All Turtles Message Board

cmill_xc · Level 1 Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 6

Hello, I am getting 2 baby turtles in 2 weeks. My first ever.

So far I have a 75 gallon tank, a Fluval 405 and a heating lamp. Other than a basking stone what else would be good to get?

Also, what do baby turtles eat. They are going to be a cumberland slider and a red bellied cooter. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I know they sell things that put calcium in the water...are those any good? another thing, there are droplets you can put in water before you put any kind of pet in it that will cancel out some of the bad stuff humans put in their water like flourine...are these worthwhile?

lovelygreenwitch · Guest Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 4

We also need a temperature gauge for the water (Cmill_xc and I are getting the turtles together).

What exactly does this entail? In other words, what do we need to get to regulate and monitor the temperature of the water and where is a good place to get it?

Is the water heated just by the heat lamp or is there a device you actually get to regulate it?

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:52 am Post subject: FOODS TO FEED YOUR TURTLE

************************************
Water Plants
· Water Lilies
· Water Hyacinth
· Duckweed
· Anachris
· Water Lettuce
· Water Fern
· Pondweed
· Water starwort
· Hornwort
· Water milfoil
· Frogbit
“The ones they like best are the Lilies, Hyacinth, and the Water Fern,” – Wendy.
Vegetables
· Zucchini
· Squash
· Collard Greens
· Beet Leaves
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Articles/menu.htm (9 of 17)9/13/2004 9:03:32 AM
Article - U.S. Native Turtle Menu
· Endive
· Romaine
· Red Leaf Lettuce
· Kale
· Escarole
· Mustard Greens
· Dandelions
“This is what I basically feed my Iguana, so I also give some to the turtles. Hope it helps some,” – Wendy.
*********************************************************************
From: http://www.resoasis.com/diet.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Commercial Foods
-----------------
# Tetra Reptomin
# Mazuri Fresh Water Turtle Diet (Email: TomC@Austinsturtlepage.com to order)
# ZooMed's Aquatic Turtle Food
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Frozen/Canned
-------------
# Spirulina-enriched Brine Shrimp
# Beef Heart
# Bloodworms
# Plankton
# Krill
# ZooMed's Can O'Crickets, Grasshoppers, or Meal Worms
------------------------------------------------------------------
Live (Carnivorous)
------------------
* Feeder Goldfish/Guppies/Rosies
* Crickets (Gut-Loaded)
* Pinhead Crickets (for smaller turtles)
* Earthworms/Night Crawlers
* Ghost Shrimp
* Aquatic Snails/Apple Snails
* Slugs
* Wax Worms/Super Worms

**Be careful about Wild-Caught foods because they can carry parasites that can be transferred to your turtle. Freezing Wild-Caught foods for a month will help to kill off some parasites.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Fruits
-------
* Apples
* Bananas
* Grapes
* Melon
* Tomato
* Strawberries

**Should be cut up in small, bite-size or match-like sticks that will be easy for the turtle to bite into and not choke on.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Veggies
-------
* Squash/Zucchini
* Carrots
* Broccoli
* Greens- Red Leaf, Romaine, Collards, Kale, Dandelion Greens

**Stay away from Spinach and Iceberg lettuce. Make sure to cut the veggies in bite-size or match-like sticks so your turtle can eat them easily. Iceberg lettuce is a good filler, but contains little/no nutritional value!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Aquatic Plants
---------------
* Anacharis
* Duckweed
* Water Hyacinth
* Water Lettuce
* Water Lily

**For lists of plants that are poisonous to your turtle, please follow this link: http://www.resoasis.com/poison.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------
**To avoid contamination of salmonella in your turtle, we suggest that you do not feed raw meats (especially chicken and pork). Raw meats can carry Salmonella, and can be easily transmitted to your turtle.

Note: baby turtles are mainly carnivorous so they may not take to the plant food as readily as adults will.

Dandelion greens are a very good source of calcium also you can use cuttlebone, the same used for birds, looks kinda like a white surfboard. Very Happy

_________________

ryanandsuzyro · Level 3 Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 207

Go to a pet store, calcium drops not intended for aquarium but reptile drinking water, try cuttlebone or calcium powder (food dipped in), look at aquarium supplies, different kinds of thermometers, outer digital is safest, lots of heater varieties, at the very least get thermometer so you know if water temp is appropriate or not, need heating lamp AND uvb/uva producing light unless you take turtle out into real sun all the time for proper nutrient processing and shell development, get water conditioner or bacteria cycle (or both), blah blah blah, floating basking spot best, lots of water for turtles, www.austinsturtlepage.com, good luck.

cmill_xc · Level 1 Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 6

I am looking at a UVB bulb...and they have two different kinds for turtles.

One that gives off 5% UVB and one that gives off 10%. Any ideas?