Some more turtles

[Louie]

Oh, and Louie...
Regarding your comment about heat rocks, the heat is concentrated towards the middle of the rock by design. The heat then permeates outward so the rock provides a gentle heat.
I haven't used a hot rock in a long time but used them for years & years and never had a problem with burnt reptiles. When the rocks failed, they got cold. Plus, because the heat flow was constant and gentle, there was never a need for a thermostat.
UTh's seemed to have caught on though and that's fine. IMO, they are much too hot and are more "Dangerous" than hot rocks to use. They really need to be used with a t-stat ($$) cannot be removed easily to be reused in other enclosures ($$) and make cage cleaning more difficult because you have to unplug them and drag the cord if you take the tank over to the sink or tub.
UTH's are a bit better for large snakes simply because they are available in large sizes.
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I last used a heat rock roughly 5 yrs ago and it was terrible . Threw it in garbage .

Granted like UTH several brands. Thus perhaps it was just one brand .

The UTH I love is COBRA . I havent turned them on since moving to Florida but when lived in NY used them roughly 9 months a year for 2 yrs and all worked great.

The insanely hot than cold type IMO is the zoo -med .
Another brand I threw away . One cracked my tank bottom.


COBRA you attach with scotch tape . Zoo med you can do same as don't have to stick it on but I wont go near those UTH pads ever again.

Cobra runs a steady warm temp doesnt go on and off like zoo med and never burns. I don't work for COBRA UTH lol but won't use zoo med again.

Now I just use slightly open blinds or open 1 or 2 ceiling ac vents in snake room depending on time of year as still 90 plus here during the day..

 

[turtlesrock]

how many gallons are in your tank?

 

[Louie]

Mean Louie? no, not at all. Matter of fact the most common available sidenecks (Pelouis Castenous-probably misspelled) are fairly shy and can have problems competing for food against sliders, maps, cooters and paints. Mine is currently in with all my turtles.
Some Pelouis species (Niger for example) can be very aggressive and even kill other turtles.
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Oh I didn't know there were diff types of those turtles.

The one's I saw were super mean. The guy at turtle farm even mentioned how mean they were and that only 1 should be kept by itself.

He had few babies in tank before shipping and they were fighting thus he seperated them right away .

They looked just like yours with long necks thus thought same type turtle.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

I last used a heat rock roughly 5 yrs ago and it was terrible . Threw it in garbage .

Granted like UTH several brands. Thus perhaps it was just one brand .

The UTH I love is COBRA . I havent turned them on since moving to Florida but when lived in NY used them roughly 9 months a year for 2 yrs and all worked great.

The insanely hot than cold type IMO is the zoo -med .
Another brand I threw away . One cracked ny tank bottom.


COBRA you attach with scotch tape . Zoo med you can do same as don't have to stick it on but I wont go near those UTH pads ever again.

I use UTH for all my gecko tanks. How I get by the "insanely hot" aspect is to put a 12"x12" ceramic tile inside the tank above where the UTH is located. The tile does a good job of evenly distributing the heat.

 

[Louie]

Somebody asked for a pull-away shot.

Did you buy your turtles in Long Island?

I ask because Long Island has some of the best reptile type pet stores I have ever been to.

Miami has fish farms but overall as far as mom/pop reptile selection pet stores Long island is Utopia compared to this place.

There is only 1 reptile type pet store within 90 minute drive from me while in Long Island there are countless just along Sunrise Hwy..

 

[Louie]

I use UTH for all my gecko tanks. How I get by the "insanely hot" aspect is to put a 12"x12" ceramic tile inside the tank above where the UTH is located. The tile does a good job of evenly distributing the heat.



What type UTH do you use?

I had nothing but insanely high egg cooking temps when I used Zoo-med . With COBRA that nonsense came to an end.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

What type UTH do you use?

I had nothing but insanely high egg cooking temps when I used Zoo-med . With COBRA that nonsense came to an end.

I have Zoomeds but I'm slowly phasing them out when they die with Exo Terras. I don't think I've ever seen T-Rex Cobra UTH offered for sale around here.

 

[Brooklynella]

Did you buy your turtles in Long Island?

I ask because Long Island has some of the best reptile type pet stores I have ever been to.

Miami has fish farms but overall as far as mom/pop reptile selection pet stores Long island is Utopia compared to this place.

There is only 1 reptile type pet store within 90 minute drive from me while in Long Island there are countless just along Sunrise Hwy..

Actually, I didn't pay for a single turtle but they are all from LI stores (Except for the Paint-he's wild). I find when people know you like turtles, you are a constant target for those who want to get rid of them.
Here's the history:
I go to buy a 40g breeder (Craigslist) for my little Dumeril's Boa and they give me a 20L turtle tank with 3 baby snappers and two little RES.
I keep the snappers for the spring/summer and let them go in a local lake (Where they were hatched actually) so i'm left with 2 little 2" RES.
Buy 34G high tank to house 2 RES, sell 20L turtle tank.
My son's speech teacher says. "oooh, you have turtles" and comes over with another 30g tank, a large 4yr old RES and large 4 yr old African sideneck.
OH, and I scooped a 4" painted off the yellow line while riding my motorcycle.
So now i'm off to buy a 55g.
The original 2 RES double in size so now I need a bigger tank.
I score a 125g on craigslist and the guy asks if I want some turtles. I'm like, "NO WAY, no more turtles". Long story short, I leave with 2 little Maps and a Japanese Pond turtle... and a creamsicle corn with tank and all the trimmings.
All for free.
So now I have 2 male RES (1-5", the other 8"-9"), one female RES (4"), female African sideneck, 2 2-3" maps and a 4" Japanese Pond turtle.

 

[Brooklynella]

Oh, and Louie...
You must be down in Fl a while because a lot of stores went out of business here! Petco came in and pretty much ruined it for everyone.

 

[Louie]

Actually, I didn't pay for a single turtle but they are all from LI stores (Except for the Paint-he's wild). I find when people know you like turtles, you are a constant target for those who want to get rid of them.
Here's the history:
I go to buy a 40g breeder (Craigslist) for my little Dumeril's Boa and they give me a 20L turtle tank with 3 baby snappers and two little RES.
I keep the snappers for the spring/summer and let them go in a local lake (Where they were hatched actually) so i'm left with 2 little 2" RES.
Buy 34G high tank to house 2 RES, sell 20L turtle tank.
My son's speech teacher says. "oooh, you have turtles" and comes over with another 30g tank, a large 4yr old RES and large 4 yr old African sideneck.
OH, and I scooped a 4" painted off the yellow line while riding my motorcycle.
So now i'm off to buy a 55g.
The original 2 RES double in size so now I need a bigger tank.
I score a 125g on craigslist and the guy asks if I want some turtles. I'm like, "NO WAY, no more turtles". Long story short, I leave with 2 little Maps and a Japanese Pond turtle... and a creamsicle corn with tank and all the trimmings.
All for free.
So now I have 2 male RES (1-5", the other 8"-9"), one female RES (4"), female African sideneck, 2 2-3" maps and a 4" Japanese Pond turtle.

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Oh wow you got a lot of nice looking turtles for free.
Maps -Japanese pond turtles- Sidenecks arent turtles you see for free .

I got a lot free turtles this yr and sent them to those that wanted them because a friend who has a huge yard pond and had a child .

Didn't want to bother selling them and traded them for turtle food,etc from turtle farm.

Though he did sell the unusual types.

I am sorry to hear that chain type pet stores have closed down so many mom/pop stores. I have been here 2 .5 yrs but when I left NY the mom/pop stores were already in trouble.

Eds fish pet store which I loved closed down.
I used to also go to Pet Barn for my fish -Country critters when I had saltwater and others like BTJs jungle for herps (they burned down when I was a kid but rebuilt).

Parrots of the World in Sunrise was also great but now mostly fish .

Here you have fish farms but nothing rare and unusual. Very inexpensive but if you want unusual selection Miami isn't it.
For birds of all types (I don't have birds) Florida can't be beat but everything else I prefered NY mom/pop pet store selection.