tortoise....

[graver]

hi ,
i was wondering whether its the right place to start topic about tortoise here.. i have the ones which don not live in deep water like in tanks.. but in semi dry place( i.e little bit of water and dry place aswell) .. so i just bought 2.. and i know nuthn about them.. how much to feed them.. and wat else to take care of .....???

[Lady Friesian]

Maybe if you posted on the terrarium/vivarium board someone would be able to help?

Tortoises are NOT invertebrates!

[Toirtis]

I would be happy to help, if you wish to message/e-mail me with the species of tortoise you have.

[fishcatch22]

it is a VERY bad idea to impluse buy a tortoise. many need large, home built enclosures or outdoor pens, and can live many, many years. most are herbivorous, and must be fed fresh greens everyday.

the most common tortoise seen in stores are russian desert tortoises, and they get about 8" in shell length. posting a pic would be helpful.

[musho3210]

they will probably outlive you.... I heard they can get up to 100 years

[graver]

http://www.wmirs.com/waqas/Image815.jpg
http://www.wmirs.com/waqas/Image816.jpg
can you identify there species.... ?? i know pics ant clear .. but if this helps then k . othwise i will take some others.. http://www.wmirs.com/waqas/image815.jpg

[Toirtis]

The photos are too poor to be certain of the species, but they are a terrapin...very possibly Trachemys scripta elegans, the red-eared slider, a semi-aquatic species.

[ROFL KATELYN X]

well you might not have 2 anymore...looks like they like eachother a bit

[jm1212]

The photos are too poor to be certain of the species, but they are a terrapin...very possibly Trachemys scripta elegans, the red-eared slider, a semi-aquatic species.
thats what i was thinking too. the tortoises that i usually see in the pet shops are desert tortioses- they have yellow scales and then a brownish shell.

you are going to need a pretty big home for these guys. they get pretty big and need a good ammount of water to live in, as well as a place to come out of the water and dry out and warm up a bit.

[graver]

http://www.wmirs.com/waqas/Image818.jpg
http://http://www.wmirs.com/waqas/Image819.jpg
k are these clear now ... ??? and yeah the get on each other somtimes and yes they are semi aquatic... but can you tell me exactly which species are they..? and some tips to keep them healthy..

[icecubez189]

looks like a red eared slider to me, i used to have them.

they are basically aquatic but will need some land to bask on. note that they will get very large, and you will eventually need to house them in a 100G tank.

looks like a tiny guy, i think its against the law now to sell them that small, they have to be like 5 inches or something, im not too sure but i know they have to be bigger than that to sell.

good luck with it~!

[tricksterpup]

Graver,
Here is the thing, I am not trying to flame you on this but you should've researched your animal before buying. Turtles are one of the hardest herps to take care due to much of their nature. These animals will need to be placed when the reach adult hood in about a year. They will grow fast and need to be fed a varied diet. They will need a large canister filter for filtration of their tank.
These animals that you bought for a few bucks are going to cost you a lot of money as time goes on. I am a member of a herp society and its one of the number one animal given up. And most are in horrible conditions due to poor care. And the sad part no body wants them for the fact they need special care. Especially when it comes to the lighting.

But enough of my belly achen and now to help you.
A site you will need to go on is http://redearslider.com/
This should give you the answers you need. I would read this website forwards and backwards until you have a total understanding of your new pets.
Since you have Hatchlings start here
http://redearslider.com/hatchling_tips.html


Next I recommend going out and buying some books. Do not trust everything you read on the web. Buy books and read, go to your local library and borrow books from there as well.
The book I recommend is The Guide to Owning a Red-Eared Slider (Paperback)by Jordan Patterson
It is about a $10 book found at any petco or petsmart. If you can find it there go to your local petshop or order it from Amazon.

Now you are saying well what if I do not have an RES. The odds you do, if you paid under $10-15 for this turtle, its an RES. But most Aquatic turtles have the same amount of care
Here is a picture of a hatchling RES.
http://www.jaxshells.org/turt20.jpg

[Siren]

I would definitely do some research. I have 3 Red eared sliders that I have had for about 7 years. The one you have is a hatchling, probably just over a year old. I have a painted turtle hatchling about the same age. The first thing you need to do is get them into a 10 gallon tank with the proper lighting or they will not develop their shells correctly. I would also get rid of the gravel. It can be messy to clean and they can eat it causing impaction.

For now, both can stay in a tank that small (10g), but in about 2-4 years, you'll need about 30g per turtle. A very strong filter is recommended. Turtles produce large amounts of waste.

Sitting on top of each other is common basking behavior and non-sexual. If and when they mate, there are specific behaviors that will occur, but your hatchlings have several years before that happens.

Here is an excellent website on RES's....pay particular attention to the part on feeding and lighting. Baby turtles are especially sensitive with regards to vitamin and mineral needs which go hand in hand with lighting. They have to be warm enough to digest food, and have UV-B lighting available to utilize calcium.

http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Here are some photos of tortoises that were improperly cared for when young to give you an idea of how quickly the shells can be deformed...the same applies to turtles. If they are not fed properly, they will not be healthy.
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/webdiet.htm

Also, www.kingsnake.com has a great forum dedicated to REs's....the people on there are firm, but friendly...

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions you may have :) Good luck!

[ReignsAngel]

First, you don't know the kind of animals you bought? Perhaps the place you bought them from could tell you the exact species?

In Saying that....It definitely looks like a slider to me. I have one that's coming up on 2 years old and is currently residing in a 75g tank. She will need to be in a 100+ gallon tank or backyard pond eventually. One turtle alone is a big investment. Know that they aren't the sort of animal that enjoys company. If they aren't already, in due time they are likely to be territorial. You won't need one 100+ gallon tank, but rather two!

Following up on what Sien said.. The type of lighting you need is a UVB bulb. I recommend the ReptiSun 10.0. UVB is absolutely essential for these animals. Make sure the bulb is over the basking area and is not being blocked by anything, such as a screen top. This needs to be replaced every 6 months. Also, you will need a heat lamp over the basking area. Not only will it entice your turtles to the basking platform, but it will aid them in drying out their shells. Make sure the basking platform you use enables them to get completely out of the water. When the turtles are large, you'll have to custom make a basking platform(s). I could go on for a while, but.....

The best advice has been said, and that is to read. There is a lot of information on these turtles. After all, I'm sure you want nothing but the best for your animals.

I'm willing to lend some guidance if you want or need it. Write me.