Is this a DBT?

[lizmcd14]

Hello! I have had my new baby turtles for 24hrs now and I have a few questions hopefully someone can help answer! First things first, is this in fact a diamondback terrapin? I originally bought a habitat and did research for map turtles but I decided to get these littles instead. After only the first day, they're water is sort of murky. I put them in preconditioned tap water. please advise if I need to do something differently to their water, and/or if they need to be removed for feeding. Also some diet tips would be GREATLY APPRECIATED

 

[KevinGG]

Yes it is a DBT. Feeding outside of the aquarium may help with water quality, but it's not necessary. Feeding, as far as I know, is similar to what your map would have eaten. A quality pellet food (I use Mazuri) as the staple with other pellets, fish, worms and insects to supplement. Can you give more information. Do you have a heater? If so, what are the temps? Do you have a filter? Does that basking area have heat and uvb bulbs or a mercury vapor bulb over it?

 

[Moozillion]

Hi, again, lizmcd14!

You can get some REALLY good info on food for your little turtle from one of the threads at the very beginning of the Water Turtle section here. It's titled "What to Feed Your Aquatic Turtle and Why," by Anthony P, one of our MANY brilliant turtle keepers!

Helloooooo turtle peeps!!!!
Anybody got some helpful suggestion for this newbie?

@Redfoot NERD, @Markw84, @cdmay, @KevinGG.

 

[JoesMum]

Hi, again, lizmcd14!

You can get some REALLY good info on food for your little turtle from one of the threads at the very beginning of the Water Turtle section here. It's titled "What to Feed Your Aquatic Turtle and Why," by Anthony P, one of our MANY brilliant turtle keepers!

Helloooooo turtle peeps!!!!

This thread http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-to-feed-aquatic-turtles-and-why.70414/

 

[lizmcd14]

Yes it is a DBT. Feeding outside of the aquarium may help with water quality, but it's not necessary. Feeding, as far as I know, is similar to what your map would have eaten. A quality pellet food (I use Mazuri) as the staple with other pellets, fish, worms and insects to supplement. Can you give more information. Do you have a heater? If so, what are the temps? Do you have a filter? Does that basking area have heat and uvb bulbs or a mercury vapor bulb over it?

Thanks so much for the tips!! It's greatly appreciated. I just want them to have a great quality of life. To answer your inquiries I have a heat lamp and a UVB light. Their basking area is covered by both lights during the day and at night they are both turned off until morning. Feeding outside the aquarium has seemed to help dramatically with water quality so I think I may continue their feedings this way I have done SOOO much research and some of it can be so contradictory!!

 

[KevinGG]

Thanks so much for the tips!! It's greatly appreciated. I just want them to have a great quality of life. To answer your inquiries I have a heat lamp and a UVB light. Their basking area is covered by both lights during the day and at night they are both turned off until morning. Feeding outside the aquarium has seemed to help dramatically with water quality so I think I may continue their feedings this way I have done SOOO much research and some of it can be so contradictory!!

Good. Your lights need to be on for 12-14 hours a day, so probably from the time you wake up until you go back to bed. What temp is your basking spot at? Do you have a water heater? If so, what temp is the water at? Do you have a filter?

 

[Markw84]

Hello! I have had my new baby turtles for 24hrs now and I have a few questions hopefully someone can help answer! First things first, is this in fact a diamondback terrapin?View attachment 200375View attachment 200376 I originally bought a habitat and did research for map turtles but I decided to get these littles instead. After only the first day, they're water is sort of murky. I put them in preconditioned tap water. View attachment 200377 please advise if I need to do something differently to their water, and/or if they need to be removed for feeding. Also some diet tips would be GREATLY APPRECIATED

That is indeed a diamond back terrapin. One consideration you should make - Diamondback terrapins will do MUCH BETTER if kept in a brackish water. I know there are lots of people who will tell you they can "adjust" to fresh water, especially if you start with a hatchling raised in fresh. That is simply not my experience and if you look at one's kept in brackish water - they are beautiful animals. Fresh water most often leads to skin and shell problems. Think about the centuries Diamondbacks have lived along our coasts - and absolutely NONE have ever established upstream to fresh water habitats.

They love mollusks, crabs and shrimp. The can transition well to a good pellet but love the more natural treats. They are probably the most personable turtle I have ever seen, loving to swim over and beg for food whenever anyone approaches. However, they are more work than any other turtle I have kept as well, and will not thrive if in fresh water.

 

[lizmcd14]

Thank you for the info, much appreciated!! I have read a lot that suggests brackish water is best but how would I go about converting my freshwater tank to brackish??

 

[lizmcd14]

Good. Your lights need to be on for 12-14 hours a day, so probably from the time you wake up until you go back to bed. What temp is your basking spot at? Do you have a water heater? If so, what temp is the water at? Do you have a filter?

I do not have a water heater at the moment but plan on getting one soon. Their basking spot is usually 70 -72 degrees. I do have a filter as well.

 

[Markw84]

Thank you for the info, much appreciated!! I have read a lot that suggests brackish water is best but how would I go about converting my freshwater tank to brackish??

If all you have is Diamondbacks in the tank, that is easy. Just add some regular rock salt / water softener salt to the water. Get a hydrometer from a pet / fish store that they use to adjust the salinity of aquarium water. fairly inexpensive. In two or three steps, add salt to bring up to about 1/3 what seawater is. I would suggest going for a specific gravity of about 1.008 - 1.009. Feeding in a separate container of FRESH water will work best for both their health and keeping the tank cleaner.

 

[KevinGG]

I do not have a water heater at the moment but plan on getting one soon. Their basking spot is usually 70 -72 degrees. I do have a filter as well.

I'm guessing your house isn't extremely warm, so you'll need a heater. Keep the water near 80F for babies. It can get cooler as they age. The basking spot is too cold. Try to get it closer to 90F. You can do this by lowering the heat lamp closer to the basking area. What are you using to measure heat? If it's that strip taped to the aquarium, it probably isn't accurate. Get a temp gun. That'll be the most accurate. You can use it to measure your water temp too.

 

[Markw84]

Hatchlings are extremely susceptible to illness if kept too cold. As Kevin noted, you need a heater in the water immediately The basking spot must be above 90f. They need UVB as well.

 

[Anthony P]

What is your water temp? If the basking spot is warm, sometimes the water will be a good temp without the use of a heater, especially in an enclosure this small. No way to really know for sure, but this looks like a Northern DBT, so it should be more cold hardy, naturally.

I suggest using salt, as well. I always toss some aquarium salt into my aquatic enclosures. I first used salt for DBTs but really love using it for all species in smaller doses.

 

[Moozillion]

What is your water temp? If the basking spot is warm, sometimes the water will be a good temp without the use of a heater, especially in an enclosure this small. No way to really know for sure, but this looks like a Northern DBT, so it should be more cold hardy, naturally.

I suggest using salt, as well. I always toss some aquarium salt into my aquatic enclosures. I first used salt for DBTs but really love using it for all species in smaller doses.

Anthony, am I to understand from this that you might add a teeny bit of salt to a MUD TURTLE's habitat?
If so, how do you decide how much to add?
What does it do for them?