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Hi everyone,
my name is Cristiana and i'm from Portugal.
I'm a new turtle owner, i've recently adopted a beautiful False Map .

I always loved turtles, my uncle has 3 beautiful RES with almost 22 years. When i'm at his house i always try to see them and spend time with. They like to have their shells rubbed and to smuggle in our laps. SO CUTE!! So I know what a turtle requires to live a heathy and happy life.

The previous owner had her in a plastic vasin, , with almost no water at all, no uvb or uva, NOTHING!!! When I saw the i told the owner that he was killing the poor thing and he gave it to me. It was something like this "If you think you can take better care, go ahead take everything with you(Plastic Vasin, Turtle and Gammarus )", i put Sparkie the in an old fish tank of 50L, its not enough but for now its 100 times better than the previous vasin, while i'm waiting for my personalized 140L tank to arrive.

Now Sparkie the has Dr.Whos Sticks and Reptomin (mixed), heater, filter, heat lamp, basking area, uvb lamp and some plastic plants (when the new tank arrives i'm going to put real ones ) and a decent amount of water to swim and dive.. I've had him/her for about two weeks and a half, and i make sure to spend my free time calming the poor thing, to get her used to my presence. It must be working because today came running, or swimming, to the edge of the tank to eat and to be rubbed, he/she even took food out of my hand!!







This is what's worrying me some, shell appears to have retained scutes, but i'm not sure, do you think i should take him to the vet!?




Thank you for your time reading my post..

Hi Cristiana! Nice looking turtles. There probably isn't much you can do about those scutes, just make sure he's not over fed and has a varied diet.

steve wrote:Hi Cristiana! Nice looking turtles. There probably isn't much you can do about those scutes, just make sure he's not over fed and has a varied diet.

Thank you Steve.
I really apreciatte all the help I can get..
I've read in this forum that Koi food is good for turtle shells, is that right? Or any food with Wheat is good for them?

Wheat germ seams to help with shedding scutes.. I feed hikari wheat germ. My mississippi map has yet to shed and I don't understand why? He is 3 and I figured he would have by now. On top of that he is an avid basker! I only feed 50% of their diet wheat germ. Does any food with wheat germ work? Good question.

I personally think wheat germ is not proven to help scutes shed. I don't mind people trying it as it's good variety. Is your map basking a lot?

He loves to bask.. Loves stretching his little legs to absorb uvb and the uva. And 30 min +\- a day he basks in the morning sun. It's the time I have to take him outside.

Does he bask often when indoors?

Yes he does.
Indoors Sparkie has a uva and a uvb lamp. But for 30 to 45 min a day, before I have to go to work, I take him outside so he can bask in the sun.

You can put the lights on a timer and set it for sunrise till sunset just like nature! Just make sure you have the proper lamp fixtures. I use the ones with ceramic sockets. They are made to handle higher heat of some bulbs.

Kansasslider wrote:You can put the lights on a timer and set it for sunrise till sunset just like nature! Just make sure you have the proper lamp fixtures. I use the ones with ceramic sockets. They are made to handle higher heat of some bulbs.

I have my lights on ceramic sockets and on a timer, but i like taking him to my yard, that way she can explore a little and catch some natural sun..
I don't know, maybe i'm trying to compensate for the months she was on a plastic container with that raised islands with no sun or lights and with water only to wet her little legs.. :s

She's ALWAYS supervised by me, i don't have dogs or cats in the yard and i put her inside a wooden square "box" with that metal nets on top, so no birds or other predators can catch her..

You do more for your turtle than most and that's great. I think it would like to bask all day long or at least have the chance to. Just sayin