Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK So I think I am going to make this a late Christmas gift for my mom after calculating costs. Help me to see if I need anything else.

Here is my setup plan...
Sand/Gravel for substrate on the water side, building a ramp up to the land side (substrate being debated) with a possible hide.

This is the suply list I have so far...

I already have...

Tank
Water heater
Double socket hood
Gravel
Sand

Possiby more, need to look around.

Made a list off of a couple sites of things I think I need. Tell me what you think.

Lighting Options:
>2 different UVB/UVA coil lamps (only use one of course)
>ReptiSun UVA/UVB lamp
>Combo of Day Brite Daylight bulb (UVA) and ZooMed Daylight Blue (UVB)

What do you think is my best choice of those? Also, do I need an aditional heat bulb with the coil lamp or reptisun?

Filter Options:
>Fluval under water filter
>ZooMed 318 turtle filter

I don't think I will need the 501 with only one turtle? (most likely a Mississippi Map)

Food Options:
>Aquatic Turtle Yummies
>Aquatic Turtle Bites
>ZooMed Aquatic Turtle Bites Floating pellets

Mic...
>Half Log Turtle Hut
>Bark Blend (Turtle) Lizard Litter (for land area)
>Bio Coconut Fiber Mat (for land area)
>Moss for barrier between water and Land area (Oregon Sheet Moss?)
>Sand Scooper/Sifter (for spot cleaning the water area)

So what do you think? Am I missing anything? Is there anything that I don't need?

Also What should I use for water conditioner? Here is a link to the list of conditioners I was looking at, but I am not sure what is the best for the turtles.
Water Conditioners

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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Sand or gravel are usually avoided, they can clog the filter and the turtle will probably eat them. I use river rocks and slate, which looks nice, but doesn't trap the dirt and turtles can't eat them.

You need a heat bulb with any flourescent uvb bulb. The Zoomed daylight blue is not a UVB bulb.

Canister filters are the best because they dont take up any tank space.

Food Options:
Turtle pellets are basically all the same, variety is key. Most turtles need veggies, aquatic plants or live prey in addition to the pellets.

Mic...
Lizard litter will just get dragged into the water. Turtles dont need a land area really, just a rock or something they can climb out on. They would prefer an underwater hide to one on land, aquatic turtles aren't comfortable on land. You want to maximize the swimming area of your tank, most people use a floating platform for basking so the turtle can swim under it.
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A mans got to do what a mans got to do. A woman has to do what he can't.

Mom to:

1 little boy born 7/19/04
2 male RES, born 2001
1 ribbon snake, age unknown
3 FBT, ages unknown
1 female bearded dragon, born 5/2002
1 male lab mix, born 5/24/03
1 female calico cat, born 6/7/04

::Sand or gravel are usually avoided, they can clog the filter and the turtle will probably eat them. I use river rocks and slate, which looks nice, but doesn't trap the dirt and turtles can't eat them.

>>I just heard Sand was preffered, I woulden't mind river rock.

::You need a heat bulb with any flourescent uvb bulb. The Zoomed daylight blue is not a UVB bulb.

>>I figured. Would a blacklight work? I am hesitant to use them, but I know ALOT of herpers who use them for snakes, like I say I am new to turtles though.

As for the ZooMed daylight blue, I read it on the packedge that it produces UVB although it isn't particularly for UV uses.

::Canister filters are the best because they dont take up any tank space.

>>any specifics?

::Turtle pellets are basically all the same, variety is key. Most turtles need veggies, aquatic plants or live prey in addition to the pellets.

>> Would the moist turtle bites/yummies be sufficent? I know there is fruit & veggie treats and mealworms, etc... treats also, are they acceptable?

::Lizard litter will just get dragged into the water. Turtles dont need a land area really, just a rock or something they can climb out on. They would prefer an underwater hide to one on land, aquatic turtles aren't comfortable on land. You want to maximize the swimming area of your tank, most people use a floating platform for basking so the turtle can swim under it.

I planned on making the tank mostly water, but I think I like the Idea of a ramp up to small land area better than the floating island, maybe I can make it a little differently so that I can make the ramp just a little below the water and the turtle can still get under it to the other side, but I like a fixed land area with a decent ramp.

What would be a suitable hide for uner water?

There are still many of my questions that are unanswered. Anyone please, comments and suggestions are highly appreciated! Thanks!
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

>>I figured. Would a blacklight work? I am hesitant to use them, but I know ALOT of herpers who use them for snakes, like I say I am new to turtles though.

The ZooMed blue bulb says on the package that is does not produce UVB (very small print on the bottom) Try a ReptiSun Flourescent.

::Canister filters are the best because they dont take up any tank space.

>>any specifics? I use the Fluval 404

::Turtle pellets are basically all the same, variety is key. Most turtles need veggies, aquatic plants or live prey in addition to the pellets.

>> Would the moist turtle bites/yummies be sufficent? I know there is fruit & veggie treats and mealworms, etc... treats also, are they acceptable?

Never tried moist turtle bites, I think they would make a mess of the tank (RES eat underwater) Leaft greens are the best staple, mustard greens, dandelion greens, etc. Crickets are a good fun treat.

What would be a suitable hide for under water?

Turtles like plants to float with and hide in, and eat of course. Mine also had a castle like thing that is really for fish, and they would dive behind it when startled. They aren't afraid of people anymore tho. Just be careful, if your tank decorations have any sort of hole in them, the turtle will try like crazy to swim through it, and they can get themselves caught.
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A mans got to do what a mans got to do. A woman has to do what he can't.

Mom to:

1 little boy born 7/19/04
2 male RES, born 2001
1 ribbon snake, age unknown
3 FBT, ages unknown
1 female bearded dragon, born 5/2002
1 male lab mix, born 5/24/03
1 female calico cat, born 6/7/04

Turtle Yummies - NO. If it's the brand I think it is, I don't think they provide adequate nutrition, just by looking at their ingredients for other herps.

Try Reptomin or Wardley's pellets. You can also order Turtle Brittle, which was actually developed by biologists, and is used by many zoological institutions. You can order it fromhttp://www.enasco.com/prod/Home - just type in Turtle Brittle in the search engine. For hatchlings you will have to soak it a little before adding it to the water, or break it into pieces.

Adding occasional greens and live foods will be beneificial mentally. Add an occasional piece of cooked shrimp or fish as a treat. Try to research the diet and habitat of maps in the wild as much as you can.

http://members.tripod.com/~Draybar/draybarturtles.html has some great ideas for aquariums. For a cheap hiding box underwater, you can take a small Sterilite or Rubbermaid container, or even just Gladware, leave the lid on, and cut out one of the sides. Attach a piece of slate to the top with some aquarium sealant, let it cure for a day or two, and now you have an underwater cave. Artificial silk plants, from the dollar store, Wal-Mart, or crafts store, work good too. Just rinse them well before adding them to the tank. I assume you're getting a hatchling? What size tank are you getting?

I believe that map turtles need especially clean water, so you would want to go with the best filter possible.

As for heat, you DO NOT need a black light. A regular household lightbulb will work if you are using a non-heat producing UVB light. You don't need a heat light at night. Most turtles want to hide at night in the water, so they won't be basking any way. There is a website out there that lists UVB output by different lights, and the ESU coil lights ranked pretty low. I'd go with a Reptisun 5.0 for now, if it's a hathclilng. You have to be careful with the wattage of the mercury vapor bulbs with a small tank - too easy to fry a hatchling with those.

Katrina

Thank you, finally some good info I can understand....

::Turtle Yummies - NO. If it's the brand I think it is, I don't think they provide adequate nutrition, just by looking at their ingredients for other herps.

>>Thanks, I just thought they might help as a treat sort of thing, but if they woulden't help I will stay away from them alltogether.

::Try Reptomin or Wardley's pellets. You can also order Turtle Brittle, which was actually developed by biologists, and is used by many zoological institutions. You can order it fromhttp://www.enasco.com/prod/Home - just type in Turtle Brittle in the search engine. For hatchlings you will have to soak it a little before adding it to the water, or break it into pieces.

>>Thanks again, the Wardley's is REALLY popular in pet stores around here, so I guess that would work out well for me, I just didn't know about the ammount of vitamins and minerals and all that stuff in any of them and what was best.

Adding occasional greens and live foods will be beneificial mentally. Add an occasional piece of cooked shrimp or fish as a treat. Try to research the diet and habitat of maps in the wild as much as you can.

>>Sounds good, will do. I saw brine shrimp, I think dried, the other day at my favorite pet store, would that be a good treat for them?

::http://members.tripod.com/~Draybar/draybarturtles.html has some great ideas for aquariums.

>>Thanks I will have to check that out.

:: For a cheap hiding box underwater, you can take a small Sterilite or Rubbermaid container, or even just Gladware, leave the lid on, and cut out one of the sides. Attach a piece of slate to the top with some aquarium sealant, let it cure for a day or two, and now you have an underwater cave. Artificial silk plants, from the dollar store, Wal-Mart, or crafts store, work good too. Just rinse them well before adding them to the tank.

>>Awseome... Thanks for the ideas.

::I assume you're getting a hatchling? What size tank are you getting?

>> Yes, I want a hatchling. I have many tanks here, I could use any of them, I have up to 70 or 75 gallon long.

::I believe that map turtles need especially clean water, so you would want to go with the best filter possible.

>>The turtle filter I listed should be ok then? I don't think I would need the big one though would I? With only having one turtle and all.

::As for heat, you DO NOT need a black light. A regular household lightbulb will work if you are using a non-heat producing UVB light.

>>I was asking because I have a spare blacklight that I woulden't mind using, I have a cabinet of house hold bulbs also, will the blacklight do any harm?

::You don't need a heat light at night. Most turtles want to hide at night in the water, so they won't be basking any way.

>>I figured they woulden't, I have a double socketed hood and I will buy a timer for it.

>>There is a website out there that lists UVB output by different lights, and the ESU coil lights ranked pretty low. I'd go with a Reptisun 5.0 for now, if it's a hathclilng. You have to be careful with the wattage of the mercury vapor bulbs with a small tank - too easy to fry a hatchling with those.

>> So what size bulb and tank should I start out with for a hatchling? For any map or false map turtle, I am not set on exactly which one I want, but I like them all and they all seem to have standard care.

Thanks again!
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~