Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just recently bought my RES a 40 gallon tank. I have the right setup and they seem to be perfectly happy in their new home. I wanted to put gravel in the tank, but I've been hearing that doing that will make the tank dirtier because of the droppings that settle beneath the gravel, but I've also been heard that RES like to dig. What should I do?

-Janet

i wouldnt put it...bacteria forms under the gravel etc...plus its pretty hard to clean....also, im not sure what kinda gravel u were planing on using...but small ones that will fit in a turtles mouth are obvously dangerous....after i stoped using gravel...i realized how much cleaner my tank is....

I use river rocks for my turtle setup. Waste does build up under the rocks but a quick use of the "python" will get rid of most of the waste. I usually siphon under the rocks once every 3 weeks. I also replace about 1/2 of the water at the same time.

I've been using rocks that are about the size of my turtles head if not a little bigger. He seems happy with them. I have to say though that each time I've done a complete clean out of my turtle tank I've been putting less and less rocks in. I started out with about 2 bags of rocks and now I only put in a few handfuls of rocks for him to push around the bottom. When I set up my new tank, I'm planning on getting even large rocks so it's easier to clean.

If you are worried about digging, maybe get some kind of bowl to put in the tank and put rocks in. That might help with the digging urge. I don't know, I'm just guessing.

>>I just recently bought my RES a 40 gallon tank. I have the right setup and they seem to be perfectly happy in their new home. I wanted to put gravel in the tank, but I've been hearing that doing that will make the tank dirtier because of the droppings that settle beneath the gravel, but I've also been heard that RES like to dig. What should I do?
>>
>>-Janet

my first turtle tank was a 40 long with 3 4"red ears.i had 2 inches of dime sized gravel over an undergravel filter with two
powerheads.it worked fine as long as i fed pellets like repto-min/jumbo-min/trout chow etc.when feeding live minnows occasionally the gravel would hide fish parts which would then rot.now all of my tanks have either a completely or mostly bare bottom.its aaaa lottttt easier to keep clean.
good luck.

Only gravel that the turlte can't put in their mouth is recommended. So someone mentioned that and river rocks, and I agree. I use fairly large pebbles that are bigger then the turtles head (or just about, I never see them eat it).. turltes like to dig because its their natural instinct to scrounge for food.. it gives them something to do and it really isn't harmful. Sometimes my turltes dig one side and then another which kicks up some junk that gets sucked into the filter, i like that!

Yes having gravel makes it harder to clean, might have bad stuff underneath, but it still looks better and turltes seem to like it. I wouldn't want a clear tank where everytime i looked down I saw my own relfection would you?

Hi,

This is kind of a follow up to this question? Others posted that the turtle will dig in the gravel when they are bored. My turtle always pulls the filter out of the corner of the tank. Seriously! Within a week of cleaning the tank, the filter is back to floating in another part of the tank. Would my turtle like some sort of toys in his tank. Is he just bored? Or will he pull the filter out, even if he had toys? Does he think there is something hiding behind the filter? I don't usually feed him feeder fish, so I don't think he thinks there are fish back there. I have done just about everything imaginable to keep the filter in the corner (leaning the rock against it, tying it in the corner, and now using wire to secure it.) What should I do?

Thanks! And sorry it is soooooo long!!