Video Link: https://youtu.be/9vmrk9AmfvE What I was provided by the previous keeper:
- One terrapin, believed to be a Red-eared slider named Squirtle. Also answers to "squirt."
- One 20 gallon glass aquarium; identical to Paffie's old tank - can I glue them together? j/k
- A Turtle Topper! - Always wanted to see one in person. Never thought I'd have my own.
- One ceramic socketed lighting dome.
- One corkscrew shaped CCFL (Cold Cathode Flourescent Light bulb) No heat output.
- A Marineland tank mounted filter - definitely for fish and not turtles. No media provided, not sure if any was ever used. Just the wheel.
All of the publicly available photos I currently have are in this video. My biggest concerns include the shape anomaly on the front of the carapace and her plastron's general condition. Specifically what appears to be pitting. Either this is a different species than Paffie, my first Red-eared slider or Squirtle has a condition that will need work to improve.
The plastron concerns me a lot, but I'm relieved for the moment that Squirtle has an appetite each morning. I've temporarily employed a 70 watt swamp glo bulb. It's all UVA and heat. I figure squirt is better off with a heat bulb without UVB for two weeks than a sub-par UVB light source with no heat. I don't know how long the CCFL was being used, but will try to find out soon. I plan to get a self-ballasted mercury vapor lamp as soon as possible.
The Filstar XP-M that I ordered was installed yesterday and works wonders on a 20 gallon tank. Heck, my first XP-M works pretty well on my 55 gallon aquarium and one day when I buy an XP-L for the larger tank, then I can begin to impliment redundant filtration. Squirtle is luke-warm to the idea of chewing on cuttle bone and has not eaten any leafy greens when offered.
The YouTube video link provided up top should contain enough imagery but if not I will take some pro shots on Tuesday.
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