turtle info

physco

hi we have just got an abandoned yello belly turtle we are not sure how this guy has to be looked after we have him in a tank with rocks he eats tomatoes and turtle food we need to know do we let him out on the floor and for how long .when doese he hibernate and for how long and do we leave him in the tank.dose he like the water all the time .

Peteemax

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-yellowbelly.htm

Peteemax

Housing
We would advise a glass terrarium of 90x45x45cm (36"x18"x18") at least for youngsters and 120x60x60cm (48"x24"x24") for adults.
Substrate & Decor:
We would use reptile sand or even gravel. Just make sure it is all clean and sterilised before use. With regards to the gravel, make sure it's not too small as the turtles may eat it. Yellow Bellied Sliders need a land area for them to come out and bask on. Turtle docks are the best product for this.
Heating
Night time heating is provided by an underwater heater to keep the water at 26 - 28 C (79 - 82oF). During the day a spot bulb is used to raise the temperature to about 38 C (100oF). These should be at the same end of the terrarium as the water heater. The spot bulb will also provide a day and night cycle. Temperatures should always be checked by a reliable thermometer.
Lighting
Day light is provided by the spot bulb used to raise the day temperate. All Turtles require additional UVB lighting. Yellow Bellied Sliders require UVB light in order to synthesise vitamin D. Without vitamin D (in particular D3) Yellow Bellied Sliders are not able to metabolise calcium properly causing problems with bone growth. This can lead to serious disease problems such as metabolic bone disease, which kills many Yellow Bellied Sliders. The UVB light should be turned on and off with the spot bulbs and placed no further than 30cm (12 inches) from the animals. The UVB tube should be replaced every 6-9 months, as the UVB output is not effective after that time. Ensure you get the right size starter unit for your UV.
Feeding and Water
You need to make sure you have treated the water before you put the turtles in. We advise Repti safe which is a de chlorinator. We feed fresh fish like prawns, shrimp, salmon and trout. Also we offer the dried turtle mix. They also have live food. Crickets are particularly nutritious, locusts, mealworms and wax worms can also be used to supplement their diet and add variety. Your pet deserves the best foods possible so look after your live foods. Keep your crickets and locusts fresh, plump and full of vitamins by feeding them with Bug grub and fresh vegetation. Remember, your Yellow Bellied Sliders also eats whatever is in your live food's stomach. Also, don't allow your live food to dehydrate; you don't want to give your animals dried up half dead insects for dinner! Hydrate them with Bug Gel to keep them alive longer and mouth wateringly juicy. Care for your live food in their own enclosure, such as a Cricket Keeper.
Handling
Typically we do not handle Yellow Bellied Sliders as they are usually dirty and wet. Most of them hate to be handled and would rather be swimming in the water. They swim in the front of the tank because they want food not to be picked up.
Keeping Together
Yellow Bellied Sliders are communal. Just make sure you have a big enough terrarium for more than one.
Maintenance
Yellow Bellied Sliders can be quite mucky animals because of what they eat. As long as you have an adequate filter and pump for the size of your terrarium then all you need to do is clean the filter occasionally.

The link is from: ReptileCentre.com