Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: New San Antonio turtle owner

[kriminologie]

Hi everyone! I'm so glad I found this site, as it's been super helpful already to a total newbie like myself.

I was gifted two baby RES from a friend with a backyard turtle pond. I've had an interest in owning turtles but hadn't done much research beforehand. They set me up with a heat lamp, 10 gal tank, rocks to make a basking platform, and a waterfall filter, along with brine shrimp and blood worms. I've had Starbuck and Everglade about five days now. They're just under 2 inches long.

I know the upgrades I need to perform space-wise and the necessity of UV bulbs, good filters and tank heaters, and am already planning a better habitat. Unfortunately I just had part of my big toe amputated so money is tight at the moment. I understand the cost of a proper habitat and the years of commitment and look forward to it! In the meantime, I try to convince myself that my turtles will not die in the next few months without a huge and professional setup.

The turtles are getting a head-sized-proportioned diet of daily ReptoMin pellets and veggies, with occasional bloodworms and a grape this week. They love carrots, eat their pellets with no problem, and go crazy over the bloodworms. One is brave enough to take some food items from my hand. I'm surprised at how quickly you can determine their personalities! They get along well with each other at the moment and I hope that continues as they grow.

I'm really excited about these pets and providing them with a good home. My only hope is that they're both the same gender!

[Diamondbacks4Life]

Welcome to the site. Sorry to hear about your toe...ouch. Dont worry about the tank so much yet. I actually dont upgrade my turtles out of a 10gallon till they hit 2inches.

[sflemin2]

Welcome! Have you checked Craigslist for tanks? Keep an eye out because most people will give you a great deal and they throw in the heaters and filters (of course, you have time). My two little baby turtles grew to be two very large females! I am lucky they don't fight (they did once when they were one year old..one bit the others tail off!). You might have to end up separating them (but maybe not!). We would love to see some pics!

[kriminologie]

Yep, I've been keeping an eye on Craigslist for good deals on equipment -- hopefully I can score something pretty big sooner rather than later and save some time on the upgrades. I'm also lucky that if aggression becomes an issue, or if something terrible befalls me, the friends with the outdoor habitat have a great home they can go to. However, I plan on keeping these babies until I'm old and gray, whether indoors or out! I probably would not have bought myself two, but I can't bear to give one of them back now. I'm super attached already.

Starbuck


Everglade


Everglade came to me with the algae on the shell -- I'm going to clean it off tonight.

[steve]

Welcome to the site! Is Starbuck noticeably larger than Everglade? From the pic, it looks like he or she is growing a little too fast.

[kriminologie]

They look very similar in size in person. Starbuck might be slightly bigger.

I ordered cork bark to make a bigger basking area so when I break down the tank on Tuesday I will measure them accurately. The way the tank is set up now with the rocks, it's difficult to grab them.

I think they were fed a lot of bloodworms early in life. I offered them bloodworms the first two days I had them, but just to ensure they would eat since they'd been moved abruptly. None since then.

I also found out that these turtles were most likely the ones found in their yard on 8/21/10, making them just under nine months old. Not exactly babies! How big should be a healthy, appropriate-fed male or female turtle be at that age? I usually only feed them when both are alert and swimming, although I leave carrots on dry rock that they devour when I leave the room, so I don't really know if both are eating or if one is doing all the stealing. I'm thinking of jello shots to ensure that they both get all their veggies.

[kriminologie]

Actually here they are, just for interest. Don't know which ones are mine.

[SINI5T3R]

Welcome to the site!!!!

[kriminologie]

Thanks! I can't overstate how helpful it is to have one site with so much clearly organized info as well as a forum full of turtle owners.

Cleaned the algae off Everglade -- 1.75 inches. Starbuck is exactly 2 inches. It was my first time personally handling them. They didn't freak out but you could tell they were non-plussed.

[SINI5T3R]

One thing you will learn quick is to watch your hands around there face. they can get ya pretty good and a big turtle hurts HARD CORE when they have ahold of your finger or skin of your arm and dont want to let go. alot of turtles are pretty mellow tho. Mine will try to bite me even if i am holding them tho.

[kriminologie]

I was a little wary of catching them the first time as I thought they'd be snap-happy, but neither tried anything, although they could've been too shocked. I know how much it hurts to be bitten by a regular cockatiel -- I can't imagine when these beaks get ten times that size!

[kriminologie]

After a month of reading and research, I've decided to keep Everglade but return Starbuck to my friend. I chose Everglade simply because s/he is more comfortable with me in regards to handling. It kills because I've become attached, but I'd rather provide one awesome habitat for one turtle than an okay habitat for two.

[sflemin2]

Sooo cute!!!!!! I think that was the best thing to do. I am sure it wasnt easy but I really wish I would have only gotten one! Mine were tiny like that 10 years ago. Now they are 9" and 10"! I had to get a 150 gallon tank!

I cant remember how big mine were at nine months..its been too long. If I were you, I would try to get them use to hand feeding. Its my biggest regret. There are quite a few people on here who can hand feed their turtles without getting bit! I wish I could have handled mine more when they were little.

Its true about their personalities. I am glade you based your decision on that..that baby is gonna be around for quite some time! . This site is awesome. These guys are so helpful.. they have been so helpful, especially with habitat setups!

[kriminologie]

From a pure financial aspect, it's the way to go. I'm a newly graduated teacher looking for a job, so I'm going to be destitute for quite some time, and I gotta be a realist!

I was trying to get them used to being fed in Tupperware, but they were not having it. However, if I hold a ReptoMin or a piece of carrot or treat, and I'm patient, both will come up and take the food. I'm also lucky that they love their veggies. Carrots and lettuce not a problem. The only thing they haven't touched so far is a sliver of strawberry.

Don't know what I would do without this site and the internet!

[sflemin2]

Yeah, I cannot afford these girls but I am making it work somehow (ty Craigslist!!!!!). Sometime you might want to try if you have a bit of free time is start a planted tank and grow them some anacharis to eat. I have a planted 10 gallon with a beta fish in it. I am growing water sprite (I wanted anacharis but thats all they had). It was super cheap. I spent $4 on it and $5 on some gravel. It grows like crazy and they LOVE it. I wish I could grow more..they would eat it every day if I had enough!