All Turtles Message Board

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

I found what looks like a baby slider outside my beachhouse in wildwood crest NJ. It was obviously seperated from its family. It looks no more that a few weeks old and is about an inch and a half long. Its shell is starting to get soft, its skin is tarting to flake and its eyes tear when i put it in the sun. Sad

Ive had it for a couple of days now. I'm feeding it tetramin baby. HELP ME OUT!!!!!!

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:02 pm Post subject:

What kind of setup do you have for it?

The shell will be soft on baby sliders, it will harden as they grow older, you can see it flex around the edges of the shell and especially right by the tail.

Turtles do shed just like snakes, their shell sheds too, I don't know about the eyes, do you have it in water so that it can drink and eat, they can't eat unless they are in the water, something about not having enough saliva.
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turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

ive got rocks on the bottom with three large rocks for climbing and basking. The light i'm using for basking is a 12v desklamp that says UV on it. No plants fake or real. I do have paper around the tank for privacy. There is an inch and a half of water in the 1 1/2 gallon tank. I also have a little hiding spot for him made by rocks!

dixieee · Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 5:56 pm Post subject:

is he eating the sticks?? cz that's a good sign
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

I do feed him sticksand he eats about 3-4 a day depending on if he is hungry or not. Is a soft bottom shell normal? and is it okay to let them crawl around in the grass to bask?

dixieee · Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:29 pm Post subject:

ok it's good that he's eating Smile

yep sun will serve him best but keep an eye on him cz turtles are nothing related to being slow
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

is it alright if he doesn't eat the food as soon as i put it in there or even if its a good hour before he even nibbles it?. do have any other food suggestions because this turtle was once wild. also what is the minimum MININMUM tank size for the turtle i have a 1 1/2 gallon tank now. Also how many lamps are actually needed for my turtle! Don't i just need a UVA/UVB lamp or do i need another one too? I have a desk lamp shining on him right now and i don't have a theremometer but the water does seem pretty war in the daytime and when i turn it off it cools down a bit. HELP ME OUT!!!!!! Also what is the difference between a UVA/UVB lamp and a basking lamp. Can't my turtle just bask in the UVA/UVB light?

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 12:19 pm Post subject:

The reason turtles bask is to get their body temp. up, their bodies are always as cold or as hot as their environment, they do not create heat like you or I do, they need either the sun or an artificial light source, the UVA/B are useful to the turtle for processing of calcium in their bodies along with allowing them to produce vitamin D3, the sun provides all of that, but since they are in tanks, they need the UV bulb and a heat source because the UV bulb does not provide heat if it is a fluorescent light, there are bulbs that provide both heat and UV, but they have to specify it on the box. Very Happy

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turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

thanx alot guys any other tips you can give me will be great! Just Clue me in sometime on what i can do for feeding tips and other things. (does boiled ckicken and tuna work??)

dixieee · Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 6:19 pm Post subject:

tuna works best..for the min size, actually it is a 10 gallon cz the rule says that u should provide 10 gallons/inch of shell length..if ur problem is money, u can get a rubbermaid and put him in..if the problem is space, hmm i don't know Exclamation

good luck and keep us posted

btw, are his eyes puffy/swollen?
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

His eyes are not red or or puffy or even swollen. But I did just get him a 5 gallon tank and he seems to be doing pretty well in there. He eats about 2-3 pellets a day, which seems pretty normal, but i still give him a little extra just in case. Don't worry i can spend the time cleaning it a little extra more! Wink

Also, it is sometimes hard for him to climb up onto his basking rock. Any tips?

dixieee · Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 6:31 pm Post subject:

ok this sounds good..there shouldn't be anything wrong hopefully Smile

good luck
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

I need some help identifying my turtle he is a sand color aquatic turtle with blackis brown rings on each section of the shell top and bottom. His skin is the same color with the same color stripes except their not rings. His tail has two stripes. Just under the bottom part of his mouth is a little purplish brown. He also has dark spots on his skin and on his feet. Sorry i don't have any pix, i'll try to get the in the next few days! Smile

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 11:12 am Post subject:

Maybe these: http://markmlucas.com/images/turtles/cooter%20peninsula%2032.jpg
http://markmlucas.com/images/turtles/cooter%20peninsula%2033.JPG

That's the closest I could find Very Happy

They are peninsula cooters.
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turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

no thats not it i'll try to send in pics!! But remember i found my turtle in new jersey. Squirt (cool name?) doesn't seem to want to bask or either doesn't do it while i'm around could you help me out!

Thanks a bunch for all your replies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wink

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject:

Check this thread out, I think it might be the same type of turtle:
http://www.allturtles.com/msgboard/viewtopic.php?t=5817

It probably basks when you are not around, it will take some time for it to get used to basking when you are present, only one of mine will do that, but it will come out like it is trying to sneak around a lion, Very Happy

I have had them for almost a year. Very Happy

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Captain_Turtle · Level 3 Joined: 26 Dec 2004 Posts: 206

Could it be a softshell turtle? That could be it.

Captain_Turtle · Level 3 Joined: 26 Dec 2004 Posts: 206

Here is a complete list of New Jersey turtle species:

TURTLES OF NEW JERSEY

Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)Identification: 8" - 14". This turtle is the largest in New Jersey and is very dull and dark, perfectly camouflaged forits foraging in the muck of ponds and riverbeds. The carapace can be a black or a light brown color, or any shade inbetween. Common Snapping Turtles have large heads and long tails, which are saw-toothed along the upper side.Where to find them: Snapping turtles require permanent bodies of freshwater, large or small. They have also beenknown to live in brackish habitats. Snappers are rarely seen basking. On land, Common Snapping Turtles are quitestrike-prone. However, when underwater, snapping turtles will typically pull their heads in if stepped on. They areusually found buried in the mud in shallow water.When to find them: Active April through November.Range: Entire state.

Common Musk Turtle [Stinkpot] (Sternotherus odoratus)Identification: 2" - 4 1/2". There are two characteristics that distinguish the Common Musk Turtle from the mudturtle found in New Jersey: (1) two light stripes on head, and (2) barbels on chin and throat. The carapace variesfrom light olive-brown to almost black and is smooth. The musk turtle has only one hinge on its plastron. Themusk that the Common Musk Turtle emits when frightened is an indication of the species.Where to find them: Musk turtles are found in the shallow waters of lakes, ponds, rivers, and canals. As it scoursthe bottom in search of food, a musk turtle may resemble a round stone. This resemblance to a stone can bemagnified by the green algae growing on many of the turtles’ shells. Common Musk Turtles can be observedbasking on fallen trees and branches overhanging the water.When to find them: Active April through September.Range: Entire state.

Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum)Identification: 3" - 4". The Eastern Mud Turtle closely resembles the Common Musk Turtle in appearance. Thecarapace is smooth and can vary from olive to brown to black, as in the musk turtle’s coloration. However, theplastron is double-hinged and larger in the mud turtle, and may be marked with black or dark brown. A mud turtle’shead can be spotted, mottled, or irregularly streaked with yellow.Where to find them: Mud turtles also prefer shallow water. They are often found in ditches, wet meadows, smallponds, and marshes. Mud turtles will wander away from water quite often. This species of mud turtle can toleratebrackish water, and can be found at inner edges of tidal marshes and on many offshore islands.When to find them: Active Mid-May through July.Range: All of Southern Region. All of Mercer, Middlesex, Union, Essex, Hudson, Bergen, and Somerset Counties;southeastern portions of Hunterdon, Morris, and Passaic Counties in the Northern Region.

Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)Identification: 3 1/2" - 4 1/2". The Spotted Turtle is easily identified by its spots, of course. However, the yellowspots are extremely variable in number. Hatchlings usually have one spot on each large scute on the carapace,whereas older turtles may have numerous spots on each scute. Conversely, older individuals may have few spots ormay be lacking them entirely.Where to find them: Spotted Turtles are found in marshy meadows, bogs, swamps, small ponds, ditches, and othershallow bodies of freshwater. Basking Spotted Turtles usually enter the water rather leisurely when disturbed, andnot in a hurry like most other turtle species. They then hide themselves nearby in mud at the bottom.When to find them: Much more frequently seen in spring than at other seasons.Range: Entire state.
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Bog Turtle (Clemmys muhlenbergii) State Endangered SpeciesIdentification: 3" - 3 1/2". The carapace of the bog turtle varies from light brown to black with each scute on thecarapace bearing a sunburst-like pattern. Their limbs are typically brown, but may be flecked with orange. A keyidentifying mark is a large orange or yellow patch on each side of the head. The bog turtle is among the mostdifficult to find because of its decline in the state due to loss of habitat.Where to find them: Bog turtles are found in bogs, swamps, and clear, slow-moving meadow streams with muddybottoms. Bog turtles have specific habitat requirements, particularly vegetation. Sedge tussocks, skunk cabbage,cattail, jewelweed, and smartweed are plants common to bog turtle habitat.When to find them: Mid-April through June as they sun on sedge tussocks and matted vegetation litter.Range: Entire state. Their greatest numbers occur in the agricultural landscapes of northwestern and southwesternNew Jersey.

Wood Turtle (Clemmys insculpta) State Threatened Species Identification: 5 1/2" - 8". The shell of the wood turtle is very rough and looks sculpted in appearance. Each scuteof the carapace is in the form of an irregular pyramid rising upward in a series of concentric grooves and ridges.Parts of the neck and limbs of the wood turtle have reddish-orange coloration.Where to find them: This turtle is a riparian species that uses a mosaic of wetland and upland habitats in thevicinity of its stream habitat. The wood turtle requires clean streams running through meadows, woods, andfarmlands. While wood turtles are typically found in or near their home waters, they frequently wander far afield.They will rest in the shade of vegetation, fallen logs, or debris.When to find them: Active late March or early April through October. Active mostly in morning and lateafternoon/evening, but may also be out during midday.Range: All of the Northern Region, except the urbanized regions of the eastern counties. Sparse records in theSouthern Region.

Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)Identification: 4 1/2" - 6". The box turtle is a terrestrial species with a tall, domelike shell. The shell varies incolor from yellow to orange to olive on a black or brown background. Box turtles have four toes on each hind foot.Males have a central concave area in the rear lobe of the plastron and their eyes are sometimes red. Young EasternBox Turtles are much duller than the adults; they are typically a dull brown, but with a spot of yellow on each largescute of the carapace.Where to find them: Although essentially terrestrial, these turtles sometimes soak themselves in mud or water.During hot, dry weather they burrow beneath logs or rotting vegetation, but brief summer showers usually bringthem out of hiding, often in numbers.When to find them: Active April through September.Range: Entire state.

Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin)Identification: Adult females 6" - 9"; males 4" - 5 1/2". The terrapin is found exclusively in salt marshes and otherbrackish-water habitats. The carapace of the diamondback terrapin has concentric rings or ridges and their headsand limbs are spotted. The color of the diamondback terrapin varies from a well-defined pattern with dark rings on abackground of light gray or light brown to a uniform black or dark brown carapace. Their plastrons are orange oryellowish to greenish.Where to find them: Coastal marshes, estuaries, coves, tidal flats, and inner edges of barrier beaches.When to find them: Late May through July, when females emerge onto sandy areas to lay eggs.Range: The saltwater coast of the entire state.
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Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica)Identification: Adult females 7" - 10 3/4"; males 3 1/2" - 6 1/4". The shell of the Common Map Turtle is somewhatlow and the keel, or ridge running down the center, may have slight raised knobs. If the pattern on the shell of amap turtle is well defined, it looks like a map of waterways on the turtle’s back. There is a longitudinal yellow spotfound behind each eye.Where to find them: The Common Map Turtle prefers large bodies of water, like rivers and lakes. Map turtles arewary when found basking.When to find them: Active June through August.Range: Delaware River from Delaware Water Gap south to Trenton.

Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) Introduced SpeciesIdentification: 5" - 8". Red-eared Sliders typically have a trademark red stripe behind each eye. However, the red“ear” can vary in color and is sometimes yellow. Moreover, not all Red-eared Sliders have it. The carapace canvary from a uniform black to a bold pattern of green and yellow on black.Where to find them: This is not a species native to New Jersey, and can be found anywhere in the state. Red-earedSliders are often found in still water with a muddy bottom and abundant vegetation. They can be seen basking onlogs above water or on masses of floating plants, and they are occasionally seen out on the banks.When to find them: Active April through September.Range: Entire state.

Redbelly Turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris)Identification: 10" - 12 1/2". While the Common Snapping Turtle is the largest turtle in our area, the RedbellyTurtle is the only big basking turtle throughout most of its range. They are much larger than painted turtles, whichthey are often found sunning together with on logs. Vertical reddish lines are typically found on each of the first 3coastal scutes of adult female redbellies whereas old males are usually mottled with reddish brown. Many largeadults, particularly in southern New Jersey, are highly melanistic (thoroughly black in color). However, even thesehighly melanistic turtles have some reddish markings, even if they are faint. The plastron is yellow, but markedwith large gray smudges and bordered by a washed out pink or orange-red.Where to find them: Ponds, rivers, ditches, and sloughs.When to find them: Basking from June through August.Range: All of the Southern Region. The Northern Region: Mercer, Monmouth, and southern Middlesex Counties.

Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta)Identification: 4 1/2" - 6". The painted turtle typically has two bright yellow stripes on each side of its head. It isthe only turtle in which the large scutes of the carapace are in more or less straight rows across the back. Usingbinoculars to sight a basking painted turtle, one can easily see the olive front edges of the large scutes forming lightbands across the carapace. The plastron is plain yellow but often stained red by algae.Where to find them: Any standing body of water.When to find them: Active April through September.Range: Entire state.
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Eastern Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera spinifera) Introduced SpeciesIdentification: Adult females 7" - 17", males 5" - 9 1/4". The Eastern Spiny Softshell is almost perfectly round.Three key characteristics in their identification are streaked and spotted feet, ridges in both nostrils, and projectionson the carapace. The background color of the carapace is light tan, like wet sand, with dark, round spots.Where to find them: The Eastern Spiny Softshell is typically limited to rivers; however, they can also be found inlakes where mud bars are available. They are sometimes seen floating at the surface, where their shape is easilyidentifiable.When to find them: Active May through September.Range: An introduced and well-established population in the Maurice River system, Cumberland County.
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All you need is right here!

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

i found it. it is a northern diamondback terrapin! thanx alot guys!!!! But i have another question Twisted Evil

. My buld that i use for basking and heat only says UVA. is that alright! Do turtles need UVB?? If so, why did the guy at the petstore say that you don't need a UVB bulb. He said hes had his turtles without a UVB bulb (just a UVA) for a few years and their shells are perfect. Could you help me? I know the shell will be soft on baby sliders but is it the same with terrapins and all other turts? And is a terrapin a certains species of sliders? Please try to answer all of my questions! Thanx

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

how do i get pictures on here???????? Question

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:05 am Post subject:

POSTING A PICTURE:
You can put a picture here like this:

1. You need to have your pictures in an on-line album like

, which I use.
2. Under your picture there are three entries, the picture's url, the url for use on message boards with "IMG" in caps, and one for "Blogs"

3. Copy the plain "Url" (the first url in the picture)

4. On the message board you need to click on the "Img" button just above the square where you put your message

5. Paste the url from the picture and then click on the "Img" button again, when you click on the button the first time, the button will look like this "Img*", that is so you remember to click on it again to complete the picture posting.

I hope that helps.
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turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

[img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/turtledude123/sthquirt.jpg[/img]

didn't work!

dixieee · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:00 am Post subject:

i haven't used photobucket for a while, i wonder what's wrong with it. anyways u can see the pic if u paste the link in the address bar.

this is a cute little guy! btw, i think u're lucky cz i hear that most rescues are sliders. maybe that one isn't very common Very Happy

the eyes don't look bad to me. are they ok now?
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

the eyes are fine.

is a terrapin a type a slider????? and is it normal for terrapin baby's shell to be soft??

Captain_Turtle · Level 3 Joined: 26 Dec 2004 Posts: 206

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

i realy mad a mistake to say the shell is soft. it is just reely flexible. Is that a concern??

Captain_Turtle · Level 3 Joined: 26 Dec 2004 Posts: 206

I just researched and found out that these terrapins are BORN with soft shells, which harden over 9 or 10 months. It's completely fine! As for its eyes tearing, that could be just natural, its just a baby. I strongly suggest you release it back into the wild and let it survive on its own, no offense. It will have a better chance of surviving (not that I don't believe you are experienced).

Let it go, these turtles are best left to the "experts."

turtledude123 · Level 2 Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 52

sorry poop your party, but the guy at the pet store said it is too late! Confused

he eats well, but i have trouble with him basking, he doesn't seem to want to do it. Also he is a lot more scared then he usually is.......