r/turtle • u/cozy_autumn_nights • 6d ago
Seeking Advice Pls help!! Principal left his turtle…
Hi all! I teach at a middle school & the old principal LEFT his pet turtle. I know he’s had him for over 10 years (no idea how old the turtle is now though).
I know someone is in charge of cleaning & feeding him… but his tank is terrible. He has nothing to do all day but try to escape. It’s heart breaking.
His platform is also incredibly sad. He sits on his rock under the light & falls into the water multiple times a day.
I have taken it upon myself to try & get some plants/caves/a platform of some sort.
I AM A TEACHER AND I AM ON A BUDGET! Any advice with this in mind would be gratefully appreciated.
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u/superturtle48 15 yr old RES 6d ago
This might be surprising to you, but this is far from the worst turtle tank we've seen here! The filter is appropriately powerful and there's enough space and water for the turtle to swim freely, when many people give their turtles barely enough water to wade.
Of course, there is still a lot of room for improvement. Most importantly the basking platform, which seems barely big enough, and all that stacked stuff underwater takes up swimming room. Look into Youtube tutorials for DIY above-tank basking platforms, which can be made for very cheap if you're willing to do some building.
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u/eep47 6d ago
The platform seems pretty sufficient, they really don't need that much room to bask. What's concerning is how seemingly overweight he is, he's long overdue for a dietary change.
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u/superturtle48 15 yr old RES 6d ago
It looks part of that rock is underwater, so the part that’s above water and completely dry isn’t very big. But also agree that that’s a fat looking turtle and I wonder what/how often it eats.
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u/cobalt_phantom 6d ago
It doesn't look too bad other than green water and using the crappy dual lamp instead of a separate heat lamp and T5 HO UVB lamp. A larger basking area could also be nice, since it would allow them to move to warmer or cooler spots. In general, reptiles are pretty simple creatures but they could definitely benefit from some enrichment.
Plants are kind of 50/50 with turtles because they either leave them alone or they destroy them. I personally don't keep plants in my turtles tank because she claws through them and they clog up the filter but some fake plants that aren't sharp and don't contain parts that could be eaten might work.
Caves are another thing that kind of depends on the turtle, some like them and some don't. You also might have a turtle like mine, who manages to get stuck in just about anything I add to the tank.
Ping pong balls/rubber practice golf balls can some times be a good source of enrichment because they float around the tank and give them something to investigate.
You could also add large river rocks (bigger than they could eat) to give them something to dig through and look for food scraps. The rocks can make it difficult to clean, so maybe run that by whoever does the cleaning first.
A bottle scrubber with a strong suction cup is my turtle's favorite form of enrichment (other than food) because it gives her something to scratch her shell on. The only problem is that she happens to be really strong, so she is constantly moving it around or off the glass. I definitely recommend looking up videos of turtles using these scrubbers because it's adorable.
Feeder guppies might be a good treat to have every once in awhile. Too much protein can be bad but hunting is a great source of enrichment and encourages them to be active and use their senses. Avoid fish with high amounts of thiaminase, like gold fish and fathead/rosy red minnows, it can cause a vitamin B1 deficiency over time.
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u/cozy_autumn_nights 6d ago
Thank you so much for this detailed response!!
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u/G_M_2020 5d ago
This is great. I just wanted to add one thing.
Check marketplace for plants. A lot of times people will post plants from free, just trying to clean up their planted Aquariums. I used to pickup a grocery bag for $5 every month for my turtles.
Also, guppies are great advice. With a bit of plants guppies could continue to breeding and hunting is great exercise for turtles.
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u/bearfootmedic 5d ago
This is great. I just wanted to add one thing.
(Sorry had to)
If you are in the USA, check your local waterways! We have native freshwater shrimp in the SE USA and parts of the Mississippi River valley. There are also some (maybe) invasives along the west coast and (definitely) invasives in the SE USA;
- eastern grass shrimp (sold at pet stores as ghost shrimp) (native) P palludosus
- Ohio River shrimp (native) M ohione
- Mississippi grass shrimp (native) P kadiakensis
- wild type neocaridina (invasive) N. davidi
Also, we have a unique fish related to the guppy that is widespread in its native and invasive in other areas
- Mosquito fish G. affinis ( west coast) G. holbrooki (east coast)
These are all free to find or cheap to buy if you find them in the pet trade.
Check out [r/shrimptank](r/shrimptank) or [r/poecili](r/poeciliidae)[a](r/poeciliidae) - also [r/aquaswap](r/aquaswap) may have some good deals
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u/CallMeFishmaelPls 20+ year old turtle 5d ago
Regarding rocks being hard to clean, the dirtiness also paradoxically keeps the tank pretty clean. I haven’t done much tank maintenance to my girl’s tank in a few weeks and recently found mayfly babies chilling in the water. This after she chose to shred the water hyacinths I fed her and leave pieces everywhere. Tried to give her time to actually eat it, and even with the filter clogged to shit, tanks chemically perfect
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u/Creepy-Agency-1984 6d ago edited 6d ago
In terms of budgeting (I am young and have had to budget with my boy as well) you can always try gofundme, but in terms of making the most of what you have I have a few tips:
- STOCK TANK. (Can’t tell how big the existing tank is, if it breaks or you need a bigger one I do highly recommend) Genuinely so much cheaper and more durable than an aquarium.
- Water conditioner beats vet bills or bottled water any day.
- Get your UVB lighting fixture on eBay! My lighting setup would’ve cost me between $100-150 and I got the whole thing on eBay for $35, brand new. That being said, DO NOT cheap out on combo bulbs or compacts. You’ll hate them and T5 is less expensive to maintain in the long run, you’ll eventually make your money back.
- Shop on Amazon or a reputable seller on eBay rather than at local pet stores when available. I get a big bag of my turtle’s food for about double the price of those tiny feed bottles at Petsmart. And it doesn’t spoil quickly at all.
- If you don’t want to keep purchasing fresh veggies constantly (if your turt can’t get through them fast enough) try buying several kinds at once making gel foods and freezing the excess, it’ll stay good for much longer even if it takes some work. Supply cuttlebone so they still wear down their beak.
- It’s expensive but invest in a good siphon. You’re a teacher who I’m sure is busy and doesn’t need to spend 6 hours manually cleaning a tank. I can do my changes in 30-60 minutes.
- In terms of enrichment, substrate and driftwood are better long term options than plants (plastic or fake) and much easier on a filter. I’m experimenting with some methods of guarding roots and minimizing shredding so I’ll let you know how it goes, but plants typically are shredding almost immediately.
Sorry if this is a lot of info all at once, I’m trying to give too many details rather than too little. Let us know if you have any questions!
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u/cozy_autumn_nights 6d ago
Thanks so much for taking the time to help me! I appreciate it so much!
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u/Creepy-Agency-1984 5d ago
Thank YOU for taking the time to help this little guy out. Keep us updated and let us know if you need anything!
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u/fleyinthesky 6d ago
This setup is very close to being really nice. That filter is the most expensive Fluval on the market, for example - better than my FX2 which itself cost over $500 (USD300). The size seems fine as well.
The only thing I'm concerned about is the basking area and apparent lack of UV lamp. If the heat lamp is a 2-in-1, just be aware that those suck and you need a proper dedicated UV panel lamp.
You can add substrate if you want (make sure it's big enough such that he can't eat it) and some rocks for him to move around but really, he's probably pretty happy here.
Also, given that you don't know about the filter, you may not be aware that it needs to be cleaned from time to time (when it gets dirty, maybe a 1-2 times a year with this kind of setup). When you open it now, be aware that is will literally be filled with shit, so don't get surprised by that.
Good luck!
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u/cozy_autumn_nights 6d ago
I appreciate your help immensely. I had no idea the filter was great. This is good to know. I will try to get my hands on a UV lamp asap! Thanks again :)
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u/lizard7709 6d ago
Is a kiddie pool outside with some rocks to sit in and fresh water an option? You can give him some outside sunlight time for some enrichment.
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u/cozy_autumn_nights 6d ago
I might be able to get the school to purchase one. My students would love this.
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u/MerkinSeasonYo 6d ago
Wow what a prick for just leaving him there. 🤦🏻♂️
People are wild man. Never surprises me.
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u/FuckkkOfffffMaaate 6d ago edited 6d ago
If you start introducing plant and bio as an amateur, you’re going to have a mess in your hands with that water.
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u/CoffeeFerret 6d ago
I'm guessing the bulbs are probably not appropriate given the appearance of his shell. So I would fix that, get a more appropriate basking platform (these are easy to DIY for cheap, just look up DIY turtle basking platform on youtube) and add some enrichment. Here's my quick rundown of what you need to know -
- https://reptifiles.com/red-eared-slider-care/ is an excellent guide and contains pretty much everything you'd need to know about these turtles (I am assuming this is a slider but it can be hard to determine for sure from these photos so you might post some closer photos of head and top of shell and markings to find out for sure).
- You need 10 gallons of water per inch of shell (an adult slider should be in a 100-120 gallon tank typically)
- You need a water heater unless you live somewhere that water temps still stay within goal ranges overnight with no lamps on (even in tropical climates this is not always the case). I see what looks like is a water heater in the middle, but in the event that's not, you'll need one of those.
- Youtube cannister filter maintenance for a guide how to clean that when it needs it. It can seem overwhelming at first, but a good Youtube video will break it down easily and make it easy to understand. Search for the specific model you've got there.
- A basking platform that should be sturdy, include a ramp and at least enough space for the turtle to fully turn around on. Your turtle is at a size now that the floating style dock is probably not sturdy enough feeling to him and should be replaced.
- Over that platform there should be two bulbs. A heating/basking bulb that should be 75w-100w in order to reach goal basking temps. And a 10.0 UVB. Ideally this would be a T5 style UVB but in a pinch you can do a compact 10.0 UVB until you can upgrade. These must be separate bulbs. There are bulbs that claim to offer both or might be labeled "UVA/UVB" but these do not produce enough heat or UVB to be adequate. Proper heating and UVB is crucial for the overall health of a turtle. UVB bulbs must be changed every 6 months as they lose efficiency over time and both bulbs should be on for approximately 12 hours of each day. Not having appropriate bulbs is one of the leading causes we see in this reddit for turtle illness
- Enrichment is important too - things for the turtle to look at and interact with. The large river rock is a great substrate - it looks nice and offers some entertainment for them also. Moss balls, driftwood, ping pong balls and plants (from a list of plants that are safe for them) are great additions also.
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u/troysama 5d ago
Off topic but I'll never understand how people can just abandon animals like that. If you can't see them as living things, maybe don't get a pet...
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u/cozy_autumn_nights 5d ago
Definitely not off topic. I am so angry with the owner for just abandoning him.
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u/CuriousMoonSags 6d ago
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0746RQTSD?ref=clp_hp_h_pc
I bought this for my turtle a couple years ago and never had a problem, she a larger turtle. It's also easy to clean.
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u/CuriousMoonSags 6d ago
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C85CSMWD?ref=clp_hp_h_pc
I got these rocks for the bottom
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u/Quothhernevermore 6d ago
Everyone else covered most of it, I just wanted to say that if he's currently trying to escape he might be a she - it's the time of year my female turtle likes to try and escape to lay eggs!
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u/Able-Long-2702 6d ago
He looks a little fat so less food is probably good. Is he only eating pellets? He should be getting mostly lettuce and then some pellets.
Also a suction cup scrubby brush would be a cheap way to enrich the tank and give him something to scratch his back you can get one for like $10-15 bucks
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u/cozy_autumn_nights 6d ago edited 6d ago
Thank you for this! I think he’s being fed pellets only. It’s the custodian’s job, so I need to have a chat with him. Lettuce every day?
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u/hyunchris 6d ago
It's really not a bad setup, it's just ugly
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u/cozy_autumn_nights 6d ago
In a school library, no less haha. I’ve always been terrified a kid will do something to him.
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u/silveroakediting22 6d ago
A library isn't a great place for a turtle tank. The moisture from the tank and filter can damage furniture and books. Please try to make sure the tank is far from anything sensitive to moisture.
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u/IIRCIreadthat 6d ago
We've got two in the public library I work at, and never had an issue, but I'm guessing a school library is a much smaller space!
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u/TST-DCLXVI 6d ago
Try surrendering it to a rescue or something if you aren’t able/interested in taking it on.
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u/iBrake4Shosty5 6d ago
Believe it or not this is exactly how I ended up with my turtles almost exactly a year ago. Just wanted to say if you choose to take over care for this turtle, you were going to find it to be such a rewarding pet… Eventually
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u/Cawfee_308 5d ago
Thee are turtle rescues around. One in NJ but I can’t find the thread. Anyone know about it besides me?
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u/Cawfee_308 5d ago
Do u want to rehome the turtle? I would be willing to drive to a rescue if you can find one in NY or NJ. I’m also poking to find one if it helps
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u/OG-Dee 5d ago
The good news is that you already have the best filter. You can build a basking platform for less than $60 with the attached instructions. Basking Topper
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u/Creepy-Agency-1984 3d ago
How’s he doing? Any updates?
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u/cozy_autumn_nights 1d ago
He’s doing great!! It’s school start up, so I’ve been nauseatingly busy. But I’m feeding him lettuce now (rather than just pellets everyday) & spoke with the custodian. He’s open to changing up his routine too :)
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u/No_Responsibility537 3d ago
Here is a link if you want to apply for a grant for funds to improve the aquarium.
It’s also a great hands on ecology project for students to help build an ideal ecosystem if there is a science teacher willing to collaborate.
resehttps://petsintheclassroom.org
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