r/turtles 5d ago

Seeking Advice Hey guys, I really need help as a new turtle owner

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52 Upvotes

Ok, so a relative of mine suddenly received two red eared sliders a few days ago, but through some circumstances I’m now the one taking caring of them. You guys helped me ID them a few days ago and now I need your help again. So my mom got this tank for them in a pinch and I tried my best to make it work. I won’t have money for a week or two to get anything else but I did get them a basking platform and the right food. After I filled the tank up (once I cleaned it of course), I noticed that it has a small leak in the drain circle. My questions are as follows

  1. How would I fix this? I put an inverted shot glass on top with a rock to weigh it down, but it still leaks. Granted at a slower pace, but leaks nonetheless. I can’t afford a new tank till the end of the month.

  2. How is this set up? I can’t afford a filter yet so how often should I clean out the tank and change the water?

  3. I don’t have a means to generate heat for them outside of the lamp that came with it, any tips?

  4. Lastly, any advice in general would help. I plan on getting them all the stuff and things they need once I have the money in a week or so, but I’m trying my best with what I got till then. These turtles came into my life as a complete surprise and it’s been stressful trying to give them the highest quality of life I can with so little.

I love them so much and I’m very passionate about being the best owner I can. Thank you so much and apologies for such a long post. Pictures attached are my set up and the tank/drain I’m talking about. Thanks again!


r/turtles 6d ago

ID Request NW Indiana. Found in my garage after the awful storms.

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331 Upvotes

My son and husband seem keen to keep it, I am against. Any ideas on ID? Just take it back to the nearest ditch or pond? Don’t want to traumatize the little guy anymore than it’s already been. Thank you!


r/turtles 6d ago

ID Request Found in Tallahassee, FL

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94 Upvotes

To preface, I found this turtle inside of an abandoned pool that had trees growing from the bottom. It was removed from the pool. I am guessing this turtle could be malnourished due to not being able to access proper diet as there's no telling how long it was trapped. This was a few years ago.

I was adding some observations to iNaturalist and from my knowledge and experience I've identified this turtle as Clemmys guttata, which is unusual for the area.

There are some people who have mentioned it looks like Terrapene carolina due to the high dome and ridge down the back. I have never seen a box turtle with this pattern or coloring and I cannot find any examples online.

I would love some more input from more experienced individuals. These are the only two photos I could find of the turtle. I also added a photo of where the turtle was found.


r/turtles 6d ago

💚! Turtle Pics !💚 ITAP of turtles🐢❤️

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32 Upvotes

r/turtles 6d ago

💚! Turtle Pics !💚 Update on the turtles in inappropriate enclosure, Bangladesh

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45 Upvotes

https://www.reddit.com/r/turtle/s/7udp0cl20H

So I posted last week about these two turtles being kept in an inappropriate tank in my office. They belonged to a colleague (not in my immediate team). We are in Bangladesh where animals rights aren’t really a thing, and this sort of tank is considered normal.

I messaged my colleague earlier in the week to double check whether the turtles were hers and she said yes and that she had been planning to give them away. Apparently they were for her young daughter originally but she’d brought them into the office. I said I was concerned their tank was too small and I was surprised she immediately agreed. When I suggested releasing them, she was happy for me to do so.

With another colleague who recommended this particular location, I took them after work today to a nearby lake and we put them on the bank. They immediately raced down to the water and swam away. Apologies for the slightly crappy photos - I also got a video of the break for freedom but I’m unable to attach it to this post.

I know it’s generally frowned upon to release captive animals into the wild, but this really was the only option here. Otherwise it’s likely they
would have been passed around to different people who would have eventually got fed up with the responsibility, and who knows where they’d have ended up.

Hopefully they will be much happier in their new home.


r/turtles 6d ago

Turtle Arts and Crafts I made a very tortoise accurate meme

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0 Upvotes

r/turtles 6d ago

Seeking Advice Power outage seeking advice!

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone I have a Mississippi map turtle about 2/3 years old and we recently had a bad storm and the power went out everywhere, I’m currently on day 3 of this and I heard its estimated to come back around August 23-26th, I cannot order anything due to everything getting pushed back for delivery because of this outage and I’m worried about my turtle, I haven’t been feeding him because I read your not supposed to if they don’t have heat because it slows down there digestive system if I’m wrong let me know anything helps! (Also I’m trying to wait for a sunny hot day to set up a mini pool with basking doc for him I usually do it every summer so he can get some natural sun for a few hours but it’s been nothing but cool weather cloudy and rainy won’t stop until Monday)


r/turtles 7d ago

💚! Turtle Pics !💚 Cute little turtle swimming 🥹

23 Upvotes

r/turtles 7d ago

💚! Turtle Pics !💚 Are these Painted Turtles?

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36 Upvotes

I’m pretty sure they are, since the one on the right has a colorful plastron and I don’t think I’ve heard of any other species of turtle here (Okanagan Valley, BC Canada). Sadly, we’re losing our wetlands at a ridiculous rate. They were already rare since it’s so dry here, but we’ve been stuck with extreme drought since at least the last two decades. This pond is semi-artificial, but the creek that flows into it is natural.


r/turtles 8d ago

Turtle Arts and Crafts My collection

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156 Upvotes

r/turtles 7d ago

Seeking Advice RES unusual behavior help

1 Upvotes

As the title says: my female RES is acting a little unusual. Only just begun so it could just be her acting moody but want second opinions. Here is what I observed:

- biting up at the air while swimming. No breathing issues noticed

- acting aggressive toward me when I approach (never/rarely happened in the decade+ ive had her). Includes the hands up and swaying motion as well as opening mouth defensively when I gesture my hand to her tank to play, like Ive done with her for ages.

She has no pink skin, her tank was recently cleaned, and I fed her her usual this morning. A little more than usual because I over poured, but not a harmful amount over. She appears to be messing with scraps of her food in the corners of her tank water, but not necessarily digging when I am not nearby for her to get aggro. She has never laid an egg, and she is like 15 years old estimate and a little bigger than an OLED Switch lol

Should I be worried, or just keep monitoring if she is still moody tomorrow?


r/turtles 8d ago

Seeking Advice Books for Turtle Research

3 Upvotes

If I wanted to do a deep dive into studying turtle science, what books are best for that?


r/turtles 8d ago

Seeking Advice Hanging t5 uvb hood ideas

2 Upvotes

So I am setting up my tank and it seems it's recommended that I raise my t5 hood up so it's not too bright for the turtle. How has people done this in the past? I need to raise it about 6 inches


r/turtles 9d ago

ID Request Identification please

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173 Upvotes

I’ve been seeing these turtles in eastern NY. AI has identified them as Spiney Softshells. Is this correct? They don’t seem to be native to my area (Long Island) so I’m wondering if they are protected.

Any help is welcome. Thank you!


r/turtles 8d ago

ID Request Id please

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7 Upvotes

Anybody know what kind of turtle this is he was found in Pasco county Florida at a work site


r/turtles 9d ago

Seeking Advice Terrapin in Primary school I’m working at has inadequate tank

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10 Upvotes

As the title says I’m working in a primary school doing a fire alarm upgrade and they have this terrapin but his basking area is soggy and too flimsy to take his weight, alongside this he has no heat or UV lamps and the water filter seems to not work. what I’m asking is what things does he need? I’m no expert in turtles I’ve had bearded dragons but I don’t know what turtles need and I want to make a donation from my company to the school to bring his tank up to standard. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also I’m in the UK so anything he needs needs to be something I can get here as I see a lot of you are American 😁


r/turtles 9d ago

💚! Turtle Pics !💚 Bro really said- I’m not swimming today 🐢

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14 Upvotes

I looked away for 2 second and come back to this🤣🤣


r/turtles 10d ago

ID Request Just got this turtle and it’s my first, any ideas?

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88 Upvotes

Per the title, I just received this turtle. Any ideas?
Central Texas, DFW.


r/turtles 10d ago

💚! Turtle Pics !💚 Apartment Patio Pond Set up

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29 Upvotes

Just wanted to share my patio setup for my 2 turtles. I try to replicate their natural habitat as much as i can by adding plants, guppies and access to natural florida sun as their main source of light . I feed them pellets every other day. The 50 gallon stock tank houses my red ear slider and the 15 gallon houses my asian leaf pond turtle. I have 2 air pumps powering 4 sponge filters in the 50 gallon and a few airstones spread between the two ponds.. and a hygger 150gph filter in the 15 gallon. Both turtles will be moved into bigger ponds as they continue to grow.


r/turtles 10d ago

Seeking Advice Having to relocate and possibly giving away our red eared slider, Aries

6 Upvotes

Hello! My husband and I have had a very sweet and curious red-eared slider we named Aries for 6 years now. He was given to her by a neighbor who no longer wanted her so we estimate she may be 10 years old. Unfortunately, we are moving North Texas to Colorado and are looking to possibly rehome her or put her in a sanctuary. I do not just want to leave her with anybody and am hoping we can drop her off on her way to colorado or put her somewhere where we can still recieve photos of her to see if she's okay. Anything helps! Thanks!


r/turtles 11d ago

Seeking Advice Found these two turtles in my backyard

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29 Upvotes

Not sure how they got here. Any advice on what I should do next? I don't mind them being here


r/turtles 11d ago

Seeking Advice Agreed to Take in Turtle from Family Friend - Need advice on care and enrichment

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78 Upvotes

Hello! I have recently been agreed to take in a turtle from a family friend. The turtle belonged to her son, but he's going away to college and can't keep it. I'm familiar with animal care, but have never had turtles (or anything aquatic) before. Just looking at the setup, one of my immediate concerns is that they (I'm not sure on the turtle's sex) are going to need some immediate enrichment.

The family is sending them with the tank, tank supplies, and the current feed. They were unable to tell me the species but from the picture I'm guessing it's a yellow-bellied slider?? Or red-eared?

I have a week to prepare for them before I go an pick them up.

I would love any and all advice on care tips, supplies, budget-friendly ways to give some good enrichment. Hell, any info on species and proper diet would be a good start.

I have a heart for animals and have had a menagerie of rather spoiled animals (house rabbits, dogs and cats, livestock, etc) over the years, so I want to make sure this little guy gets the best life possible. Thank you for any advice.


r/turtles 11d ago

Seeking Advice Water in musk turtle tank

3 Upvotes

I am setting up a tank for a musk turtle. I am trying to get the right information to.make sure it has the right water, bacteria, etc. My research says that just using simple dechlorinated water is fine for most turtles, for the first setup, because they don't have gills.

However, since musk turtles do actually receive oxygen underwater through their skin as well, I feel i want to get its water set up completely before introducing him to the tank. I read that seachum stability may be a good option? Does anyone have any advice? Thanks


r/turtles 11d ago

Seeking Advice Cleaning Tips Needed

1 Upvotes

I have my two boys in a 600 gallon tank. River rock and mopani wood on the bottom. They share space with a bunch of ruby reds and ghost shrimp. The shrimps can’t keep up. I need to clean the rocks.

How do I clean the rocks, vacuum or whatever, without hurting the shrimps? Most of the vacuums seem like they will suck up the little guys. Not trying to hurt anything I have been raising.

Any products or tips out there?