Hello! My name is Hannah and I have one RES. Here's the story...
My son bought the turtle from a flea market about a year ago. It was the tiniest little thing, soooo cute! It had to have been maybe 2 to 2.5 inches when we got it. When we got home we set up a 10 gallon tank- very uneducated and unprepared for this turtle keeping journey. We did some research and met a wonderful local fish shop owner who helped get us on the right path. He directed us on diet, living requirements and what to expect. So once we knew what we needed to do- we set up a 72 gallon tank complete with a huge basking dock and lots of space for little man to explore. Fast forward a year and now turtle man is at least 4 inches and doing great! His name is Mikey, BUT, I am not sure if he is actually a he... So I have been calling "him" Mrs.Nezbit, which the son DOES NOT approve of.
I have pretty much completely taken over the turtle care responsibilities and have deemed myself a true turtle mom. I have this little turtle spoiled rotten! He loves snacks and he loves having his shell brushed. We just finished building him an outdoor pond, which he has been staying in during the day. He seems to enjoy it! I know getting some real sun rays must feel so great for him! I do bring him inside at night- because I'm afraid he's still so little that something might come and try to eat him, plus it can get a little chilly once the sun goes down. He likes to come out of the pond and explore the rocks and yard. When he sees me he swims up to the side of the pond and waves his little arms until I pick him up. He's a great little turtle and I am so excited to see where our journey leads us!
Anyway, I look forward to being part of the forum!