Tortoise / terrapin owners??

reptileguy16

tallus wrote:

Dandelions, plantain, and honeysuckle mostly. Thinking of rehoming one of them, as the bigger guy is very agrressive when feeding, and I haven't really got the means or the space to setup another tt.
See the attached pic of my setup, still using it but not using that substrate any more, I'm using towels at the moment. Torts dont seem to mind at all and are way easier to keep clean.

try to give a bit of fruit in early spring as it is natural time for fruit to grow in slovenia, romania etc. if you are tryin to rehome one i wud be glad to take him but i will only take him if he has proper paper work.

tallus

reptileguy16 wrote:

try to give a bit of fruit in early spring as it is natural time for fruit to grow in slovenia, romania etc. if you are tryin to rehome one i wud be glad to take him but i will only take him if he has proper paper work.

Surely you're not casting aspersions on my character as a reptile keeper. Or on the good name of Reptile haven, where I bought them.

reptileguy16

no im nt. sorry if you got the wrong idea im just saying do you have the proper paper work as i have seen it 2 many times people trying to sell torts and not having the right paper work and one of them got 2 years in jail over it. i dont mean anything bad by it. i was just saying i could give it a home. as all my reptiles are adopted. sorry if i caused any offence. bring him back in to ben in reptile haven and ask him 2 buy it. he might be able to give you another small tort for it?

cowzerp

hatchedandcrazy wrote:

I said it all in the title...Looking for a baby horsefield in dublin/kildare area?
Thanks
O yeah im new sorry if i posted this wrong.........................

I bought my 2 horsfields in feltrim near swords/ malahide, not sure of shops name! both in good health..:)

tortoise17

reptileguy16 wrote:

try to give a bit of fruit in early spring as it is natural time for fruit to grow in slovenia, romania etc. if you are tryin to rehome one i wud be glad to take him but i will only take him if he has proper paper work.

hi reptile16, how much fruit are you feeding?,
i dont feed any fruit anymore, .....
they can cause digestive problems....,
wat tortoises u keep?;)

reptileguy16

dear tortoise 17 it can cause digestive problems if feed in to much portions....... i only feed fruit in spring as they have been recorded eating fruit in spring in slovinia romania etc. i only have the hermanns tortoise, but i plan to have a few more by next year. i also have a number of other reptiles which are all adopted. if you need any other info / tips feel free to ask.

Demonique

dceire wrote:

Where is this reptile haven place? i'm thinking of buying a tortoise or terrapin how much do they cost etc?

Reptile Haven is in Fishamble Street near Christchurch in Dublin. Also, a tortoise would be a better choice than a terrapin. Water turtles are smelly and sliders can be aggressive

Demonique

No, 30 years is about average for a slider. Tortoises can live for more than 100 years


And to be fair, garden centres are about the worst places to buy reptiles as they are primarily garden centres rather than pet shops. I went into a garden centre in Donegal and they had a leopard gecko which I asked to see (it was obviously about to shed). They said it was sick, it had gone pale (duh! They do that before they shed!). I said I'd take a look at it anyway because I keep reptiles. They took it out, gave it to me and were amazed when I peeled off the shed to reveal the brightness underneath. Idiots, learn something about the animals before you start selling them!


Also, I was in Reptile Haven last year and a boy and his mother came in with a little royal python that his uncle had bought for him in a garden centre two weeks previously. It was virtually lifeless, tongue wasn't flicking and it weakly moved its head every now and again. The boy told Ben the garden centre had said the royal was six months old. Ben said the royal was severely underweight, it possibly could never have eaten in its life, its underside was concave whereas it should have been round and sticking out there was a lump about 1/3 down its underside which was its heart and lungs sticking out. He said the snake was going to die and the boy burst into tears.
Ben showed the boy and his mother some of the six month old royals he had in the shop to compare their sizes and they were at least four times the size of the boy's little royal. Ben said he'd take the snake and dispose of it for them.

LovelyTom

Hi, just wondering does anyone know from where/who i can buy loggerhead musk turtles?
thanks
Tom

tallus

I'd go into Reptile Haven or Boardwalk Pets in Dub city centre Tom, if anyone can get them those guys can.

LovelyTom

will do, thanks

Demonique

Boardwalk Pets doesn't do chelonians, Thomas has said in the past that he considers them unsuitable for pets, he doesn't do iguanas either

tallus

Demonique wrote:

Boardwalk Pets doesn't do chelonians, Thomas has said in the past that he considers them unsuitable for pets, he doesn't do iguanas either

I'm sure he will give expert advice none the less, he did keep Spur Thighed tortoises himself.

Dempsed1

Hi,

I've just joined tonight after finding this thread on google. I have 2 Red Eared Terrapins, they are approx 16 years old but unfortunatly i now need to re-home them. I have a small baby and don't have the time to look after them they are quite big. I've tried alot of places but there are too many red ears looking for homes and they don't seem to recommend them to be kept in tanks anymore. Mine are in a 5ft tank at the min but i was going to see about putting them outdoors next summer but i think to be fair to them i'd rather let someone have them who can look after them properly. Anyone interested????

ash2020

hi guys,
I picked up some terrapin yesterday as I heard there was a guy getting out of keeping terrapin as a hobbiy and basicly decided enough was enough So I took all 5 home ande tought I would give it a try and see if i could keep them triving.

I had tought about getting 1/2 in the past from the local pet shop I know that they require cleaning at least twice a week and there particuar foods they like.

Anyways to get straight into the point the When i went to collect these little pets The previous owner had them ready and waiting so I never got a chance to see what way he had his set up, I have taken a photo and maybe you could tell me if I have it right.

Not sure what particular breed of Terrapin they are so maybe someone here can help and start me off in the right direction.

For a start the 2 larger ones are approx 2 half years each and to me they are in a tank way to small for its purpose - So please I am all open for suggestions to what sizes, plants if any.. and what heater settings at the moment the prev owner said set it to 22.
*ALso in the photo i have posted up there is no filter in the tank but i have since placed one in it since taken the photo.

The both tanks have what i can only describe as been A floating board where im sure they are ment to be fixed to the side of the tank as one was attached with those plungers that stick to glass, however the 2nd floater has no plundges to stick to the glass prehaps the previous owner never received it or did away with it "lord knows"

I read on some other sites that they do all there eating & chewing in water which is grand but i presume they come out of water for a few hours to dry off and perch them selfs under the light as part of there routine to store good health. I am worried that they are spending too much time in the water and not enough time on the boards, keeping in mind that the boards are able to move around the tank. so Should i buy more floating pads and fixed them to the glass better or should they be able to move an inch or so around the tank?


Thanks everyone.

cowzerp

fill the tank up most of the way and set up there basking thing! then they have more area and can swim properly...

ash2020

i will do that now thanks! Hard to beleave the previous owner said fill it up to where my thumb was when i was holding it!?

Rancid

First off... check this site for all of the info you need:
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/aquatic.html

Then read this page, it'll help you put together a better set-up for your turtles than the average tank.
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/smpond.html

They *look* like Yellow Bellied sliders, but a better pic would be good.
Yes, they eat under water, they don't have saliva so need the water to swallow their food.

I think 26/27 C is a better temperature for them, when it's lower they become sluggish and tend to eat and bask less.
Have you got a uV light for them? They need that on their basking area along with a heat light to encourage them to spend time out of the water.

The floating docks are good if they're suckered onto the side of the tank under the heat and uV lamps, but if they're floating around it'll be hard for your turtles to climb on and they'll only randomly get the benefit of the lights.
I think for 5 turtles you may need more basking space.

Anyway, check out those links and let us know how you get on.

ash2020 wrote: »

hi guys,
I picked up some terrapin yesterday as I heard there was a guy getting out of keeping terrapin as a hobbiy and basicly decided enough was enough So I took all 5 home ande tought I would give it a try and see if i could keep them triving.

I had tought about getting 1/2 in the past from the local pet shop I know that they require cleaning at least twice a week and there particuar foods they like.

Anyways to get straight into the point the When i went to collect these little pets The previous owner had them ready and waiting so I never got a chance to see what way he had his set up, I have taken a photo and maybe you could tell me if I have it right.

Not sure what particular breed of Terrapin they are so maybe someone here can help and start me off in the right direction.

For a start the 2 larger ones are approx 2 half years each and to me they are in a tank way to small for its purpose - So please I am all open for suggestions to what sizes, plants if any.. and what heater settings at the moment the prev owner said set it to 22.
*ALso in the photo i have posted up there is no filter in the tank but i have since placed one in it since taken the photo.

The both tanks have what i can only describe as been A floating board where im sure they are ment to be fixed to the side of the tank as one was attached with those plungers that stick to glass, however the 2nd floater has no plundges to stick to the glass prehaps the previous owner never received it or did away with it "lord knows"

I read on some other sites that they do all there eating & chewing in water which is grand but i presume they come out of water for a few hours to dry off and perch them selfs under the light as part of there routine to store good health. I am worried that they are spending too much time in the water and not enough time on the boards, keeping in mind that the boards are able to move around the tank. so Should i buy more floating pads and fixed them to the glass better or should they be able to move an inch or so around the tank?


Thanks everyone.

ash2020

thanks for your help.
here is a close up photo of the large two ones I am guessing they are yellow belley sliders, please tell me are these a common type? shall I need to get my savings out and be prepaired for any special equipment lol..

Im told these are a breeding pair. Im not sure which is which Is there a particular colour for a female & male. Its not important at the moment, I would like to build them a suitable living enviroment asap..

I might ditch the tank and make space in my 14ft shed that i bought and keep them there. But for now.. regarding lights, As you can see in the photo they bulb in each seems to be just an ordinary standard bulb and in the 2nd tank a fluorescent type bulb. I will read the sites and gather more info regarding the propper uV bulbs that i will require.

the photos ¬ are those of the two large ones.

ash2020

And here is a pic of the smaller 1year ones..
age is approx

Rancid

Well, they're certainly not low maintenance "pets" either in the financial or the labour senses!

A really good filter is essential and with FIVE turtles you'll need to pay particular attention to keeping it clean.
If you're feeding them in the tank, scoop out any uneaten food every day, that'll ease the burden on the filter.
Buy your uV lamps online, usually a fair bit cheaper, somewhere like this UK shop:
http://www.livefoods.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=31&products_id=987
For heat a 60 or 80w Flood light is good, you can pick that up in most diy shops here.

If you had a bigger tank/pond, I'd suggest using stones to create a basking area, or find a way to create an above-water platform so that they have max swimming space.
And yes, depth is important, they need space to swim to exercise properly.

I see you've got a tub of Reptomin sticks, they should love that. Give them veggies too, weeds from your garden are the best for them (provided they're not contaminated with pesticides or fertilisers). Of the lettuces, Romaine is the best, most of the other varieties are just water.
It's usually recommended to feed them every second day, but weeds or lettuce they can have every day.
As they grow older, they become almost totally vegetarian.

You should be able to recognise the male by his longer tail and longer finger nails.
I'd *seriously* think twice before considering breeding them, there are literally hundreds of sliders and other turtles being rehomed (as you already know!) because they "grew too big".
They DO grow... an adult female can get to 10 inches.:eek:

Good luck!

amyloneill

i have a horsefield at the moment and im picking up a another one plus a hermanns the weekend . great pets !

macgib

We have two yellow-bellied turtles, ages around 1 year old. We don't know their genders. Does anyone know how to go about adopting them out? We're looking for turtle rescues in Dublin, and can't seem to find anything.

tallus

Lovely photos amyloneill, that tort looks to be in great condition.

dbrock

at the moment ive got 2 marginated and and indian star, and a sulcatta