can use chicken wire (easily purchased at a home depot or lowes or any hardware store) get some wire cutters and cut a perfect fitting top for the rubbermaid just make the holes are 1/2" so it doesnt block out UVB.

so if i don't have a top...small turtles 3 inches from top should stay in right? but shining a uvb light on it with no top works? If so i can do that I guess.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

You dont have to have a top for a UVB light they sell "clamp lamps" at pet stores,they can clamp on to the side of the tank/rubbermaid you just have to aim the lamp at the basking area.Two 3 inch turtles need 60 gallons atleast.Just make sure they have no way of escapeing they are excellent climbers.

[adam85491]

hmmm, if a filter goes down and the water starts 3 inches from the top from the basking area..and they are both smaller than 2 inches...do you think they would be fine?