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Anyone else have turtles?

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ChadTower:

Last night we got a pair of red eared sliders.  I'm told they are about 5 years old... 5-6" shells, very active.  A local guy gave them to us because his kids won't do any of the work to maintain them.

They came with a smallish tank.  Doesn't seem like an optimal environment, so I'd like to get something better set up for them. 

Ideas/comments?

CheffoJeffo:
I used to have five red ears in a 150 Gallon tank. They ranged in size from 6 to 9 inches when I released them up at the cottage.

Maintenance requirements were high and I used a high-end filter designed for a 250 Gallon tank to try and keep up. It was a pricey setup, but worked well. I still had to change the water relatively frequently though, so bear that in mind when choosing a location within the house (a waterbed filling/draining kit may come in handy).

Remember lots of hand-washing if you are handling the turtles themselves.

Cheers.

ChadTower:

I'm reading this now.

Looks like the guy I got them from had no idea how to take care of them.  If this site is right the tank these turtles have always lived in is only a fraction of a proper size.  It has only one thing to get out of the water - a very abrasive fake piece of coral.  The filter is old and doesn't seem to do that well with the tank only half full.

I'm working up the optimal size for a new tank now, using the requimrents that page lays out, and basing it on 7" turtles.  I'd say the larger is 6" at the most and the smaller about 5".

Bones:
How are you going to keep them warm in winter? Quality light and heating should be at the top of your list.

ChadTower:

Definitely.  Our house is a pretty constant temp in winter, though, so it's not like they get to 55F or anything.  I figure a water heater and heat lamp over the dry area should do.

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