Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just recieved a RES from a friend and I have no clue how to take care of it. She gave it to me in a dish, so I went out and bought a 10 gal tank kit that came with lights, filter and rocks. I bought tap water conditioner and some Reptomin baby pellets. That is it. Is there anything else I need or did I get anything that I shouldn't of? Please help. Oh yeah, I name him/her???? Oregano (my dogs are Sugar and Ginger). Thanks.

Ok. I have my RES since June. I found a lot by just putting Red Earred slider in a search engine. How big is your turtle? Measure it for the front of its shell to the back of its shell. The general rule is 10 gallons per inch. So 4 inch turtle equals 40 gallons. They need a area to get completely dry and bask. Being cold blooded animals they need the heat to digest their food. You could get a clip on light and put a 60 watt bulb in there. The basking area needs to be area 90 degrees and the water temp around 78 degrees. Also having UVB light to help process the right minerals for the shell. You can buy repocal( it is a powder) which basically does the same thing as the bulb.
If you turtle is over 3 inches feed it every other day. Say Monday you feed pellets Tuesdays put veggies in there. Here is a list of veggies they can eat

Here is what they can eat:
VEGETABLES

Romaine Lettuce
Mustard leaves
Leaves of Radish
Collard Greens
Tomatoes
Carrot• Beetroot
Turnip
Sweet Potato [cooked - boiled/ steamed/baked]
Beans
Peas
Pumpkin
Squashes

FRUITS
• Papaya
• Mango
• Water Melon ( Feed rarely)
• Cantaloupe/Common Melon
• Grapes (remove skin so its easier for them to pick at )
• Apple
• Pear
• Strawberry
• Figs

WATER PLANTS
Anacharis
Water Lily
Duckweed
Water Hyacinth
Hornwort

LIVE PREY
• Feeder Fish ( guppies, rosey reds, goldfish( goldfish have very high fat content and should NOT be fed often )
• earthworms
• mealworms
• mosquito larvae
• crickets
• cockroaches
• apple snails or other water snails ( if you get water plants you most likely will get some smails with them )

Getting Calcium
• cuttle bone
• Calcium Dusting ( you can crush cuttle bone for this)
• Calcium blocks

Getting Vitamin A ( Great for eyes ..expecially if they are puffy)
• green leafy vegetables
• cabbage
• carrot
• squash
• cod liver oil
When you feed your bigger turtle, you want to give them a variety of food. Some of the vegetables they might not eat. Feed them a couple pellets, and greens. They may not eat them at first. put a leave of romaine lettuce on top of you tank water and let it float for a couple hours. Most of the water plants, they will eat. Feed every third day and just toss in leaf on none eating days.
Ok I am going to have do another post. Shannon

"You can buy repocal( it is a powder) which basically does the same thing as the bulb."
To my understanding, there`s nothing that does `the same thing as the bulb` (aside from real sunshine, of course). To the best of my knowledge, Repocal is just a supliment powder with calcium and other important nutrients in it. In moderation, it`s a very good thing to use. Though I have heard that you can run into trouble if you suppliment with too much calcium/what have you, just like if your turtle doesn`t get enough.

~Rachael

Here is a list of no nos:

Empty foods like lettuce and celery. They provide very little useful nutrition or fiber. They are fillers, a way to add variety but not nutrition.

Food high in oxalic acid like spinach, chard and rhubarb. Oxalic acid blocks the absorption of calcium. These foods cause the turtle to become calcium deficient even if a good source of calcium is provided. Example: You feed a calcium supplement on spinach. The oxalic acid in the spinach will prevent the turtle from absorbing the calcium. Even if you feed only now and then, you are still blocking the turtles ability to absorb calcium. Which is vital to turtle shells. The rhubarb the turtle ate a month ago, is blocking, months later.

High purine foods which include peas, beans and mushrooms should be used sparingly because they can contribute to gout if overused. Read sparingly as once every 3-6 months

Also avoid cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, bok-choi, and kohlrabi (brassica family). In excessive amounts these plants contribute to kidney disease and goiter. Turnips, soybeans, radishes, rapeseed, and mustard also contain goitrogens. These should be used rarely. However, the addition of kelp to the diet may reverse the goitrogenic effect of the brassicas.

Raw meat will cause obesity in the turtle and it also does not provide the turtle with the nutrients it needs so much. Raw chicken can contain salmonella! Frozen fish inhibit the absorption of certain nutrients and might cause long-term problems. High levels of protein put an abnormal stress on the kidneys, and has been implicated in shell deformities such as pyramiding. Use meat as part of a varied diet, sparingly

I personal have anacharis floating my turtle tank and it multplies like crazy. I know of another site that helped me a lot. It is
http://invisionfree.com/forums/Happy_Turtles_Pub/index.php?
Hopefully that works. But if not put like Happy Turtles Pub as a search it should show up. It will have an invisionfree web address. I hope this was helpful. Let me know if I can help with anything else. Shannon