Turtle thread

[Tania]

...but one is dead.

Was she old :? I will post their pictures later

 

[north_malaysian]

you are being unfair to the other turtles imsad

it is multiple choices. u should multiply your choices :-[

nope.... I'm not into turtles or tortoises...... sorry... my vote would only goes to Ninja turtle....:statisfie

 

[syilla]

What You Need to Know Before Getting a Pet Turtle
Aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles are popular as pets. The most well known is probably the red eared slider, although there are several other species which are kept as pets.

Turtles have been popular for a long time. Baby red eared sliders were readily available and inexpensive many years ago, which unfortunately resulted in a lot of neglected turtles. They were often sent home with tiny plastic bowls with a little plastic tree (unfortunately these are still sold with turtles in some places). With no filtration system and no room to grow, these little babies didn't have much chance. In the 1970s, the US government banned the sale of turtles less than 4 inches long, once the connection was made between turtles and Salmonella infections, especially in children. It is not that baby turtles carry more Salmonella than larger ones; it is more of a case of children being more likely to handle the smaller turtles (and/or put them in their mouths!).

Sadly, many turtles are still sold to people who have little idea how much care turtles require, including large tanks, special lighting, good filtration and lots of cleaning. Even worse, they are sometimes given out as prizes at fairs and at other events. All too often aquatic turtles die due to stress and neglect - and sometimes they suffer so much stress, overcrowding and neglect during transport and in shops (and fairs) that even if a new owner provides ideal care the turtles may be so ill they die anyway.

Turtles and Children
Turtles are not ideal pets for children. They are not easy to care for, not great for handling, and in addition they often do harbor Salmonella bacteria which can be passed to the children who don't understand the need for careful hygiene. Many children do not have the interest or ability to provide the amount of care and cleaning that a turtle rightfully requires, so parents must realize the responsibility for care ultimately falls to them if the kids lose interest.

Size and Life Span
Many people also do not realize how big aquatic turtles can get. Red eared sliders and a couple of the other commonly available pet species will grow to at least 10-12 inches long and thus will require correspondingly large enclosures. All turtles have the potential to enjoy a very long life span (i.e. several decades!) if cared for properly.

Housing
Aquatic turtles require fairly elaborate housing. They need regular exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, so pricey bulbs designed for reptiles that produce UVA and UVB light are needed for turtle tanks. Without this light, metabolic bone disease (soft shell syndrome) can result. Turtles are messy, and a good filtration unit will be necessary to help maintain water quality, as will regular cleaning. They should have deep enough water to allow swimming, along with a place to get out of the water to bask (heated from above with a basking light.) In addition, appropriate water and ambient temperatures should be maintained.

Feeding
Although turtle foods have come a long way they are not recommended as a sole source of food for aquatic turtles. Most are omnivores (and preferences for different foods might change at different points in the life cycle), and offering a good variety of foods is the best way to feed most turtles. As a rule, feeding turtles in a separate plastic tub will allow the mess associated with feeding to be contained (turtles are messy eaters, and this will reduce the need for tank cleaning a bit) and allow monitoring of food intake of each turtle if multiple turtles are kept.

But for the Right Owner...
Having said all that, given the right person and the right commitment turtles make beautiful, fascinating, and enjoyable pets. The first step is to research the species available and the care required by each. While the basics of aquatic turtle care are similar for all species, potential owners need to consult specific care sheets for details on housing, environment and feeding for the species in which they are interested.

For beginners, the hardier turtles are recommended, such as red eared sliders, cooters, and mud and musk turtles, keeping in mind that sliders and cooters will reach a mature length of greater than 12 inches, while mud and musk turtles are about half that size. Map and painted turtles, as well as some of the less common species are a bit less hardy. Softshell and snapping turtles have a reputation for being large, aggressive, and generally more difficult to care for so are not good for beginners.

Beyond providing a proper environment and diet for aquatic turtles, they do not need a lot of attention, although regular interaction may result in a tame and sociable turtle. In any case, they are lovely and if properly cared for should provide years of enjoyment.

 

[syilla]

Was she old :? I will post their pictures later

i able to keep her only for two weeks...then she couldn't take it anymore.

I have to find a friend for the other one.

Please suggest me what should i feed the turtle. i only feed him with small shrimps and spinach.

 

[syilla]

What can be done to prevent turtle-associated salmonellosis?
Do not have a turtle in any household that includes children under 5, the elderly, or people who have lowered natural resistance to disease due to pregnancy, cancer, chemotherapy, organ transplants, diabetes, liver problems or other diseases. A family expecting a child should remove any pet reptile or amphibian from the home before the infant arrives.

Remember, turtles are cute, but contaminated.
Handle all turtles and surfaces that have come in contact with turtles as if they are contaminated with Salmonella, because there is a good possibility that they are.

Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after handling turtles or their cages, or after contact with pet feces.
Do not touch your face, other people or any surface until hands are washed.

Wash surfaces that the turtle or its cage has come in contact with.

Separate the turtle from possible contact with food:
Do not allow turtles to roam freely about a home or living area, and especially do not allow them in food preparation areas.
Kitchen sinks should not be used to bathe turtles or to wash their dishes, cages, or aquariums.
If bathtubs are used for these purposes, they should be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected with bleach.

Separate the turtle from contact with high-risk individuals:
Don't handle a turtle and an infant (e.g., feed, change diaper) at the same time.
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling an infant or preparing a baby bottle.
Persons at increased risk for infection or serious complications from salmonellosis (e.g., children under 5, the elderly, or people who have lowered natural resistance to disease due to pregnancy, cancer, chemotherapy, organ transplants, diabetes, liver problems or other diseases) should avoid contact with reptiles and amphibians and any items that have been in contact with them[3].
Turtles should not be allowed in childcare centers or nursing homes.
Turtles in public settings (e.g., zoos and exhibits) should be kept from direct or indirect contact with patrons except in designated animal-contact areas equipped with adequate hand-washing facilities.
Food and drink should not be allowed in animal contact areas.

 

[snakelegs]

won't they bite? hew

i only have the slider one...i used to have two...but one is dead.

yes - alligator turtles are not a good choice for a pet. they can bite and they can bite hard. besides - they get huge. it was given to me and was a cute enough baby, but when i learned about them, i gave it back.
my last slider was a pig and just never stopped eating.

i'm glad you posted the articles about taking care of them. when i was a kid 146 years ago, we were entirely ignorant - sliders were sold everywhere. some even had painted shells! we had no idea of their nutritional needs and we didn't know that they must have light. so i never saw any that were over about 2 inches and i assumed that was their full size because none of them lived long enough to become adults.
because of the salmonella problem, a law was passed years ago that turtles under 4 inches can not be sold - this was because little kids put everything possible into their mouths.

 

[aljawaad]

Ninja turtle is the best. I like Leonardo hes simply amazing.

 

[Woodrow]

I have always had Box Turtles. Last one I had for over 30 years, and she got "Turtle napped" I suspect who stole her, but couldn't prove it. I caught another female one for my grandkids 3 years ago. She is doing fine.

What makes them ideal is they are very docile, tame readily, eat well and adjust well to living in a house. They do hibernate for about 4 months of the year. They are not wanderers and are satisfied with just being able to wander around in one room. They can eat anything a person eats and a few things we can't. They are very solitary in the wild so they do not grieve for the company of another turtle. Plus, if you get tired of them it is safe to turn them loose in just about any state forest and they will do fine.

the above picture was not one of mine. i found that pic on google. but that is what they look like. At they do love berries. I think they would kill for strawberries.

 

[north_malaysian]

I think they would kill for strawberries.

Ok.... next time I'll look around when I'm having strawberries... those tortoises might attack me....:skeleton:

 

[north_malaysian]

Ninja turtle is the best. I like Leonardo hes simply amazing.

that one on the poll is rafael, right?

 

[BlissfullyJaded]

The slider turtle looks 'adorable'.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Ok.... next time I'll look around when I'm having strawberries... those tortoises might attack me....:skeleton:

lol. That's a cute picture of the turtles amu Woodrow.

Here's a cute picture...which I didn't take. Never had a turtle, and wouldn't get one.

​

 

[syilla]

MashaAllah this is soooooo cute. It is a good thing we don't have this in malaysia because strawberries are expensive.

I wonder who will kill for strawberries, the turtle or me? :rollseyes

 

[syilla]

yes - alligator turtles are not a good choice for a pet. they can bite and they can bite hard. besides - they get huge. it was given to me and was a cute enough baby, but when i learned about them, i gave it back.
my last slider was a pig and just never stopped eating.

have you been bitten by it? hew

i used to have three turtles...and yeah...never stopped eating until it was so big (bigger than the 17" monitor) that i've to let them go into one of the man made lake. I'm so worried of them...whether they could survive.

i'm glad you posted the articles about taking care of them. when i was a kid 146 years ago, we were entirely ignorant - sliders were sold everywhere. some even had painted shells! we had no idea of their nutritional needs and we didn't know that they must have light. so i never saw any that were over about 2 inches and i assumed that was their full size because none of them lived long enough to become adults.
because of the salmonella problem, a law was passed years ago that turtles under 4 inches can not be sold - this was because little kids put everything possible into their mouths.

painted shells???+o( oh my...pity the turtles. The paint chemicals are quite dangerous for the animals.

do you know why is only for turtles under 4 inches...? :?

 

[syilla]

Exactly what I was thinking.


lol. That's a cute picture of the turtles amu Woodrow.

Here's a cute picture...which I didn't take. Never had a turtle, and wouldn't get one.

​

do u think he will be in islamicboard right now? :rollseyes

 

[syilla]

The experts recommend that you keep the turtle in an aquarium of a watertight plastic container. If you have one turtle, then you would need a 10 gallon tank. If you have 2 turtles, you would need a 20 gallon tank. The rule is to have 10 gallons per turtle. The aquarium has to be set up properly in order to allow the turtle to swim and to crawl out of the water to lie on a dry surface.

Turtles also need a a UV ray lamp to keep help them stay warm when resting on a dry surface. You can buy this lamp at the pet store. The lamp also helps the turtle dry off after being in the water. This keeps the turtle's skin healthy. Be careful not to leave the lamp on too long or the tank will get too hot. The temperature in the basking area should not exceed 90 deg F.

The best set up is to use one end of the aquarium as a basking area. It should be 1/3 of the aquarium (that's a bit less than half of the aquarium). You can use large rocks in the basking area. To make it easier for your turtle to get out of the water and on to the basking area, you can make a ramp of wood or plastic.

 

[Tania]

The pictures are from 2005, i will take new one but until then:
He is Tojo 11 years old- the man of the turtles family:statisfie

She is Tomi will be 9 years old in august - the woman obviously:-[

I gave them chicken meat, fish meat or baby calmars.

 

[snakelegs]

have you been bitten by it? hew

i used to have three turtles...and yeah...never stopped eating until it was so big (bigger than the 17" monitor) that i've to let them go into one of the man made lake. I'm so worried of them...whether they could survive.



painted shells???+o( oh my...pity the turtles. The paint chemicals are quite dangerous for the animals.

do you know why is only for turtles under 4 inches...? :?

no - i never gave him a chance to bite. these guys can get well over 100 lbs.
yes - they used to paint designs on the turtle shells. i never bought those cuz i thought it was stupid. (at the time i didn't know either that it was harmful). they stopped doing that years ago.
the 4 inches rule on the red-eared sliders is probably because some guy with a college degree decided that small children will only put things in their mouths that are 11+ inches but not 4 inches! :giggling:

 

['Abd al-Baari]

On average how much does a turtle cost to buy? and to take care of?

Jazakallah

 

[Woodrow]

On average how much does a turtle cost to buy? and to take care of?

Jazakallah

I have yet to pay for a turtle. They are very common and most are legal to catch in Texas. However I have seen them for sale in pet stores here. older box turtle will go for over $100 and Iberian tortises will sell for for about $200.

I have not seen any aquatic turtles for sale. They used to be a major industry here and to catch red-ears and sliders required a special license. All of the Salt water ones are illegal to have here.

The cost of carrying for one is very low. I would estimate I have never paid over $10 a year for the upkeep of my box turtles.

 

[north_malaysian]

. It is a good thing we don't have this in malaysia because strawberries are expensive.

Actually you can grow strawberry.... my aunt grows some blueberries