Photo Gallery :: Finally got a new tank! :D

[coopersnow]

Picked up a new tank today. Sorry I don't know the gallons, its pretty big but a bit shallow, but it looks nice and will do the trick!

http://twitpic.com/24qu48

[jozzep]

That looks like a 20 gallon long.I'm sorry to say this, but that tank isn't big at all for 2 turtles the size of yours.

[rsour24]

jozzep is right

[Ranger The Red Ear Slider]

Yeah it's kinda small for 2 turtles but should hold for a month or two until you can buy a new one.

[coopersnow]

Well so for it's a lot more than they need, I don't know why they'd possibly need even more room.

[rsour24]

10 gallons per inch or turtle.

[coopersnow]

Ugh well that sucks, I can't afford a massive tank right now and hardly even have the room for it.

[rsour24]

try a stock tank or craigslist

[freshprince2146]

10 gallons per inch or turtle.

Aww come on man no one really follows that rule of thumb.

Just raise the water level a bit and you turtles should be fine till you can get something bigger.

[coopersnow]

10 gallons per inch or turtle.

Aww come on man no one really follows that rule of thumb.

Just raise the water level a bit and you turtles should be fine till you can get something bigger.

Yeah I can't raise it above half right now or my bigger res climbs the bars on the dock and can probably eventually climb out lol. I don't know if anyone even follows that rule or everyone would have like the same tank. They seem happy, they have plenty of swimming room and don't get in eachothers space now, it should be fine.

[papoopeepoo]

10 gallons per inch or turtle.

Aww come on man no one really follows that rule of thumb.

Just raise the water level a bit and you turtles should be fine till you can get something bigger.

Many people do, and many go above and beyond. Having anything below that is honestly cruel, in my opinion. I've found that for a turtle to act at all close to naturally, they need more than 10 gallons per inch of shell length.

Take it from turtle experts and the like, 10 gallons per inch of turtle is a BARE MINIMUM. If you can't accommodate that size tank, than a turtle is not the right pet for you. Would you keep a cat or dog in it's cage all its life? No, because it's cruel. Coopersnow, that tank may not seem small now, but as those turtles grow you'll find that it really is way too small. Both of those turtles are susceptible to aggression from the other turtle, and possible injury.

Also, is that basking platform strong buoyant enough to support both turtles at the same time? It needs to be.

Finally, you should always have your tank fully supported on the bottom. Having the edges of the tank hanging over the side of the table is very dangerous and could easily result in a cracked tank and a flood of water.

I'm sorry to be so critical, but we find it very important that you take care of your turtles with no indifference towards their well-being.

[steve]

The OP's tank looks big enough for now, but there's always an upgrade process with turtles. The 10 gallon rule is a nice, easy to remember guideline but is not realistic for most people. Larger tanks are terrific for turtles but also has it's own benefits... larger water volume, fewer water changes, design and decoration options.

[untsmurf]

Until you can afford something larger, look into getting a top for the tank (something that still allows the light to filter through) that way you can fill the tank up.

And I'm sure you just hadn't put them in yet, but make sure you have a water heater and a couple thermometers.

[jozzep]

10 gallons per inch or turtle.

Aww come on man no one really follows that rule of thumb.

Just raise the water level a bit and you turtles should be fine till you can get something bigger.

Even if no one follows that rule, MOST of us have at least 125 gallon tanks to let the turtles swim a little.
You never saw pics of my tanks have you....