General Care Discussion :: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Taking care of your turtle's overall health.

Post Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 5:06 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Thank you! I was pretty impressed too. I sprayed the whole tank down with white vinegar and let it soak for a while before scrubbing as well. Unfortunately, even the all powerful white vinegar wasn't a match for 20 years of hard water stains. At least I tried!

Very true! I've had that issue with CL as well. At this point, I've purchased so much online that I'll pass over anything that doesn't have the details that I need. Sometimes, it's easier to wait for the next seller than to try to communicate with people who have no idea what you're asking, or aren't willing to do the legwork to find out.
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Post Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 5:22 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Oh yeah, those can be very difficult to remove. Let them sit for too long, and as you found, they can be near impossible to remove without scratching the glass. Agreed, unless it is a deal too good to pass up on, I will usually just move on if the seller provides very little detail.

Excited to see your new setup when it's all done!
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:33 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

I just realized that I've been a total slacker on updating this thread. My apologies!

The new 60 gallon aquarium is all set up, and that Fluval 406 is seriously a god send. The water has been crystal clear for almost 2 months, and I've only cleaned the filter once. The only issue I'm currently having is that Poseidon has no interest in veggies at all. Beyond that, his energy is awesome, my mom has adjusted to giving him pellets every other day, and all is well!

Tank: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ViW ... DVYV29xR3c
Poseidon: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4ViW ... 1RnY3drVFE

Thank you all again for the feedback and advice! Much appreciated!
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:54 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Just a suggestion / note if you have carbon in filter and should , it get's "full" saturated with toxins in about 5 weeks depending on load in the tank . At this point they leach out back into the water column. You can still have crystal clear water with toxins in it that are clear to the look. A test kit for these toxins are way out the range of turtle keepers unless you have a college nearby that would have the student's do it for free. Carbon is so cheap that a lot of us just change it out every 4 weeks.

Look's like Poseidon's parents are doing pretty good , keep it up. Look at that 'expression' he's saying "I'm taking a sunbath here" !

Check out some of these plants : http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html

With the change of seasons turtles get picky.
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:00 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

I do have carbon in the filter, and I actually just ordered more today, so I'll definitely swap the bags out when I go over there next. Thanks for the info!

Oh, he's a trip! I'm fairly sure that he knows I'm the reason for his upgrades. My reward is that I am the only one permitted to stroke him on the head each week. One stroke only, but I'll take it!

Also, I have tried just about every plant and vegetable on that list. He has zero interest, but he's over 20 years old and only knows that pellets are food. I even tried using the water from canned tuna... no luck. :(
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 6:51 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Had that problem with an old female , I tried this and she ate them. Maybe try a small bag ?

https://www.amazon.com/Hikari-Usa-AHK21 ... lge+wafers
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 8:06 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Buy some media bags and pick up your carbon in bulk. For his veggies, have you tried using a veggie clip?
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Post Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:41 am   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

I didn't even realize a veggie clip existed! I found this one... http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=4446 Will that work, or are there better options? I know that website can be hit or miss.

Also, is one brand of carbon better than another?
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Post Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 11:55 am   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Seen people use that one it's good.
To me the specialty carbon cost makes it no better than a basic regular activated carbon and most only last 5-7 weeks before it gets saturated with toxins needing change. It's cheap enough just to change basic carbon out. That a personal call for you.

My Piggley would try to eat the veggie clip! He has no problem pushing veggies around the tank. When he gets lazy will wedge it somewhere to eat like a turtle does in nature. The big problem is when a turtle has lost the taste for veggies. The chemicals used today I feel plays a part in this , give's off for a turtle a bad smell and will refuse to eat them. Ever wash and wash and scrub some veggies . Even soak them and still feel and or see something still leaching out the leaves. I won't eat it either , in the trash it goes. That's why I have a plant tank and grow in ground my own year round , No chemicals makes a big difference ! What great taste ! Since I done that never had a turtle refuse veggies !!!
Now for the turtle that just hates veggies and there are a few out there. I use a Koi food with a veggie base in pellet form and they will eat it so to get the vitamins from the veggies. Plenty veggie food available that is nutritious for turtles. Found some like the veggie wafers. Turtle's are like children sometimes you have to trick them to eat veggies. This is just me but if a turtle really lost the taste for veggies holding it in one place with a clip will not change the fact that it lost the taste for veggies. To date no one has given me a valid reason for it's use other than to hold in one place. People do use them you can try for yourself and good luck. If a turtles taste is gone for veggies you most likely have to wait until it out grows that stage or trick it with other sources. This is just an opinion from me based on my life time raising turtles. Others have theirs.
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:25 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Yes, I use those veggie clips. You can find similar ones in a local pet shop (fish section), if you only need one.

litefoot - I keep the veggie clip above the water surface and my RES aren't able to reach it, red leaf lettuce works well on it.
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 4:04 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Yes Steve I used one for a very little also like you kept it above water line by 3" , then more.

You see my Piggley thinks he's a dolphin at times especially when he's determined to get something ! Having a deep tank he gets a good swimming start and can /does come out the water only his tail is still in water. He normally gets what he try's for.
One day in my chair by the tank I watched him on his resting spot that's 3" below water line . He stood up on hind legs and jumps up , he get's almost 5" above where his head is . I normally have him in my lap to watch the news but not that day. This was how he let me know he wasn't happy , that I changed our routine up. Now a days I 'm never surprised on what a turtle can do , just adjust things. Wish I was as determined as some turtles are like Piggley !!!
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Post Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 5:14 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Wow, thats pretty impressive. I think most RES are pretty determined to get where they want to go... mine seem to think they can push through glass :)
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:56 am   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Litefoot: Thank you for the info! I might give koi food a try, but I want to try the veggie clip first. They're cheap, so that's easy enough. The issue is that this turtle hasn't seen veggies in 20+ years, so I suspect he just has no idea what they are. The ones I tried were all organic, so they were pesticide free. I just got a 10 gallon tank from a friend that I'll be starting an aquatic garden in to see if that makes a difference, but that'll take a bit more time to get set-up. I tried putting a few live plants in the turtle tank the first few weeks after the upgrade. He just ignored them, and the options for plants without substrate were limited, so I ended up taking them out. I'm holding off on substrate until he's living with me. For now, I'm only going over weekly to handle cleaning and water changes for my parents, who are unable to care for him anymore.

Steve: Thanks! I'll order the clips and see if they make a difference.
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:17 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

Just ease into and don't over do it. Try something colorful, carrot slices is a good one to try.
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 08, 2017 12:56 pm   Re: Newbie Questions: Id, Habitat, Diet, Etc.

So I tried carrot slices. No interest. Yellow squash. No interest. Zucchini. No interest. Veggie clip for various greens. No interest. After months of effort, I think this turtle is really just stuck on pellets. I'll be moving somewhere around April, and will move him in shortly after, so I'll try again then. Thanks for all of the tips.
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