All Turtles Message Board

lgoughy · Guest Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 1 Location: Burton

I have had my read eared sliders for about 3 months now and they seem to be getting on fine but i have noticed that they spend most of the time in the water and not on the dry land.

The pet shop i bought my tank from (1200mmx300mm deep) have set it up so there is about a 50/50 split to land and water and due to this the water is not very deep for them.

I have had a look at the setup on this site that is recommended for terrapins and it shows a large amount of deep water so i am thinking of changing my tank setup so they can swim freely.

I am just wondering is this is a better setup than i have now and where the terrapins sleep in deep water as due to my tank setup i have observed them sleeping with their feet on the bottom of the tank and their heads out of the water. I wondered where they slept in a deep water tank (is it on the land) or do you have to make sure there are items in the water so the terrapins can put their feet on them and still have their head out of the water.

Any replies/information from experienced owners would be much appreciated as i want to make sure they have the best possible life thay can in captivity.

martysmom · Level 2 Joined: 10 Aug 2005 Posts: 45 Location: Tampa, FL

Red ear sliders almost always sleep under water (they do it in the wild to hide from predators). They can hold their breath for hours. Red ears are aquatic turtles and generally only come out of it to sun.
I have about a foot of water in my tank.
It sounds like your water is not very deep (if the turtle can touch the bottom and keep his head out of the water), so I would add more.

dixieee · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:23 am Post subject:

welcome to the board Smile

ur turtles are scared that's why they don't spend much time outside. they will after they get used to u. u can do that by holding them, playing with them, and hand-feeding them. raising the water level is for them to have some exercise.
_________________
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

contact444 · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:20 pm Post subject:

Mine sleep in the water, but hang on the edge of the basking area. I have always wondered how do you hand feed a turtle and not get your fingers bitten off. Mine just look like they take aim and chomp, half the time they miss the food! Embarassed

Has anyone been bitten doing this before?
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2 big RES, 1 Flowerhorn Cichlid, 1 Cockatiel. I will alway hold a place in my heart for Daphne, my albino RES.

dixieee · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:39 am Post subject:

i won't tell u they don't bite cz one of mine bit me many times. i'm ok with that cz i believe he is semi-blind so i don't blame him. well yes it could hurt if they do it quickly so i just hold the pellet from the very top with my nails and let go as soon as they open their mouths.
_________________
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

contact444 · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:57 pm Post subject:

lol. That sounds pretty risky. I can just picture it -Dixie knievel- Laughing

_________________
2 big RES, 1 Flowerhorn Cichlid, 1 Cockatiel. I will alway hold a place in my heart for Daphne, my albino RES.

dixieee · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject:

lol

_________________
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

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:45 pm Post subject:

_________________

hoover05 · Level 3 Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 137

My cousins had turtles since they were babies (they bought them at a fleamarket and I'm pretty sure they didn't know it was illegal to buy them). They were mean little things that didn't like to be picked up.... but they sure like to be fed! I hand fed them once and was really scared.

But, I held the food at the very edge and they just opened their mouth and clamped on and I let go. lol. It was easy. It didn't bite me, but I only hand fed it a little, so I wouldn't know how painful it is when they bite.
Also, when I had my box turtle, it took some sort of meet from me the very same day I got it (not bad for a box turtle from the wild, eh? My friend gave him to me after they found him and the excitement wore off Confused

) That one didn't bite me either.
When I get a turtle though, I hope mine doesn't bite. And if it does... I hope it doesn't hurt! lol

dixieee · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:11 pm Post subject:

anything that has a mouth could bite but don't take it personal bcz they're not that bright and all what they mean is linking ur fingers to food Smile

_________________
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

diordivasarah · Level 2 Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 33 Location: Alabama

My tank is 3/4 full of water and has one of those leveling docks. He sleeps on the dock but is in the water when he is awake.