Turtles

[lockrookie]

Hey there picking up a couple turtles tomorrow possibly from some deadbeats whom left them behind. Honestly I'm more interested in the tank than the turtles and will try to rehome them if possible. Now I've had turtles in the past but it was ages ago any hints on care is appreciative I will be spending the night researching as is

Thx

[jorjef]

Just make sure when you reheat the soup it gets to 140 degrees...

[lockrookie]

Lol you want a first taste?

[Starry]

What kinda turtles? I used to feed my Red eared sliders Angelfish Culls back in my breeding days. Would imagine feeder fish would work, or turtle pellets.

[lockrookie]

Honestly I have no idea yet haven't seen them just got the call from one of my customers that he had no idea what to do with them and they are big and where left behind by the tenant. I do work with the humanity society but they don't keep turtles regretfully. So in these cases I house the animals until I can find them a home. All I know there is two in a 4 foot tank and the tank is green and stinky so no matter what I will be doing the turtles a favour by getting them home and cleaning it all up. It's too bad it's winter and warmth is an issue but thankfully I have a couple cleaned empty salt buckets to transport. And a tank I can temporarily set up tonight to put them in until I clean the other tank. Just trying to figure out the best habitat and water depth for them and whatnot

[Dearth]

Going off memory here my brother had 2 turtles for 11 yrs....

Unless you are feeding turtles live food(fish, snails, fresh water shrimp) best to feed them on land as turtles are messy eaters and won't take them long to sully the tank. If they are box turtles they can live in multiple environments hot, cold, tepid so if tank isn't heated wont be a major issue. Turtles shed every few months so not unusual to find skin flaking off them.

Have a spot for them to sit out of the water and water depth should cover the shell maybe an inch or 2 for live feeding purposes. Even if not live feeding water should still cover the shell. Give them a hiding place like a shelf or plants for them to hide under both on land and under the water.

Hope that helps....

[lastlight]

they'll need some sort of calcium supplement for their shells I think. We needed them back in the day and I recall finding out years after we had to give our sliders up that they need a basking lamp with uv as well but maybe check that. i was pretty young and i don't think my parents did much research on them as pets.

yeah that tank could have pristine a week earlier (although doubtful) as these guys can royally soil a tank in a few feedings. We actually only fed ours pellets.

[corpusse]

Turtles are such a burden, at least mine are I've had my RES for more 2/3rds of my life. I also have a pink belly sideneck I thought was really cute as a baby.

Really they are super easy to take care of compared to anything salt water. Assuming they are aquatic turtles they need to be fed in water. They don't produce saliva so they won't be able to swallow.

They are messy but water quality is hardly an issue assuming they are in a big tank with a big filter. I have my 2 in a 120 gallon and the canister filter I bought many years ago is just starting to go. They are really hard to rehome with someone who's actually going to take care of them, thus I still have mine.

They require a basking spot to get out of the water and a UV lamp that produces UVB. Older turtles tend to eat more plant based diets while younger eat more meat based. I basically just feed my guys reptomin pellets every 2-3 days and romaine lettuce. They will eat all sorts of greens but I don't bother mixing it up too much since they are content eating this. Water changes are so easy. No mixing salt, no worries about temp acclimation ect.

They actually make decent pets considering they don't require too much time, are somewhat personable and basically live forever. I grew tired of mine years ago but don't want them to end up like the turtles you inherited so I will keep taking care of them.

[Seriak]

Turtles are such a burden, at least mine are I've had my RES for more 2/3rds of my life. I also have a pink belly sideneck I thought was really cute as a baby.

Really they are super easy to take care of compared to anything salt water. Assuming they are aquatic turtles they need to be fed in water. They don't produce saliva so they won't be able to swallow.

They are messy but water quality is hardly an issue assuming they are in a big tank with a big filter. I have my 2 in a 120 gallon and the canister filter I bought many years ago is just starting to go. They are really hard to rehome with someone who's actually going to take care of them, thus I still have mine.

They require a basking spot to get out of the water and a UV lamp that produces UVB. Older turtles tend to eat more plant based diets while younger eat more meat based. I basically just feed my guys reptomin pellets every 2-3 days and romaine lettuce. They will eat all sorts of greens but I don't bother mixing it up too much since they are content eating this. Water changes are so easy. No mixing salt, no worries about temp acclimation ect.

They actually make decent pets considering they don't require too much time, are somewhat personable and basically live forever. I grew tired of mine years ago but don't want them to end up like the turtles you inherited so I will keep taking care of them.

+1

[lockrookie]

Thank you all for the info I'm heading over there after lunch to assess the situation and bring them home I have to figure out the size of tank they are in and find a spot in my home for them. All i know is that the tank is aprox 4 feet long and 2 feet high. but i do t have faith in his estimations lol. as well I have set up my temp holding tank that I will just have water in for the time being worst case scenario the daycare kids will enjoy them. My wife is worried about salmonella poisoning if the kids touch them. Do all turtles carry this and how can you test this. If possible I'd keep one of the two if I find a home for the other.

[Seriak]

Thank you all for the info I'm heading over there after lunch to assess the situation and bring them home I have to figure out the size of tank they are in and find a spot in my home for them. All i know is that the tank is aprox 4 feet long and 2 feet high. but i do t have faith in his estimations lol. as well I have set up my temp holding tank that I will just have water in for the time being worst case scenario the daycare kids will enjoy them. My wife is worried about salmonella poisoning if the kids touch them. Do all turtles carry this and how can you test this. If possible I'd keep one of the two if I find a home for the other.

All lizards/amphibians can carry salmonella, but not all do. Only way to tell is by testing them for it. I really don't worry about it as everyone in my house knows if they touch any of my reptiles, they need to wash their hands immediately afterwards.

[lockrookie]

Ok thanks

[lockrookie]

At a quick glance they look like Red ear sliders if that's correct but I tell you I was told the tank sat for 5 weeks and all the dumb caretaker did was add water and feed the turtles. The water was blacker than black very disgusting I managed to save some rock and shelf rocks e just have to build thier temp home until I can find thier forever home.

[The Guy]

At a quick glance they look like Red ear sliders if that's correct but I tell you I was told the tank sat for 5 weeks and all the dumb caretaker did was add water and feed the turtles. The water was blacker than black very disgusting I managed to save some rock and shelf rocks e just have to build thier temp home until I can find thier forever home.
That's really bad, I had red ear sliders years ago and they liked most anything I remember giving them lettuce and also small pieces of raw smelts or prawns. Sounds like the jerks that left them behind need a good whoppin! :mad2:

[lockrookie]

This is not the first time I've brought animals home that where left behind I'm just glad I have the means to house them. Here is a couple pics of thier temporary home just need to throw a heater in and set the heat lamps up top yet and I have to go buy a filter for the water tomorrow

The girls where ecstatic..... Turtle turtle turtle

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af103/lockrookie/1598DCEA-0061-4E13-A78D-92E45FB27747-9168-00000CFBB6E7631B.jpg

Top down

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af103/lockrookie/1D8A05A7-20B5-49DC-8CA3-19A90CF6ED0E-9168-00000CFBAB8D3856.jpg

[corpusse]

looks like 2 females. Fill the water almost to the top, Just enough so they can't get out. Turtles are surprisingly good climbers. They will enjoy having water to swim in and more water volume will keep the water cleaner.

[lockrookie]

Cool thanks I have to build up thier platform first some how but hopefully as I said this will be temporary and someone will give them a good home. I will be picky to whom gets them tho. I don't want to put too much money into them quite yet but I read they need a heat lamp as well. I will be looking into the necessities tomorrow in my travels

[Dearth]

Don't put any electrical submersible equipment in the water unless the lines are protected from the turtles they will tend to bite everything they see and good set up there much better than what they were living in in

[Chase31]

To bad your father away I would love a smaller turtle and I think my girlfriend is quite intrigued by them. She'd love one! Good on you for saving them tho its to bad people are like that. Their livig creatures how would you like it if someone dropped you in a tank and left you there for weeks

[lockrookie]

Yes ppl can be cruel but I should update this for you guys. I was lucky to find two good homes for the turtles both going into 120g tanks. Although there where a few questionable inquiries. I feel confident they are being well cared for.