Turtle....( 3 Baby Turtles... )

Question

I have 3 baby Red-eared Slider.

I have a 2 gallon Tank....a place for them to stay dry.

I don't have a light that shines bright but a light at the front door but not that much light. Is that okay??

I don't have a filter so I clean the tank every 3 or 4 days...is that okay?

So my questions are...

Do I need a light, if i do ....do i need a special light or a normal light will do...do the light on my celing bright enought 4 them??

Do I need a filter to clean the tank? Cuz I already clean it every 3 days...i might b thinking of getting one but just asking...do I really need one...

thanks if u can help :D

Answer 1

Ok ...your gonnna get some bad emails on this.

People want and should read up on things before they buy pets.  Most of us don't read and see what they need. I know when I got my 2 sliders 36 yrs ago I didn't think they would be 36 yrs old and still alive. They are not suppose to live past 25 yrs old.



You need a 40 gal tank to start and a pond within  a year.

You need a good sunlight at least 8 to 10 hrs a day..

If you don't  have a filter the water gets dirty from them poopi and they will get sick easy from bad water..cleaning it every day gets old. I use to have my sliders in a kiddy pomd for 6 yrs,,,every 10 days I had to clean it, but it was worth it cause they 36yrs old..Filter is a YES .

They need fish guppies..daily and some romaine or butter lettuce. This makes them grow. They can have the turtle stix but fish will make them live they have calcium in thier bones for shell gowth and to stay healthy just like you and I.

Email me...and I have a great solution for you, K.

Click on profile and email me from there.

http://flickr.com/photos/29035692@N03/se...

Answer 2

Whoa, you need a lot more if you want to keep them alive very long.  First of all you need a really large tank...at least 40 gallons for now.  And they cannot live without heat lamps and UVB reptile lights.  Please read my mini care sheet for more info:

Recommended size of tank is 10 gallon of tank per inch of shell.  For example, a 4 inch long turtle should be in a 40 gallon tank.  Water depth should be 1.5 times the length of turtle.  A 4 inch long turtle should have 6 inches of water.  They need a basking platform.  Something that they can easily climb out of the water onto so they can be completely dry.  They need a water heater.  These are made for turtle tanks and will keep the water at 75-78F.  If water is too cold, they can get sick.  A strong water filter is usually needed, as these are very messy animals.  There are many types of filters available…get the most powerful one you can.  Water quality is also very important.  Filters do not remove ammonia waste, so frequent water changes are needed.  Clean water will go a long way in keeping your turtle healthy.  Do not use gravel or sand on the bottom of the tank.  This will make cleaning too difficult.  Also, turtles commonly try to eat gravel which can lead to fatal intestinal impactions.  

They need a heat lamp with a light bulb to provide heat for basking.  Place this above the basking platform.  The temperature on the basking platform needs to reach 85-90F.  They need this temperature to raise their body temps in order to digest food properly.  Use a digital probe thermometer to measure the basking temp.  These are sold as indoor/outdoor thermometers in most garden departments.  Set it to “outdoor” and place the probe on the basking platform. You cannot use stick on or dial thermometers, as these only measure air temps and not basking temps.  They can be off by more than 20F!  Adjust the wattage of the bulb or the distance to the basking platform to adjust temperature.  OR better yet, plug the heat lamp into a dimmer switch to adjust the temperature as needed.  Dimmer switches are made for lamps and are sold at most hardware stores.  You plug the heat lamp into the switch, and then plug the switch into the electric outlet.  Cheap and easy!  If the basking temp is too cold or too hot, the turtle won’t bask properly and will get sick.

They also must have UVB lighting.  These are bulbs specially made for reptiles and look like fluorescent light bulbs.  You’ll need a fixture to put them in as well.  A good place to get these from (and other supplies) is from www.reptilesupply.com.  Very good prices!  A Reptiglo 8.0 or Reptisun 10.0 are both good brands.  UVB lighting needs to be placed above the basking spot as well.  It needs to be within 12 inches of the basking platform.  These bulbs should be changed every 6 months as they lose potency long before the light gives out.  Both heat and UVB should be on for 12 hours a day.  This is best accomplished by plugging them into timers.  This helps create a normal day/night cycle for your turtle.  

Feed a good turtle diet.  Use several types and sizes and vary each day.  Feed all the turtle can eat in 15 minutes.  Babies can be fed daily.  Adults can be fed 3-4 times a week.  

For more info on care, health, and feeding, please see Austin’s Turtle Page.  It is the most complete and accurate web-site on turtles and tortoises I’ve ever seen!

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/ca...