Habitat - Indoor :: New RES owner, Looking for advice ASAP

[Rollen]

I just recently bought a RES and I'm worried that It might not be getting enough light. He's in a 20 gallon tank right now and is a few centimeters short of a inch. I'm wondering if he needs a UV light at this stage or not because I went to pet smart and the pet care expert told me that I don't need one for him since he is so little. I asked him what about 2 inches and he said even then that he's to small.

And well I'm here for a second opinion hoping that one of you can help me so I can give Gordon Freeman a healthy long life.

[Lilsaint]

wow cant believe the pet care expert actually told you that...... their shell needs to harden when they are young, so they definetely need UVB and UVA light. You definetely need those light. Just get a UVB buld. and any normal incandescant light with high watt for heat..........

PS nice name 4 a turtle

[Rollen]

Wow I can't believe that. I knew I had a bad feeling about this. I'm new to this whole thing so I have no idea what a UVB or UVA is if you can show me some products that would be great. Particularly from pet smart.


Edit: Silly me, read what the difference was between A and B but whats a good light bulb I saw tons of them. I know the blue are for sleeping and which are for day time.

LOL, I came up with his name from Half-Life It was the first thing that poped into my head but I dunno if it's a girl or boy yet his tail is long but some one told me that at this age it's to early to tell.

[tidaboy9]

Yah... That some bad advise that the person told you!!

Here is a UVB i use

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752555

Here is the HEATING Bulb I use

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752659

-But for the heating u can honistly use any high voltage bulb like 60watt bulb.


Here is also the clamp light i use

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2753959



My Set up!

[Rollen]

Man I love turtles, seeing your little guy swimming around in that big tanks is so funny. Do you turn off all the lights when you go to bed or do you leave them on all night?

I went back again and bought a 5.5 fluker lamp and swamp glo basking light 50 watt for him. The guy was still trying to convince that he didn't need it and he told me something about his friend just keep his turtle outside. I told him it was a indoor turtle and so he barely got any sunlight.

He told me about keeping it away from the turtle and not putting it to close or it will fry.

[brandonsdad02]

Turtles need the same light and dark cycle as we do to sleep. In general, its good to have the lights on a timer, 12-14 hrs on and 12-10 hrs off. You want his basking area to be around 85-90 degress F. I have 3 baby RES and they are in a 75 gal tank. I have 2 of the clamp on lights with 1 of each light for them.

[Rollen]

So water level isn't a issue? I saw a video mentioning that for young turtles you have to keep the water level low.

[tidaboy9]

Yah lision ro brandon for light and yahh i just turn them off when i ho to sleep and in the moring turn them back on.

Thatss good you got the lighting all worked out!

You also have to replace the UVB bulb every year old the UVB through!

U can also get a combined uvb and heating bulb which cost about $40 and also needs to be replaced every year its called MVB!

Its cheeper however to have 2 lamps which Heating and uvb!

Also do u have a filter and a water heater for your tank?? Just curious

[tidaboy9]

So water level isn't a issue? I saw a video mentioning that for young turtles you have to keep the water level low.

NO!! Do not lison to people who keep there turtles in shallow water its unhealthyy!! You need 10 gallons of water for every inch of turtle shell!! How many inches is your turtle???!! They need tons of water so they can get excersize and grow big and strong!

sry if my spelling a bit off im typeing this on my ipod.

Do a little of reading on our main site!

[Rollen]

he's a inch and a half in a 20gallon tank. I have a old filter that we had for our fish. I cleaned it well but I also here that turtles are more messy then fish. I was thinking since he's so young right now that I would have some snails and algea fish clean up the rest and his left over food.

[Rollen]

There's also a heater as well that I use to warm the tank, I don't have much for decoration but I have cork bark for his basking area.

Does sound bother them at night? I ask this because I'm a gamer and on weekends I usually have my late night gaming and he's in my room.

[brandonsdad02]

When we first got our turtles we left them in a smaller container for a few hours so they could adjust, after that we put them in the big tank. I have 2 canister filters in my tank with a tank heater and a bubbler for the fish. They all seem to get along fine. I'm sure at some point the fish will get eaten but until then its relaxing to watch. Don't listen to ppl who say its bad to put baby turtles in deep water...They are water turtles, they were born with the instinct to swim.. As long as they have places to hide and rest, they should be fine. My 3 have been doing great!!

Just keep asking lots of questions on this site. There are a ton of ppl that know a ton of info on turtles, we have all been new to turtles at some point.

[Rollen]

Thanks I really appreciate all the help. I didn't know that RES needed such high maintenance, really glad I found this site. Once I get situated I wouldn't mind returning the favor to others .

[brandonsdad02]

Just a warning.. The cork bark might turn your water brownish, its just the brown in the wood leeaching out into the water. My cork bark did that until I got some drift wood. It still turns the water a little brownish but not too bad.

[Rollen]

Does it stop after long time of use or thorough cleaning?