Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everybody. Ok so i'm new to the Turtle world, as i havee never owned one in my life. currently I am thinking of getting a common musk turtle. i don't know much about how to setup a tank for them, or where i could get even. If anyone can help that would very helpful. Thank's.

A common musk turtle is a great choice for your first turtle! They don't need as much room as a slider or painted turtle, but they still need a fairly large tank. A 20 gallon long would probably be the minimum, and the bigger the tank the better. The height of the tank doesn't matter as much as the floor space.

Your turtle needs some water that's fairly deep (6" or so) as well as some shallow areas, and a basking spot where he can pull himself all the way out of the water. You can use rocks, wood, or plastic or resin facsimiles of either. Give him a light with a UV bulb above the basking spot.

All turtles produce a lot of waste, so you need a strong filter. You should also perform frequent water changes.

Musk turtles happily eat commercial turtle or koi pellets, earthworms, and morsels of meat or fish. Some individuals like vegetables or live fish, and some don't; you'll just have to see what your turtle likes.

As far as buying turtles goes, check the classified section here at kingsnake.com to start.

Thanks for the tips, as of right now i have a 20 gallon tank that i used to keep my leopard geckos in and a clamp lamp to use. I have read that cork bark works well for a basking area, is this true? Any suggestions for an alternate? I also have one of thos e big green fake rock hideaways the opening isn't very big, should i buy a bigger formation, and if so where could i get one. i have also read that i can use live plants, is thiis a good idea or no? If i put live plants in do i need mud/ soil at the bottom or can i still use pebbles/gravel as the bottom? one more thing where is a good place to buy submisible heaters and guards, garvel vaccums, and filters? im kinda on a budget, around $100 dollars as of right now. Thanks.

I have always just used a largeish rock or piece of driftwood as a basking area. I don't see why cork bark wouldn't work, though.

Plants generally don't last long in turtle tanks. If you're willing to replant now and again after your turtle eats or digs up your plant, then go for it. You don't need mud in the bottom of the tank, just plant it right in the gravel; it will get nutrients from the turtle's waste.

ok thanks, so any ideas where i can get filters, submisible heaters and guards, and thermometers? I have another question are in tank filters any good? or should i get one that hangs on the outside of the tank? I have also heard that walmart has o.k. filters should i get one?

I assume by in-tank filters you mean things like ZooMed's spill-over filter? Those are OK, but canister or hang-on-back filters tend to be more effective and reliable, in my experience. You can also use a sponge filter, which is cheap and effective. I've never bought any filters from Wal-Mart, so I don't know how effective they are. Do you know the brand name of the filters they carry?

No matter what kind of filter you use, you will have to clean the filter media often and perform frequent water changes to keep up with the turtle's waste production. The recommended method is to siphon or dip a few gallons of water out of the tank, swish the filter media in it to get the gunk off, then return the media and refill the tank with fresh dechlorinated water. Don't wash your filter media in tap water, as it will kill the beneficial bacteria growing in it.

Stinkpots don't need heaters or thermometers; they do fine at room temperature, especially if they have a warm basking site.

Well by in-tank i mean that the filter has suction cups and sticks to the bottom of the tank, i wasn't quite sure about it so i held off on buying it.
Thanks for telling me that they don't need a heater, that just saved me a lot of money, and seeing how i live in Florida it should be that hard to keep the room at a constant temperature, but do i need to avoid direct sunlight?
And one more question, what is a good brand for a filters? I've never used a filter before. Thank you.

I've used Whisper, AquaClear, and MarineLand (Emperor and Penguin line) hang-on-back filters, and Fluval in-tank filters, and been satisfied with them. I don't really like Duettos, as I've had problems with them failing after a couple of months. There are a lot of other brands, of course, and hopefully someone who has had experience with them will pipe up.

Direct sunlight isn't bad for your turtle unless it severely overheats the tank, but it can cause algae problems.

ok thanks. so now all i have to do is go buy this stuff. believe it or not i caught one on a bike trail today. and i'm trying to decide if i should try and scrub off the algae to try and keep the tank clean.

another thing do i need an undergravel filter and vacuum for my tank? i'm not sure. i have a regular filter right noe that hangs on the outside of the tank is this ok?

You do not need an undergravel filter. A vacuum or siphon is a good investment- it will make water changes easier, and help clean out the inevitable accumulation of muck in the gravel. If there is a sink nearby, you might also consider getting a 'Python' or similar product. This replaces a siphon and allows you to drain directly to your sink.