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Hello everyone. I just wanted to introduce myself as I've been browsing the forums for information over the past two months.

My daughter received her RES (I believe she is a RES--her color is super dull and her shell has become very dark) as a Christmas gift from one of her co-workers in December 2013. She named her turtle Pig and we believe Pig is a girl. Pig was apparently purchased from a 99 cent store (although we would never tell her of her origins) and she was the size of a quarter. Who knew turtles were so much work.

My daughter left for college last August and took Pig with. They both came home for the Christmas break and Pig stayed with me after my daughter went back to school. Pig was in a 20 gallon tank with some cheap filter, heater, etc in December 2014. I've since upgraded her to a 40-gallon tank with a better heater but she keeps growing like a weed. Last week I purchased a Fluval FX6 canister filter and today I purchased a 75-gallon tank which I will pick-up later this week. I'm still trying to figure all of this out to make Pig's environment enjoyable and healthy. I've spent sooooo much money on filters, basking areas, decor, food etc trying to find the right combo.

Pig was growing too quickly her shell was becoming deformed; I've since learned that is from poor diet, overfeeding, or environmental issues. The pic of her basking is a recent pic and her shell looks a lot smoother and fuller. She's recently moved from a diet of pellets and dried shrimp to lettuce and the green sticks. She still isn't a huge fan of the lettuce but eats most of it (because she's always hungry). I'll still give her some pellets and shrimp as an occasional treat.

I'm sure I'll post as questions arise. I'm new to caring for a turtle and it's been an equally enjoyable and frustrating experience. I just adore Pig though, she has the cutest personality.

I've posted some pictures. Her tank doesn't look like this anymore...it has more river rocks, the Fluval canister, some plants, and more water (about 25 gallons). She does enjoy her window view and will spend hours looking outside. I'll post new pics once I have her 75-gallon set-up.

Thanks for reading about Pig. Hope you enjoy the pics below.

- Julie

Welcome to the forum! I like that yawn pic. You can use pellets regularly, though I would suggest rotating or mixing a few of the main brands together. How long is she now?

Thanks for the tips, I'll start mixing it up for her. As far as length, she is over 5 inches long. I set up her new 75-gallon last night and found her basking this morning. She never basks that early in the AM so hopefully it's a good sign that she's happy in her new mansion. Here's a couple pic of the new setup and one with her in the new tank.

I think she'll love it. Do you have any thermometers to measure the temperatures? You can probably raise the water levels and lights since she seems pretty comfy.

I have a thermometer on the outside and a 200watt heater inside that regulates the temp (78-80 degrees). I need to find a good thermometer for her basking area. I also am now using a dual light setup that is hanging from the stand (didn't want them resting on the lid).

She ended up freaking out a little with all the water so I took 15-gallons out before bed; I'll slowly put more water back in but don't want to overwhelm her as she is very picky. She likes to stand up in her tank, rest on the glass and sleep, watch TV, or look out the window in that position. I'd like to eventually get her a topside basking area.

Look into one of those trapezoid shaped resin basking areas. My turtles like to stand on those to rest.

Thank you, I will.