Turtle help please????????

Question

i have recieved two map turtles from a fren... i no for a fact they are map turts im not sure if they are false map turts or regular ones tho and i was jw i have the 2 of them in a 55 gal tank and i was wonderen how do i create a basking spot without haven to buy an expensive turt dock i have piled up rocks in one corner is that ok and do they need spots like that where they can sleep on or rest without having to swim all the way to the top to get a breathe of air so if i took out the stacked rocks wud it be fine? by that i mean is it ok to just have a 55 gal full of water and just gravel on the bottom for these turts? also where can i find a piece of driftwood for them so i can take the stacked rocks out? also what do they eat?

Answer 1

Optimum habitat for the Map Turtle includes large creeks with slow to moderate currents, complete with pools and riffles, a soft to gravel bottom, and aquatic vegetation. Map Turtles are also found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs, sloughs, marshes and bays. Feeding only occurs while they are in the water, but they are often observed basking in large groups on logs.   The definately need an area to bask in out of the water.  You can look at some of the online stores to find basking platforms.  hope this helps you a little.

Answer 2

lotsa questions.

you want the turtles... but you don't want to spend the money? sorry! not going to happen. get out $20 and go buy a zoomed turtle dock until you have the time and money to create an over the tank basking area.

yes, they need spots to rest on so they dont have to swim constantly. an easy cheap solution to that is to get a suction cup soap dish and turn it upside down. my turtle loves to stand and sleep on her "sleeping dock" as they're called.

you cannot have gravel. turtles like to eat the gravel and it can get stuck in their stomaches causing an impact that can cause them to die. a better idea would be large river rocks or sand.

dont use drift wood either. it turns your water a tea color and after a while it starts to smell really bad. it makes your room smell like a nasty pond. instead opt for a plastic realistic looking log you can get at petsmart or petco.

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

check out that link for more info on your species. it also includes what to feed them.

Answer 3

1. You can get good answers at http://www.austinsturtlepage.com or http://www.turtleforum.com

2. A 55 gallon tank is kinda small for two as they get older.

3. The gravel on the bottom is going to just trap crud and add to the turtle smell. Naked bottoms are better, or try flat pieces of slate.

4. Get a good filter- for that tank, an external filter for a 100-150 gallon tank would be best.

5. Get rid of the rocks. If you don't want to buy a ramp or dock, try making one out of plexiglass and non-skid tape. You can also build a nice basking site from clean driftwood or cork bark.

6. Diet- see the site above

Answer 4

Basking site: Build a ramp and basking spot out of hardware cloth. Something like

_ ___

| ....    \

| .....    \

|_ ......   \_

Only a much shallower slope to the ramp. Ignore the dots; they are just there to keep Y!A's software from compressing the diagram.

Get rid of the rocks. They can slip and pin a turtle under the water. Don't use gravel. Turtles have been known to swallow it and get intestinal impaction from it. A barren tank is safest and easiest to clean.

If the yellow stripes on the neck and head go straight to the eye and the spines on the carapace are prominent, you have a false map turtle. Pick up a copy of the Peterson herp guide by Conant and Collins if you want to be sure about species.

Map turtles have the jaw power to crush molluscs such as snails. Aside from that, small ones will like earthworms, fishes (not goldfish), and soft-bodied insects. When you can't get live food, try strips of liver dusted with bonemeal.