Tortoise / terrapin owners??

me-shell

Hi there!!
I'm new here. Only joined today! How are ye?

Does anyone here have any sort of Turtle? Aquatics? Tortoise?
I'd just like to know who has. What type... etc.

I have 4 terrapins myself. Love them.
Just keen to see what else is around...

Our man in Havana

Hiya - do you have actual terrapins or red eared sliders that are often sold as terrapins? How big are yours?

I have 5 sliders the biggest is the size of a dinner plate & the smallest is the size of a tea plate.

I also have 2 Russian Horsefield tortoises.

FranknFurter

How *are* buffy et-al doing btw faye?

Our man in Havana

They are all fine hun! - I got 2 more so we have 5 now! the littlest one is a randy begger! & keeps getting bitten by Faith & Buffy LOL

me-shell

You have 5? Cool. I have no tortoise yet but soon hope to get 2 marginated tortoises. I have four, a Red Eared Slider, a Yellow Bellied Slider, a Cumberland Slider and a Black-Knobbed Saw-Back. Three of them are hatchlings, only about 2 inchs each. The RES is 4 inchs. What size tank do you have them in? How long do you have them? Check out www.ittn.net. Very good site. Links to a lot of good sites.

Yule3

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a Hermans or a Russian tortoise soon. I know basically the only place you can get a tortoise is in Reptile Haven. I read somewhere that its bad to buy Tortoise from pet shops and it should only really be bought from a respectable breeder, because sometimes pet shops sell wild caught tortoise and they carry parasites etc.

Are there any respectble breeders around where I can buy tortoise?

Our man in Havana

I know Ben in reptile haven sells captive bred tortoises that come with full licences/papers etc.

At the moment my turtles are in a 4x2x2 tank - the pond will be finished this year so they will be put outside - we plan to have a heated house for colder days - I/we had terrapins probably RES - in a pond outside all year & they did fine.

I also have 2 young Russian Horsefields that I got from the UK last year, they are growing well & are in a viv with a full spectrum UV tube.

Wibbs

Well I currently have 2 Amboina box turtles(18 yrs old) and a Stinkpot turtle(15 yrs). In the past I've had 3 red eared turtles, 1 Reeves turtle(really good for the beginner), 1 Chinese thick headed turtle(very shy), 2 Chinese softshell turtles(aggressive b*****ds, but after a while calm down) and 1 alligator snapping turtle(aggressive b*****d, but never calmed down ).

Yule3

Thanks for the reply. It seems that Reptile Haven is the best place to get a tortoise. I will go and check out the shop soon! I am looking forward to getting a tortoise.

Do you know if Ben only sells Hermans, or does he sell Russians too ?

me-shell

Anyone who owns terrapins or tortoises, ye should become a member of www.turtleforum.com

Its a brilliant site for information about any sort of turtle or reptile!! Check it out!!!

me-shell

Bond-007 wrote:

Hiya - do you have actual terrapins or red eared sliders that are often sold as terrapins?

Red Eared Sliders are terrapins...

me-shell

Any one own a marginated tortoise?

dceire

Where is this reptile haven place? i'm thinking of buying a tortoise or terrapin how much do they cost etc?

Rozabeez

There's a place in Celbridge selling them, The Orchard, it's a garden centre and petshop, and since you're from Kildare it could be pretty close! I think that once you buy the tank/terrapin it comes to about €180/160 or something around that mark.

dceire

Cheers mate, yea i know the place in celebridge i might give them a try

Rancid

I have a Hermanns tortoise, a female and she's about 50 years old.

Yule3, me-shell and dceire, before you get your tortoises do some research!
They are *not* low-maintenance easy pets as suggested by many tortoise-selling sites online.
And... don't believe everything your pet-shop owner tells you either, even if they're the ones selling you your tortoise.

Hermanns should *NEVER* be housed in a vivarium, (not even in pet-shops waiting to be sold) so don't let yourself be talked into buying one.

Lots of reliable info here and you can join the Tortoise Trust list too.

xAngelax

I have three red eared terrapins (and yes they are terrapins actually) they are about 7 years old and about the length og a nokia 3310 (cudnt find another comparrison) one question, are you allowed to sell them in england?

xAngelax

als how much can they sell for as my parents don't want them anymore

me-shell

xAngelax wrote:

als how much can they sell for as my parents don't want them anymore

Technically speaking, its illegal to sell red ears in this country. However, i'm sure you could find someone to but them if your descrete. I would say they are worth, approx €50 each. They are a bit small for 7 year olds. Why don't they want them anymore?

Wibbs

I'd say they're about the right size for 7 yr olds. As I said before it's my contention that people overfeeding them makes them grow huge and can cause them to suffer with growth deformities. Two big ones I looked after before were so obese they couldn't support their body weight on land. They only lived to 10 as well

xAngelax, If your parents are worried about getting a disease from them, they shouldn't be. If they're kept in a clean healthy tank, you have more chances of getting something off the family cat. The tank won't smell either.

Aqua_d

Hi, first time to this site, so hope Im doing this right....
Today I bought my 5 year old son a Red Eared Slider and then someone said that they give you salomala?? He has been playing with him all day!!!! Have I made the right decision for him? I should of looked into it more before I got him, and then I read here that you should only get them from reg breeders and I got him in a market across the boarder.... Please help me as if I am going to get rid of him I want to do it soon as not to upset my son, as he has just lost his hamster of 3 years and that why he got the terrapin. Please would be really happy if someone could set my mind at ease one way or another. Thanks

Our man in Havana

Ok now all reptiles MAY give you salmanela - the best thing to do is to make sure you & your family wash your hands after touching the slider - you can buy sliders now in most pet shops so dont worry about where you bought it - do you know that they the slider will get as big as a dinner plate?? & that they can live to be a 100 years old etc???

hatchedandcrazy

I said it all in the title...Looking for a baby horsefield in dublin/kildare area?
Thanks
O yeah im new sorry if i posted this wrong.........................

tallus

You'd be better off trying the petshops hatchedandcrazy. A lot of them seem to stock Tortoises these days. I know the Aquatic place in Brittas near the blue gardenia pub sell horsefields torts.

dbrock

aqua d there is a great antibacterial hand cleaner called wipe out,, any good pet shop will have it or will have another one,,,just use it before and after everytime your son picks the turtle up or is working with his tank,,,


as for the turtle make sure you got a heater,,,filter,,,basking light and i recomend the use of a uvlight to

muttzer

hi there,

im trying to re-home my two terripans.
there about 2- 3inches in lenght.
i've have them nearly 2 years now.
these two are very lively and interactive espesiacly at feeding time.

here is the link im selling them and theres some pics too.
MOD EDIT NO SELLING ANIMALS ON BOARDS.IE

im not trying to get band. but im desparate at the stage. as they need to be gone by this sat-monday!
if there is a problom with this ill be happy to delete it. and i know i cant put it on the adverts site.

cheers
muttzer

hatchedandcrazy

as long as your son is careful to wash his hands after everytime he touches the terrapin i dont think there would be any problem. I think you can buy a turtle/terrapin/tortoise handwash in some pet shops. Hope this helps.

reptileguy16

i have a 4 year old female hermans tort which i adopted two years ago she was in a state wen i got her and she nw has a deformed shell due to improper diet and no uvb as a youngster. i have had to pay over 1500 euro in vets bills since i got her. it makes me so mad that someone could let this happen to such a beautiful creature. but shes doin well now and is living a happy healthy life. please do ur homework on these creatures as they arent easy to keep!

tallus

What's your setup like Reptileguy ? I have a pair of 5 year old Hermans.

reptileguy16

tallus wrote:

What's your setup like Reptileguy ? I have a pair of 5 year old Hermans.

its a 5ft x 5ft x 3ft tortoise table what are you feeding yours???

tallus

reptileguy16 wrote:

its a 5ft x 5ft x 3ft tortoise table what are you feeding yours???

Dandelions, plantain, and honeysuckle mostly. Thinking of rehoming one of them, as the bigger guy is very agrressive when feeding, and I haven't really got the means or the space to setup another tt.
See the attached pic of my setup, still using it but not using that substrate any more, I'm using towels at the moment. Torts dont seem to mind at all and are way easier to keep clean.

reptileguy16

tallus wrote:

Dandelions, plantain, and honeysuckle mostly. Thinking of rehoming one of them, as the bigger guy is very agrressive when feeding, and I haven't really got the means or the space to setup another tt.
See the attached pic of my setup, still using it but not using that substrate any more, I'm using towels at the moment. Torts dont seem to mind at all and are way easier to keep clean.

try to give a bit of fruit in early spring as it is natural time for fruit to grow in slovenia, romania etc. if you are tryin to rehome one i wud be glad to take him but i will only take him if he has proper paper work.

tallus

reptileguy16 wrote:

try to give a bit of fruit in early spring as it is natural time for fruit to grow in slovenia, romania etc. if you are tryin to rehome one i wud be glad to take him but i will only take him if he has proper paper work.

Surely you're not casting aspersions on my character as a reptile keeper. Or on the good name of Reptile haven, where I bought them.

reptileguy16

no im nt. sorry if you got the wrong idea im just saying do you have the proper paper work as i have seen it 2 many times people trying to sell torts and not having the right paper work and one of them got 2 years in jail over it. i dont mean anything bad by it. i was just saying i could give it a home. as all my reptiles are adopted. sorry if i caused any offence. bring him back in to ben in reptile haven and ask him 2 buy it. he might be able to give you another small tort for it?

cowzerp

hatchedandcrazy wrote:

I said it all in the title...Looking for a baby horsefield in dublin/kildare area?
Thanks
O yeah im new sorry if i posted this wrong.........................

I bought my 2 horsfields in feltrim near swords/ malahide, not sure of shops name! both in good health..:)

tortoise17

reptileguy16 wrote:

try to give a bit of fruit in early spring as it is natural time for fruit to grow in slovenia, romania etc. if you are tryin to rehome one i wud be glad to take him but i will only take him if he has proper paper work.

hi reptile16, how much fruit are you feeding?,
i dont feed any fruit anymore, .....
they can cause digestive problems....,
wat tortoises u keep?;)

reptileguy16

dear tortoise 17 it can cause digestive problems if feed in to much portions....... i only feed fruit in spring as they have been recorded eating fruit in spring in slovinia romania etc. i only have the hermanns tortoise, but i plan to have a few more by next year. i also have a number of other reptiles which are all adopted. if you need any other info / tips feel free to ask.

Demonique

dceire wrote:

Where is this reptile haven place? i'm thinking of buying a tortoise or terrapin how much do they cost etc?

Reptile Haven is in Fishamble Street near Christchurch in Dublin. Also, a tortoise would be a better choice than a terrapin. Water turtles are smelly and sliders can be aggressive

Demonique

No, 30 years is about average for a slider. Tortoises can live for more than 100 years


And to be fair, garden centres are about the worst places to buy reptiles as they are primarily garden centres rather than pet shops. I went into a garden centre in Donegal and they had a leopard gecko which I asked to see (it was obviously about to shed). They said it was sick, it had gone pale (duh! They do that before they shed!). I said I'd take a look at it anyway because I keep reptiles. They took it out, gave it to me and were amazed when I peeled off the shed to reveal the brightness underneath. Idiots, learn something about the animals before you start selling them!


Also, I was in Reptile Haven last year and a boy and his mother came in with a little royal python that his uncle had bought for him in a garden centre two weeks previously. It was virtually lifeless, tongue wasn't flicking and it weakly moved its head every now and again. The boy told Ben the garden centre had said the royal was six months old. Ben said the royal was severely underweight, it possibly could never have eaten in its life, its underside was concave whereas it should have been round and sticking out there was a lump about 1/3 down its underside which was its heart and lungs sticking out. He said the snake was going to die and the boy burst into tears.
Ben showed the boy and his mother some of the six month old royals he had in the shop to compare their sizes and they were at least four times the size of the boy's little royal. Ben said he'd take the snake and dispose of it for them.

LovelyTom

Hi, just wondering does anyone know from where/who i can buy loggerhead musk turtles?
thanks
Tom

tallus

I'd go into Reptile Haven or Boardwalk Pets in Dub city centre Tom, if anyone can get them those guys can.

LovelyTom

will do, thanks

Demonique

Boardwalk Pets doesn't do chelonians, Thomas has said in the past that he considers them unsuitable for pets, he doesn't do iguanas either

tallus

Demonique wrote:

Boardwalk Pets doesn't do chelonians, Thomas has said in the past that he considers them unsuitable for pets, he doesn't do iguanas either

I'm sure he will give expert advice none the less, he did keep Spur Thighed tortoises himself.

Dempsed1

Hi,

I've just joined tonight after finding this thread on google. I have 2 Red Eared Terrapins, they are approx 16 years old but unfortunatly i now need to re-home them. I have a small baby and don't have the time to look after them they are quite big. I've tried alot of places but there are too many red ears looking for homes and they don't seem to recommend them to be kept in tanks anymore. Mine are in a 5ft tank at the min but i was going to see about putting them outdoors next summer but i think to be fair to them i'd rather let someone have them who can look after them properly. Anyone interested????

ash2020

hi guys,
I picked up some terrapin yesterday as I heard there was a guy getting out of keeping terrapin as a hobbiy and basicly decided enough was enough So I took all 5 home ande tought I would give it a try and see if i could keep them triving.

I had tought about getting 1/2 in the past from the local pet shop I know that they require cleaning at least twice a week and there particuar foods they like.

Anyways to get straight into the point the When i went to collect these little pets The previous owner had them ready and waiting so I never got a chance to see what way he had his set up, I have taken a photo and maybe you could tell me if I have it right.

Not sure what particular breed of Terrapin they are so maybe someone here can help and start me off in the right direction.

For a start the 2 larger ones are approx 2 half years each and to me they are in a tank way to small for its purpose - So please I am all open for suggestions to what sizes, plants if any.. and what heater settings at the moment the prev owner said set it to 22.
*ALso in the photo i have posted up there is no filter in the tank but i have since placed one in it since taken the photo.

The both tanks have what i can only describe as been A floating board where im sure they are ment to be fixed to the side of the tank as one was attached with those plungers that stick to glass, however the 2nd floater has no plundges to stick to the glass prehaps the previous owner never received it or did away with it "lord knows"

I read on some other sites that they do all there eating & chewing in water which is grand but i presume they come out of water for a few hours to dry off and perch them selfs under the light as part of there routine to store good health. I am worried that they are spending too much time in the water and not enough time on the boards, keeping in mind that the boards are able to move around the tank. so Should i buy more floating pads and fixed them to the glass better or should they be able to move an inch or so around the tank?


Thanks everyone.

cowzerp

fill the tank up most of the way and set up there basking thing! then they have more area and can swim properly...

ash2020

i will do that now thanks! Hard to beleave the previous owner said fill it up to where my thumb was when i was holding it!?

Rancid

First off... check this site for all of the info you need:
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/aquatic.html

Then read this page, it'll help you put together a better set-up for your turtles than the average tank.
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/smpond.html

They *look* like Yellow Bellied sliders, but a better pic would be good.
Yes, they eat under water, they don't have saliva so need the water to swallow their food.

I think 26/27 C is a better temperature for them, when it's lower they become sluggish and tend to eat and bask less.
Have you got a uV light for them? They need that on their basking area along with a heat light to encourage them to spend time out of the water.

The floating docks are good if they're suckered onto the side of the tank under the heat and uV lamps, but if they're floating around it'll be hard for your turtles to climb on and they'll only randomly get the benefit of the lights.
I think for 5 turtles you may need more basking space.

Anyway, check out those links and let us know how you get on.

ash2020 wrote: »

hi guys,
I picked up some terrapin yesterday as I heard there was a guy getting out of keeping terrapin as a hobbiy and basicly decided enough was enough So I took all 5 home ande tought I would give it a try and see if i could keep them triving.

I had tought about getting 1/2 in the past from the local pet shop I know that they require cleaning at least twice a week and there particuar foods they like.

Anyways to get straight into the point the When i went to collect these little pets The previous owner had them ready and waiting so I never got a chance to see what way he had his set up, I have taken a photo and maybe you could tell me if I have it right.

Not sure what particular breed of Terrapin they are so maybe someone here can help and start me off in the right direction.

For a start the 2 larger ones are approx 2 half years each and to me they are in a tank way to small for its purpose - So please I am all open for suggestions to what sizes, plants if any.. and what heater settings at the moment the prev owner said set it to 22.
*ALso in the photo i have posted up there is no filter in the tank but i have since placed one in it since taken the photo.

The both tanks have what i can only describe as been A floating board where im sure they are ment to be fixed to the side of the tank as one was attached with those plungers that stick to glass, however the 2nd floater has no plundges to stick to the glass prehaps the previous owner never received it or did away with it "lord knows"

I read on some other sites that they do all there eating & chewing in water which is grand but i presume they come out of water for a few hours to dry off and perch them selfs under the light as part of there routine to store good health. I am worried that they are spending too much time in the water and not enough time on the boards, keeping in mind that the boards are able to move around the tank. so Should i buy more floating pads and fixed them to the glass better or should they be able to move an inch or so around the tank?


Thanks everyone.

ash2020

thanks for your help.
here is a close up photo of the large two ones I am guessing they are yellow belley sliders, please tell me are these a common type? shall I need to get my savings out and be prepaired for any special equipment lol..

Im told these are a breeding pair. Im not sure which is which Is there a particular colour for a female & male. Its not important at the moment, I would like to build them a suitable living enviroment asap..

I might ditch the tank and make space in my 14ft shed that i bought and keep them there. But for now.. regarding lights, As you can see in the photo they bulb in each seems to be just an ordinary standard bulb and in the 2nd tank a fluorescent type bulb. I will read the sites and gather more info regarding the propper uV bulbs that i will require.

the photos ¬ are those of the two large ones.

ash2020

And here is a pic of the smaller 1year ones..
age is approx