Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: My New Girls

[KarmaDogma]

Hello! I brought the girls home (Thanks to your site, I was able to confirm that they are, indeed, girls.) two days ago. Their names are Sam & Ella. I'm not sure which is which, but they are mature girls. One has a shell length of about 9 inches, and the other 7 inches. They were at their previous home for 7 years. Not their "owner" but a friend of their "owner" who agreed to keep the girls while the "owner" moved; said "owner" never returned for them. Due to not being able to provide space for an adequate home/tank for them, their adoptive parents sought to find someone who had space for a large enough tank and enough time to enjoy and care for the girls.

They are in a 55-gallon aquarium. They have a rock shelf on which to bask. I need to get a different set-up for a basking shelf as I would like to have deeper water for them to be able to swim more freely, but they do like to climb, so I can't have it too high. I also need to get a proper basking lamp... and some different/larger rocks than what I received... and some different food for them... and.... and... and.... ~grin~

Though they were in their last home for seven years, the person who had them wasn't very well educated on many of the aspects of their care and habitat, and there is more to this whole "turtle business" than what the pet store book I was gifted prior to bringing them home entailed.

They had some leaf lettuce tonight with their pellets for dinner. They seemed to like it very much.

So.... I have lots of questions.

How much should I be feeding them? I know to feed them every other day, but should I feed them morning and evening or just once per day? Should I feed the lettuce/greens separately from the pelleted food?

Are the UV lamps that keep down algae growth in fish aquariums unhealthy to use in the turtle tank?

How long should the basking lamp be lit? Should I put it on a timer?

Are waterfall filters better than the power head filters?

I would like to keep some live plants in the aquarium for them to graze freely. I don't mind replacing plants if they get eaten too fast, but what is a good way to plant/grow plants in a turtle tank?

Do I need to check the water pH? Is a regular aquarium de-chlorinator solution acceptable to use at the same rate recommended for fish? Should I change all of their water when I hydrovac the tank?

What is a good water temperature range? How important is it to keep a stable water temperature with turtles or is some fluctuation in temperature acceptable? Should I have a heater for the tank, or will it just get broken? They are quite strong and readily move river rocks with a diameter of about 5 inches and a height of about 3 1/2 inches when climbing up on to their basking rocks.

Do my girls need regular vet check ups? I'm not really familiar with what is normal activity for them, so are there any behaviors that I should look for that would indicate stress or illness?

I read through most of the FAQ docs on the site, and they answered many questions, but I still have many more.

Thanks!

[steve]

Hi, welcome to the site.

You can feed them a head-sized (excluding the neck) amount of pellets every other day or about 3 times a week. You can feed them everyday, but only a small portion. It's usually better to feed in the morning so they can digest while they bask.

UVC aquarium filter attachments are safe to use. Make sure the directions are closely followed.

Their basking lamp and UVB should be on when there's daylight outside. Use a timer to make it easier for yourself.

Most filter types have pros and cons, but when you have mature RES, you need a canister filter.

They will eat or disrupt most plants in the tank. Consider using something that grows quickly, like duckweed.

You don't have to test the water, though a lot of people do to ensure the tank is being cycled. The very good API master test kit is $20. In a properly cycled tank, you do not to change all the water. Only use carbon filter media to de-chlorinate. Water conditioner type de-chlorinators are not really safe.

For adult RES, 75-78 is good, though some go for the 70-75 range. It's up to you. A water heater is essential, unless you live in a tropical area. Ebo Jager are very solid and make sure you plug all electrical equipment into a GFCI.

I would say regular checkups are not necessary unless the turtle has had recent or serious conditions. It'll also be a good way to familiarize yourself with a vet incase you need their services in an emergency.

[KarmaDogma]

Thanks very much, Steve.

The girls do seem to be enjoying their new home. While it is sort of spartan and less than aesthetically pleasing it this point, it certainly is better than a 15-gallon, frequently algae-covered tank on the kitchen table that they used to call home. They also look at me and seem to be saying, "You are not our human."

On more questioning of the former keepers, (well I guess, knowing to ask more questions of), I found that they were really only fed the pelleted food and no greens and certainly no live food. Are there any vitamin or mineral deficiencies that I should be concerned with, or should I just go forward from here with a proper diet as they don't seem to be presenting with any lethargy, bad coloration, or indication of fungal type of areas?

I am still scouring the city for a good source of supplies for turtles. We have a few smaller independent stores and chains, but most are big box stores with very little knowledge of proper homing and care of RES. So, I am on the hunt and working on increasing the learning curve. ~grin~

Have a great day!!

[steve]

In most cases, you can go straight to a normal diet. They will likely resist veggies, and I would slowly introduce it even if they are eager to take it so their bodies can get used to it. For the best supplies... ask here first. Online will yield the best prices for you. Try to avoid impulse buys with anything that says it's made for turtles.

[penelope]

Welcome to the forum!!!

[sweety10189110]

Welcome KarmaDogma!!!!!!

They also look at me and seem to be saying, "You are not our human."

This made me giggle . My turt did that too at first but now he knows who the keeper of the food is .

[KarmaDogma]

They are learning quickly... I think it's the leaf lettuce and the clean tank.