Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. In June 2002 I received a very small redbelly turtle so I assume it is a hatchling. I also received a slightly larger red eared slider. Their tank has heat (75-85 depending on time of year), filtration, basking areas, etc. I also have the basking light and that special light to provide sun for calsium. I have done lots of research and feel that they are well taken care of. I notice all the time that my red eared slider (who will eat anything, even your finger if you offered it) constantly has scutes shedding. However, I never notice this on the redbelly. Also, now that it has been over a year, it seems to me the redbelly has not really grown at all. She eats and loves lettuce, dandelion leaves, spinach and differnt sorts of pellots, shrimp and other store bought food. They also eat live plants that I put in their tank. She will not eat worms or fruit no matter how many times I try. Anyhow, she is still small. Her shell is nice and firm and she is very active and friendly although I do my best to not handle either one of them to often in fear of stressing them out since they are still young. Is it normal to not see much growth in such a small turtle after a year? Do they just havea sudden growth spurt? redbellys can be 12 inches long and it seems like at this rate, that will take a lifetime!! Also, the other day I noticed a mark on the back of her shell. it looked like it may be peeling or that she hit it against something and it dmamged it (real small spot). I took her out of the water and there is defintely still shell there and it is nothing that can peel off or anything. I figured it would come off when she sheds her scutes next, but it has been a month or two since I noticed this and it is still there, of course I haven't seen her shed either. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I have two redbellies and they have put on a bit of growth (they are in an outdoor pond.)

I find my prefer leafy greens over reptomin, Krill and trout chow (though they take all these things readily) Basically -- you are doing everything the right way. Perhaps the turtle will have a growth spurt. I have seen this in red eared sliders. One will grow in leaps and bounds and the other lags way behind then suddenly boom a growth spurt. Just make sure you have the proper basking setup (which it seems that you do). And feed well (which you are) Soooo I would just sit tight then.

One thing I would do with regard to the greens though is to eliminate spinach from the diet. Spinach is one of the veggies that blocks calcium absorption. Dandelion greens, chicory, collard greens, escarole are all good for you turtles. Mine also love water lettuce and water hyacinth and Java fern (aquatic plant). If you have to feed lettuce Romaine is okay but I prefer the stuff I mentioned above. Better nutrition for them.

Good luck

Steve

Thank you. I will stay away from Spinach. In fact, I only just recently tried that so I don't think too much damage was done. It seems my red eared slider will eat anything and the redbelly loves her greens. I will just make sure she gets plenty. As for the basking, there are two areas, one with the heat lamp and the other with no lamp so they can have a "cool" end of the tank to go to. I just know that I am going to need a much bigger tank. The outdoor pond sounds great> Do you have any pictures? I would love to see examples of outdoor setups so when I move (next year) to a huose with a yard, I could set one up myself.

Here is shots I just took of my turtlepond.

one more

Sorry try this one

This is my last one toward the back is a Pagoda that has Mandarin ducks and some Ringed teal and Chiloe Wigeon ducks in it.

That's all folks!!

Steve

That is gorgous!!!! Now, I live in New jersey where we have cold winters (last winter we had over 20 inches of snow). I know there are turtles in our local lakes and all, but would mine be okay outdoors in something like this? was it difficult to build? Thanks again.

I live on Long Island. What zone are you? We are zone 7.

The turtles will do fine if your pond is a minimum of 30-36 inches deep and you keep a pond deicer or two in the wate to keep a whole open in the ice. Also is your Turtle a redbelly specie native to the northeast?

I keep RES's, Yellow Bellied Sliders, Redbellied Cooters and Eastern painteds.

You can also get a bubble system in the Winter to keep the ice open.

Alot of the vegetation you see in my pics is deceptive. Obviously, the palms and other potted stuff goes in our greenhouse over the winter. The banana plants and alot of the gingers and other plants are a cold hardy tropical type species. The bananas are hardy to minus 20 degrees. IF you wrap them up and protect them they come back from the top if you let them die back they grow from the roostock again in the Spring. (AGAIN SPECIAL VARIETY -- DON'T PLANT YOUR BELOVED TROPICAL BANANA OUTSIDE IN THE GROUND AND EXPECT TO COME BACK!!)

Back to the turtles -- Depending on the specie and what your zone is -- you can keep turtles outside all year round.

Steve

I live in New Jersey, outside Philadelphia, so I think it is actually colder where you are. Not sure of the zone number. And yes, my two turtles (redbelly and red eared slider) are both native to the area, at least I know the redbelly is. In fact, they are most commonly found in New Jersey and are known as the largest basking turtles. I did a lot of research on them once I got her. Of course, I never researched outdoor living possiblities. So I guess she would be okay during the winter months.

It's a native redbelly so you will be fine and trust me sliders though not native can handle it. Yes it is a bit colder there then by me but if you take the necessary steps (I sent you a private email about some of this) you should be fine.

This year, of course, is out. Too late in the season to dig a pond and put your animals out. They are not conditioned for it AND you would want to wait a bit and see if you your little guy puts on some more size over this next winter.

We had a pretty severe Winter too on Long Island. It was horrible. I lost some of my elderly ducks.

Steve

Wow, What a GREAT looking pond!!!
-----
-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

Don't worry too much abour this, in spite of what the "purists" will tell you. I have had juveniles starting out at identical size, with identical housing and husbandry conditions that have widely different growth rates. Some reach a normal maturity, others remain stunted. I am a PhD in zoology and even I can't account for the differences. One element I have found (actually, I heard about this as a possibility years ago) is that the amount of exercise (i.e. free swimming) a turtle does affects its skeletal growth rate. I have absolutly no scientific data for this, but it seems to be true in many cases.

My turtle does a lot of swimming actually. She is very active. I hate to say this because I love her, but I almost hope she does not grow to large. redbellies are very large turtles and I just think she is adorable the size she is now. Of course, no matter what, I know she will get larger. She can't stay baby size forever.