Insect Direct Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Owner had beautiful fish in tanks and bred dogs...but relied on advice that wasnt helpful and nearly cost Minnie her (his) life. Suffered from terrible metabolic bone disease from lack of calcium and was attacked by tiny tank mate. Sad of the shop, but also very sad of the owner to not do their own research and take responsibility for it. Crazy how many people have substrate and no basking light (that could be emphasised more by pet shops). No subtrate save's $, time cleaning and is no risk to the turtle. Basking lights arnt expensive, especially replacement bulbs so no reason not to have one. I gave up on telling people on tm that the old fruit salad pebbles is not the best diet for thier turtles :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichthus Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 The info in a brochure at the local pet store is pretty good - outlining what a turtle basically needs. (Although, there are a few more hints in one of Donna's posts that I think is extra helpful). I suspect that some people may hear a pet store worker talking about basking lights, external filters, etc - and think the sales person is trying make money with 'unnecessary' equipment. Others may want a pet without considering proper care. (Kind of like people who buy a large dog simply because they want a dog - only to chain them up all day long). Pet stores can/should offer good advice. Some do. But that alone cannot solve the problem. Poor pet owners are the problem. (Donna - what a wonderful work you are doing with those turtles. Well done!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossPants Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Is the black silica sand fine enough for adult turtles? The aqua one stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 If it's like regular sand then it's fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 sand can cause trouble, get stuck in shell, be ingested etc. dont get me wrong some people claim its ok but bare bottom is the best for tanks imo. just silicon around any glass edges that may stick out (depending on construction) on the base of tank, ramps etc. ramps with glass steps can be nasty to a turtles shell when diving in off the basking platform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 sand can cause trouble, get stuck in shell, be ingested etc. dont get me wrong some people claim its ok but bare bottom is the best for tanks imo. just silicon around any glass edges that may stick out (depending on construction) on the base of tank, ramps etc. ramps with glass steps can be nasty to a turtles shell when diving in off the basking platform. +1 :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxjxa Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Love that last photo of Minnie! What a little cutie. :love: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Love that last photo of Minnie! What a little cutie. :love: Thats her 'ET' pose :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Minnie is unrecognisable from the above photo to some of these later ones. Looking for food!!! :nfs: Copying her bigger mate in the tank More Food! Cheeky You might recognise this one :love: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nymox Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 aww she so cute, you've done a great job with her Donna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrudd Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 I think going out to buy any pet you need to do your research. I do it everytime before buying a new fish and sometimes I find that I know more than the sales person and then I basically give them information. Donna your turtles are looking great, you are doing a fabulous job, some of the pics were realy upsetting :tears: but then the pics of their recovery is super happy ones :happy2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Thank-you people If some of these photos make people 'think' about what a turtle needs, and what can happen if some of the basics aren't done, then its well worth the time posting them :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Haha I love hOw they eat worms! Do yOu just get them from a garden and wash or do you buy them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrudd Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Haha I love hOw they eat worms! Do yOu just get them from a garden and wash or do you buy them? I could be wrong, but I read somewhere that someone said you should take a wet towel and put it on the grass over night and then the next morning you will have lots of worms there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 I could be wrong, but I read somewhere that someone said you should take a wet towel and put it on the grass over night and then the next morning you will have lots of worms there mmmm, interesting concept......might have to try that. No I don't buy them. Some come from the compost heap. Its useful to leave worms overnight tho so they poo the dirt out.... Sometimes I find a worm and throw it in the tank...and end up with a nice dirt cloud :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrudd Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Its very educational. My son wanted one, but now I can see that he will never be able to care for it as it should be cared for, so he will have to settle for something else. I found the same with beardies, everyone think they are so easy, that was his first choice, but when I went looking for infomation on how to care for them I realised that it would be way to difficult for him, the last thing I want is to be the one looking after his pets. That is how I ended up with two fishtanks, I originally looked after his mountain minnows my sister in law got him for his 8th birthday :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 With a lot of reptiles you either need deep pockets or get pretty good at breeding live food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Grossly obese, 6 yr old Bonnie. Had lived in a 3 ft tank with water so shallow she hadn't been able to swim for years. Only walk on bottom of little tank. Took months of making water slowly deeper for her to loose enough weight and gain enough muscle strength to swim. Spent summer in a pond here and now hibernating in Ohoka with about 30 other large female abandoned RES turtles in a specially built pond. (Thanks Cherie :thup: ) She lost nearly 2cm in length once all the unshed, pointy scutes were removed. The ones above her head were digging into her as so pointy and long. Removing overgrown, pointy scutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Wow nice! It reminds me I have got to get my mates turtle out of it's 3 ft tank! It's very shy? It also only walks on the bottom but it has enough room to swim? Is there something wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Wow nice! It reminds me I have got to get my mates turtle out of it's 3 ft tank! It's very shy? It also only walks on the bottom but it has enough room to swim? Is there something wrong?normal turtles can swim ... you will have to give it swimming lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 I guess it can swim? It eats floating pellets and must be able to get them somehow... Just whenever I see him he cowards to the back of the tank and sits on the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Make sure water is as deep as possible and theres a log or ornament and fake and/or real plants of some sort for it to hide behind and feel safe. A shy turtle in an exposed tank will be stressed, especially by people looking at the tank. It must be able to come up and breathe, so will be able to swim. Check the waters not too cold as well as it may be more active with warmer water :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Yep the waters warm he has a 1/2 log which he can hide in and the waters not too deep. Must be shy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 "Milton" with the layers of keratin type skin rotted off exposing the bone underneath. Caused by a humid tank with glass lids causing condensation. He had no ability to dry off completely. After plenty of dry docking, basking under correct lighting and baytril (antibiotic) baths, he developed a plaque like covering over the bone. When ready, the plaque areas fell off revealing black skin covering the bone. Was very thin. Over months, the same process happened as layer upon layer built up. You can even make out the lines where eventually a yellow colour grew back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.