Reptiles Magazine Community / Reptile Forums / Turt and Tort Talk

New Pics/Worried!

AshBub — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:22:37 GMT

Hola!

A while ago I posted pics to determine what type of turtles I had found and express my concern for the "little man".

Anyways, Im concerned now that one of them has a shell thats pyramiding, and was wondering what you guys thought, does it look like it is, am I just paranoid, and if it is, what can I do?

They eat pellets and small fish.

Heres some pics!

Hapi aka "Pink Dot" (The one Im concerned about)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/IMG00092.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/IMG00093.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/IMG00094.jpg

Sobek (Blue dot):

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/IMG00096.jpg

Iteru (Little man..not so little anymore)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/IMG00095.jpg

Also, the kids in the neighborhood brought me a new little friend, this little guy lives in my back yard, its fenced in and its cute to watch him run around the yard and sun bathe. His name is Tuesday and hes beautiful!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/IMG00097.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/IMG00098.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/IMG00100.jpg

pancake torts

mythreetorts — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:59:52 GMT

who all has had, want , or has presently pancake tortoises...

they are amazing animals that I want some day. I have seen quite a few and have done a fair amount of research. any additional information and experience would be appriciated.

New Here & Need Help!

vwsmurfette — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:10:00 GMT

Hi! I am new to the "turtle world"... My daughter found an adorable painted turtle back in May... Talked me into bringing it home & keeping it. We have done some research & have the set up as follows:

40 gallon tank

large "rock" like filter that holds 2 carbon filter bags

1 submursible heater

1 lamp that is currently using a 60 watt regular light bulb

floating dock

sand & gravel bottom

We feed dried creel, shrimp & repile pellets/logs

4" - 6" water level

"Dot" seems to be growing & doing very well & has a very healthy appetite. My current problem is the tank cleaning... The tank was starting to get a very musty smell so obviously a cleaning was in order. I also noticed small gnats were accumulating in the tank. As I syphend the water out & went to change the filters the gnats seemed to be migrating towards the filter. As I lifted the top of the rock filter - that's when I found the gnats home! Ugh! Apparently the inside of the filter was breeding ground. I immediately took out the entire filter & hosed it down & removed the filter bags. At a closer look of the bags I found small new gnats just in the "wormy" stage...

I didn't know if this was a common finding or what I can do about it. Since the weekend cleaning, we have monitored the gnats (and trying to kill the very few we have found since) and monitoring the level of food as well.

We don't know much about taking care of a turtle & want to give the best possible care to our new little friend. I've also found that the small live plants that I have purchased in pet stores do not survive long and am thinking of trying plastic or silk that I have seen mentioned in my research.

Any help & suggestions that anyone can give would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

keeping different tort species together....

mythreetorts — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:29:40 GMT

I was wondering who has kept varying species together. i am an educated keeper. i have read just about everything on the web, I have a three inch thick binder of information as well as many books on tort keeping. so i know what the requirements for my 4 species are. I have heard from critics on kingsnake about the taboo of mixing species. but I say it can be done and I have been doing it.

anyone else doing it with success. the key is overlapping the health requirements and enough space (hiding) for the smaller species. they need their own space but room to roam... what do you all think????

Hello i am a newbie in despertate need of advice.

turtlelover08 — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:13:33 GMT

First let me start off by saying hello and introducing myself. my name is celeste and I love turtles! I also love other reptiles as well. I used to have a bearded dragon but had to put him to sleep . Reptile-wise I have 3 turtles: Bob, Tiny, and Raphael. I have had them for a bit over three years. Got them when they were pretty darn small and now they are kinda big.

I was hoping someone would have some advice for me...you see my husband changes their water every week and the filter media monthly, but lately it just doesn't stay clear and it gets smelly. Quick too, within days it's stinky and cloudy. We bought a new filter machine (the fluval 304) thinking that would solve the issue, but no. We do have a lot of algae in the tank despite us scrubbing and using algae destroyer. Any ideas? I'd appreciate it.

any northeast turtle and tort keepers here??

mythreetorts — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:40:48 GMT

Keeping torts in the northeast can be very challenging but if you love your pets and are committed to giving them the best care possible it can be done... what is your way of keeping your reptiles healthy through the winter? I do it with a green house, attached to an outdoor pen and a winter tort shed attached to the green house. it extends their season in the sun by a couple months on each end. then in the coldest of monthds they are toasty warm in their heated shed. I used to bring them inside for the winter but they are getting to big and they enjoy the larger area to roam and dig.

please name what you prefer a turtle or a tortoise

UROFAN — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:10:17 GMT

I was just curious what people preferred over another?

Box turtle price

turtle boy — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:45:00 GMT

i want to know the average price for a young box turtle.

Food That Promotes Pyramiding???

blkfirecrystal — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:09:45 GMT

So we usually venture over to the pet section in Walmart to buy pine shavings for our breeding rodents, and we found some interesting tortoise food that was for sale... we saw this product actually had a picture of what your tort would look like if he ate it. lol I know it's a crappy cell phone pic but see if you can make out the pyramids on this torts back ... I looked at the ingredients and the first ingredient was corn...last time I checked Sulcata tortoises were not supposed to be eating corn... more like various hays, dark leafy greens, spineless cactus and nontoxic flower petals (with vitamins/calci-powder of course) and the occasional fruit or non-green vegetable. I did however find a wonderful pre-made food to add to my tortoise's diet the first ingredient is hay, it's the second pic. Your thoughts please...

Walmart brand

Good hay based food

What type of turtle is this? (Pics included)

AshBub — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:20:26 GMT

Hey there! We found these little buggers in my yard, my dad brought them to my house and we put them into a large aquarium. What kind of turtle are they?

Also, when we first got them they were all the size of say...a fifty cent piece..now 2 of them have almost doubled but one of them hasn't grown very much.

Should I be concerned about the little one? Hes just as lively as the others, maybe even more so..he even "plays" with me, chases my finger and will eat from my hand, needless to say, hes my favorite!

I put little dots on them to tell them apart, will that hurt them?

I ask all this because I want to take the best care of them! Were installing a pond soon in the back yard (its fenced in) and I plan to move them out there when they're big enough!

Theyre in a bowl to compare size, thats also why there is a quarter in there!

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/?action=view&current=IMG00066.jpg

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/?action=view&current=IMG00068.jpg

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/?action=view&current=IMG00011.jpg

And mi favorite!

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/Ashley40/?action=view&current=GetAttachment.jpg

WHAT SHOULD I GET FOR AN INDOOR INCLOSURE

redfootman — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:25:39 GMT

my inclosure for my pair now is only 3x3' so i need bigger for them to breed.

razorback baby turtle - last one died any ideas?

Earthling84 — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:01:50 GMT

I just got a smaller than quarter sized razorback turtle. Currently he is housed in a 20gallon tank with about half full water. I have a turtle dock, and a compact fluorescent R-Zilla UVB lighting(2x 9watt bulbs). The temp is set to about 78degres.

For food I have many types of reptile/turtle pellets. And I will also be putting in some veggies daily and also rosies and ghost shrimp I will keep in there(just a few, probably 6 or so of each always.

This is my 2nd turtle ever. My last was a normal musk turtle. Also a 'baby' about quarter size. He didn't do well and died about 2 months after I got him; I am not sure why. He was in the same type of setup.

Water quality I test quite often(multiple times a week) and never have any ammonia/nitrite. My nitrate/phosphate as also very very low as I have a 10gallon refugium attached to the tank my turtle is in. The refugium is filled with many types of live plants(this is new, and wasn't on my old turtles tank).

Any suggestions, or guesses to why my last turtle didn't do well would be appricated!

Thanks!

Fly River Turtles?

FastFoward5k — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:38:22 GMT

Will these AMAZING turtles become legal and more popular pets in the future? I have heard that they are not endangered, just isolated in one area and very friendly. What do you think?

Turtles mute?

turtle boy — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 06:17:57 GMT

i dont think they are because one time my red ear slider hissed. what do you think?

Tortoise Supplemental Habitat Heat

reptile mom — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:34:11 GMT

[font=Comic Sans MS]What is a good Habitat Heat Mat to supplement my heat lamp to keep my Hermanns Tortoise's home warm? My Tortoise lives in a kiddie pool right now until it gets bigger. I can't really cover it to keep the heat in. I want a mat that sits in the habitat and warms it like radiate heat. I don't want a tank heater that you stick to the outside bottom. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Baby RE Sliders

missjacob0026 — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:46:59 GMT

I purchased 2 baby RE sliders about a month ago. When I got them, they were the same size (about 2 inches). Now one month later, one is noticably larger than the other. They both seem to be in good health. I've been watching them eat lately, and I noticed the smaller turtle can't grasp the food as well. I feed him (or her, since I can't tell yet) in a different tank than the larger turtle. Even once the food softens, the smaller turtle seems flustered and uninterested in the food because of the move. I'm a new herp collector, and I'm not sure what to do. If someone could offer up some advice, I'd be grateful. Thanks!

Jess

Box Turtle

mahoho — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:21:11 GMT

I found a Eastern Box turtle that had been hit by a lawn mower and had a cracked upper jaw and a chunk taken out of the front of his shell. I took him in and made a pen for him. I have a vine for hiding and a hibiscus plant and planted some veg. in there for him. He could not eat when i first took him in but I keep food for him. He would try to eat some of the carrots I put in there once and it was to hard for him to eat. He tried to eat the earthworms and slugs all the time but could not eat them at the time. Now his upper jaw is healed up and all I can get him to eat is bugs he will not even try and of the veg or the hibiscus, I have tried dandelions flowers also. Is this normal or could i have an ornate box turtle which I know eats primarily insects. I live in KY and the ornate box turtle is not in my area, so says the research I have done on there range. So I guess my question is, is this normal and if its not what could I do. I have also tried canned box turtle food.

Mahoney

eastern painted turtle

gojira1011 — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:10:32 GMT

is it safe to put pond plants in his tank? if so, what kinds of plants are safe/unsafe?

anyone heard of carribbean conservation corperation

turtle boy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:25:49 GMT

its a sea turtle survival leauge you can track sea turtles too! heres a link for it

http://www.cccturtle.org/

Sulcata Tortoise

Julie024 — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:53:36 GMT

Hello everyone I'm a newbie here but I have a question. I have a 5 month sulcata hatchling who seems to be doing very well. But for the past couple of days he's been sleeping. He will not wake up, I've check on him to be sure he was still alive and he moves when I pick him up (but I feel bad disturbing him) I'm also worried he may be sick but a friend of mine who had one said that hers would go through phases where it would just sleep. Can anyone give me any advice or reassurance... I hate to think that he has hatchling failure syndrome but he doesn't seem to be sick, just sleepy.

Anything would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much

Do you know if redfoots can eat the plant baby's tears?

redfootman — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:48:26 GMT

this is the plant, it loves shade and moisture.

Does anyone know why my res eats the rocks at the bottom of his tank?

turtle boy — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:01:05 GMT

my red ear slider always does it. i don't know why i think its weird does anyone know why he does this??

I was surprised to see this rarely-seen species at the show....

Bill Love — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:14:08 GMT

This is only the second specimen of this species that I'd ever seen alive. It's a sub-adult here, about 4 inches. It may reach 6 - 7 inches in length as an adult. I'll come back later to say what it is if no one correctly ID's it.

3-toe boxies "dominance mating"?

Dr_Girlfriend — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:32:39 GMT

do 3 toed box turtles ever do the dominance mating thing? I could have sworn that I had two females, until the other day when I saw one mounting (and apparently locking the hind feet in) the other, so now I'm not so sure. they both have sort stubby tails, and neither has a real obvious dent on their bottom shell. the bottom one does have slightly more reddish eyes, but my understanding is that coloration can vary depending on the region they are from (these two are of unknown origin to me... given or sold to my local pet shop as adults)

so was it perhaps a dominance thing (in which case I need to separate them) or did I just have an ambiguous looking male?

I can't seem to find anything online that mentions this

Favorite Sea turtle????

turtle boy — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:51:41 GMT

Mine is probably green sea turtles. whats yours?

New RE Sliders

Bootz — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:38:55 GMT

This morning, I decided to take a walk around the pond we have on base. As I was walking, I was watching the bank of the pond and the other side of the walk-way. I've noticed on my walks before, that there were lots of RES basking on the logs in the pond. So I went back today and found a nest a few feet out from the edge of the pond that had just hatched a clutch. Since the pond is pretty populated from Airmen that get sliders, then get orders and have to give them away or turn them loose. So I caught 2 babies to bring home and raise. Right now I have them in a quarantine tub til I can get them a tank set-up. I don't know what I'll name them yet, but as soon as I come up with something I'll post a new blog for them. I'm open to name suggesions as well.

hooray!!!

gojira1011 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:47:11 GMT

I'm getting a baby eastern painted turtle! only a month or two old! I'm so excited!!! I'll have to post pictures when I get the little guy next week!

redfooted tortoise

mississippiensisman — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:45:48 GMT

Starting a thread on RFT care. pics, experience, etc...

Favorte Turtle?

turtle boy — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:52:45 GMT

i was just curious of what everyone's favorite turtle was. My favorite is either green sea turtle or red ear slider

Box turtle breeding problems

the herptile master — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:19:45 GMT

I have two 3 toed box turtles. One a male ( spencer) and the other a female ( stephiny) But there is a problem with my breeding project. My turtles mate all the time, but the female never lays any eggs. Why wont she lay?

I came back from Wisconsin.

Crested Man — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:48:15 GMT

Unfortently I don't have any pictures.I saw 4 Sliders that had a yellow head. I think I may have seen a box turtle (if you know what kind(s) of box turtles live in Wisconsin can you tell me. And I think I may have seen a terrapin or two. I almost caught one of the sliders because I saw all the turtles from a paddle boat and one got right under me thinking he could hide. But the water was clear so I through my hand in the water and nearly got him. Luckily my uncle owns a private horseshoe-shaped pond so we saw lots of stuff like walleye, muskrat and turtles galore.

Sulcata Tortoise Care?

LeopardGeckoManiac — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:59:15 GMT

Does anyone know how to care for a Sulcata Tortoise? Tank Size? Substrate? Diet? ANY information will help. Thanks!

NAOMI LEO LUCKY FRED

common snapping turtles

SNAKE CHARMER — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:35:56 GMT

i've just now started studying turtles & i've become interested in the common snapping turtle & i haven't been able to find many care sheets on them so,i was wondering if anyone here knew anything about them my main ? is do they need a filter some say they do others don't

The herptile masters pig-nosed turtle theroy

the herptile master — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:49:56 GMT

I think that the pig-nosed turtle is really a eaither is or is a desendant of some kind of dwarf or pygmy sea turtle. I think this for one reason and one reason only, becouse it is the only fresh-water turtle that has flippers. Possibally milleons of years ago, the dwarf sea turtle poppulated a large area. Including the pig nosed turtles range. But, some how, the tur tle was cut-off from the sea and had to adapt to the water, food, and heat that was provided to it. And then evolved into the turtle we know today.

So thats the whole theroy. So, post away!

There is hope for lonsome gorge

the herptile master — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:57:44 GMT

I just took an intrest in the one man tortise and it turns out that there have been sighttings of other tortises on gorges home island. And also, a projest to create hybrids of gorges spichies and one on a naboring island has succseded! The female layed fertile eggs. So there is some hope for my favrite chethonion spichies! What do you think of the sighttings of other tortises?

How to build a outdoor house and pen area for a very large tortoise.

joebear — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:04:16 GMT

Hello,

I need some assistance on good ideas for building a housing and roaming area for my tortoise Franklin whom I'm told can get as big as 250 pounds when he's fully grown.

Every thing that I have seen are for the smaller guys which are great.

If anyone has any ideas I'd be very great full for your hints.

Joe

Russian Tortoise Housing

Bugman — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:12:44 GMT

I am interested in getting a russian tortoise and would like to house it outside if possible. I don't know if this will work in my climate or not. I live in northern CA and it is cold and wet in winter, but hot and dry in summer. Does anyone have any ideas about how to set up an outdoor pen? I would like to keep it outside year round if possible. Thanks.

Any Ideas For A turtle Table

Bootz — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:59:39 GMT

Ok. I have 2 RES that I want to build an expandable, moveable turtle table for, but I don't have any idea where to start.

hey ppl can u plz help determine my turtle's breed!!

jai — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:03:16 GMT

hey guys , i really want to know my turtles breed ! i hope u guys can tell me , the link to my turtles pic is http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3711849&l=1985e&id=517920191

I AM BREEDING REDFOOTS AND I NEED HELP!

redfootman — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:06:37 GMT

I am creating an outdoor tortoise pen for my 2 redfoots, I live in portland Oregon and I am attempting to breed them. The pen will be right under english laurel and portugese laurel. I purchased them from a store in Florida and they took them from the wild in south america. I have had them for about a year now. from mid september to mid april i have them in a 4x4 feet enclosure indoors. I feed them reptomin soft gel often. I also feed them fruits and vegtables, occasionaly hard boiled eggs or chicken. I exchange the bowl of water for a new one every week or so. Both torts are full grown. the male is 11 in. and 7 pounds. The female is 9 in. and 5 pounds. Any tips on breeding them?