Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello.

I am planning to adopt 2 quarter-sized RES and thought I'd stop here for some friendly advice.

I have a 20-gallon long tank to start them off with, but I'd like some advice on filters.
From what I've read, it seems that the cannister filters are the way to go. Can someone recommend one that is under $50.00 that will be sufficient for a 20 tank? Also, I'd like something that is quiet, since the tank will be in my bedroom.

As I would like to provide the best care possible for these turtles, can anyone recommend a comprehensive care sheet for raising RES? That would be very helpful.

Lastly, are there any sites on the Web that have pictures of different tank setups for RES? I would like to see some different setups to get some idea as to what my setup should include. I will continue to do my homework on RES, but I thought you guys would be a valuable resource as well.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

jayhawk

Hi Jayhawk...Austin's Turtle Page has excellent care sheets for lots of different turtles. I suggest ordering a filter online, much cheaper. I have an Aquaclear 300. Paid $40 for it on sale at my local petstore, then found out it was $18 at Big Al's online. Austin's Turtle Page also has information about different filter's available, the pros and cons of each, and what size you need for your tank. The bigger the better, turtles are much dirtier than fish.

The really valuable piece of advice I'm going to give you is to look at getting a different kind of turtle. Most of us have RES because we didn't do our homework first. I love mine, but I didn't know when I got them that they could grow to be 12 inches and eventually require a 120 gallon aquarium...FOR EACH OF THEM! Unless you have the room and desire to create an outdoor pond eventually, consider getting a mud or musk turtle that will be about 5 inches full grown instead of 10-12. I think I would get a spotted turtle if I had it to do over again. Just some info I wish I had had before I brought these adorable creatures home.

Good Luck! Nancy

From where are you adopting? You don't have to tell me the name of the group if you don't want, but just curious if it was a rescue, a herp society, an individual, or an Internet store. Did you have to fill out an adoption application?

Katrina

i bought two baby RES from some cheapo stand at the mall that also sells aquababies. i shouldnt have, but i felt sorry for the turtles and bought them. the lady selling them knew absolutely nothing about them. she told me plain tap water would be fine for them and that they needed no heating device (i knew better than that). with the turtles i got a ziplock bag of God knows what kind of cheapo pellet food that they would not eat for about two weeks. (i guess if i was starving, finally i might eat a cockroach). i also made the mistake of buying one of those plastic lagoons that will not even hold enough water for them to fully submerge themselves. (i did have one of those heater matts under it though). i had them in this set-up for a while and finally decided-if i was living in there, i wouldnt be very happy so i transfered them to a ten gallon tank that also houses 3 goldfish, 10 guppies, 4 ghost shrimp and two freshwater flounders. (the goldfish and guppies are all baby/feeder size and surprisingly live harmoniously with the turtles.) the tank has sand and a hang-on filter. i have to change the water about every three days but thats no problem since i have many other tanks. as long as you dont get the turtles from some place that sells AQUABABIES, i think its a good idea. oh yeah-at that stand there was a tiny three inch sign (very much out of sight) that said "turtles under four inches are sold for educational purposes only" its sad how everyone gets around that law so easily. if some cheapo food comes with your turtles though-THROW IT AWAY!

The same thing happened to me that happened to jacblades. I think the place that I got mine from was called Little Buddies or something. I even got an adoption certificate with my 2 baby RES' and I read the small print "selling turtles under 4 inches is illegal unless for scientific purposes" when I got home. Didn't I just buy quarter sized turtles??? According to the woman that sold them to me, my turtles were only going to grow to be 4 inches big. I love my turtles but they have cost me tons of money and so much worry. I feel so bad that I fell for the plastic lagoon with 2 turtles that will only grow to be 4 inches big and don't need much more than their fake plastic palm tree.

Ok this thread is turning into a group therapy session. But here's my story anyways.

I went to Chinatown and bought my two babies thinking they would be a cutsie cheep, and low maintainence pet for my son.When I got them home they wouldn't eat.SO I went to the petstore and spent $200 on a setup that they are going to grow out of probobly some time next week.

Let me just say what a pain in the cheeks it is to clean that tank at least once a week.Sure you can let it go, but the health department will come and board up your house because the stench of the things will draw complaints from the neighbors. Like imagine the smell of a rotting carcass left in your car window for a week in the florida sun with all the windows rolled up.You open that door at the end of the week and it's like a swift kick in the face.Thats what it smells like.

Yes, I love my little crappers, but they are really expensive. While I might be living off Ramen Noodles and Kool Aid and stolen ketchup packets, they are eating like kings because they are finicky eaters.And truthfully, their house is cleaner than mine.

And vacation, forget about it. Better start naming godparents for the hatchlings now, because unlike cats, there are no automatic feeders for blood worms and lettuce and pellets.Somebody trustworthy is gonna have to look after them.Plus, if you are gone more than a few days, you open up the door to your house after a nice vacation and you are gonna have one big raunchy turtle toilet that hasn't been flushed over a week stinking up your place.Not a happy smell.Your friends and family will equate your home with Joe's Apartment (the movie about the talking roaches) or Pigpen's lair.

So my advice to you is win the lottery.Then run out and buy the biggest tank and filter you can find.Filter filter filter.Then get a UVA and a UVB light, as well as a good heater for the tank.They also need a basking spot,like a turtle dock.

Then find a LEGAL (notice how I didn't mention chinatown, aquababies, or any other shady pet store)adoption service that will give you as much turtle as you can reasonably clean up after and afford.DO NOT GET HATCHLINGS.By adopting an adult, you will be saving a life instead of supporting the illegal pet trade.Because the two you "save" from some shady dealer will just line his pockets and encourage him to get two more to replace them for some other chump like us to come along and buy.

Oh, and if you have children, forget it.I am paranoid about my son getting anywhere near him because I don't want him to get salmanella, try to eat them, or start ripping their limbs off for sport.

So there is my advice.I wish someone had told me this stuff before I bought my kids.They were like unplanned children. Sure, I love them now, but had I planned them better I could have provided more for them and perhaps not been so bitter about all the time, energy and money I have wasted on them.

...Anne
2 RES
1 anklebiter

Anne,

Just to let you know, as they grow older, you can leave them alone longer. Are you feeding every day or every other day?

If you don't have one yet, get a Python siphon - worth its weight in gold.

Katrina

Thanks for all the informative posts. You've all given me much to think about.

As for the smaller musk and mud turtles; are they common in the pet trade? Where might they be available for sale?

Thanks again.

jayhawk

Check the kingsnake classifieds for CAPTIVE BRED individuals - most adults in the pet trade are wild-caught. You can also find captive bred juveniles at some herp shows.

Katrina

You can also look in the classifieds at turtleforum.com, I think turtlepimp.com might be able to help you out also.

I agree with Steve that if you allow your tank to cycle you won't have any smell or water problems and you can leave them alone for really long stretches if you use a timer for your lights. You can toss in some veggies and feeder fish and leave for a week or more without a "turtle sitter". But they still require a substantial financial investment, and they do grow...some of them bigger than others.

You're so lucky that you get to investigate first, maybe you should get a stinkpot!

Stinkpots are lower work, but also lower fun. A more low-key pet all around. Unless you go for the giant musk turtles, which combine low maintence with the constant fear of dismemberment.

>Fun Musk Turtle Style<
Hey! I think I can see him! He must have moved this week!
-----
Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

jayhawk

I really get a chuckle out of all this and also am very happy that no matter to see no matter how much everyone laments they still care about their turtles to do right by them.

The thing is folks that with proper husbandry techniques and the proper sized aquarium and filtratration etc. You would not be breaking down tanks, scrubbing them out once a week or having any stench.

The nature has a way of keeping things in check (like ammonia and waste build up) and if you provide your turtles with the space they need and allow your tank to cycle fully you will be doing 25-30% water changes one a week and cleaning the filter every 3-4 weeks (provided of course you have a big enough filtration system.)

I brought in a dozen turtles from my outside ponds this year (most over 9 ) inches and house them in a well cycled indoor pond. I do a water change of 30% once a week and clean their filter pad out too at that time (with this many turtles at this size weekly filter maintenance is necessary). There is no stench no cloudy water nothing and it takes me a mere 20-30 minutes of my time once a week.

I have a 40 gallon tank with female striped muds in it. That tank gets a water change once a week and the filter cleaned once every four weeks. The water is immaculate odor free and ammonia free (and perfect 7.0 PH).

Point is with some patients for the tank to run it's bacteria cycle your work would be cut down by 75% and you could enjoy your little friends a bit more.

I do commend you all though for your devotion to your animals. I work in turtle rescue and it with all the bad I see it is heart warming to see that their are those out there who do care for their animals and make the necessary sacrifices.

Steve

Just something to consider.