Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: I bought a pair of turtles in Chinatown today

[QuinneCiel]

Hi, all!

I'm very new to turtles-- always loved them from afar, but never owned any.

I bought a pair of aquatic turtles in Chinatown today (I live in LA) for $5; is it likely they're healthy? I bought them on impulse (which is bad, I know, but they weren't being taken care of in that store...), so I don't have much equipment for them. Right now, I've got them under my desk lamp and next to my space heater to keep them lit and warm. They don't seem to have anything off about them; no rot or fuzz. One's eyes were closed for awhile, but they opened right up when I placed him under the light.

All I have for them right now is pellet food and the tank they came in, which is maybe 8"x6". What's good to feed turtles of this size? Do they eat fruit/veg? I have some mango and zucchini I can give them.

I think they are red-ear sliders, but I don't know. There's a picture of them here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=8 ... =583044337 . Are they RES?

I really want to take good care of these guys!

[QuinneCiel]

I take back what I said about nothing being off about them; one seems like its eye may be swollen? The eye still opens, but when it's closed, it looks puffy and pale compared to the rest of the turtle's coloring. Should I find it some vitamin A and keep it in warmth and light, then take it to a vet if that doesn't help?

I gave them pellets, but they haven't eaten them, so I cleaned that out and gave them some little bits of zucchini and mango instead. They are only about an inch and a half long; should I try meats instead?

I'm worried that I might not have enough space for them; I rent a room that is, literally, one room and a small bathroom (this bathroom is the only room with direct sunlight). I bought them because I wanted to help them, but I don't want them to be worse off for it...

[rsour24]

you want 10 gallons per inch of turtle. so 5" turtle needs 50 gallons of water. with 2 turtles you are gonna need a big tank. you will also need a water heater, basking area to dry off with a heat bulb and a second lamp with a uvb bulb. you will also need a very good filter recommended for a tank 3x the size of the tank. the uvb is very important esp when they r young for their shell to develop. you'll find pictures of setups around the forum and i suggest reading through the main site. as for the eye it could be an abscess which would need a vets attention

[steve]

Your main objective to get them to eat soon. Pick up some baby reptomin, and don't bother using any food they came with. While at the pet store, pick up some feeder guppies and a thermometer. Next, make sure the water temp in a constant 80F and try to use a larger container. This is so there are fewer water changes and you don't need to over handle them.

As for space issues... you will need to decide when the time comes. You do need to get an appropriate setup regardless - heater, basking area, UVB, filter etc.

[missibsu]

Welcome! The only thing that I would add to the already good advice is that you can use rubbermaid containers as a quick cheap option for an upgrade. In the long term they are no where near as durable as an aquarium, but to get you started, it's better than nothing.