Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have an adult female cooter (possibly Suwannee?). This turtle was given up by its owner some years ago and is in need of a proper set-up. All the litereature I can find states that proper tank size is 10gallons per inch 10%. Is this the total enclosure size or the volume of water??

I appreciate any help.

You 'll be hard pressed to find a glass aquarium that gives an adult female cooter enough room. An absolute minimum would be a tank with the same foot print as a standard 180 gallon (72 inches long, 24 inches wide...height largely irrelvant).

Large cooter girls need ponds or big tubs....if you need to save money a kiddie pool could work for awhile.

Hmmm hope i didn't write anything that could be misconstrued : )

WOW! That's much larger than I was thinking. How about the guidelines I keep coming across that use 10 gallons per inch of turtle? (She's about 9-10". 180 gallons is double that. An outdoor enclosure is unfortunately not an option.
Thanks for the advice...Any other opinions??

How the heck did that smiley face show up in my post???

Don't know about what emoticons ae enabled here at kingsnake.

As for the 10 gallon rule, it is usually meant 10 gallons of WATER, not tank, per inch plus 10 or 20 percent.
Since you need to allow for basking space a tank is often not filled more than 75 - 80 percent.

But even so those are minima. And 9 - 10 inches is NOT the maximum size of a full grown female cooter.
It depends upon the species (and what you call a "cooter) but some get 12 - 16 inches.
Besides, what you may not realize is that turtles get bored very easily. A large turtle that has only a few feet of space in which to swim back and forth eventually becoes lethargic and though I can't prove it, I think it effects their health in the long run. of course this varies form species to species as well, but cooters are active turtles.

So are we talking about Pseudemys?
And if so, which species?

cooters at WCT

river cooters at umich

cooter factoids at nsis

barb reader's crazy collection of cooter websites at Turtle times
If you can't get big tank you could consider a large plastic stock tank or an indoor pond made from a wooden box with a pond liner thrown in.
Many keepers have used one or both of these options for keeping turtles indoors.

It's a Pseudemys...not sure as to species. Shell is not in great shape and striping on head & body is faint. I believe its an P. concinna but might be P. suwanniensis (back legs appear to be solid black with no striping. I have sort of inherited this turtle without knowing much of its history (captive bred or wild collected). I am trying to provide the proper habitat for this girl or find a cooter enthusiast who might be willing to provide a good home.

The indoor pond idea sounds ideal but is not workable for several reasons (I am working within a set of constraints here...not an excuse just the reality).

Not doesn't sound like an excuse.
you are trying tohelp this animal.
That's always good.
If you want some tips on making big indoor enclosures email me.

You should know this animal (any Pseudemys) is most hervivorous as an adult.

A good selection of water plants, fruits and leafy greens will be essential to its health.

Is there no way it can go outise, even on apatio or deck or porch or balcony?

I appreciate your response. Any outdoor enclosure is out of the question due to concerns about very young children. This animal was taken in (from a keeper who didn't want it anymore)some time ago by a volunteer. No one here is especially knowledgable about the requirements for properly keeping a water turtle. I have been educating myself in regards to this and have come to realize that her current living conditions are not sufficient. I am working to correct this, but am unsure as to whether or not I will ever be able to provide the proper habitat.
I may start to enquire about folks who might be interested in adopting this poor girl.