Habitat - Indoor :: Please help- need some advice on Habitat setup for hatchling

[MissMandy]

Hello, my two turtles are young. I'm not sure of the exact age, but they are really small- a little over an inch. Right now I have them in a smaller tank. They are not really great swimmers yet. What should I do for UVB and heat for a smaller tank? I want to keep this size for now so I can change the water a lot too and keep it clean. Their not eating so the water gets really dirty. I have a regular light and a heater. I'm having trouble getting the water temp to 78. Thanks!

[BullDog]

What size is the tank? Ideally, for two 1" hatchlings, you're looking at about a 20 gallon tank.
For UVB, you can use either a compact or tube fluorescent UVB. You should be able to find either at a pet store. The CFL UVBs are handy because they fit in a regular light socket. For heat, you can use a regular incandescent bulb, 60-75 watt (use a thermometer to check the basking temperature).

Even on a small tank, you should have a filter. It really helps with cleaning. But with any small tank, you are going to have to clean it at least once a week. When you get a bigger tank, you don't have to clean it as frequently.

If you haven't already, read over the main site (www.redearslider.com) to get an idea for the care your two new RES will need.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Basically, you'll need to upgrade as soon as possible. 2 turtles that size need a 20 gallon tank right now, by the end of the year, they'll need an 80 gallon tank if they are still getting along. Sorry, but that's the way of life around here. By the end of their life, they'll need upwards of a 200 gallon tank, assuming they still get along. I'd recommend that you start looking for a 75-90 gallon tank now, look on Craigslist and your local newspaper ads, spring cleaning will be coming on us soon. You'll want a filter rated for 375+ gallons per hour.

For the temporary, assuming you have a 20 gallon tank, you'll just need to fight to find a way to get the lights set up over the basking area. Look at the pet store for light fixtures that will work for your tank setup. You probably want to get a filter as well, as cleaning out a tank daily will get tiring. The water temp, you'll need a water heater rated for your tank. I believe you want 3-5W per gallon, so for a 20 gallon tank filled to within 2 inches of the top, you'll need a 60-100W water heater, depending on your air temp. If your house is kept less than 70, you'll need a stronger heater.

Also, if they aren't eating their food within about half an hour or less, you can remove the uneaten food and try again later.

[steve]

Hi, the first thing you need is to have clean, consistently warm (80F) water and pick up some different foods for them to try.

I advise you to go over these pages:
www.redearslider.com/general_tips.html
www.redearslider.com/hatchling_tips.html
www.redearslider.com/startup.html
www.redearslider.com/entice_eating.html

You will need to get a water heater first and then look into the other items. Try to get them to eat as soon as you can.