Hi! Introduce yourselves here. :: Hi there from Wisconsin!

[Caiti]

Its currently about 10 degrees outside with a negative 15 windchill factor (yes an advisory is in effect). I finally realized that my life in an apartment building is going to last quite a while longer (which means no puppies) so i came up with the idea to get a turtle...so for the past two weeks ive been overly anxious and excited to finally have a pet (even if its not as cuddly as a puppy). so ive been researching them like crazy.

in the states here, theres the good ol' 4 inch law however. so my main concern is the gender. we really want a boy, NOT a girl. they grow far too large for the tank we'll be getting (a 40 gallon long tank), and would prefer a male anyhow for now.

any specific signs i should look for when picking him out, would be wonderful to know. i know that the females have the larger tales? but i also know that even at 4 inches (some are probably just under) its a little hard to tell. i just dont want to have a female <insert boys name here>. you get the point.

my other concern....petstores are notorious for having bad care and handling, etc. its a 30 gallon tank (id guess) with 5+ turtles in it, so i cant imagine their the healthiest....i think our tank setup should help cure whatever ailments he'll come with, but at 4 inches, how old are these turtles? im sure they're never over fed and dont have the best setup to grow healthy in size and what not....so in a smaller tank, with too many turtles, how old would you imagine a 4 incher would be?

I'll reveal his name once we get him...we have it narrowed down to 2 names.

but ive been researching the web for two weeks and have another two weeks until payday...so plenty of time to be an expert to keep my turtle happy and healthy! im so excited!

for those that have a 40 gallon tank, 3/4 full of water, rive rocks, dock, etc. how much do you think it weighs?? i ask since we're on the second floor of an apartment building. they said a turtle was ok but i dont think they quite understood the 40 gallon tank part haha

Ummmmm...well i guess any other tidbits that i might already know but you might want to really emphasis and drill me on, go on ahead and comment away!

ooooooooooooh almost forgot...i will call the petstore to find this out too but...its so freezing outside, any suggestions on how to get him through the cold drive home? its like a ten minute drive through 15 degree weather (tops). im not sure what they give you to carry the turtles home in (ill be asking). would a towel be ok to put around him? i just dont want him to go from humid tank to freezing weather...might shock him id think...so help me on that one if you guys could...thanks!

(thanks to this site and many others ill definatly be lookin for signs of illness, shell rot, pyramiding, and other things before i pick out my little fella)

[missibsu]

Good for you doing your research first. I have two turts and didn't realize the kind of care that they require before they were dumped on me. Love them to death though.

I would suggest that you think about an upgraded tank as soon as possible. I gathered from your post that you already have the 40 gal. The rule of thumb is 10 gal for every inch of shell. So, by buying a 4 inch turtle, you are already going to be at your limit. Classifieds are a great place to start looking for great deals on larger tanks. You can also go with a stock tank as they are more economical.

As far as your set up, do you have a good filter and a UVB light, as well as a source of heat for the basking area? I know that you mentioned some of the other things that you have, so I was just checking.

I don't have much experience when it comes to transporting turts outside in this weather, but I would say a towel and a small box or enclosure would be a good start. If you had the towel in a box it might help break some of the wind is all I was thinking. I'm sure others will have more advice to post.

Welcome...since I didn't mention that before!

[Caiti]

thanks for the fast reply, im still browsing online and hope others reply soon with their opinions!

i realize its 10 gallons per inch....how fast do the male turtles grow though? How long can i keep him in the 40 gallon?

We live in an apartment building, second floor, and full filled fish tanks are not allowed due to the weight...so an even larger tank (larger than 40 gal) is cause for concern. if its huge in length and heavier than anything, i cant get a larger tank until i move (about six months until a possible move).

So i guess the main question is how long can a male RES live in a 40 gal tank when he's 4 inchs long. Do they grow several inches a year after those first four inches?

Secondly would be, how heavy are these tanks once they're a bit more than halfway full and with accessories?

the apartment rules are pretty strict on weight...i dont think the flooring here could really support much (its pretty old).

[missibsu]

I understand the old apt thing...when I was in college I had the same issue. I think that your 40 gallon will hold you for awhile. After the first year the turts should average about an inch a year. With a healthy diet, your turts shouldn't have too much problem staying in your 40 gal. So long as you realize that there will be a need for an upgrade in the near future.

[sonyj]

Welcome to the forum. I suggest reading the main site and reading through the forum for a lot of great info. There's a lot involved in keeping a turtle that many owners do not know until too late. It's great you are getting a head start.

As missibsu said, a four inch turtle in a forty gallon is already at it's limit and you'll be having to upgrade sooner than you think. Ten gallons per inch of turtle is the minimum recommendation for keeping a healthy and happy turtle. And don't forget all the equipment needed... filter rated 3x's the size of tank, a UVB bulb, a heat bulb, water heater, basking dock etc. It adds up quickly!

You want to look for an active turtle with no shell blemishes (could be signs of shell rot). Males have notoriously long nails (think Edward Scissorhands) with longer, thicker tail and the cloacal opening further down (away from the shell) on the tail than a female. When transportorting him in cold weather you want to be sure to keep him warm and out of any drafts/wind. A chill can cause him to develop RI.

Not too sure about your pet store, but many keepers have found out not to rely on the info you get from a pet store concerning RES. More times than not they inaccurate about their knowledge of keeping RES.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

[Caiti]

i may change my mind but for now, we're holding off on the turtle until march or april. its too cold (below zero is an issue) to get him from the petstore and home and not risk getting him very sick.

the other issue...my car didnt start this morning so my turtle money is going to the car for now. hopefully its just a dead battery. (thats what it seems like it is) Going to get a new batt. today.

We have to return some stuff to the petstore though and i know im gonna wanna see the turts....i feel bad for them. i know a 40 gallon is a limit for the 4 incher, but its a heck of a lot better than the 30 gallon with 6 turtles sharing it (all 4 inches big). and its what we could have afforded right now.

so for now, its either gonna be a couple weeks, or a couple months until we get him. but ill continue to read up on them and everything in these forums. everyone in here is so helpful!

we might be moving in a month also, so it'd be a lot easier to just have the tank and everything transported once and setup the one time at the new location as oposed to here and then being taken apart and re-moved, re-setup, etc.

ill have to post in here when we get our little fella though...i still really want one =D

thanks for all the advice thus far though

[Wild_Cherry13]

Welcome to the fourm this place has helped me out alot just watch out for some people......Not Naming Names hehehe!

-Noelani and Kona!

[ellman605]

Welcome caiti, i already talked to you on the thing about the pet store. Nothing is worse for turtles than a pet store. Happy trails here!!!

[Caiti]

thanks for the welcomes everyone

i keep browsing links while at work here and i just really want my turtle

we'll see how the weather is in 2 weeks (payday )