Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: New RES parent Hi! and Questions

[Sammyturtle]

Hi,
I've never had a RES before however one was given to my daughter. He/she is about the size of a 50 cent piece. From everything I've read he/she should have never been given to the people that gave him/her to my daughter. They were given him/her as a gift for their 5 year old... he/she was kept in a little plastic box for the few months they had him/her. Needless to say I couldn't think of giving him/her back so some researching and some $$$$ later and now he/she is in a 10 gallon tank (just until I can afford a bigger tank want to get a 55 gallon until we know if Sammy is a he or a she). Oh.. Sammy is his/her name. So I got the tank, filter, basking platform, heat lamp and heater along with rocks for the bottom of the tank. I have a couple of questions though. I got the heater today and put it in however Sammy keeps trying to hide out under the heater so I've had to block it off with rocks. Is it normal for RES to want to hide from people? Sammy will come to the front but wont stay on the basking platform if we come into the room. I moved his basking platform to the front of the tank but he will only climb on it when we aren't in the room. Is this something that will change once he is use to being with us? We have only had him for about 6 days. Also, I feed him only once a day in the little box that he came in so that his house can stay cleaner longer and he is eating about 5 turtle sticks and a few of the hatchling formula balls. Is there an actual amount that he should eat? So that if he eats less I should be worried? Or is it just what he eats is what he eats? Attached are pics of Sammy and his/her house

[steve]

Welcome to the forum! Today is the last day for the Petco gallon sale (55 gallons for $55) but they should have another one in a few months. It sounds like he needs a bit more privacy. Maybe cover the sides and back for now. Don't pick him up or try to pet him unnecessarily. Be careful of that ZooMed dock as they can get stuck between the bars. There is a less change of getting stuck behind a filter or heater, but do keep an eye out.

Check www.redearslider.com/pellets.html for the amount he should get. As always, be a bit more conservative than generous when feeding turtles.

[Sammyturtle]

Thanks. I have to wait a few months to get a bigger tank but I'll keep an eye out for the next $1 a gallon sale at petco. I'm the only one handling Sammy right now and its only at feeding time once a day since he is so little. What other types of docks are there? Between the bars is Sammy's favorite place to hang out but since I raised the water level a little when I added the heater I've noticed he has to push himself to get between the bars (either that or Sammy has grown)... hmm wondering if I could undo one of the suction cups on the bottom until I can get a new dock? Thanks for the link regarding the food ill go read it now.

[steve]

There is an acrylic platform, and a resin one for smaller tanks. It's fine to add additional spaces for him to hide or rest on... fake plants and soap dishes are examples.

[Sammyturtle]

Ok thanks... I was wondering if I could make a heater cover out of acrylic... since Sammy keeps trying to get to the heater. I read that straight silicone is safe to use so if I got 4 pieces of acrylic or cut pieces to make a box around the heater (stuck them together with silicone) that it could double as another place for Sammy to perch. right now its blocked with some rocks so that Sammy can't sit under or right on the heater. I'll look into a new dock and more things for him to hide/rest on.

[steve]

They sell heater guards (generic ones on ebay) and if you want to make one, people use PVC tubes with holes drilled in them. How would use the acrylic? That could look pretty nice. I just leave mine hanging without suction cups. It gets banged into a little but I use tough heaters (Eheim Jager).

Silicone does not work well with acrylic, you need a special glue/plastic cement for it.

[phantom_shadow1989]

Do not worry about Sammy being shy. I have had Apples for about two months and he is still a little shy around me, but he is getting used to me and does not run as much when he sees me. I think that is the way it is with all RES. Just give Sammy time and he will come around. It is like with any other pet getting used to a new home.