My turtle is driving me crazy.

[ntburns22]

A couple months ago my sister gave my kids her childhood pet a box turtle. SHe has had Speedy for 18 years. So we really have no clue how old he really is. Well he has been so active lately that I am having to clean his tank twice a day. He is shredding his paper, going into his water dish and making a huge stinky mess. Before I was going to clean him again I figured I would feed him. No sooner did I put the applesauce down he walked right through it. I grew up with him and I don't remember him being this messy. I wish I had the lazy turtle back, he is stinking up my living room.

 

[Freyja]

What kind of tank do you keep him in? DS has a Russian toroise which keeps trying to get out of it´s tank/cage. The cage has door that open on the side of the cage and the tortoise is driving me nuts with the noise from its claws trying to open it.

 

[ntburns22]

He is in a big aquarium (sp?) with a mesh lid. My parents were going to get my sister a tortoise but with the life span was way too long for them. My parents are still surprised that we still have Speedy kicking around.

 

[EeyoreFan1]

He is in a big aquarium (sp?) with a mesh lid. My parents were going to get my sister a tortoise but with the life span was way too long for them. My parents are still surprised that we still have Speedy kicking around.

I have about a 2-3 y.o aquatic turtle, he lives in the garage, in a little aquarium.

 

[tevagirl]

A couple months ago my sister gave my kids her childhood pet a box turtle. SHe has had Speedy for 18 years. So we really have no clue how old he really is. Well he has been so active lately that I am having to clean his tank twice a day. He is shredding his paper, going into his water dish and making a huge stinky mess. Before I was going to clean him again I figured I would feed him. No sooner did I put the applesauce down he walked right through it. I grew up with him and I don't remember him being this messy. I wish I had the lazy turtle back, he is stinking up my living room.

After 18 years, maybe Speedy is trying to live up to his name?

 

[crossfamily]

OK my ds9 just convinced his grandpa to get him a turtle and today they came home with our Speedy. I have no idea what to do with this thing. I need lots of pointers. Can you help me??????

Its a bit bigger than a 50 cent piece. What do I do with it?

 

[ntburns22]

Well you need to figure out what kind he is. He is much smaller then Speedy. If he is a box turtle mine eats canned catfood everyother day or once inawhile he will get fruit/applesauce. He has been living on this for 18 years. He would also need a hot rock (a cement looking block that plugs in) to lay on, and a water dish big enough to get in and out of. We also give him a house, it is just a box cut with on opening for him to go in and out of.

 

[crossfamily]

Well you need to figure out what kind he is. He is much smaller then Speedy. If he is a box turtle mine eats canned catfood everyother day or once inawhile he will get fruit/applesauce. He has been living on this for 18 years. He would also need a hot rock (a cement looking block that plugs in) to lay on, and a water dish big enough to get in and out of. We also give him a house, it is just a box cut with on opening for him to go in and out of.

Ok called dad and he said it was a yellow earred turtle. does this help? Its a really small one. I will probably have to google it. I was just hoping for some down to earth advice. Thanks for all your help.

 

[ntburns22]

I think you have a fresh water turtle. Sorry I don't think I can help, mine is a land turtle. Good Luck!

 

[crossfamily]

I think you have a fresh water turtle. Sorry I don't think I can help, mine is a land turtle. Good Luck!

Thanks!! I so love my kids for getting me into this stuff. LOL

 

[ntburns22]

Thanks!! I so love my kids for getting me into this stuff. LOL

Well if it turns out to be anything like Speedy you can have the joy of passing it on when your DS has a family of his own.

 

[Judge Smails]

There are several kinds of aquatic turtles, red eared and yellow eared sliders are 2 of the most common. You will need a BIG tank (mine is 50 gallons), because if your new pet thrives it will grow to be rather large. I bought one 3 years ago for my daughter. He was around the size of a bar of soap. Today, Mike is about half the size of the PC keyboard and still growing. You will need to fill his tank about 2/3rds full of water and provide it with a platform to sun himself on (they love sun and need the light for a healthy shell). They sell these at the pet shop. You will also need a submersable filter, a UV lamp and a heater for the water, plus some special cream for his shell. Don't buy a cheap glass heater, get one that is unbreakable...all metal. They are smart critters and have good eye sight. Mike can see me from across the living room and will beat his foot against the surface of the water to let me know that he is hungry...which is often. We started him out on turtle pellets, he got bored, so then he got pellets and dried shrimp, he got bored, pellets, dried shrimp and red turtle treats, he got bored. Fresh catfish, he got bored. Now he gets (I kid you not) 3 cocktail shrimp once a day. Loves it and the tank stays fairly clean. With the pellet food I was cleaning his tank once a week, with the shrimp, it's once every 3 weeks. They are remarkable animals and he has become a real part of our family. Good luck and enjoy your new pet. They're pretty cool!

 

[Freyja]

There are several kinds of aquatic turtles, red eared and yellow eared sliders are 2 of the most common. You will need a BIG tank (mine is 50 gallons), because if your new pet thrives it will grow to be rather large. I bought one 3 years ago for my daughter. He was around the size of a bar of soap. Today, Mike is about half the size of the PC keyboard and still growing. You will need to fill his tank about 2/3rds full of water and provide it with a platform to sun himself on (they love sun and need the light for a healthy shell). They sell these at the pet shop. You will also need a submersable filter, a UV lamp and a heater for the water, plus some special cream for his shell. Don't buy a cheap glass heater, get one that is unbreakable...all metal. They are smart critters and have good eye sight. Mike can see me from across the living room and will beat his foot against the surface of the water to let me know that he is hungry...which is often. We started him out on turtle pellets, he got bored, so then he got pellets and dried shrimp, he got bored, pellets, dried shrimp and red turtle treats, he got bored. Fresh catfish, he got bored. Now he gets (I kid you not) 3 cocktail shrimp once a day. Loves it and the tank stays fairly clean. With the pellet food I was cleaning his tank once a week, with the shrimp, it's once every 3 weeks. They are remarkable animals and he has become a real part of our family. Good luck and enjoy your new pet. They're pretty cool!

I agree. I would never have thought they were such social creatures and really fun to watch.

 

[TeresaNJ]

There are several kinds of aquatic turtles, red eared and yellow eared sliders are 2 of the most common. You will need a BIG tank (mine is 50 gallons), because if your new pet thrives it will grow to be rather large. I bought one 3 years ago for my daughter. He was around the size of a bar of soap. Today, Mike is about half the size of the PC keyboard and still growing. You will need to fill his tank about 2/3rds full of water and provide it with a platform to sun himself on (they love sun and need the light for a healthy shell). They sell these at the pet shop. You will also need a submersable filter, a UV lamp and a heater for the water, plus some special cream for his shell. Don't buy a cheap glass heater, get one that is unbreakable...all metal. They are smart critters and have good eye sight. Mike can see me from across the living room and will beat his foot against the surface of the water to let me know that he is hungry...which is often. We started him out on turtle pellets, he got bored, so then he got pellets and dried shrimp, he got bored, pellets, dried shrimp and red turtle treats, he got bored. Fresh catfish, he got bored. Now he gets (I kid you not) 3 cocktail shrimp once a day. Loves it and the tank stays fairly clean. With the pellet food I was cleaning his tank once a week, with the shrimp, it's once every 3 weeks. They are remarkable animals and he has become a real part of our family. Good luck and enjoy your new pet. They're pretty cool!

Oh my gosh, this is such a cute story. You gave me my laugh for the day!

 

[Judge Smails]

Oh my gosh, this is such a cute story. You gave me my laugh for the day!

Thank you...there's actually more to the saga of Mike the turtle. His full name is Mike "Squirtle" Basker (as in "basks" in the sun). This is actually Mike "Squirtle" Basker II which is privileged information and totally unbeknownst to my 9 yr. old DD. Mike I lasted about 6 weeks and although I tried everything... I could not get the little guy to eat nor would he go into his water. Sadly I awoke on the morning of my grandpa's funeral to find that Mike I had made his trip to heaven too. I didn't want to upset my DD more than she was already with the passing of her Great Grandfather and all, so I just turned Mike I around on his rock and we headed out the door for the services. Now all I had to do was to figure out a way to get another turtle that looked like Mike I before she returned from the funeral. I wound up making a phone call from the cemetery to the local pet shop. "Do you have a small Red Eared Slider in stock?" "Yes". Off to the obligatory lunch after the funeral meal...which was conveniently located next to the Pet shop. Several excuses made for an early departure while my wife and daughter had lunch, a quick trip to the pet shop and the mad dash home. Mike I had already begun to smell as he was left under his UV light for the morning. Placed him into a plastic bag and dug a nice little grave near the flower bed. Changed and washed the tank and put Mike II into his new home all in the space of about 45 minutes and all accomplished in my Sunday Best. My DD has never known the difference. I have probably hauled enough buckets of water changing his tank through the past 3 years to fill a moderate size swimming pool. I have dragged turtle poop out of his tank and siphoned dead fish parts, worms, shrimp and Lord knows what else with my bare hands. Mike and I are joined at the hip in this journey called life. God put him with me and I figure it's my job to take care of him. I hope my payback will be a free pass into Heaven. "Yes God I know I am a heathen. I smoke and drink and haven't darkened the doorway of a church for decades, but I have been taking care of this turtle...does that count?"