Turtle Tips

[Robin_Luver13]

i was looking to see if anyone could tell me if i should do something for my turtle.
i have one (a painted turtle ive had for almost 1 year and 3months!) and hes in a 10 gallon tank with a 'pile' of rocks (a sturdy stack for a basking area), an undergravel filter, and a piece of a small flowerpot that he hides and sleeps in. its about half full of water and he is about the size of my palm. he seems comfortable yet i feel like hes lonely ...
what should i do???

Should i get him a friend?
Should i buy him a bigger tank?
Any suggestions?

[mariza]

Get him a much bigger tank. He's the size of your palm--the shell length is about 4-5 inches? If so, get him a 50 gallon tank or similar size container. (A guideline is to allow 10 gallons of tank per inch of shell length.) And with the bigger tank comes a better filter, etc.

I'd forget the friend--the 10 gallon tank is too small for him let alone adding another (and if you were to get another, all their shell lengths together to see what they'd ideally need).

Why not give him a bigger, more stimulating environment?

[Robin_Luver13]

thanks! ill work on finding a bigger one and talking my parents into letting me get it...

thanks again!

[dixieee]

yep that's better than putting ur money in making the place smaller for him (getting a tankmate)

u still can go for it if u have enough room for 2 in the bigger tank..or maybe u can play with him..they like going out for small walks and enjoy swimming in the bathtub too..put somethings for him in the tank so he can entertain himself (caves, pinpong balls, plants,...)

good luck

[Robin_Luver13]

im getting a new tank soon... im not sure what size yet... my aunts friend has a tank she used for her iguana... my parents agreed with little persuasion i just have to behave well for a few weeks, but i think ill get it before then! ill post when i kno more details.

[STRAYKINGFISHER]

I was looking at a nice one myself, it costs $138(US) and the base cost a bit more, but I was thinking of making the base part myself, come next payday, I think I will get it, I will need a bigger filter though.

[Robin_Luver13]

i emailed my aunts friend and she still has the tank... ill post with details when i have them

[VersteckterGeist]

yea, i'd definately go with the bigger tank.

i have 3 turtles myself.. and they're all so tiny right now inside of a 10 gallon tank, but once they reach the 4 inch size (we estimate by christmas)

i'm going to get two 125 gallon tanks. i have no idea which ones are going to be tank mates.. pox is probably going to be by herself until we find a plastic turtle or something she can harrass.. since she's a big aggressive.. lol

[dixieee]

why seperate them?? if they're getting along fine now then u don't have to..yesterday i went to the petshop and again to that tank with dozens of baby turtles..there were 2 bigger ones in there with them (most probably someone gave them back cz they were about 4 inches and they only sell hatchlings in here)..anyways, they were with all the other tiny ones and seemed to be doing great together..one was swimming with the rest and the other was basking with a huge hill of 8 babies basking over it..they looked great and now i'm not that worried to get another baby

[Robin_Luver13]

okay, i have some pics of my turtle and the set up i have... ill post them when they develop... a few were taken next to a ruler so you guys can judge the size. man, taking pics outside is tough... Robin is so hyperactive!

[Kitty]

I agree don't seperate if you don't have to. Turtles live in colonies, and of corse the bigger the bossier. I have Turtles that range from new hatch to 1 that is 5 1/2" in the same tank. and it is a very small tank, and to look at it you would think it is over crowed, But they all get along fine, and will sometimes stack 3 high,and a good 4 1/2" above the main ground(how they get up there is beyond me...lol) But this is only a holding tank, They will be moved to there outside pond soon. The more space, clean clear water, and sun light you can give them the better. But I must say" what works for one person, may not work for another"

[Robin_Luver13]

ok guess wat!

IM FINALLY GETTING THE NEW TANK! i'll have it within a few days. its going in this room off mine on a dresser. i hav a question tho:
there are a lot of windows in the room and i was wondering if i should put the shades down or not...

please get back to me ASAP

[kevin89]

I would it keep alge growth in your tank, if a tank is near a window it can grow alot of alge. maybe darker curtain or somthing.

[Kitty]

Is the dresser in front of the window? or next to it? Besides alge growth, you have temp. change when it is in front of a window. where was or is your other tank ? is the lighting the same? If the sun beats in on the tank, that would be my main concern, if the room is just brighter, it should be fine.
Alge is like a lawn.....it grows with Water, Sun, and Fertilizer

[Robin_Luver13]

windows kinda surround the dresser, the top half of three of the rooms walls are almost totally windows and the old tank was in a deep windowsill and the drape thingys were drawn shut soo i hope that all helps

[dixieee]

congrats on ur new coming tank waiting for the pix

[Kitty]

It sounds like the new spot will be brighter,if any of the windows seem to give the new spot to much direct sunlight,and you feel that it makes the tank to hot, try putting a sun screen on the window. You can get that plastic tinted sheeting that just clings to the window, it makes a major difference.

[Robin_Luver13]

the tank is set up, and pix will be posted SOON! it took so long because my aunts friend was sick and couldnt look for it then she actually had to FINd it in her attic... then i couldnt set it up cause i was in the hospital the week she brought it over, then i had to recover, then we had to make sure it was water tight, then we cleaned it, then we set it up. so, now robin happily swims in a much bigger tank! im pretty sure hes fully adjusted to his new environment... again, pix will be up as soon as they get developed!

btw, theres a light drape that lets some light through, but so he doesnt get too much direct sunlight...

thanks soooo much for all your help!!!

kitty- for a second i thought you meant sunscreen, like what you put on before you go to the beach