RedEarSlider

1
Red-Ear-Slider

• By RES World

2
General Information

• "What is the difference between a turtle, a
  tortoise and a terrapin?"
• A turtle is any reptile that lives in a shell. A
  tortoise is a turtle that lives on the land but
  can enter the water for a drink, to cool off or
  to escape and evade predators. A terrapin is a
  turtle that lives primarily in water, generally
  leaving only to lay eggs or to bask in the sun.
• "Do turtles bite?"
• Yes. One key thing to keep in mind If it has a
  mouth, it can bite! If you would like to feed
  your by hand, I would recommend doing so with
  tongs, as some turtles may not have as good of
  aim as you hope they do.
• "Are turtles mean?"
• Turtles, for the most part, are not aggressive to
  people. Most turtles are like people or any other
  pet you have. They have their own personalities
  and temperaments. Some of ours are aggressive if
  you pull them out of the water, yet docile in the
  water and do not attempt to bite. Some of the
  others are quite different. They will try to run
  if you remove them from the tank, yet if you
  place your hand inside the water...well, look
  out. They think your fingers are chicken tenders!
  Turtles have a tendency to bite each other
  accidentally, especially when trying to grab a
  hold of the same piece of food. Even the
  supposedly "ferocious" Alligator Snapping Turtle.
  The Alligator in the name came from its
  appearance, not its temperament.
• A little anatomy here
• Ok. The top of the shell is called the carapace
  whereas the bottom portion is called the
  plastron. The part of the shell that connects
  these two is called the bridge. Pretty simple,
  eh? Ok. Now, the carapace does not have scales as
  we know scales to be. They have large sections
  that are called scutes. Scutes are made of
  kertain, much like our fingernails. The cloaca is
  an opening in the body located under the tail.
  Through this opening, the turtle performs fecal,
  urinary and reproductive functions. Turtles CAN
  feel things that come in contact with their
  shells because they have nerve endings there, but
  they can not feel pain as they do not have those
  types of nerve endings. Why is this? I haven't
  the slightest of clues but have seen it in most
  research material so I'm guessing it's true.
  Kinda hard to ask the turtle if something hurts.
•   Continuing on with the anatomy portion of
  this little block of info, we go to the lungs. If
  you have ever heard a turtle hiss and wonder if
  it means that they are mad...rest assured, they
  aren't mad. They are frightened. When we breathe,
  our chest expands and then contracts, pulling in
  air and then releasing it. Well, a turtle's chest
  can't do this because of the hard plastron.
  Instead, their lungs inflate and take up room
  inside their shell. So when they are frightened,
  and they need to pull their head and legs into
  their shell, they won't quite fit in because of
  full inflated lungs.

3
More Information

• What they do is expel the air within
  their lungs out as fast as they can so that they
  will have room for their appendages to fit into
  the security of their hard shells. With this rush
  of air leaving their bodies, it makes a hissing
  noise and leads one to believe the turtle is
  ticked off and warning them to stay away.
• And, just a note for the record, no turtle (land
  or otherwise) can leave their shell and still be
  alive. If you see a turtle shell and there is no
  turtle to be found, the poor creature is dead.
  They are attached to their shell as it is
  actually a part of their rib cage. The shell
  grows at the same rate the rest of the turtle, so
  there is hardly a need of concern of the turtle
  getting too fat for its shell. When the shell
  begins to look as if it is coming apart, it is
  merely growing discarding portions of the old
  with incoming segments of new. If the scutes come
  off in large layers or there are red and / or raw
  areas in shed areas, then there is a problem. Go
  see a vet.
• As the turtle grows, you will see a separation of
  the scutes and a lighter colored area between
  them on the plastron. Again, this is normal. This
  area will also be softer than the surrounding
  scutes.
•  
• "Is my Turtle a Boy or a Girl?"
• This is difficult to tell is most turtles, until
  they are older. The males of all turtles will
  have a longer, thicker tail, with the cloaca
  located closer to the tip of the tail, whereas
  females with have a smaller, thinner tail with
  the vent closer to the main part of the body. In
  some of the more commonly kept turtles (Sliders,
  some Maps, Painteds, Cooters), males will also
  have exceptionally long foreclaws the females
  having smaller ones. Males in some species will
  also display a concave or dented-in plastron.
  This is to allow the male to better mount the
  female when mating. Adult females which have laid
  a clutch of eggs will have a semi-pliable anal
  section of the plastron.
• The females, however, in most species of turtles,
  will be larger...sometimes 4 x larger...than the
  males. And just be on the look-out - if you have
  a male, he might just prove it to you one day.
  This is called Fanning. This is completely
  normal, however, sometimes this fanning can lead
  to health issues - especially if tankmates
  believe it to be something edible and bite it.
•  
• "How do you measure a Turtle?"
• The measurement of a turtle is done as a straight
  line from the front of the carapace to the back.
  This is called Straight Carapace Length (SCL).
  This is accomplished by using an imaginary line
  that goes through or above the turtle. You do not
  want to go along the ridge of the carapace,
  because in some species this is highly domed and
  wil give you an inaccurate measurement. Picture
  it as though you were placing bookends and the
  front and back of the turtle, and then measuring
  the distance between bookends.

4
.

• "Does my turtle have Salmonella?"
• Could be. But before you go off the deep end and
  think your turtle is going to kill you or infect
  you with this bacteria, let's look at a few
  things. ALL animals can carry salmonella. Yes.
  ALL of them. This includes dogs, cats, people,
  lizards and snakes. Even your cute little puppy
  Rover might have it. It's not going to jump out
  of the turtle and get you. The reason why turtles
  have received a bad reputation in reference to
  salmonella poisoning, is because of ignorance
  combined with a lack of personal hygiene. Keepers
  back in the 60's and 70's (when this was a
  problem thus creating the 4-inch law), were not
  keeping their turtles in very sanitary conditions
  and they were not keeping themselves safe by
  washing their hands.
• Turtles were commonly kept in Turtle Bowls which
  have come to be dubbed "Death Bowls" by
  hobbyists. The water was not filtered and was
  usually changed once a week or when the keeper
  got tired of smelling the foul water. The turtles
  were left to live in, swim in and eat in the same
  water that they used the bathroom in. Then people
  would go about their day and not wash their hands
  - no wonder people were getting sick. That's the
  equivalent to having a dog and keeping it in a
  single room inside your house all the time and
  making it eat off the floor where it uses the
  bathroom...and then you clean it once a week.
  That's just begging for all kinds of health
  issues. The turtle's water is no different. Even
  with the water being filtrated and caring for
  your turtles properly, it is always a good idea
  to wash your hands after interacting with them or
  their habitat. You wash your hands after brushing
  your dog or horse, so why not wash them after
  testing your turtle's water or after putting your
  hands in the aquarium to adjust something?
• I would also encourage washing your hands with a
  strong, anti-bacterial soap before touching them
  as well. You don't want them to give you anything
  that they might have and you don't want to give
  them anything you might have. Play it safe and
  play it smart. Children should not be allowed to
  touch the turtles and if they are permitted,
  please only do so under strict adult supervision
  and wash the child's hands IMMEDIATELY after
  touching them. Kids are quick to put hands in
  their mouths and that is an excellent way for the
  transfer of bacteria to happen. Their immune
  systems are still relatively weak and they can
  pick up germs easily - not just salmonella.
  Elderly people and those with compromised immune
  systems (such as AIDS and other afflictions of
  the immune system) are also encouraged not to
  interact with reptiles.
•  
• "Why 4 inches and is it illegal for me to own my
  baby turtle?"
• There are a few reasons for the law stating that
  the turtle needs to be 4 inches or larger for
  sale as a pet. Some of the reasons are
  far-fetched, but they were believed at te time.
  All of which were based on salmonella poisoning.
  Children of those days were allowed to play with
  the little hatchling turtles. Kids are kids and
  they do what kids do - they put whatever they are
  playing with in their mouths. Not the best idea,
  but again, kids are kids. So these little turtles
  fit nicely in the mouths of young kids and thus
  assisted in the spreading of germs and bacteria.
  It seems the parents would rather blame the
  turtle for their child being sick, when in fact,
  they should have been paying closer attention to
  their kids and their turtles. Another reason is
  that before we understood that salmonella was an
  important part of their gut bacteria, it was
  believed that if turtles lived to be 4 inches,
  then they had survived salmonella and were thus
  salmonella-free. We now know this to be false.
• It is not illegal to OWN a turtle under 4" in
  length it is illegal to SELL a turtle less than
  4" as a PET. Key word..."pet". This is why it is
  legal to purchase them from breeders and dealers
  on the internet who support the "hobby" as
  opposed to pet stores which sell the turtles as
  "pets". There is a great debate in the courts and
  hobby of turtle keeping, and one that will
  probably continue for years down the road.

5
Basic Turtle Care

•   Over the years, the captive care of Turtles has
  undergone many changes. As more people enter the
  hobby, more research is being demanded on the
  care and keeping of our shelled companions. The
  hopes are that one day the understanding of their
  needs and husbandry of turtles in captivity will
  be as commonplace as those of dogs and cats of
  today. Information is changing, but with
  resources such as the internet and web forums
  which allow experienced keepers to communicate
  and share information in an entirely new
  dimension. Good things are happening. With that
  said, please continue forward and learn the
  latest on captive care of Aquatic and
  Semi-Aquatic Turtles!
• The Basics
• Caring for you turtle is relatively easy once the
  basics have been established. Dispel the thoughts
  of getting a turtle and putting it in a bowl of
  water with a rock. Those little "Turtle Ponds"
  that you can still find in some pet stores, are
  completely inadequate and have even been dubbed
  by experienced keepers as "Death Bowls". Turtles
  require more than a small, simple container to
  ensure proper health and longevity. Heating,
  lighting, temperature control, filtration - all
  of these play an important role in the health and
  happiness of your turtle. Even a large aquarium,
  filled to the top with water in not meeting their
  needs, as they need an area to get out of the
  water and be able to get completely dry.
•        Also toss out the ideas that turtles can
  survive on hot dogs, cat food and shrimp treats.
  Their diets are a highly evolved science, of
  which we are only beginning to unlock and
  understand. Various species have specific feeding
  needs, so the exact dietary requirement of your
  turtle will need to be researched (Care Sheets
  are a great assistance in determining what is
  needed). There are numerous prepared foods on the
  market, but not all are quality. You don't need
  to be a nutritionist to understand what is
  required, but you do need to understand what to
  look for. Sounds sophisticated, but it's all
  simple once you understand the reasons why and
  why not to put things on the menu.
•         The lamp on the desk or the overhead
  light in the room is not going to meet the
  requirements of your turtle. They need special
  lighting which will allow them to perform bodily
  functions that regular lighting does not do. Room
  temperature ok? Guess again. Turtles are
  ectothermic, what used to be called "cold
  blooded". This means that they do not generate
  their own body heat. They rely on the sun to get
  warm and the water to cool down. You will need to
  ensure that their air temps, basking temps and
  water temps are within the acceptable guidelines.
  This will not only ensure their health, but will
  give them a more natural feeling about their
  habitat and allow them to act naturally.
•          Turtles are not like dogs and cats -
  they do NOT enjoy going for walks and being
  handled. It is key to remember this as some
  keepers allow their turtles to walk around on
  their floors, they take them outside for walks or
  they hold them and carry them around and some
  even take them to the pet stores as they would
  their dog. This is not something your turtle will
  enjoy, nor is it good for them. This causes
  unnecessary stress and could will eventually lead
  to health problems. Leave them in their habitat
  and watch them swim, eat, bask and move about in
  their home which you have provided. They will be
  much happier and so will you.

6
Food

•    The food factor. Turtles are usually
  opportunistic feeders. In other words, they grab
  it when they can because they really aren't sure
  when they might get the chance to eat again. Do
  not be fooled---turtles will learn to recognize
  you and any food containers you have. They will
  quickly have you trained! Overfeeding is one of
  the most common mistakes in captive care. Keep in
  mind that they are not always hungry...but they
  are always looking for a meal because it's how
  they survive in the wild. They don't know that
  you are going to feed them routinely, so keep a
  regular schedule and try not to veer from it.
• As far as a diet goes, you want something high in
  calcium. Stay away from fatty foods and those
  with a high carbohydrate and protein content
  unless the turtle is a strict carnivore. Don't
  over-feed or under-feed anything even if it is
  good for their diet. Not enough is dangerous and
  too much isn't much better.
• 
  Feeding
• This is a topic of high debate amongst
  collectors. It ranges from anywhere between 1
  food stick per day, every other day all the way
  to feeding them as much as they will eat in a 30
  minute time period every day. I will only comment
  on what has worked for us and has worked
  extremely well. We feed our hatchlings as much as
  they will eat in a 15-20 minute time period,
  every day. After roughly 1 year, we feed them as
  much as they will eat in the same amount of time
  but every other day. Adults and sub-adults, we
  feed twice weekly, as much as they will eat in a
  15-20 minute time period. 
• It is recommended that you feed in a separate
  container. This not only greatly helps with
  maintaining water quality, but it also allows you
  to be gage how much your turtle is eating and, in
  some cases, if they are eating at all. It can
  also allow you to see if your turtle is passing
  waste properly, as most times they will use the
  bathroom in this feeding container. This also
  makes for easy clean up. A feeding container
  should be large enough for the turtle to
  comfortably move around in and the water depth
  only needs to be deep enough to cover the top of
  the shell.

7
Housing

• This is where the initial set-up of your turtle
  gets expensive. Filtration, lighting and
  temperature are a huge part of this, but also
  something that most people don't plan ahead for
  and that is the adult size of their turtle.
  Contrary to the myth, turtles do NOT grow to meet
  the size of their enclosures, so keeping your
  hatchling in a 10 gallon aquarium will not keep
  him small. It will only serve to make him/her
  very uncomfortable and eventually very sick.
•         Some believe it is easier to upgrade
  their aquariums as the need permits. This not
  only gets costly over time, but you tend to stock
  up on unused aquariums. Most people with 1 or 2
  small turtles start out with a 20 gallon
  aquarium, then upgrade later to a 55 gallon, then
  alter still to a 75 gallon and so on. This might
  be financially easier as there are a lot of
  things to buy at once and a large habitat might
  not be in the confines of the checkbook. It won't
  be until later, looking back, that you see the
  excess money that was spent. Not only upgrading
  the tank, but also upgrading the lighting and
  filters because the small lights and filters that
  work on a 20 gallon, won't even begin to meet the
  needs of a larger tank like a 55, 75 or even 125
  gallon aquarium. If at all financially possible,
  think adult size and buy for that. And don't let
  the size of the turtle fool you. Aquatic
  hatchlings can do just fine in a 200 gallon
  aquarium filled almost to the top. The only
  concern with "buying adult size for hatchlings",
  is the filter. The intake might be too powerful
  and suck the baby up to it and drown him/her. The
  opposite applies for the return flow of the
  filter - it might make it so rough that your
  turtle can not function properly in the water due
  to the force of the outlet end of the large,
  powerful filter. I would still recommend using
  these items, however, read through the Hatchling
  Care section of this site for information on how
  to better baby-proof your set up.
•         There are several aspects of housing
  which are important in keeping your turtles. They
  are listed below, and you can click the link to
  be taken to the area of interest.

8
Their Home

•      One of the key things to remember here in
  making your friends' new home, is to try your
  best to replicate what they would have in the
  wild. Granted, there are some things that you
  won't be able to reproduce, but you can modify
  things to meet your needs as far as getting it as
  close as possible. Other times, you may just have
  to be creative if an exact duplicate is not
  feasible.
•         You are going to need plenty of water for
  them. They spend most of their time in the water.
  The only time they are out of the water is to
  bask. Some like to lie in shallow water and bask
  that way, so plan accordingly and be watchful of
  what they tend to prefer. You will have to
  provide them a dry basking spot, but they might
  appreciate an area that is partially covered with
  an inch or two of water. 
•         There are 2 commonly used items for
  creating their habitat. The first and most
  popular are glass or acrylic aquariums, such as
  are used for fish. These are an attractive
  addition to the home and the turtle can be viewed
  from all areas. RubberMaid containers are also
  very popular as they are sizable, easy to clean,
  unbreakable and VERY inexpensive, especially when
  pitting them against their costly glass
  counterparts.

9
Substrate

• Substrate is whatever you use to line the bottom
  of the aquarium (ie  gravel, rocks, sand,
  nothing, etc). What is best? Well, there are
  several angles on this. Yet again there is a wide
  variety, ranging from nothing all the way to
  large river rocks and even further to complex and
  sometimes expensive tiles, as well as everything
  and every size in between.
• Nothing - This is by far the easiest to go with.
  It allows for easy cleaning and there is no
  chance of the turtle eating the substrate and
  developing health issues. The bad parts of this
  are that it shows how dirty the tank is that
  turtles are messy and with a bare bottom, it is
  easily seen. There is also nowhere to develop
  beneficial bacteria other than inside the filter.
  Some keepers such as myself do not like this way
  of doing things simply because it loses that
  natural appearance. If keeping softshells, this
  is definitely not the way to go as it can cause
  stress to the turtle since it has nothing to
  burrow in. Some keepers that go with this method
  litter the bottom of the tank with plastic
  plants. This is a great "fix" for the bare bottom
  appearance, but this unfortunately will not work
  with larger turtles as they will simply move the
  artificial plants around.
• Sand - A highly sought substrate. It is tricky to
  clean with a siphon but is very attractive,
  causes no health risk and very easy on the shells
  of turtles when they dive in and happen to strike
  the substrate. The problem is that sand is light
  and gets easily kicked up and get sucked into the
  filter. Sand and filter motors do not mix well. A
  sandy bottom can make short work of a filter in
  only a few days. Some keepers that have had
  success with using sand place a sponge pre-filter
  before the main intake. The problem with this is
  that you must clean it often and it prevents the
  filter from cleaning out the larger items. Sand
  is so-so for having a planted tank, with both
  artificial and live plants, as they are easily
  dug up. If you can swing it, this is the ideal
  substrate for all turtles, especially softshells.
• Fine Gravel - This is gravel that is smaller than
  a BB. This is a great sub for all turtles,
  including softshells. This type of gravel does
  well with live plants, too, and it poses no
  health risk. This gravel is a bit easier to clean
  than sand, but still has potential problems when
  using a siphon, as it can easily suck up this
  small, light-weight gravel.
• Standard Gravel - This is the gravel that you see
  in fish tanks and is most common in pet stores.
  Gravel of this kind is very attractive, every
  natural looking and is easily cleaning using a
  siphon. It is somewhat difficult for small
  softshells to burrow in, but larger softys don't
  appear to have an issue. Gravel of this size,
  however, has the potential for health problems.
  Gut impaction and especially prolapses are
  possibly. Although these situations are indeed
  rare, the potential is there and some keepers
  choose some of the other substrate options to
  play things on the safe side, as turtles do have
  the tendency to eat gravel.
• River Rock - These are smooth stones that range
  in from golf ball size to tennis ball size. They
  are natural looking and have no potential health
  risks. This type of bottom, however, is extremely
  difficult the do a good cleaning on with a
  siphon. These types of rocks can easily - and
  cheaply - be found at places like Home Depot and
  Lowe's. Another downside of using the large rocks
  is plastron injury. When the turtles dive into
  the water, they sometimes strike the bottom with
  their plastrons and this CAN cause trauma to the
  shell, possibly opening the turtle up for medical
  problems.
• Tile - Yet some keepers still continue to be
  creative! Attractive and sometimes natural
  looking ceramic or plastic tiles can be used. No
  health risk and is aesthetically pleasing. It
  appears to be easy to clean, although oftentimes
  some of the waste gathers beneath the tiles.

10
Basking Area

• Contrary to some beliefs, turtles do need a place
  to get out of the water and get completely dry,
  including Soft Shell Turtles. Without this
  opportunity, they may develop a fungus and that
  could prove fatal. It also has psychological
  benefits as well. As turtles are ectothermic,
  they use the basking to warm themselves and, in
  doing so, raise their metabolisms to a proficient
  level. Two of these bodily functions that run at
  optimum while basking are the processing of
  nutrients and the immune system. Basking is also
  a way to register your turtle's health. A turtle
  that basks frequently with its head up high and
  most times has the legs kicked out is the 1 sign
  of good health. Basking has several health
  benefits and besides, they seem to love it!
•         So what do you do for it? Well, use your
  imagination. Trial and error works good too.
  Experiment and go with what you think looks good
  and makes the turtles feel at home. You can go
  with something simple. Or you can go with
  something elaborate. Totally up to you.
• Most pet stores sell floating islands or plastic
  stands with platforms that you place in the
  aquarium with suction cups. This works great for
  smaller turtles. But once they get larger, this
  is not only too small, but does not allow you to
  put the depth of the water that is needed.

11
Heating

• Here's a double concern. Turtles are
  going to need a heat lamp for basking and they
  are also going to need a heater for their water.
  Cold turtles    big trouble. There are a number
  of avenues to go with here. A floating
  thermometer is recommended or one that you can
  stick on the glass. This allows you to be certain
  of the temperature at glance.
• For heating the water, a submersible heating
  element is preferred, but anything you use to
  safely heat the water is acceptable. Do not make
  the water temperature too hot as turtles need the
  cooler water to regulate their body temperature
  from basking. Water that is too warm will also
  discourage the turtle from getting out to bask
  and can also lead to excessive shedding. A
  submersible heater with a temperature setting is
  preferred. Once the the turtles get hot enough
  from basking, they cool off by taking a dip in
  the water. A good water temperature is anywhere
  between 72 and 80 degrees, depending on the
  species of turtle you have. It is always a good
  idea to check the regions from which your turtles
  live and try to duplicate the temperatures there
  as best as you can.
• Currently, in a poll with a few experienced
  turtle keepers, the 2 top water heaters were
  Tronic and Ebo-Jager. We used Tronic for years,
  and have changed over to Ebo-Jagers. Both are
  quality heaters. A safety item to watch for is
  that sometimes the turtles will rest on or under
  the heaters and get burned. Heater guards are a
  great idea and no heater should be without it.
  The guards are sold for Tronic Heaters, but they
  also work for Ebo-Jager Heaters.

12
Lighting

• Lighting is not only important to turtles for a
  daytime photoperiod. They need certain aspects of
  the sun for certain bodily functions to take
  place. This is chiefly the synthesizing of
  calcium into Vitamin D3. As humans, our bodies
  automatically process the calcium we take in from
  food items and convert it to Vita D3, thus
  supplying needed nutrition to our bones. Turtles
  do not possess this ability. They require UVB
  rays to interact with elements in their skin to
  allow them to conduct this process. Without it,
  the turtle's bones do not grow properly and they
  become weak and disfigured. This is commonly
  known as MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease) and is most
  times fatal if not caught early. Usually when
  signs of MBD show up, it is too late. This also
  goes back to ensuring that turtles have a proper
  diet and are supplied with the much needed
  calcium. The combination of proper diet and
  proper lighting is an important aspect of their
  growth and health.
• UV stands for Ultra Violet, this light you can't
  see. There are three different types, all
  explained below.
• UVA . This is the visible wavelength. It is
  responsible for inducing normal behavior in
  reptiles such as feeding, climbing, mating etc.
  In other words, UVA helps with the mental
  well-being of animals. Zoos have been using UVA
  bulbs such as the BLB blacklights and have found
  that exposure to high levels of UVA lighting for
  2 hours daily induced mating in many species.UVB
  . One of the two non-visible wavelengths of
  light. This is what gives humans suntans. In
  reptiles, UVB allows for the synthesis of vitamin
  D3 which allows reptiles to process calcium in
  their system, thus preventing or reversing
  metabolic bone disease.UVC . This is the
  wavelength used in ultraviolet sterilizers which
  kill harmful bacteria. This wavelength is
  extremely dangerous and can actually damage DNA.
•         The absolute best way to ensure your
  turtles are getting their fair share of needed
  UVB rays, if possible, is to place them outside
  in natural sunlight. It is also proven that
  direct, unfiltered, natural sunlight is also key
  in not only maintaining good health, but also in
  the healing process. It is believed that 15
  minutes in real sunlight is better than 5 hours
  under the best artificial UVB source.
•         There are numerous manufacturers of UVB
  lighting. ZooMed is by far the top choice. They
  offer 3 different types of bulbs The ReptiSun
  2.0, Reptisun 5.0 and the PowerSun. We won't
  discuss the ReptiSun 2.0 as it does not supply
  enough UVB for turtles. Full spectrum lighting
  DOES NOT meet the requirements for use with
  turtles.

13
Cleaning

• This is where it gets difficult and where the
  RubberMaid users have the largest advantage.
  Cleaning the aquarium, especially with gravel, is
  a chore at times, depending on the frequency
  which you change the water. The tool of choice is
  the siphon. Namely, the Python System. This is a
  hose that attaches to your sink with the same
  type of connectors as waterbeds. The valve allows
  for filling as well as siphoning. This is a
  blessing for those who have large tanks!
•         A small net is also a great idea. It
  makes scooping out left over food (if you feed in
  the tank) easier as well as pulling out other
  debris and poop.
•         Every 2-3 weeks, it is a good idea to do
  a 20-30 water change. I use this time to vacuum
  the gravel substrate.

14
Water Quality

• This is of as great of a concern to keepers of
  aquatic turtles as is the quality of the diet
  which they feed them. Poorwater quality could
  mean hassles, health problems and can cause death
  if not detected. Below, I will go over, in simple
  terms, a little about the 4 aspects which are pH,
  ammonia, nitrates and nitrites.
• PH is how acidic or alkaline your water is. It's
  a scale with 7 being what is called
  Neutral...neither acidic nor alkaline. Anything
  below 7 is considered acidic and anything above 7
  is called alkaline.
• Why is pH so important?
• The first major concern for pH with turtles is
  that some turtles require a certain pH setting.
  For example, Diamondback Terrapins require a pH
  rating of around 7.5, whereas Mata Matas require
  a pH setting of about 5.. For a happy, healthy
  turtle, the proper pH is a must. Without the
  proper pH, there could be complications that
  occur.
• Secondly, a more acidic pH is desired because of
  its ability to prevent certain strains of
  bacteria and fungal outbreaks. The lower the pH,
  the less likely certain types of these nasty
  intruders will have in surviving. The higher the
  pH rating, the more these nasty things can
  develop and thrive in the turtles' habitat.
• Most people's tap water has a rating of about 7.5
  - 8.5. This will work for most North American
  species, but when get into the more exotic
  species, then you will have to pay close
  attention to the pH levels. With the North
  American species, you can get by with lowering
  the pH levels to about 6.2 to assist in
  preventing shell infections, but if you own a
  softshell, I would not go any lower than 6.5 for
  fear of burning the softy.
• How do I test my turtle's pH level?
• There are a number of test kits that you can buy
  and they are great for fast, easy and accurate
  results.
• How do you raise or lower the pH?
• Again, most pet stores carry pH chemicals. Once
  you get the pH to where you want it, a good idea
  is to buy a product that will maintain the pH for
  you. We use Sodium Biphosphate to lower the pH to
  where we want it, usually in the 6 - 6.5 area.
  Once there, we use Proper pH 6.5 or Proper pH 6.0
  to maintain it where we like it to be. Another
  major, huge, immense benefit of a low pH, is that
  ammonia is less and less toxic to your turtles.
• Another excellent product, for those that prefer
  to go more of the natural route, is "Blackwater
  Extract".

15
.

• Bad stuff. Ammonia can cause you more problems
  that you think. This comes from the turtles'
  bathroom habits as well as any decaying food in
  the aquarium water. Bad stuff indeed. Get
  yourself a test kit and test this regularly.
• Some things to fight the ammonia are, again, at
  your local pet store. Ask them about it and they
  can hook you right on up with the proper products
  to combat this yucky stuff as this is also a
  major concern with fish. If a high Ammonia level
  is a problem, there is nothing better than a
  good, old fashioned water change.
• A little something to aid in your struggle with
  water quality, is adding some fresh water
  aquarium salt to your tank. This also helps fight
  fungus and is over all beneficial to your
  turtles. Just don't over do it.
• Some turtles will need a brackish habitat, which
  means that their water isn't freshwater, but it
  isn't salt water....rather, in between. These are
  turtles that are found along coastal areas. There
  are several brands to choose from, and pay
  attention to their directions, as some may
  differ.
• Nitrates are the result of Nitrites being broken
  down by beneficial bacteria creates Nitrates.
• Nitrites are the result of Ammonia being broken
  down by beneficial bacteria creates Nitrites.

16
Filtration

• There is no such thing as too much filtration.
  When determining water kind of filter to get,
  think big. You can't overdo it, so rest assured.
  Turtles release more waste in one day than a fish
  does in over a week, so make sure you go with
  something that will accommodate your little
  friends' bathroom habits. A charcoal insert into
  any filter system will help fight the smell that
  comes with having our friends.
• There are 3 types of filtration Biological,
  Mechanical and Chemical
• Biological Filtration is the process by which
  aerobic (nitrifying) bacteria oxide the toxic
  ammonia through nitrite, (which is only slightly
  less toxic than ammonia) to the relatively
  harmless nitrate. This process is known as
  nitrification, and in nature takes place in
  aquatic habitats and soils where ammonia and
  sufficient oxygen are present.
• Mechanical Filtration is the physical removal of
  particulate matter from the water. This is
  achieved by introducing a mechanical barrier in
  the water flow that traps particles of a certain
  size according to filter material used. A
  mechanical filter is only effective when it is
  cleaned regularly, otherwise bacteria will settle
  in and start breaking down the collected dirt,
  thus setting minerals free into the water as well
  as becoming a bio-filter resulting in increased
  nitrate levels. The nitrifying bacteria develop
  naturally in an aquatic environment and will
  colonize any suitable filter media. Once a
  biological filter media has been established it
  should be disturbed as little as possible since
  the bacteria colony maintains its level of
  activity according to the bio-load present in the
  system.
• Chemical Filtration uses chemicals, in particular
  Active Carbon, to absorb organic material such as
  oxidation products of proteins, remains of fish
  medications and organic toxicants. It is also
  effective in removing oxidation products that are
  formed by ozonating seawater (slight amounts of
  chlorine and bromine). Active Carbon should be
  replaced regularly, since it gets saturated and
  as bacteria settle on it, it will eventually work
  like an ordinary biological filter.  
• We currently use AquaClear, Filstar and Fluval
  brand filters in our various tanks, ranging
  anywhere from 20 gallons to 240 gallons.