Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a pair of Common Musk turtles and a 3 striped mud that I've set up in a new aquarium. For the past year, I've been housing them in my herp room in rubbermaids but wanted to set up something nicer to look at. I have them set up in a 20 gallon long aquarium with a land area and driftwood, but the room I have them in is cooler then my herp room is. This winter the temps will be an even bigger difference. I never worried about temps before because my herp room is always kept in the mid 70's to low 80's The temps in the new room that they are in in my basement will vary between the mid 60's to low 70's What should the water temps be in my aqarium and will a submersible aquarium heater work?

Mark

Don't bother with a heater. Provide a basking lamp and "platform" (corkbark being about the best), and they will be fine. Our native species do perfectly well with "cooler" water temps., as long as they can thermo-regulate by basking. Yes, even Muds and Musks bask! At night room temp. is all they need.

I do have a basking light shining down on a piece of driftwood but I've never seen them use it yet. Not sure if they'll be able to haul themselves out on it. The temps in the room can get fairly cold, though not real cold. Its a basement room and it'll get down to 60 in the winter time.

Mark

>>Don't bother with a heater. Provide a basking lamp and "platform" (corkbark being about the best), and they will be fine. Our native species do perfectly well with "cooler" water temps., as long as they can thermo-regulate by basking. Yes, even Muds and Musks bask! At night room temp. is all they need.
>>

60'F will never be a problem. These turtles are very agile climbers, so they will have no trouble getting out to bask if needed. I personally find (water) heaters to be more trouble than they are worth.

Thanks for the info, I'll skip the heater. Actually, right after my last post, I went downstairs and found that one of them was sitting on the driftwood under the basking light LOL

Mark

>>60'F will never be a problem. These turtles are very agile climbers, so they will have no trouble getting out to bask if needed. I personally find (water) heaters to be more trouble than they are worth.