Dysania
New Member
My aquatic turtle adventure started about a month ago when I turtle sat for my cousin while she went to florida with her immediate familh. The only thing it came with was a fish bowl, blue pebbles, some stinky water my aunt claimed my cousin just changed, and some background info. The turtle was given to them by my cousin's cousin on her dad's side. This side of the family has family in florida that they visit often. We live in nortwest indiana. This turtle was scooped out of a canal in northern florida 3 years ago by this person. She kept it in a tank with only bare minimum water, no basking light other than natural sun coming through a window, all so she could "keep it small". I knew immediately that i needed to get this turtle out of this fishbowl and into something bigger. I've learned about turtles before and without research knew it needed a basking area and deeper water. Upon further research i ordered a basking lamp, a floating dock, and water heater. I figured it could be a good birthday present for my cousin to succeed in caring for this poor turtle. It shockingly did not have metabolic bone disease , shell rot, or pneumonia. I got a 10 gallon tank (turtle was small for being 3 years old, it's carapace was only 2.4 inches long), some river rock, and different foods. I had the turtle for 2 weeks. Discovered it was a escambia map turtle, female. I watched scramble for the floating dock and light once i had them set up for her. It stretched it's back legs out to dry! That was so emotional for me to see that it appreciated my efforts. Onc3 i had the floating dock i filled the tank with water and edclorinated the water before placing her back in. I watched her strugfle with swimming for about an hour. She eventually got the hang of it. I got some ghost shrimp for her to chase around. She ate every sing one of them the last few days she was with me and she shed some scutes. I loved having her and missed her when i took her back.
The point is i became so fascinated and fell in love with turtle care that i decided i wanted a turtle of my own. Not just any turtle. I wanted some of the more beautiful turtles i saw online. I did not know how i could get one, so i bided my time and looked around carefully. Not as carefully as i should have. I know this now after becoming worried about the turtle i purchased ; i reasearched where i got her from. Myturtlestore . Com. I purchased a peacock slider hatchling. I learned the proper channels of obtaining a turtle after the fact. But i have her now. She is so tiny. I have had her for a week and she has not eaten a thing. I try once a day . Her water temp is set at 80• F. She has a uva/uvb comination bulb on her basking area. I try putting her up there twice a day, and she stays for all of 1 minute or less. I have a calcium slow release tab in the water , a fake marimo moss ball to absorb ammonia, river rock piled in one corner near her basking area so she may rest in the shallows, and a zoo med turtle filter. I bave hatchling food, but so far i have offered butter lettuce, blood worms (freeze dried), and cucumber bits as well. I have had her a week today. I am seriously considering veggie soaking her and putting her in a tub under her basking area for 30 minutes for some nutrients and to keep her warm. Also considering putting her in that same little tub with paper towel under her basking area to completely dry her out once a day until she starts eating and i see her attempt to get up on her basking area on her own. Am i wrong to do this? What else can i do? I know of the soaking-pellets-in-tuna-water-trick, but i am not certain if it will work for her and want to use it as a last resort try. There is not enough extensive information out there to help people like me who are crazy sick with worry about their hatchling turtle not eating.
Pictures of her abd her set up .
The point is i became so fascinated and fell in love with turtle care that i decided i wanted a turtle of my own. Not just any turtle. I wanted some of the more beautiful turtles i saw online. I did not know how i could get one, so i bided my time and looked around carefully. Not as carefully as i should have. I know this now after becoming worried about the turtle i purchased ; i reasearched where i got her from. Myturtlestore . Com. I purchased a peacock slider hatchling. I learned the proper channels of obtaining a turtle after the fact. But i have her now. She is so tiny. I have had her for a week and she has not eaten a thing. I try once a day . Her water temp is set at 80• F. She has a uva/uvb comination bulb on her basking area. I try putting her up there twice a day, and she stays for all of 1 minute or less. I have a calcium slow release tab in the water , a fake marimo moss ball to absorb ammonia, river rock piled in one corner near her basking area so she may rest in the shallows, and a zoo med turtle filter. I bave hatchling food, but so far i have offered butter lettuce, blood worms (freeze dried), and cucumber bits as well. I have had her a week today. I am seriously considering veggie soaking her and putting her in a tub under her basking area for 30 minutes for some nutrients and to keep her warm. Also considering putting her in that same little tub with paper towel under her basking area to completely dry her out once a day until she starts eating and i see her attempt to get up on her basking area on her own. Am i wrong to do this? What else can i do? I know of the soaking-pellets-in-tuna-water-trick, but i am not certain if it will work for her and want to use it as a last resort try. There is not enough extensive information out there to help people like me who are crazy sick with worry about their hatchling turtle not eating.
Pictures of her abd her set up .
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