Turtlekeeping Tips housing Terrapins Correct Husbandry?
Hey Ed WeBBers,
Today's file is the first of many from time to time on the proper care and attention to freshwater turtles!
* IMPORTANT* , THIS SUBJECT IS ON LIVES THAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND YOU MUST TREAT THEM AS YOU EXPECT TO BE TREATED INVEST WHATEVER COSTS IT TAKES TO HOUSE AND MAINTAIN TURTLES CORRECTLY OR DON`T BOTHER TO EVEN THINK OF ACQUIRING ANY TURTLE, BECAUSE AGAIN THEY DESERVE THE ATTENTION YOU EXPECT FOR YOURSELF!
Now, the first call of duty would be to house our armored friend, and the way to go about this and most importantly is to obtain the correct size of tank you want your fresh water turtle (Terrapin) to live in !
You don`t want the turtle looking like he/she lives in a prison you want a happy turtle swimming around in a playground
(At this junction don`t go out and buy slides, swings, and roundabouts trust me you don`t see turtles at the Olympics ) .
No what you do is, you simply measure the length of your turtles shell also know as the Carapace from one tip to the other in a straight line with a ruler across the top as level as you can then looking over the top you can get a good enough shell (carapace) length estimate for your calculations…
..then times the measurement by five for the length of the tank and three times the length of the shell (Carapace) for the width of the tank ensuring plenty of swimming space as these turtles are very vigorous swimmers!
TIP! Always hold a turtle carefully but firmly with one hand grasping the shell at the rear between the rear legs as they are extremely strong and will struggle and push very hard to free themselves and could easily force their way out of any other grip hold you think you've got on it..
..and trust me you won`t have, crashing to the floor resulting in a probable bad injury to the turtle and secondly giving you a hefty vets bill you would not appreciate!
Also they deliver a nasty bite with their hard beak and scratches with claws up to an inch long but they cannot deliver any injuries at all from the rear, but do handle with respect as well!
Now i must stress that most breeds of freshwater turtles (Terrapins) can grow to a maximum size of a dinner plate although some do not so you have to go by this rule because i can assure you that unlike fish they do not grow to the size of the tank THEY JUST GROW!
So again like i have already stated you are always having to consider your situation, i.e… room in your house to situate a large tank, also the financial implications of all equipment to make sure the turtle lives in a very good situation itself!
If you cannot adhere to these necessary rules- *DO NOT ACQUIRE THIS KIND OF PET
Now the way to purchase this kind of large tank say 4-5 ft x 2-3ft x 2ft high minimum size which will house two fully grown turtles approximately with 9-10 inch shells, is to either buy second hand through advertising media such as local newspapers,
Or buy new and made to measure which would cost approximately £ 150+ at a reputable aquarium stockist if possible near your home!
Now i bought one of my tanks second hand via ye old local tabloid advert from a guy a few miles away! It is 4ft x 2ft x 2.5ft high 10 mm plate glass standard for £90 and me and a friend picked it up that's why i said use a local paper for ease and safe delivery of your tank and make sure you get the measures right for your vehicle .
Once at home all i did was take away all the old silicone sealant around the bottom of the tank using a Stanley knife blade to make sure all the old sealant was out for better adhesion of newly applied silicone!
Also i resealed up the sides for about fifteen inches which is about 3 inches above the water line, then using around three large tubes of translucent (clear) silicone with a silicone gun i relined it making sure there would be no leaks just like a new tank but at a lot cheaper cost.
>> Click Here << …to see how to reseal your tank like new step-by-step ,this the same website i used very successfully!
Tanks will be made of 10mm plate glass *NO LESS* as the tank will hold around seventy five gallons of water which will be say twelve inches deep which places a lot of pressure to the tank walls, which is why it needs to be constructed with such strong glass make sure of all these details when having made new or buying second hand.
Also make sure around the top there are in place glass strengtheners with one central wide glass cross member attached to the front and rear strengtheners running the width of the tank to help support and fortify the tank ,as i have said there's a lot of pressure and weight to water you want it in the tank not exploding your lungs trying to get the dingy inflated before the water hits your slippers!
Well that's it for this file, I will post again in the near future with more turtle tips : the next one will be on the stand and canopy for the tanks support with more general info!
Harry you know the score…cigs ain't cool…besides I gave up straight after I smoked the rest of yours….
Now peeps go make a cup of tea and ponder on this,
"If Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, who the hell did he ring?
What my like…
Stay tuned for my next file where i will be discussing one of my favorite Internet marketers John Thornhill and why he is so successful with his approach and system of Internet marketing and why I'm proud to be a part of it!
Till then TTFN….Ed.
To Be Continued….
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MY Ed WeBBers ARE PRICELESS!
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