Wow, these turtles sure are cute... I think it's time for another pond!

[justonemoretank]

Hi all--

I'd just like some responses on the new indoor pond I'm planning in the hopes of keeping some turtles. It will be similar to my other pond -- cinderblocks and liner.

1. Pond will be 7 feet by 5 feet by 2 feet.
-- Is this enough depth? Obviously, the water level will raise as the turtles grow, but I hope to still have a good six inches of space in order to keep the little guys from getting out and roaming around as much as possible.
-- Is this a good size to work with? I don't want to decide it should have been larger in six months!

2. Filtration will be made of 55 gallon barrels. I am still gathering info on this, but I'm figuring it will end up a lot like a non-pressurized canister filter.
-- Is the 10x volume for GPH, as in fishkeeping, advisable here?
-- 2 barrels, or is one enough?

3. I'd like to get two of those big fixtures from Home Depot or something to use as basking lights and suspend them from the ceiling. They will be shining on to two "islands" far enough from the sides of the pond to discourage turtles wandering off.
--Can anyone suggest the best bulbs?
--Does this idea sound okay?

4. Does anyone have any especially bad or good reviews on TheTurtleSource.com?

5. Finally, the stock: Mexican Ornate Slider, Florida Chicken Turtle, Eastern Painted Turtle, Peninsula Cooter
--Does anyone see a problem with these guys getting along as they mature?
--From my research, it appears that all of these turtles have pretty much the same needs when it comes to care, feeding, basking, etc. Is this right?
--Does this pretty much do it in terms of stocking, or do you think I have room for some more turtles down the line (this goes back to the size of pond question, really).

I have many, many questions... Sorry! Please don't feel obligated to answer them all if you don't want to, but share the info you feel like sharing... This project is probably a good three months off, and definitely in the planning stages, so any info is helpful! Thanks again!

 

[HPIZZLE]

turtlesource.com is a great place. the rest of it sounds fine except for filtration. you should have more filters on a turtle tank than a fish tank. id go with 2 55 gallon barrels for now and maybe add another down the line. but, thats just me. i prefer really clear water.

 

[justonemoretank]

Thanks a lot! I'm glad to know they are a good source. I like the fact that the turtles are all captive-bred -- much less chance for parasites and other yuckies. I'll go ahead and plan for 2 filters to start. I like clear water, too LOL. I have about three or four buckets' worth of bioballs that have been sitting in a laundry bag in my pond filter for months. I'm going to use those, plus some other media, and definitely use some finer media pads to catch as much particulate as possible.

Oh, I forgot to ask -- for five dollars more per turtle they will sex them. Should I get all males or all females?

 

[snakeguy101]

i would go ahead and make it deeper if you are worried about it. 2' is fine for the turtles but if you want to raise the water as they get bigger and keep 6" of space, it might be a little shallow. Also, be sure to get a good think pond liner because I have heard horror stories about turtles claws. otherwise, it sounds great. be sure to post some pics of the build!

 

[justonemoretank]

Hmmm now I worry about the liner. I'll check it out. Thanks!

 

[coura]

Thanks a lot! I'm glad to know they are a good source. I like the fact that the turtles are all captive-bred -- much less chance for parasites and other yuckies. I'll go ahead and plan for 2 filters to start. I like clear water, too LOL. I have about three or four buckets' worth of bioballs that have been sitting in a laundry bag in my pond filter for months. I'm going to use those, plus some other media, and definitely use some finer media pads to catch as much particulate as possible.

Oh, I forgot to ask -- for five dollars more per turtle they will sex them. Should I get all males or all females?

I would not trust that "for more 5 doolars they will sex them" because you cant be absolutley shure for babys. I would however take the florida chicken out of your mix, they are more delicate and often much smaller then the others, these turts mix better with more shyer and peacefull species like painteds, maps and musks. For sex of the turts both males and females have its pros and cons. Females are more likely to get along but get also bigger and someday will need a place to lay eggs.

 

[snakeguy101]

i would not pay the extra cash, if the turtles are big enough, you should be able to tell yourself. concave plastron = male, flat = female. you can usually start to tell after about 3" or so.

 

[CTU2fan]

Re: lighting, I would try to rig something over each island with a flourescent strip fixture (for UV) and a couple of standard ceramic sockets with halogen spots. I like the halogens, they give you a nice hot basking spot that your turts will love without using a ton of energy and putting out a lot of heat to the room. You'll want to hang them pretty high though, you don't want halogen bulbs getting wet. There may be a better option in a "herp specific" bulb, and hopefully somebody chimes in, but I've always had success with regular old halogens from HD or wherever without paying the pet shop prices.

 

[justonemoretank]

Okay, thanks everyone, for all of your opinions.

I have now realized how small these turtles will be when I receive them, and you're right, I wouldn't trust them to sex the turtles correctly at that size. Their size has also caused me to think twice about this large pond -- at least, at first. I'm thinking that a grow-out pond might be in order -- possibly a plastic kiddie pool with a small pond filter. That way, they can get some size on them. It might be very difficult to run high-GPH filtration in a pond with three or four inches of water!

Thanks for the input on lighting. Don't they need UVB as well, and isn't that a special bulb?

I might leave the Florida Chicken Turtle out of my stocking altogether if it will cause an issue.

If anyone couldn't tell, this is my very first experience in owning or planning a habitat for a turtle! Any other advice would be appreciated.

 

[snakeguy101]

yeah, they do need UVB and I think that the small turtles would be fine in the large pond with deeper water. I would just go ahead and set that up instead of spending money on another tank...