setting up viv. for RES.

[graver]

hi everyone!
i am setting up a viv. for RES ... so needed some advice... first i want to know that how much deep what should be keep for them.. then is it ok to use gravels for their basking area becuase i read somewhere that they might swallow them.. if not then any idea how can i make it my self... the slope and dry place up... and last thing the light they need .. can i use energy saver bulbs for that .. but i was wondering that whether they are UV or not... and how much light do they need .... ??

 

[Sploke]

you will want as much water as possible for the turtle. I would avoid piling up gravel for a basking area, go for one of those zoo-med floating turtle docks instead. It will leave you with a lot more room for the turtle to swim. They need a basking light, you can use a plain incandescent bulb for this, you should shoot to keep the basking area around 90 degrees. They will also require a UV-B bulb, which you can get at a decent pet store. This should be no more than 12" away for proper absorption of UVB rays. They need these to properly metabolize Vitamin D for shell and bone growth.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

I agree with what splokes says. I'd also like to ad that turtles are very messy animals and their tanks are much easier to clean if you keep the bottoms clear of rocks or other substrate. If you plan on using gravel make sure it is bigger then the turtles head. Make sure you keep the water temperature in the high 70's as well. Like I've mentioned in previous posts, give your turtle as much natural sunlight as possible. Get him a small kiddie pool that you can leave him in when it's warm outside for a couple of hours a day.

 

[graver]

but still how deep water should be .. because turtle i am gonna get are like 2" .. dat means they are babies... wont they drown if water is too deep .. ?

 

[Sploke]

When turtles hatch, the first thing they do is swim into a pond or lake near where they climb out of the ground. If they are drowing in 6" of water in a fishtank, that doesn't bode well for the survival of the species. Baby turtles are less than an inch long. At 2", I would fill up the tank as deep as absolutely possible, they will appreciate the extra room.

 

[NewLuv4Fish]

you will want as much water as possible for the turtle. I would avoid piling up gravel for a basking area, go for one of those zoo-med floating turtle docks instead. It will leave you with a lot more room for the turtle to swim.

How big of a turtle will those turtle docks hold? They're just stuck on the side of the tank with suction cups aren't they?

 

[Sploke]

The large size will hold an adult turtle up to about 6-8".