Wood Turtle Info  - 05/15/06
Where can we go to get info on how to take care for a jeweled woodland turtle ?? Juli
< I could not find any specific info on a "Jeweled Woodland Turtle", but I suspect that you have a wood turtle. Go to woodturtle.com for specific info on keeping these turtles and maybe see a photo of you turtle species.-Chuck>

Keeping Yellow Bellied Sliders  4/6/06
Hi Bob,
< Chuck, this time.>
Recently I bought 2 yellow belly sliders and at the moment they are approx. 1 1/4 in long, I have them in a 27 litre tank with a floating island and they seem to be happy enough. My only fear is that I am feeding them dry shrimp and I'm afraid to give them any fruits or small vegetables because am not too sure whether or not they are too young for this type of food. Also do I need to give them any additional nutritional pellets or vitamins? If you could tell me what age is ok to be feeding them different types of food I would greatly appreciate it. I'm not too sure of the sex yet because they are still quite young but just in case will I need to prepare for breeding or incubation? Thanking you Tommy
< Young turtles are more meat eaters. When they get three or four inches then they start to eat more vegetable matter. Veggies can be offered at any time and won't hurt them. Try spinach and kale. Zoo Med makes a commercial aquatic turtle food that can be supplemented with insects and worms. Proper lighting with UVA and UVB, will provide the turtles with the means to produce their own vitamins. females get bigger than males and males have longer tails.-Chuck>

Poor Painted Turtles  - 03/22/06
I have 2 red eared sliders that I've been raising for about a year now and their doing awesome but now my sister brought to me her 2 painted turtles she got this summer and they have not grown at all! Their probably the size of a quarter still. She never had a light or warm water or anything for them and now I have to take care of them. I have no clue what to do with them and I feel bad for them! All I have right now is one cage, so I put them in with my red eared sliders. They're probably 3-4 inches and their a male and female but I don't think their even one yet? Can they reproduce?
< Probably not until next year.>
Is it okay for the baby painted turtles to be in the tank with them?
< No, red eared sliders are very aggressive turtles and will hog all the food and intimidate the smaller turtles to the point to they will not eat.>
What should I do to help them grow?
< Start treating them like you RES's when they were small and give them the TLC they deserve.>
When I pick them up I can actually feel their legs moving through the center of their shell on the bottom in the center. I think their not in good shape? What can I do? Help me please!
< Start by giving them their own tank. Set up a basking site that gets at least 85 to 90 F. Start to give them ZooMed Aquatic Turtle food for hatchlings along with some small washed earthworms. Basking and proper diet with start to harden the shell and get them back on track.-Chuck>

Adding Things To A Turtle Tank     2/8/06
Hi, again, what other things can I in put with my turtles like plants and vitamins? I already have a calcium block and am getting the Zoo Med stuff so what other things? thx!
< Live plants will eventually be eaten or torn apart and become a mess. Just try and feed a varied diet.-Chuck>

Don't Buy Turtles From Street Walkers
Hello experts!
< The definition of en expert is someone who realizes how little they know.>
Long time listeners, first time callers.
< Thanks for dialing in.>
I think my husband and I have gotten in over our heads.  About four months ago we thought it would be fun to get a small hobby aquarium.  We started  
with a 20 gallon tank, which we cycled for about 6 weeks and have since had a pretty good success with our fish.  About a month ago, we  
were walking in the city, and a woman on the street was selling baby turtles.  We asked her if we could keep it in a tank with our  
tropical fish, and she said it would be ok.  (I realize now that buying a turtle on the street was a huge mistake, but it seemed so  
small and harmless.)  We brought the turtle back to our tank, set it up with an appropriate basking island, and everything was okay.   
He even learned to take food from my husbands hand. After a few weeks, we decided to add some silver dollar size angels  
to our tank.  They died within a few days of each other, and we saw the turtle (and the other fish) eating the remains.  We figured our  
tank just wasn't suitable for angels, and thing were okay again for a while.  Currently, we have the following in our tank: 2 zebra danios,  
2 black fin tetras, one iridescent shark, three guppies, a molly and a red tailed sword, one catfish and (my favorite) a very small  
elephant nose fish.   We haven't had any real illnesses - one case of ich a month ago.   We just added two Plecos, who have been producing  
really long, stringy white feces.  Really long (inches).  But, I  digress. Last night, we looked up to see the turtle with the elephant nose's  
face in its mouth!  We were shocked, and didn't know what to do  - I  was practically in tears.  The elephant nose had not been sick - he  
was attacked unprovoked.  We put the fish net in the water and tapped the turtle until he let go.  Dazed, the elephant nose headed back  
into his ship for cover.  We immediately removed the turtle to a quarantine tank.  We decided not to return the turtle to the tank that night.
< Good idea.>
We did some research, and read online that goldfish (large) and  turtles can live together peacefully.  We bought an  
inexpensive 20g setup (filter, gravel, heater) and put turtle and three large shiny goldfish in.  Well, about a half hour ago we saw  
the turtle grab onto one of their tails!  The goldfish shook him off, but now we don't know what to do!  We don't want to keep a small turtle alone in a twenty gallon tank.
Meanwhile, in the original tank, the elephant nose came out to eat earlier, and his nose is shredded to bits! I feel awful, and totally unprepared to handle this situation.
Here are my questions:
Can we keep anything with a turtle, safely?
<No>
What about crawfish,
<No>
fiddler crabs
<No>,
or frogs?
<No>
Is there anything I can do to help the elephant nose heal?
< Keep the water clean and watch for any infections. Redness indicates a bacterial infection while a whitish cottony growth around the attacked area is a fungal infection.>  Will he make it?
< If the wounds heal and the mouth is still functional then he will probably live. If the mouth is too damaged and it cannot eat then probably not.>
Do you think our Plecos are sick?
< No, Plecos are vegetarians with pretty long digestive systems. While they are eating it is not too unusual to have long sting fecal matter following behind them.>
I really appreciate any help you can give. Thanks Rebecca (and Sal)
< In the wild, turtles eat everything you suggested. The crustaceans may have a hard exoskeleton now, but when they shed their new skeleton with be soft for a few hours. In this time the turtle could easily have them torn to shreds and eaten.-Chuck>
 

Useful turtle care info. A personal odyssey  11/21/05 Dear Bob,     I wanted to comment on the request you had on your website for help with the pond slider. <Thank you for this>     A few years ago, my husband spotted a newly hatched Peninsular slider crossing the road. It was only about the size of a silver dollar. It had likely come from a clutch of eggs deposited in the soft mud in a ditch months before when we had experienced torrential rains. The little thing would have had to travel at least 1/2 mile before finding any water so we took it home. I didn't intend to keep it but for just long enough to make sure it was healthy and eating.     I had a 5 gal. aquarium that I set up for it. I put some nice flat rocks in one end and water deep enough for him to swim about in. I used a small wattage light bulb in a clamp-on reflector over the rocks. I tested the amount of heat generated by the lamp with my hand on the rocks to make sure I didn't have it too hot. I wasn't sure what to feed him and at the time we didn't have a computer (the window to all information). But I figured that in the wild he would likely eat green plants, snails and small fish. So I chose the next best thing, tuna. I took canned tuna, rinsed it and drained it. I took him out of the tank and placed him in a small dishpan filled with water. I pinched off small pieces of tuna and hand fed him. He ate vigorously. He also ate bits of raw spinach, lettuce, green beans and grapes.     After a few days I figured he was doing well. But in the mean time I had found several books on turtle keeping and one of them said that once a wild turtle is handled it should never be released in the wild. He would be contaminated with bacteria that if he was released in the lake down the street, might compromise the health of other turtles in the lake. It sounds rational to me so my husband & I decided to keep "Cooter".     We continued with the same care, the only draw back to such a small tank was the fact that even though I fed him in a separate container (every other day).  I had to change the water in the tank every other day as well.     So I built a large tank, designed with a "Cooter" in mind. Wide and long and fairly deep. I also constructed a filtration system. Using a large plastic jar that I perforated around the bottom with rows of holes about halfway up the sides of the jar. I filled it with activated charcoal and filter material. I drilled a hole in the lid and took the end of a hose from a small water pump located at the other end of the tank and stuck thru the hole. I had to add more holes in the sides of the jar to make sure that the water filtered thru and out the holes as fast as it went it but once I had accomplished that it worked extremely well.  (Only once did Cooter in his active swimming dislodge the hose and shoot water out of the tank onto the floor!! LOL)  At one year old he was nearly 6" in length.  Here is a photo of him at about 1 year. <Outstanding. Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Outdoor Turtle Enclosure  9/2/05
Hello again, You guys have been a great help to us, from GSP's, Cichlid tanks, to keeping a gold fish tank. ONE MORE...  we have the opportunity to adopt 2 red eared slider turtles... we want to build an outdoor pond, could you please steer me in the right direction  to the proper construction, plants, protection, and feeding needs. We live in North Carolina, hot summers, some freezing, but not deep freezing cold winters. Thank You again  for all your help. You Have a great site.. Mike Berresford
<Small turtles under 4 inches should be kept indoors. Larger ones can be kept outdoors in mild climates like yours year round. Go back to the WWM homepage and check out articles on turtles, pond construction and pond maintenance. Turtles are very messy feeders and water quality via filtration or water changes is very important. In general the area should be surrounded by fencing buried at least a foot deep. If you live in a rural are then the pond needs to be protected from predators like raccoons. The pond should be at least 2 feet deep. When the weather gets cold the ponds get less attention because you are spending less time outside , you turtles will probably bury themselves and hibernate.-Chuck>

Red Eared Turtle Shedding  9/1/05
I only have one more question.  How often do red eared slider turtles shed their shell?  I think mine is shedding his shell right now but am not sure.  I hope it is not a fungus also.
<When a turtle is shedding pieces of the shell peel off. They are about as thick as a fingernail. Underneath should be a very vibrantly colored shell with fresh colors. They can shed a few times a year depending on the conditions and the temperature.-Chuck>

Turtle Sick?  8/30/05
First of all thanks for the quick reply. My baby turtle does eat but
it doesn't eat very much. Maybe one little bite of the bread
< Bread? Really? Try earthworms an insects.>
and that's it. And it doesn't seem to like the commercial turtle food that
I'm giving him. I've noticed that when I put my turtle in the water it
blows a lot of bubbles and it's trying to wipe its face with its
claws. And if it is some kind of respiratory problem do you think only
raise the temperature of the basking area to 90 F will work?
< Heating him up will definitely help.>
What other measure do I have to take?
< Get a book on turtles and read it.>
Also you said to clean the shell first before applying antibiotic, what do I use to clean it?
< Use a Q-tip to get all the infection out and try and get down to the flesh or shell, then apply the antibiotic.>
I don't see the shell is rotting, it's just that on the surface of its shell I
see black marks. Thank you and please reply.
< Could be variable coloration but you never know.-Chuck>

Two Turtles Too Many 7/26/05
Hi I'm a 1st time turtle owner, About a month ago I purchased 2 red eared sliders in Florida and brought them home to NJ, one is bigger then the other.  The small 1 is the size of a half dollar and the larger 1 is a little smaller then my palm.  I have a 10g
tank set up for them: basking area, light, heater, filter.  The smaller 1 would
never eat while the bigger 1 was in the tank and would never go into the water
while the big 1 was swimming.  I would just take the bigger 1 out to give the
smaller 1 a chance to eat and swim. ( But while they were basking they seemed
comfortable together and the small 1 would climb up on the big 1's back.)  I
didn't think this was a problem until about a week ago when the big 1 got
aggressive and went after the little 1 and nipped his foot.  Will the big 1 eat the
small 1?
< Turtles will eat anything, even each other. The little turtle knows that the bigger turtle feeds in the water , so it stays away from the larger turtle while the bigger one is in the water.>
Since then I divided the tank in half with a piece of pollex glass and
they each have there own basking area but still 1 light,1 filter,1 heater and
the lil 1 still seems afraid to swim as if he was still in danger of the big
1. If the small 1 goes into the water it gets frantic to get out, so this
causes another problem, the small 1 hasn't eaten in a few days.  Last night it
finally ate a little when I took him out and feed him in a smaller carry tank.  Is
there something else that I should be doing? Will the small 1 get more
comfortable and realize it's safe of the big 1?   Does the small 1 miss the big 1?  Am
I just too paranoid and should I put them back together?  Thank you for your
time and hope to hear from you soon..
< Do yourself a favor and help the little turtle out too and give him away to a good home. The bigger one will always be after the little one. They don't get lonely and will do fine on their own. If the bigger turtle bites off a limb of the little turtle then nobody will want it. you will be taking care of two turtles in two separate containers for many years.-Chuck>

Turtle Trauma 7/27/05
Thank you for your response.  So you don't think the separation wall I
created is a good idea?
< Eventually you will have to keep them permanently separated. They will get big in a couple of years and the damage from bites will become more severe.>
Will the smaller 1 never feel safe on his own side of the
tank?
< Turtles are pretty smart creatures. When the smaller one gets hungry it will eventually go back into the water to feed and figure the other turtle will not bother him.>
I haven't put them together since the nipping incident.  I don't really
want to give 1 up yet.
< Good Luck-Chuck>

Mixing Turtles and Fish 7.24.05
I just got 2 hatchling turtles last week. When I got them, the guy told me that I could put them in my aquarium with my fish as long as I had something for them to dock on. He gave me a floating rock that goes in my tank allowing them some where to dock. My question is WILL THEY EAT MY FISH? I ask this because I saw on the net while I was trying to do a little search on them, that they eat worms, fish, shrimp, etc.
<Yes yes yes, if they can catch your fish they will eat them.  The other problem is that the turtles will foul your water in a bad way.  You will need to do water changes weekly to bi-weekly as your turtles grow.  For more information on aquatic turtles please read the following article.  Best Regards, Gage http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm >

Sick Turtle 7.24.05
I just caught a baby Painted turtle and he was fine for a couple days but now half his eye is red and I don't know what is wrong I can't take him to the vet and I don't want to put him back. I have had many other Painted turtles and they were fine but this is my first baby turtle. He also just sits around all day with his eyes closed. I am concerned please get back to me soon.
<If you cannot take him to the vet all you can do is make sure his environment is setup correctly.  I would not release him unless he was in the same condition as when you found him.  make sure he has clean warm water around 78F.  You can find more information on the care of aquatic turtles in the following article http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm >

Aquatic Turtle Housing 7.21.05
I have a baby yellow-bellied slider turtle. I was just hoping that you'd be able to tell me if my turtle's tank setup is adequate. Well, his shell is about 2 1/2 inches long. I've had him since late last July. He has a 10 gallon tank. I've been told that that size tank is good for a baby turtle. <Yes> When should I consider buying him a larger tank and how many gallons? <The sooner the better, a nice size for another  year or so would be a 20gallon long, they make them for turtles with a cutaway on the side to hang a filter on, not the biggest tank, but a good option for a while.> I bought a Whisper 10i filter.  Will I have to get a larger one when I get a larger tank? <Probably, as your turtle grows it will get messier.> I bought aquarium pebbles for the bottom of the tank and for the land area. I put a brick inside the tank and piled rocks up on it so it would be easier for him to climb up on and bask. <Good, make sure it is under the light bulb.> The size of the land area is 3 in. by 7 in. Is that a big enough area for him to bask? <So long as he can fit on it comfortably without falling off.> The rest of the tank is filled with water. He has no hiding places. When he gets frightened he tends to hide by the filter and face the other side of the tank. So I figure he doesn't need any hiding places such as plants, because I'm afraid they would take up too much of his swimming room. <I would not do live plants, maybe some fake ones.  You could also build a cave type of thing with bricks, rock, slate, etc.  I've found animals that have places to retreat when they are scared are much better off.> The basking bulb is 50watts and it's the ZooMed brand. <You might also look into getting some full spectrum lighting.> The air temp in the tank is 75 degrees and the water temp is 77 degrees. Should the temps be higher or lower or are they fine the way they are? <That is within the correct range, no need to adjust it.> I turn the lamp on about 10am and turn it off about 11pm. <That is a long day, I might cut the light cycle down by an hour or 2, but its up to you.> I change the filter cartridge and clean the tank once a month. <Good, this may need to be changed more often as the turtle gets larger.> Everyday the water depth seems to go down, so I add more water. <Evaporation.> I have well water, so I don't treat the water, because it doesn't have chlorine or any type of chemicals in it. I'm so sorry about all of the questions, but I just want my turtle to have a long and healthy life. I included a picture of a turtle that looks like mine.
<Sounds good, I would eventually look into getting the turtle into a 55gallon tank, but for now a 20gallon long would be good.  BTW, you did not mention what he eats?  Turtle pellets are good, the occasional treat of earth worms is always good.  Best Regards, Gage  In case we left anything out here’s a link to an aquatic turtle article http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm>

Turtle With Spots being Treated 7/20/05
Hi again!  We talked to a vet on the phone yesterday.  She suggested that it
probably is a mineral imbalance caused by water with a high mineral content.
She said that turtles are pretty sensitive to environmental changes.  She
also said left untreated he would probably be ok once we got him back in his
water for a period of time.  Just incase he's got a fungus, she thought it
would be a good idea to treat the spots with an iodine solution at least
once or twice a day.  One cup of water with 2 teaspoons of iodine.  She said
it could take a month or more to see any results.  The iodine won't hurt him
in any way and is just a precaution incase it s fungus which could lead to
shell rot.  The vet also said that any unusual spots on a shell could be
treated this way.  If we treat him and it gets worse or we don't see any
improvement in a month, we should take him in to the vet.  I hope this helps
anyone who has a similar problem with a turtle.  Thank you for your help!
We'll let you know if the treatment works!    M & D
< Thanks for the follow up. Hope this will help others with the same problem-Chuck>

Turtle Bites 7/16/05
Hello, For the past couple of months my male 2 ½ year old has been nipping at his left arm (about midway up)  He eventually stopped and the sores started to heal but he has now started again to the point where it looked infected (an open wound) and I took him to the vet.  He gave him an antibiotic shot and now I have to give him 1 shot every 3 days.  I am really nervous about sticking my turtle with a needle and the vet had a hard enough time doing it himself.  Any tips?  He is in a 40 gallon tank with UVB, the Fluval 204, a ceramic heat lamp, and a spot lamp in the middle with some nice basking rocks.  His diet consists of Reptomin sticks, anacharis, and about a half dozen feeder fish once every 2 weeks.  (Sort of a treat for the 2 week period)  What would cause him to bite himself to the point of causing this wound?  Should I lower the water level because he only seems to bite himself while in the water?  Is there any chance this infection could have permanently damaged his potential for a long and healthy life?  It is not massive, but proportionally, if this injury was on a human, it would look like a 6" gash on our arm.  I do love the little guy...Please help. Jay  
< The fact that he only bites his left arm makes me think that he has a bacterial infection on that arm and biting it is his only way of scratching the irritation. I would include vitamins, kingworms, crickets and earthworms to the diet. Increase the temperature of the basking spot to 100 F. Get a Dr Turtle Sulfa Block for the water and dip the turtle in Repti Turtle Sulfa Dip. Use the Repti Wound Healing Aid to quickly heal the wounds. I think this bacterial infection is brought on by waste products staying in the water too long. I would clean the tank more often especially if it smells. That is ammonia and it feeds disease causing bacteria.-Chuck>

Russian Tortoise with Chalky Fecal Matter 7/9/05
Thank you for your response.  I should have told you that it's a Russian
turtle.  Does the same rule apply?
< Somewhat. They like more vegetable matter in their diet but they can still eat the worms.-Chuck>

Pink Skinned Turtle 7/7/05
Hi, I'm really worried about my turtle.  She is a two year
old red eared slider.  She has recently had a decrease
in appetite and her skin on her front and back legs
have turned a very slightly pink color.  She lives in
a 50 gallon tank, complete with basking platform and
sunbathing lamp, and two Fluval filters (one very
large external, one small internal).  There is some
algae growing on the side of the tank.  Could this be
contributing to the problem?  We feed her once a day,
turtle pellets and dried shrimp.  Please advise!
Thank you.
< This sounds like a bacterial infection. Change the water and clean the filters. Wipe down the algae. Clean the filters and change the water every week. Place a ZooMed Dr. Turtle Sulfa Block in the water. I would even use the Repti Turtle Sulpha Dip too.-Chuck>

New Turtle laying Eggs 6/31/05
Hi, We found a turtle about 6 weeks ago and now it has started laying eggs. It has been exposed to another turtle-the sex I am not sure of yet- What do I do? She has backed her bottom literally into a pile of dirt and will not move. Earlier today, she laid an egg out in the open. Do I remove her from her eggs after she lays them or keep her in the same aquarium? I'm trying to get in touch with a turtle rescue team near me for answers but have not heard back from them yet. I really want someone to be able to help these eggs survive if in fact they are fertile. I do not have a basking lamp. Should I get one and put it shining on the eggs? Help please. I'm very uneducated about turtles and hope to put her in safe hands after all of this. Thanks
< If this was a wild native turtle then you probably caught her moving between bodies of water and should have released her. The eggs are probably fertile. If this is a red eared slider then it is probably an escapee and the eggs may or may not be fertile. Either way, if you really want to try and hatch these eggs then here is what you need to do. Within 24 hours after the eggs are laid they can be gently transferred to an incubator. This can be any device that keeps the temperature between 75 and 80 degrees with keeping the humidity relatively high. Keep the eggs in the same position they were in when you picked them up. The embryos attach to the side of the egg shell within 24 hours. Twisting or turning the eggs can sometimes shear the embryo from the shell and kill the embryo. Direct heat from a basking light will dry the eggs out and kill them. In the wild turtles bury their eggs in the warm sand were the temperature varies little and there is always some moisture so the eggs don't dry out. I use to fill a 10 gallon aquarium with about 4 inches of water and place a submersible heater set at 78 degrees in the bottom. I would then place a brick in the center of the tank and place a Tupperware square bowl on the brick. In the bowl I would put about an inch of coarse sand place the eggs on top of the sand. In 8 to 10 weeks some would hatch. Leave her alone until she has laid all her eggs then make your move.-Chuck>

I have a yellow belly slider
 which I think is a year old or so (he is
about 2 1/2 inches by 2 inches). I feed him 4  pellets of food and
dried shrimp fish treats. The bottom of his shell has pinkish areas
that his previous owner said was from the owner before her not taking
care of his water. They look to me like they are slowly going away. I
wondered if this was possible?
< Turtles may suffer from vitamin deficiencies or poor sanitation. These problems reflect on the turtle's shell. In many cases the shell can show signs of improvement when conditions are favorable for the turtle.>
Also his shell is constantly peeling not badly but a little here and
there. Is that normal?
< The shell should shed in stages over a few weeks. If you turtle is growing fast then it could happen fairly quickly and seem like it is continuously molting.>
Today I noticed his skin on his front legs and neck was peeling
a lot but it didn't seem to bother him. So I cleaned his tank which was
already clean but I did it anyway just in case. I put him in a dry area
under a lamp because he was acting very strange. He is starting to act
normal its been an hour or so and he is getting back to himself. Do you
know what caused this ?
< This shedding is probably caused by the turtle's rapid growth. This is to be somewhat expected in a young turtle.>
I bought a shell conditioner that I put on him once a week is that good
for him?
< Probably can't hurt as long as you follow the directions on the package.>
I just wanted to say that my turtle is the best friend. I never knew
they could have such personality! I take him to work with me he  has a
small one gallon tank on my desk. He has started to like going and
swims happily all day. He lets me know if he wants less water and to
bask in the light by scratching on the  tank wall. he is so sweet and
loves to be petted. I want to make sure he's happy and healthy.
please email me back as soon as you can . thanks again-Nikki
''she's a wonderful wonder, she crash down like a ball of thunder '' -The
Exies - Genius
< With proper care your turtle should live for many years.-Chuck>