' Turtle Proof ' Heaters?

Stigura

Where have they gone? Rubber (?) encased, submersible fish tank heaters. Bash resistant. I saw them, on google, available in england, a few years ago. Can't find them now

Thanks.

Wibbs

I got one a few months back, black plastic casing. Here ya go on the oul ebay thingie. For what it's worth I got the 50w and it wasn't enough to heat my 4 foot tank, not even close. Granted I've an Eheim external canister filter going 24/7 at near full pelt, so your milage may vary. You can get them up to 75watt IIRC. Other issue is that they're preset to temperature 25C so if you prefer to run the tank higher or lower you're outa luck. Here's another type, again preset(26C) but even smaller wattage, so I can't see them doing much in any decent sized setup. Here's yet another type this time adjustable at least. Only 50 watt, but if you widen your search to worldwide then they have the same model in the US up to 150 watt, but then different power requirements are going to be a problem(they don't run 220 Volt).

Another option are those plastic covers that go over standard glass heaters. Cheap and I have found effective.

Stigura

Wibbs, my man! I'd never have dreamed of finding an reply from you here!

Unfortunately, as I've just been sitting here contemplating, it seems I may well be pretty knackered

I'd found the set at 75 ones. And that's their downfall, right there. I need adjustable temperature control.

And, yes, there are these hard rubber looking ones, in US. Seemingly unavailable over here. Maybe because of the voltage thing?

Do ye think they'll ban me, and wipe this thread, if I confess that it's actually for Home Brew

So, ye see? I have to take the heaters out of stainless steel tanks, every week or so. Wash them. Sanitise them. Put them back again. It only takes one, tiny little tap ..... I get through them like socks!

Last night's drunken foray seems to have brought me This. I'd probably need a 50W though. I need to get four gallons to 23C.

I'm also looking at These. Great make. But, a lot of faff to clean up between uses.

And now, just to justify my topic (;)) I'd absolutely Love another Common Snapper. Had one, in a past life. Bought it as a hatchling, in england. Fiver. Here? They ask €300.00. Then give up and dump them in Dublin park ponds!

Wibbs

Stigura wrote: »

Wibbs, my man! I'd never have dreamed of finding an reply from you here!

my very first ever post on Boards.ie was about turtles believe it or not. Yep.

Do ye think they'll ban me, and wipe this thread, if I confess that it's actually for Home Brew

I suspect only if you suggest keeping turtles in the brew as well.

So, ye see? I have to take the heaters out of stainless steel tanks, every week or so. Wash them. Sanitise them. Put them back again. It only takes one, tiny little tap ..... I get through them like socks!

Ahh right. The plastic protectors wouldn't help you then as you'd still need to remove and clean the glass and the protectors.

The American ones with the higher wattage may work. I'd message the seller and see does the packaging give a voltage range. Pretty much all of this stuff is made in China and it usually turns out cheaper in production costs to make them work with global currents. So if it says 110-240Volts on the box you're likely good to go with just a plug adapter. But make sure it does say that.

And now, just to justify my topic (;)) I'd absolutely Love another Common Snapper. Had one, in a past life. Bought it as a hatchling, in england. Fiver. Here? They ask €300.00. Then give up and dump them in Dublin park ponds!

They do seem to be much more expensive than they used to be. I remember a time when that kinda money would get you something like a Mata Mata turtle.

I suspect this if for a few reasons, mostly good ones. Because of laws tightening up, far fewer are wild caught thank god. I remember back in the 80's seeing tanks filled with turtles of mostly one species but a couple of others including some oddballs. Clearly wild caught and many were clearly sick too. These days it seems most are nearly all captive bred and this increases costs. Also aquatic turtles took a nosedive in popularity compared to the past. The whole salmonella scare and the like and the fact that the most common ones sold, the various Sliders quickly became much bigger than expected and no longer "cute". Plus pet shop advice was usually way off as far as their requirements are concerned and costs can quickly mount. They need bigger tanks than many thought with atomic powered levels of filtering and lots of cleaning and… it gets messy. Folks generally prefer other generally less "messy" herps like tortoises these days so it's a supply demand thing I reckon.

Stigura

Don't start me off on the Chinese stuff! Grrr!!!

No; The first ones I mentioned there, he specifically states they're German (I favour German heaters) and Not Chinese. I hope to buy one, next week. Just waiting for the pressures on the banks to equalise.

CB Snappers? £25.00. England. Just looked and found them. It'd only cost me €200.00 to get a taxi down to Dublin. Fish one out of one of those ponds and do everyone a favour.

Seriously though; See why I'm loathe to pay €300 for one here? With only the sellers word that it's CB. Just so happens I could have these £25 jobs verified. It's just this eternal bugger of how to get the bloody thing over here

So, anyway; What's your interest in the hard backs? Was more an amphibian man, myself. Got the snapper because they, alone, fascinate me. Knew then and now exactly what I'd be letting myself in for. Now, I feel my life's missing one. Like an old flame I just can't move on from. Got to have it back.

I expect you remember those bloody green tinted plastic things, eh? Complete with little palm tree, weren't they? Ideal size for a tiny little hatchling red eared. " Turtle Lagoon "?

And, of course, the poor little thing would barely last a week in there. So, dealing with a massive creature and a stench like an open sewer never became an issue :rolleyes: Now, they know better. And still dump them in ponds.

I want my snapper, Wibbs.

REPTILEDAN88

What about this one Stigura ?
http://www.seahorseaquariums.com/Fluval-E-Series-100w-Heater/3175
They come in 50,100,200,300w's and as for turtles the common snappers are about 35/50e for babies and 75/100e for grown on ones. I keep some alligator snappers and a chinese and a spiny softshell. If your after snappers let me know as I can point you in the direction of sellers etc. If thatFluval heat is no use what about the Hydor in line ones
http://www.seahorseaquariums.com/300w-Inline-Canister-Heater/2922
expensive but would eliminate the breaking off anything in the tank with big snappers I know that risk all too well.

Stigura

:eek: :eek: :eek: Sorry. Give me a moment here, Dan. I'm just trying to pull my tongue back out of my throat, as I wait for the palpitations to subside!

Did I Really just read that, about the snappers?!?


Heaters? As I was saying (admitting) to Wibbs there; The heater isn't actually for a turtle. I was just looking for the 'abuse proof' ones that used to exist. Because I use 'fish tank heaters' when making my home brewed beer.

Last night, as I type, I sent for: http://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/dennerle/1041-dennerle-nano-thermo-compact-heater-50w-4001615056983.html Looks about the best I'll get ~ for my purposes. Brilliant on the shipping too! They don't take rise, like so much of Amazon and the bay.


Anyway, sod this. I'm off to PM ye about my new snapper!

Stigura

Stigura wrote: »

http://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/dennerle/1041-dennerle-nano-thermo-compact-heater-50w-4001615056983.html

Just to say; This heater really Is the Dogs! I've been using it for some time now. Frankly? I'd never suggest anyone ever buy another sort.

It's a bit smaller than my phone. Otherwise? It's a bit like it. I mean; I'd be comfortable carrying either in my pocket as I go about my life. Taking it out. Putting it down. Even sitting on it!

Again, yes; I'm using mine in home brewing operations. But, I'm talking here to would be turtle water warmers: Forget Anything in a traditional glass tube!

This solid little slab of ..... what is it? Some sort of resin? Anyway, yeah. No knobs to chew. Overall, practically unbreakable. I honestly can't see what a turtle could do to one of these units, sensibly installed.

Highly Recommended!


And I still want my bloody snapper :rolleyes:

recedite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRrWiW1o19E

Could a snapping turtle survive in an outdoor pond in this country?

Stigura

'Theoretically'? Yes. Some appear to be doing so already. No idea how long for though.

Wondering why you'd ask?

recedite

Any outdoor terrapins I have seen, or heard of, were red-eared or hybrid sliders (pseudemys scripta) species.
I have a pond and the fish are a bit boring. Common snapper seems to survive fairly far north in the US.

Stigura

Common Snappers have been observed mincing about under thick ice! :eek: Them boys don't mess about!

Personally? I'd bring it in for the winter. Why? To make absolutely sure nothing went wrong with it. And because I'd simply like to see it more. I don't expect ye'd get much mileage out of one in an Irish winter pond.

I hear they have the lot, in some ponds in Dublin? I'd help myself to one, if I could get there. Trouble is, people are dropping them off there when They get 'a bit boring'.

Something to consider .....

recedite

I suspect the outdoor terrapins of Ireland are inactive for more than half of their lives. But when you think of it, a lot of deciduous trees are like that too.

Has there been any definite sighting of a feral snapper in Ireland? In this warm weather, they might become bold and take ducks etc, so might cause a bit of a stir, if there were any.

Stigura

Are we to trust the press? See; I've only read press reports of them. Quite simply, I goggled " Snapper Turtle Ireland ", as part of my quest to find one. Do that and, I believe, the report comes up within about the top five inches ~ well; Of my 19" screen anyway.

But, yeah, it's from some paper and does ~ I'm pretty sure ..... Oh, f**k it. Hang about .......... Yeppers. Click This. Irish Times, see? And they differentiate between Sliders and Snappers.

There's also the thing in the Mirror. Gleaned from YouTube, I think. Guy finds a young one randomly mincing around on his driveway?! What the hell's going on there?! I can't get one for love or money. This random dude finds one on his drive? Wonder what he did with it?

Regards one taking a duck? Pike to that, all the time. Do we have Wells Catfish here? Big enough ones of them can. I believe one in the english midlands took a Swan?!

Thing is; A snapper, big enough to take a duck? Blink and ye'd miss it. Snapper would loom up, unseen, beneath the water. Grab said duck in its beak and instantly rip the body to bits with its massive claws, whilst dragging the mess to the bottom. To the observer? Duck would maybe manage a quack, before vanishing.

These kiddies don't mess about.

But, saying that? There's enough saddo's uploading graphic cruelty to you tube. There's no reason for anyone to get a snapper, just in the hopes of watching that sort of thing in their own home.

recedite

The Mirror video looks like a hoax, as in somebody else probably put it on his doorstep for a prank.
This seems to indicate snappers can survive here outdoors alright, and the bigger they are the hardier they probably get. It might depend on where the particular "strain" was sourced. So turtles from Florida might be less hardy, even though they are the same species. This kind of thing happens with non-native plants, eg a eucalyptus tree sourced from Australia is killed by a hard frost in Ireland, but another one of the same species, but from stock originally sourced in Tasmania, survives.

Stigura

Agreed. It's a wonder the Mirror piece didn't say the snapper was also seventeen years old. Had a dozen kids. Was planning a 44 D breast implant, on the welfare. And was shopping for a Mercedes Benz while waiting for the council to build it a bigger house, because it was expecting its thirteenth, from an unknown and random sperm delivery man :rolleyes:

But; Snappers ..... I actually just spotted you're in Wicklow? Lot closer to Phoenix Park than me. You actually interested in getting a snapper? I'd be casting my net to the north .....

For my own part ~ in case I haven't made this totally plain, by now? Hell, yeah!

I had one, years ago. Absolutely fascinated me. Don't know why. All it ever really did was sit there. Eat at one end and defecate epic logs from the other end.

Bought it, for a fiver. Size ye can create with ye thumb and fore finger. Time I'd finished with it? I was throwing dead sheep in there. And needed a trawler net and block 'n tackle to get the logs out!

Alright. That was a slight exaggeration. He kept the filter busy though. And we worked out a routine where by I could feed him. Then virtually return at a set time to all but put the net under his bum and catch the train.

It was his nature that drew me though. Ever seen " Utopia "? That bloody thing was like Neil Maskell. 'I like to eat my breakfast. I'd also kill you. I'd rip your lungs out. I wouldn't mean anything by it. It's just the way I am.'

Ye could see it in his face.

recedite

I did call out to that pond in the Phoenix Park one time, but didn't see anything. The only thing about having a snapper in your pond... you might never see him. Just a murky stirring in the water after throwing in a mackerel or a chicken leg.
Sliders might be better from that point of view, they would be out basking at times.

Stigura

Exactly what I'd expect, from a visit to that park. Bugger all showing. Always going to be the way, isn't it?

Accept ye point, completely, about a snapper becoming a thing of myth and legend, in a pond. Possibly years spent wondering; " Is the bugger still in there?! "

But, you don't know me, and how I tick! I'm not right! Got a patch of land out there. I wouldn't hesitate to get a JCB in, to scrape it out. Then have it skimmed with concrete. Then get one of those bloody great filters the koi boys use.

My snapper would lurk in water so clean ye could drink it. I'd see what he was up to.

Sliders may be more showy. But they just lack that complete charisma. That baleful stare that tells ye; They're thinking, " Lungs. "