I really think a turtle would be better off dead than in a 10 gallon tank. Why not spend the same amount and get a rubbermaid bin so the turtle has room to move around and also room to add some land area for them?
I've heard that going dormant a little each year, for those turtles who do this naturally, is actually very good for their health.
SPend_day
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a hatchling would be ok in a 10 gal for a while, most the time tho its just people ignorance and bad pet shop advice
Peek prays for the U.S.A
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I agree a 10 gallon is cruel...as long as the rubbermaid is huge..
BUt most people don't know that a Aquatic are a life long commitment.
I wish you luck. I have been a mom to Two 36 yr old females for 36 long yrs.( plus an 8,5 and 2 yr old males for the last 7 yrs now).
Remember 10 gallons for every inch of turtle.
I have used kiddy pools and plastic pond liners from most nurseries and now a 150 gal pond.
They are the coolest. Not cuddly pets at all.
Sliders, cooters , midland, painted, map, yellow bellied all are basically the same and require the same basic care.
They NEED calcium and protein they get it from the fish meat and the fish bones. Drop 20 or so feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows in the tank and watch them disappear in a few days! The more they eat the healthier the turtle. When I got these two 36 yrs ago all we had in back then were goldfish to feed so after 36 yrs and still going strong. They can eat goldfish!
This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!
TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium that will promote better shell growth, it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!
They can have garden worms, meal worms, snails, crickets, flies, crayfish small frogs, slugs, tadpoles dragon flies and anything that moves, but only as a treat.
They need leafy greens Romaine, Butter lettuce. (Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any other leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.
They love grapes and strawberries and squash.
.**Swollen cloudy eyes which means lacking in Vitamin A. Which we all need for good eyes. Google ‘vegetables with Vitamin A.
Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA/UVB for up to 8 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow.
They need a turtle dock also.
Leave the heater on 76 to 78 degrees always.
These turtles in captivity do not hibernate their eating may slow down some but they will not hibernate.
They will bite very very hard.
Under 4" they carry a disease called 'salmonella'. So you must wash after every handling. These guys can become cannibalistic and will kill the smallest turtle if there is not enough room and food. Two BABY turtles (not over 3” a piece) should have a 55 gallon tank to start. TO START ! Cause if they live you’ll need 100 gallons soon.
And my pictures don't lie. All ages and all sizes get along as long as their is allot for swim room and plenty to eat!
Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they poop allot. You need a good filter system!
Total Body length: 5-8" average for males, up to 12 inches max for females. Life span: 15-25+ years
Males have the longer front nails and are used in mating. And are considered mature at about 5 yrs old. You can’t start sexing till about 3” across.
Gravel larger than they can swallow.
They sleep at the bottom of rivers, streams. lakes or ponds or your tank to avoid predators like coyotes, foxes, owls, hawks, possums, raccoons and even some wide mouth bass and us humans.
You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, vomiting, blowing bubbles from their nose. Fungus white cotton patches on their skin, treat by adding a 1/4 of a cup of aquarium salt per 5 gallons to irritate and hopefully kill fungus. The addition of sulfa drugs such as those sold at pet stores under the name "Dr. Turtle" also should help kill fungus. Here is one source that sells Dr. Turtle. They also now sell a Sulfa dip by Zoo Med to treat bacteria and/or fungus.
Contact the “www.anapsid.org/societies, for a turtle vet / RESCUE in your city and state or country..
have fun!
Richard C
I agree with you. A baby turtle would feel safer in a 10-gallon with lots of plants, but depending on the species of turtle, they would be happy with a large aquarium or small pond.
At the zoo I work at, we put them in small tanks with a heater only during the winter. It helps them conserve their body temp. so they don't go into their dormant state.