Saw-shelled turtle care

[amy23l]

Hi, I have 2 small (4-5cm) saw-shelled turtles and i purchase from my local reptile expo. i only have basic knowledge about their care but i have a few questions if anyone can help???

1. i have gravel in the bottom and i use a calcium block from pet shop once a month. should i be replacing the gravel with shell grit and if so how often should it be changed?

2. i mainly feed them baby turtle pellets. do they need to be feed frozen turtle food aswel? should i also be feeding insects? (by not feeding these things am i not giving them a good quality of life?)

3. i have a uvb light on 12 hours a day and 60w ceramic heat lamp on 8 - 10hrs a day. i have not been taking them outdoors at all. should i be taking them outside? (again am i not giving them a good quality of life by keeping them indoors all the time?

4. i have them housed in a 2ft 50ltr tank approx 3/4 full of water and they are 4-5cm wide (approx 7mts old) at what size or age should i be getting a larger tank

5. finally is there anything special i should be doing with them to keep them healthy and happy?

cheers
amy

 

[oOLaurenOo]

Hey Amy,

Yes you should ditch the pebbles and replace with sel-grit. You don't need to replace it, over time it will slowly break down and ultimately disappear as the calcium is absorbed by the water. You can mix it in with river sand if you want a more natural look.

Don't feed frozen turtle dinners. Its like giving your turtles Macdonalds all the time, they love it but its no good for them. Yes you should be feeding gut loaded crickets, woodies, silkworms ect. All that stuff is great for them.

What kind of uvb light? Make sure its a 10% globe and replace it at least every six months. Also, swap out the ceramic bulb for a white light. The same as most reptiles turtles like to bask in the sun, so the increased warmth and light will help coax them out to bask. It would be good if you could take them outside for short periods in the sun. It will help them shed there shell and the uvb tubes don't really compare to some natural sun light. Just make sure they are protected from birds ect and they don't overheat. This is VERY easy to do with young turtles.

You will need to upgrade that tank asap. I would be looking at a 4 foot or preferably a six foot tank. Baby turtles can go straight into large tanks, just make sure the water level is nice and low so they don't drown. You can slowly increase the level of the water as they grow.

Lots of live plants and feeder fish in there tank will keep them happy, and you will love watching them hunt the fish around the tank. Also make sure you don't have any sharp rocks that they can damage there skin and shell on and make sure there is nothing loose that can fall on them.

Enjoy your little friends, they are great pets.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh and make sure you get a big canister filter or a sump filter. Turtles make ALOT of waste and it can lead to massive problems if the ammonia is allowed to build up. Regular water changes are also really important.

 

[amy23l]

thanks for your info!
i just checked and the uvb is an exo terra 2.0 uvb is that ok to use???

i have a 800 canister filter will that be suitable for a bigger tank or should i upgrade that aswel with a bigger tank?

also how to you suggest i put them outside... should i put them in a bucket or plastic tub?? do i put a lid on it or just have them open to the air??

 

[oOLaurenOo]

You will probably need a bigger filter for the bigger tank. The bigger the better. I would be replacing the tube for a 10.0 uvb tube. You have to be careful if using a tub that the turtles don't over heat.. I just take mine out onto the grass and sit with them for 10-15 minutes but I know a lot of people who use mesh enclosures half sun/half shade. Just be very careful. Like I said it is SO easy to overheat young turtles. They will die very quickly if they get to hot.

 

[Amazing Amazon]

1. Change the gravel to sand with 2kg of Calgrit mixed in. Turtle blocks are useless

2.Live food such as crickets,fish,aquarium plants (elodea,Val and Duckweed0 and earthworms (not mealworms) are best, followed by some Exo Terra Turtle Pellets then frozen foods. You should feed at least 6 different foods

3.10.0 globe is required(virtually no UVB from a 2.0) and around 30 Celsius at your basking spot

4.Time for a larger tank now. You will need a 6x2x2 to house 2 Saw Shells as adults

5.Saw Shell Turtle Care Sheet Information - Aquarium and reptile online shop in Melbourne. Specialise in Baby Turtles, Lizards, Frogs and Pythons also for sale!

 

[raycarpetpython]

Amy, I strongly suggest you join us on australianfreshwaterturtles.com.au so you can read the caresheets and have access to all the right knowledge for keeping turtles. Among my collection I have 6 saw-shelled turtles, all different ages and sizes. They make great pets, but also require specific care and dedication to make sure they live a healthy life.
btw I am Ray231 on the forum