Shelter/cave/hut for small turtle

[LacyJoy]

I have been looking for a while for something my small mud turtle can hide under and have unfortunately not found anything. Anything I have found uses unsafe materials, the paint chips, there's sharp edges, or it only comes in one size that doesn't work. I just need a simple cave or something he can hide under where I don't have to worry about him trying to eat it, as he likes to take bites from things (which is why I haven't been wanting wood). I would also prefer if he didn't climb (or just not very high) since there may be a risk of him falling off. I have been using large (safe) leaves I have found around my house but due to the weather there have not been as many to find and the current ones I use are getting old. He loves to hide and dig under things and I just want him to be able to do that safely.
If anyone has any advice on turtle or even fish safe hidey places that would work it would be hugely appreciated. He also tries to eat rocks that are about the size of him so I've had to stop using those. He loves making things as difficult as he can for me XD The other day I fed him only a few minutes late and he was starting to take just a couple bites of a leaf in there so I don't feel they're super safe to use as much anymore.
Again, any advice would be great, thank you

 

[wellington]

Just Google search underwater turtle hides. If you buy from a reputable place, they should be safe. Be careful of Amazon. You want things that are sold in this country to be sure they are safe. Then rinse really well when you do get them
You could also take a couple bricks, place a flat piece of slate over them and you have a cave. Just sand or put silicone on any sharp edges you are worried about.

 

[LacyJoy]

Thank you so much! Yeah, Amazon isn't really the place for those XD I do have a rock and landscape place nearby so I'll have to give them a visit and see if I can find anything. Do you happen to have any specific products you like or use? Thanks again!

 

[wellington]

I don't have turtles but used to have cichlids that I would make caves for. I used PVC pipes, clay pots, bricks, slate. Most of my stuff came from places like Menards, Home Depot or Garden Centers, all usually cheaper than places that sell the stuff for fish

 

[SinLA]

Would slate work? Look up slate hides on Etsy like this:

TheFrogHouseShop - Etsy

Shop items by TheFrogHouseShop.

www.etsy.com

 

[LacyJoy]

I don't have turtles but used to have cichlids that I would make caves for. I used PVC pipes, clay pots, bricks, slate. Most of my stuff came from places like Menards, Home Depot or Garden Centers, all usually cheaper than places that sell the stuff for fish

Oh ok. That's cool! I'll be looking into some places. Thank you!

 

[LacyJoy]

Would slate work? Look up slate hides on Etsy like this:

TheFrogHouseShop - Etsy

Shop items by TheFrogHouseShop.

www.etsy.com

I could try, I'm just super careful about everything. I'd use more natural things rather than plastic or ceramic or resin but things with texture he likes to put his mouth on XD He's so small and I don't want him taking big bites or getting stuck anywhere. I have been doing more research into the hidey places though and I'm really hoping to find something. Thank you!

 

[Moozillion]

I've raised mud turtles from hatchling size twice now.
Any of the natural looking resin hides you purchase at the stores will do.
They love to rearrange their furniture as they get bigger, so any slate I've used I've tried to tack together with aquarium grade silicone.
They'll hide under fake plants, under their aquarium heaters, really anything they can get under.
I've had to readjust my image of their tanks, to be less purely natural in appearance to be very CLOSE to natural!
It's more important for them to have anything they're comfortable in (for mine, it's been the purchased resin caves with a large front and back entrance) that's been most popular.
Good luck!
Oh, yes- I've never had a turtle who could successfully bite a piece off a resin cave!

 

[Paschendale52]

My razor back musk turtles were also a big fan of the floating resin logs like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BN3EQS/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I have seen them bite small pieces off of the holes to enlarge them, but they didn't seem to swallow anything and they've never had any ill effects. I just saw it once or twice.

Depending on your water level the mud turtles may ignore them. Razor back musks, I've been told, are one of the mud/musk species that is happier with deeper water and more swimming. But it is something to try.

 

[LacyJoy]

I've raised mud turtles from hatchling size twice now.
Any of the natural looking resin hides you purchase at the stores will do.
They love to rearrange their furniture as they get bigger, so any slate I've used I've tried to tack together with aquarium grade silicone.
They'll hide under fake plants, under their aquarium heaters, really anything they can get under.
I've had to readjust my image of their tanks, to be less purely natural in appearance to be very CLOSE to natural!
It's more important for them to have anything they're comfortable in (for mine, it's been the purchased resin caves with a large front and back entrance) that's been most popular.
Good luck!
Oh, yes- I've never had a turtle who could successfully bite a piece off a resin cave!

I'm not exactly sure what the age of "older" is but I'm guessing he's there because he does enjoy that. He really likes natural things so that's what I've always tried using. Been hard finding the right things to buy online (due to bad reviews and unsafe products) but like I said I will continue looking. My local stores aren't really focused on reptile anything so I don't rely on them much. I'm glad, I wouldn't be surprised if he tries it XD Baby mud turtle with the personality of an alligator snapping turtle as I've always said. Thank you!

 

[LacyJoy]

My razor back musk turtles were also a big fan of the floating resin logs like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BN3EQS/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I have seen them bite small pieces off of the holes to enlarge them, but they didn't seem to swallow anything and they've never had any ill effects. I just saw it once or twice.

Depending on your water level the mud turtles may ignore them. Razor back musks, I've been told, are one of the mud/musk species that is happier with deeper water and more swimming. But it is something to try.

Ok! I do plan on using things like those when he matures a little more. He's still young and so small and never been the biggest fan of any deep water, only now getting used to me very very slowly increasing it over time. Really good to hear these guys will chew or eat random things sometimes, takes some of the worrying away. Thank you!

 

[jeff kushner]

I know most of you know a lot more about this than I do, mud turtles stink to me<LOL> so I've never done more than torment one as a kid. Kerry and I caught and released a couple too, they still stink.....


but pointing out the obvious.....can't you go borrow something from Mother Nature? She's got a whole cra....zipload of stuff from driftwood to sunken logs to wierd rocks.....my water turtles used to have more than a clue how to operate around her stuff too, almost like "they were supposed to" kind of thing. LOL

Happy Birthday L

" I've never had a turtle who could successfully bite a piece off a resin cave"
Moo, I almost spit my coffee out................."Little King" a RES of mine used to try...for years he tried! LOL

 

[TammyJ]

I had a brilliant idea once recently for a portable hide, but Tom shot it down.

 

[jeff kushner]

I had a brilliant idea once recently for a portable hide, but Tom shot it down.

We call that a Tent..................LOL

 

[LacyJoy]

I know most of you know a lot more about this than I do, mud turtles stink to me<LOL> so I've never done more than torment one as a kid. Kerry and I caught and released a couple too, they still stink.....


but pointing out the obvious.....can't you go borrow something from Mother Nature? She's got a whole cra....zipload of stuff from driftwood to sunken logs to wierd rocks.....my water turtles used to have more than a clue how to operate around her stuff too, almost like "they were supposed to" kind of thing. LOL

Happy Birthday L

" I've never had a turtle who could successfully bite a piece off a resin cave"
Moo, I almost spit my coffee out................."Little King" a RES of mine used to try...for years he tried! LOL

I don't have any nearby ponds that don't have treated grass and lawns around them. I'd thought about grabbing a handful of plants from my neighbor's ponds but all the property around has run-off and then I realized all the others have it as well. Even if the turtles and fish in those ponds are most likely fine I didn't wanna bring that in you know?
Mud turtles are one of my favorites (have to be since I have one XD) and mine is the sweetest with the biggest personality. Thank you!
I'm glad other people have mouthy turtles XD Thanks!

 

[TammyJ]

Happy Birthday! Pictures of the turtle please.

 

[LacyJoy]

Happy Birthday! Pictures of the turtle please.

Thank you!
I haven't taken any of him in a while so these are from earlier this year. He's just a little bigger now. Even though he had always been ok with me handling him I never did it often (only when I fed him). Now though he likes staying in his area to eat so I don't handle him much at all.

 

[TammyJ]

What a little sweetie!

 

[TammyJ]

He doesn't look so "muddy"!

 

[LacyJoy]

He doesn't look so "muddy"!

When he was super little he had the three stripes on his shell (didn't know much about identifying turtles at the time so it helped me figure him out) and that was most of his coloring but after a while those faded and his face colors got bright. Now the stripes are slowly coming back and I'm seeing more patterns on him. I'm waiting for him to mature so I can either keep his nicknames or find out he's a she and laugh XD
And a quick update on a hide I ordered- finally came today but unfortunately the box didn't have "fragile" on it so it looks like someone threw the box against the ground as hard as they could multiple times. Are there any trustworthy companies or websites to look on? I either can't find many options or the reviews are bad. I do believe Etsy has some good products but I'm shown a lot for every reptile besides turtles it seems like. Thanks