RES Pond Basics for So. Cal

[Levi the Leopard]

I recently had a thread about my "blind or close to it" albino RES. I talked with the teachers today about some way to help her eat.

A long discussion made short, we think it would be in her best interest for me to house her and I'll put another turtle in the tank.

I have been reading up and talking to other CTTC members with aquatics but want to see if I missed anything.

Here in my area of So. Cal I shouldn't need a heater, right?
Is a filter required or optional?
Can the RES live outside year round?
I use water dechlorinator in the turtle tank, is it also needed in a pond?

I'll be using a pretty large cement mixing tub as the pond. I'll have a land/basking area. I'll have it enclosed or covered for predator proof.
Aquatic plants I'll get. Food variety I have.

Anything else? Tips? Thoughts?

Poor girl has lost a lot of weight and felt like a hollow shell when I picked her up today.

Would baby food soaks work or is that tortoise only


Heather
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[kimber_lee_314]

My dad keeps a slider, so I can tell you what he does. I believe he has a 250 gallon pond. He doesn't user a heater at all - any time of year - and his slider stays out the entire year. When we built it we did add a filter. I would say this is necessary. He doesn't use de-chlorinator since he just adds water when the pond gets low - but it wouldn't hurt. I do know some people use a separate tub to feed them in just to keep the pond cleaner - but my dad doesn't. That's about all I know.

I would think the baby food soaks would be very beneficial. I know next to nothing about blind turtles - how does she know when food is provided for her?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Hey Kimber.

I'll fill you in on the details next time I see you.
She can smell the food and tries to eat it but gives up after missing the food and chomping at the water. The only time I have ever seen her successfully eat anything was some poop, algae wafer discs and snails. All of which were sitting on the sand and that was only 3x in all these months.

She is with a female southern painted that eats most of the food before it settles which is another reason it's hard to specifically feed the albino when I'm not there full time.

In the pond I make for her I plan to use a "food ring" others here have suggested so she has her food in the same contained spot each time.

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Next question..
Which location would be better for a pond? I have 3 locations. One with morning to afternoon sun. One with ALL DAY sun. One with afternoon/evening sun.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

I would say morning sun with shade in the afternoon. That will warm the pond up first thing in the morning and the shade will keep it cooler in the oppressive afternoon heat. I'd love to see some pics of her.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I would say morning sun with shade in the afternoon. That will warm the pond up first thing in the morning and the shade will keep it cooler in the oppressive afternoon heat. I'd love to see some pics of her.

I thoughts so

I'll post some pics. She is a sweet girl and I just really want her to do well!!

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see, isn't she cute

 

[kimber_lee_314]

She really is pretty!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

TFO member Gerards sent her from FL to here just for this classroom tank. It was really awesome of him. We were all so thankful!!

I just want her to thrive and be well cared for. Hopefully she will do better alone in a pond where I can ensure she eats and puts on weight.
The teachers and class want her to do better, too.

Heather
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[ascott]

It can be good to feed directly to her mouth....you can use specialized tongs to do this....then she will not need to experience the let down of striking but not getting a payoff....once she is strong then you can teach her where to go to at feeding time...

 

[EricIvins]

I assume you are feeding floating food? If the animal has proven to eat things off the bottom or mid depth, why try to re-invent the wheel and feed the animal that way?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Re: RE: RES Pond Basics for So. Cal

I assume you are feeding floating food? If the animal has proven to eat things off the bottom or mid depth, why try to re-invent the wheel and feed the animal that way?

She is offered many foods. Floating things like Mazuri, dried meal worms, crickets etc. Sinking foods like the algae discs. Live foods like guppy feeders, snails and ghost shrimp.
I have no idea if she has ever caught a live food. I assume she would eat any of the foods that sink to the bottom.
All I know is she is losing weight. I am there 3x a week and see her miss food not eat it and when the feeder goes off the painted enjoys most of the food.

Are you thinking that if I have her at home in a pond I wouldn't need a food ring?

Heather
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[Moozillion]

Have you considered her own temporary "dining room?" Basically put her in a bowl of water with just enough room for her to move around some- not a lot. You could put in plenty of both floating and sinking food so she would be pretty much SURROUNDED with food and would have NO competition. Once she's finished her meal, back into the tank she goes until next mealtime. Just a thought.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Re: RE: RES Pond Basics for So. Cal

Have you considered her own temporary "dining room?" Basically put her in a bowl of water with just enough room for her to move around some- not a lot. You could put in plenty of both floating and sinking food so she would be pretty much SURROUNDED with food and would have NO competition. Once she's finished her meal, back into the tank she goes until next mealtime. Just a thought.

It's a great thought! I'd do just this...but I'm not there. My tank is set up in a classroom. I only go there 1 day a week for maintenance and sometimes 2 other pop in visits when I'm there.
The class is used 2 days a week and is empty 5 days.

There is no one there to do this separate feeding daily for her. And the teachers are tending to special needs children on the 2 days and can not do this. I set up the tank for classroom decoration and stimulation for the kids.
This is why we think it's best if I house her. So I can be there to do these things.

I started pond construction yesterday. I'm hoping to have it done by the weekend but it's so hot out I'm doing the work in the evenings.
I weighed her today. 81grams at 4"...she has definitely lost weight.

Heather
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[lizbeth490]

I have no experience with a blind turtle but i have found that the food ring works great for my pond! They all learned very quickly where the food is and when I come out they all swim to the ring to eat.

On another note, and this is just a thought. Aren't albinos supposed to be housed indoors due to the sun hurting them? I'm not sure on this but just want to make sure.

She sure is pretty though!! goodluck!

 

[wellington]

If you are going to keep her at your home. I would give her the minimum space she needs for a pond. I would also feed her as Moozillion suggested. I would also put in any edible plants she may like to eat. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Glad the ring worked for you! I think I will set one up too.

I've been reading both sides (indoor vs. outdoor) pros/cons.
For now, I decided to do an outdoor pond but it will be heavily shaded.

Heather
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[Levi the Leopard]

Here is the start of the pond set up I have been working on.

It is 5'x 3' enclosure with a 2'x3' cement mixing tub for the pond. The walls are 12" with a 4" lip to match my tortoise pens. After I'm done working on the inside of the pen I'm making a lid that will hinge and lock over the entire top.

I dug it in best I could but that was one tough patch of dirt! And in 100F weather, too! I need to add some top soil around the pond to level the ground. Then I'll decorate it all plus get a filter and plants.
Aiming to finish it this weekend.

Trust me, it'll look way better by the time it's done....

I got a 20gal aquarium to keep her in the house for feedings if needed.

Heather
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[ascott]

Have you fed her directly to her mouth? Getting weight and strength up will surprise you as to how that will motivate their will....you do what you want, just offering suggestions from my experience is all...

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I love all these suggestions! Thank you everyone.

I haven't done hand feeding yet.

I hope you all keep in mind that the tank is in a classroom 25 miles away from my house. I only spend 1 hour a week on that specific tank doing water changes or any maintenance. If I wanted to keep her in the tank and hand feed her it would only be once a week. I can't imagine that is enough. Or is it??

Honestly, I'd much rather keep her in the class tank! It is what she was sent to me for, the kids like her and I really didn't want to keep aquatics at my house. BUT I don't want her to starve and die, live off eating the other turtles poop or be just surviving instead of thriving.

If I set the feeder to feed the tank after tank lights are off, would the turtles be able to eat in pitch black? The classroom lights would be off, too. So it's a completely dark room. If you all think this would work, great, I'll try this first.

The food ring in the tank presents 2 problems. The other turtle would eat from it and I'd have to rig the feeder to deposit the food into the ring.

Feeding in a separate tub is great, but only once a week? That's not enough is it??

Heather
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[Levi the Leopard]

Great news update!

The albino girl ate lots for me today! I brought her home and did moozilion's dining area idea. She went into a shallow tub with 6 pellets of Mazuri, 6 omega one pellets, 2 meal worms and 2 shrimp. I counted it so I could count after and see if she ate..
I left her alone and checked later...almost all of it was gone.

I knew she could eat and would eat. I just needed to be there to set it up. I'm keeping her in the house for a few days to make sure she keeps eating and while I finish the pond. The pond has a food ring but I can continue the separate feeding container if needed. Now that I'll see her daily things should be just fine

Heather
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[Millerlite]

Sometimes all it takes is them being alone to feel comfy. Yours is blind if I remember right right? They can smell food still I know a few people with blind turtles and they are doing great.

Great news btw!