Terrapin/Turtle questions.

nesf

Recently I decided to get two terrapins as pets. I'm just curious as to see if others on here have any advice on keeping them. I've done quite a lot of reading on care sheets etc.

They are both very young (just over an inch), and were quite shy when I got them. They are much happier now, the combination of a "full" spectrum light and a few natural plants is suiting them.

I just wondered if any people had much advice regarding keeping them. tortisetrust.org was excellent for info but I was wondering if others had tips on keeping them in Ireland.

Are there any good irish or british shops where I can pick up materials for them? Food, suppliments, kit etc. The shop here in Cork is quite expensive and it doesn't take credit card which really does not suit me.

I was also wondering if people on here could help me identify the breed. I'll post pictures later.

tallus

Sounds like you're doing it right man.
Do they have a source of calcium? All chelonians have a high calcium requirement, I know turtles eat a lot of the gravel from the bottom of their tank, but not sure if that's for calcium or as a digestive aid. I sometimes scrape cuttlefish bone on to my tortoises dandelions prior to feeding as it's an excelent source of calcium. Basking is a big thing for them too as they need to thermoregulate I use a small hallogen lamp for my tortoises but there are some uv lights you can get that double as a basking lamp.
What are you feeding them, I'd recommend small crickets dunno about that dried food you can buy, and thirdly are you using a vitamin supplement? as youngsters they will need to have their food dusted with a vitamin/mineral supplement, I'm sure you'll get some good recommendations from the tortoise trust site.
As for shops..not sure about Cork, but in Dublin I'd recommend Reptile haven in Fishamble street and Mceleron reptiles on the boardwalk along the liffey, both guys are expert and always willing to help out with anything reptile related, reasonable prices too.
[edit]: with a suitable pond, and the right weather conditons you could probably put them outside in the summer once the temp reaches 23c

nesf

I'm handling calcium by suppliment added to their food, and D3 by full spectrum flourscent light atm. The tank is small enough that this doubles as a basking light for the moment, although, I will be getting them a bigger tank in a month or two, depending on growth and plan to give them a seperate basking/UVB lamp at that point.

I'm toying with the idea of cuttlefish bone shavings as an extra suppliment, I'm using aquarium plants as their main source of "veg". They seem to enjoy them both as food and for playing/hiding. Dried food, I'm using Supa Turtle food, the smaller shrimp and the tubeflex worms go down well with them. I'm slow to feed them meat as of yet because of their size. I'll look into a vitamin/mineral suppliment for them though, thanks for the suggestion.

Turtles eating gravel is presumed to be for digestive reasons, but they are not quite sure about it, turtles do fine without any gravel. (Read this on tortisetrust I believe).

Have you tried aereating the water via an air pump + air stones? Tortisetrust recommends it and I can see the point to doing it. I'm going to pick up a small pump and tubing etc to start with and see how it goes.


Outdoors isn't an option unfortunately. I'm very limited in space, living in rented accom. Otherwise I'd have brought my dog up from home. Although, at this point (have been living in the city for 5 years now) I'd be very slow to move him. At least back home he has plenty land and a river to play in, up here it would just be cruelty to keep him. Thus why I went the terrapin route (also influenced by a friend of mine who has kept them succesfully for over a year now and I got to see their better side).

I hate short term pets and needed something that basically fitted in a tank since I've no real space in this flat. The tank will get bigger, but I've the space, theoretically, for a 4' x 2' x 2' here at least and I'll likely be in larger accomodation by the time the little guys are big enough to require a lot of room. Have been looking at surface mount ponds actually and seeing a possible garage full of them in the future

tallus

Sounds sweet dude, looks like you have all of the bases covered. Two tortoises are more than enough for me... here's a couple of pics of the lads.

nesf

Nice colouration on the shell

Once I find that card reader I'll post some pics of my guys.

tallus

Cool I'd like to see them :-0 ..
yeah they are only 2.5 years old so the shells are pretty nicely coloured, there's a fully grown one in the diet coke ad with a can on it's back on tv... At least I think that's a hermans tortoise.
Someone I know has a three year old hermans and because of poor diet/husbandry the poor thing is almost fully grown and the shell is pyramiding, sad to see. When I commented on the shell she remarked "aww I think it looks nice" pretty sad heh.. tho it's motivating me to look after mine properly. Sad heh

FranknFurter

Are they Red-Eared Sliders?
(do they have strpiey green heads / feet with a dull red stripe on each side of the head?)

If so, start saving.

tallus

FranknFurter wrote:

Are they Red-Eared Sliders?
(do they have strpiey green heads / feet with a dull red stripe on each side of the head?)

If so, start saving.

LOL

nesf

FranknFurter wrote:

Are they Red-Eared Sliders?
(do they have strpiey green heads / feet with a dull red stripe on each side of the head?)

If so, start saving.

They arean't Red-Eared Sliders. I think they are some form of map turtle, which would mean similar potential size, but I could be wrong.

Our man in Havana

Piccies of my RES - They have out grown the 4foot by 2 by 2 foot tank so have moved out into a paddlin pool at the moment - this is while my pond is being finished - need to save for the liner now!! Buffy is being held by dad for size comparison - she is around 40ish! & is the size of a dinner plate.

I have another turtle arriving tomorrow.

B the 3 I got from you are girls as is one of the other 2! Mind you the little one is very much a man! & we have even had eggs laid!

tallus

spectaular pics all I can say is WOW!

nesf

Excellent pics


My guys look like RES except for the red part. Possibly a different type of slider?

Sorry for the lack of pics, I can't find the card reader so my pics are stuck on my camera for the moment.

Our man in Havana

Could be a yellow belly??

I was happy with the pics - sorry for the size tho LOL

nesf

Yeah the plastrum is yellow with a few mid sized green spots. The colouration on the head and neck is that of a RES without the red eye, and the shell colouration is like that of a map turtle, bright yellow swirls inside green scales on one, and an olive shell with black swirls and patterns on the scales of the other.

Damn, but it would be much easier if I could find that card reader, I'll have another look around. (cleaning my room always ends up with me forgetting where I put stuff!)

Our man in Havana

I have a book on sliders downstairs I will have a look & see if I can scan a picture tomorrow - I never remember where I put stuff!

nesf

*searches for card reader*

nesf

Ok, bear in mind these were all taken through glass so they don't look great. I didn't want to take the guys out of the water, they are still new and don't like being interfered with much. I try not to disturb them any more than is necessary.

I'll take proper pictures tomorrow when I have to take them out to clean the tank.






This one isn't great, but you can see the dark shell and the pattern on the shell itself.


This one gives a good shot of the side, esp the head and neck.


This guy is the really shy one. Getting a shot of him is difficult, he loves hiding and is very quick to dart for cover if anyone moves too quickly near the tank.

Our man in Havana

Nice pics. OK I have had a look online & have found this picture of a yellow belly slider

tallus

cute beasts, made me want to go out and get some..

Dizzyblabla

nesf, where did you get them?? A Friend of mine was looking for some recently and they guy in the pet shop said that they were out of season??

Our man in Havana

One thing I will say to all potential turtle owners the tiny 50cent piece sized turtles VERY QUICKLY grow into a HUGE turtle the size of a dinner plate! & they can live for a hundred years!

nesf

Dizzyblabla wrote:

nesf, where did you get them?? A Friend of mine was looking for some recently and they guy in the pet shop said that they were out of season??

The pet shop on North Main street has them atm.

nesf

Yeah, that yellow bellied slider looks very like one of them. I'm not so sure about the one with yellow on the upper shell. Possibly a different breed?

Malorkus

Here's my turtle - Mo. He's currently in a paddling pool while I get the pond ready. I bought a pump, a filter and a heater on eBay for a good price. It's a 9000ltr filter - overkill, but should keep the water real clean. Getting it installed on Wednesday - those pics are just when I let him try out the pond for a few hours on a sunny day 2 weeks ago.

He's about 12" long, and 14 years old.

tallus

Cool pics :-) I put my tortoises out when the weather permits too, not been great lately tho the weather I mean :P