I don't have a copy, but I'm sure with all of us here we can tell you exactly what you need. I'll make a list and others can feel free to add:
- Tank - 10 gallons of water for each inch of turtle. Females can get up to 12 inches long, males a few inches shorter.
- Filter - Rated for 3x the capacity of your tank. Canister filters are highly recommended.
- Filter media - Biological, chemical, and/or mechanical media to put into your filter. What you put in is up to you; common things are foam pads, carbon, ammonia remover, bio rings/bio media, and pre-filter rings.
- Heater - Rated for the size of your tank.
- Basking area - Needs to be big enough for your turtle to fit his/her whole body. Zoo Med turtle dock is an easy cheap basking dock and they make different sizes. Many people make their own above-tank basking areas.
- Heat for basking - Clamp lamp with halogen or incandescent heat light. You can buy the bulbs at the pet store or find them cheaper at a store like WalMart, Target, etc... Make sure to check the rating for your clamp lamp and get a bulb that will work with your lamp.
- UVA/UVB lighting - Either a florescent tube light or a clamp lamp with a compact florescent light. UVB output needs to be 5-10%. I highly recommend the ReptiGlo 5.0 26w compact florescent. Is is safe for your turtle's eyes and it is much cheaper than other bulbs.
- Tank covering - Something that is secure, or provides a high enough barrier that your turtle can't escape. Also, you need something that will allow the UVB light through (needs at least 1/2" gaps if you are using a screen-type cover).
- Thermometer - Digital thermometer is recommended to get an accurate reading.
- Substrate - NO GRAVEL!!! You can use river rocks (bigger than your turtle's head), sand, or have a bare bottom.
- Hiding area - Turtle log, cave, fake plants, somewhere for your turtle to hide out when they feel the need.
- Resting area (optional) - Something like a suction cup soap dish, shower shelf, or reptile hammock that you place a few inches below the water. Many turtles like to sleep in these areas.
- Decor (optional) - Tank background, real or fake plants, bubble wand, etc...
- Water treatment - Removes chlorine from tap water. Many people on this forum use Reptisafe, but there are other brands as well.
- Food - Pellets (Reptamin, Mazuri, and HBH Turtle Bites are top 3) and fresh leafy greens (red leaf/green leaf lettuce, dandelion leaves, turnip greens) should be your main staples.
- Cuttlebone - Source of calcium for your turtle and also helps keep their beak trimmed. You can find this in the bird section of the pet store (there is also a type called Turtle Bone, it is the exact same thing you just pay more for it).
- Veggie clip (optional) - Many turtles prefer to eat lettuce when it is held by a veggie clip (also called a seaweed clip at pet stores).
- Treats - Feeder fish (rosie red minnow or guppies only - NO GOLDFISH), brine shrimp, certain fruits or veggies (see the "nutrition" part of this site for more info). These should only be once a month (or so) treats.
That's all I can think of at the moment. Oh, and one big hint - You can find a lot of these things MUCH cheaper online (
www.bigalsonline.com as an example) or in big chain stores than in pet stores.
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:03 pm Comprehensive RES Guide
