Hi all, i`m Vicky and i have just become mum to 2 baby turtles... I really haven`t got a clue what type they are because they were advertised has one slider turtle and one yellow bellied. I bought them last night, they are about twice the size of a fifty pence piece. I don`t know much about turtles and i am very unhappy with the setup that i bought them with.. they are currently in a 12" by 18" tank without a hood and they didn`t have any UV lighting or anything like that with them when i got them.. I went straight to pet shop and bought a light clamp and lighting which the pet shop said were suitable, I have since found out that they are not!
I have got a 2 and half foot tank being delivered tomorrow which should be better for them and the hood with the new tank has fitting for 2 tube lights to be fitted.. What lighting do i need?
I have the heater set at 28 degrees ( it was already set to that temp when i got them ) is that the right temperature?

They are atm eating shrimp, Krill, Gammarus and food pellets ( complete food ) and i have also been giving them bloodworm. What other foods should i introduce?

I am aiming to get them in at least a five foot tank by the time they are 1 year old!

What plants do i need for their new tank etc... any advice would be greatly appreciated has i want to do the upmost best for my turtles..

Thanks..

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R.I.P Chloe 1989 - 20/8/10.. gone but never ever forgotten

would need to see pics before i could id but if they were labelled as yellow belly, and have a yellow 's' shape on the side of their heads, they will be yellow belly sliders. they can not be sexed until they are a couple of years old but females can grow to 12inches+ and males around 7-9inches. this is a good caresheet Terrapin-Info.co.uk
you need to feed enough food that would fit into their heads if it were hollow at this age you can feed every day then switch to every other day as they get older. my 2 are only fed 3 times a week. if they are around a year old you could drop the water temp to around 22-24degrees, you would need a basking spot temp of around 10 degrees higher than the water temp. no hood should be on the tank as the condesation can caused respiratory infections which can be fatal. a good diet should consist of a good quality pellets krill and shrimp should really be kept for treats as they are high in protein, reptomin,wheatgerm pellets are good also aquatics plants should be available for them to eat mine love vallis,duckweed etc. i would either recommend using a combi bulb i.e Great deals of terrarium accessories at zooplus: Hagen Exo-Terra Solar Glo Sun Lamp this would be 1 fittings for both heat and uv or a separte heat bulb and uv which you would need 2 fttings but these can be conected to a timer whereas a combi bulb cant. once you have a turtle you'll never look back!

you should never have a hood on with terrapins it needs removing asap
high humidity is a major cause of respiratory infection (RI), the number one killer of young turts.
just remove the lid and have two bulb holders over the basking area (abit of cork bark would do) one light for heat a 40W reflector and a u.v.b light with a min of 5% u.v.b output, as for a heater you will not need one when there older.Shrimp,bloodworm give as a treat like once a week give them a main diet of reptomin pellets an always have greens in the tank for them all the time but as young you will find they not be into greens much right until much older stuff like watercress, fill the tank as high as you can YBS (Yellow bellied sliders) are very strong swimmers even from young.
Have the basking area 10 degrees higher than the water temp.Hope that helps

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staffy cross - cassie

Terrapins - 3 stripped mud, common musk, map breeding group







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