Habitat - Indoor :: Finally got my turtle

[Myke]

I've been lurking and occasionally posting here for a while now. Finally bought a turtle today. How long can they hold their breath? I figured it would take a day or 2 to get used to the new surroundings, but he or she seems fine. I've noticed he'll stay under water for at least 10 minutes, then he'll poke his head up for a few seconds and go back under water. Also, it seems like he is having trouble getting his head above water, he seems to have to swim pretty hard, is it possible the water is to deep? I'd guess he is 4 inches shell length and the water is 9 inches right now. I'll try to figure out how to post pics tomorrow, but it's nothing spectacular, I need to figure out how to get plants in there, trying not to put gravel in the tank, but can't find suction cup plants?

[blackforces get you]

you need to put more water because they need a lot of swimming room. wait first off do you know what kind of turtle it is?.

turtles can hold their breath for a long time and they sleep underwater sometimes.

if he's sluggish, hes gonna need some time being customed to the water and make sure the temperatures aren't very high either.

[Kemul]

Provide your turtle with something to hold on while resting near the water surface.
It'll be great if you provide basking area too, with UVB bulb and all that.

If you're planning to use plastic plants for the resting place, you can use aquarium
safe silicon to glue the plants to some gravels for weight. That's what some people
here do for decoration.

[Myke]

Yes, it's a red ear slider, and he isn't sluggish. He's swimming all over checking out his new diggs. Water temp is 78, basking on the turtledock shows a temp of 88. How far from the top should the water be so he can't get out? Right now the dock is 8 inches from the top, turtle is about 4 to 4 1/2 inch shell length. I don't want him to climb out.

[Kemul]

8" from top of tank is enough to keep a 4.5" turtle from escaping. Just to be
really sure though, you can put a lid on top. Egg crate (light diffuser) is your friend.

[papoopeepoo]

turtles will be able to escape if their front legs can reach the rim of the aquarium, so 8 inches should be enough for your turtle.

[jozzep]

turtles will be able to escape if their front legs can reach the rim of the aquarium, so 8 inches should be enough for your turtle.

Only if they have a base underneath to push up like by the basking area.

[theartbook35]

turtles will be able to escape if their front legs can reach the rim of the aquarium, so 8 inches should be enough for your turtle.

Only if they have a base underneath to push up like by the basking area.

Joz, they are ridiculously flexible acrobats. Not to call you out, but they are. My little ones just need one arm around their basking dock, and they are able to stretch one of their back legs up to the edge and up they go. I would expect them to, if they could reach the tank wall, to do the same thing.

Topic starter- Sorry, forgot your username... As they get older, you'll be able to feel how strong their legs are. Even if you are holding them at the hatchling stage, they can push themselves right out from between your fingers and off they go. Their capable of lifting a lot of weight, too.

[untsmurf]

Provide your turtle with something to hold on while resting near the water surface.
It'll be great if you provide basking area too, with UVB bulb and all that.

If you're planning to use plastic plants for the resting place, you can use aquarium
safe silicon to glue the plants to some gravels for weight. That's what some people
here do for decoration.

If you want to silicone rocks to the plants, it's super easy (I just did mine) but use river rocks instead of gravel. Even though they're siliconed on, you don't want to risk your turtle being able to pry one loose and ingesting it.

And i second the use of egg crate to keep your turtle in the tank, just make sure its attached or weighted down some how so your turtle can't push it up. I have my hood lamp on top of my egg crate to keep it weighted down.