Baby musk turtle setup

There are so many cheaper brands but they are not as reliable as these brands. So I don't trust them. Keep in mind that the UVB lights usually are effective for months. Then, they will still shine but not deliver the needed UVB. So with daily use, the do need to be changed. A light timer makes it easy to use the lights. Will the mopani wood work for a basking spot?

I will get some 3 inches of water and some water plants also I can get a fluval underwater filter for the low water level. Also some driftwood and stuff for decor to climb on and stuff. Fluval filters have a good reputation.

The mopani would be like the natural wood they use to bask on in the wild. And it does not rot as fast as regular wood. ZooMed are great bulbs.

I will be getting a submerged water heater and heat guard. And when the tank starts to get bigger I will be getting an external fluval canister filter. I will be using tap water in the tank with some aqausafe to remove chemicals.

This list should be a good check off list for your equipment needs. Live anarchis is also an excellent plant choice. Pretty and floats freely in tank. Turtles like to eat it, too! You are making such progress!

Great job. Little Larry will be so happy! He is one lucky turtle. Can I give him more than one basking spot or just give him a big piece of mopani wood to bask on like they do in the wild? Also I will get a thermometer and I will look into some anarchis. Also the water test kit and the dechlorinator and when I get my filter I will get some bio bags and some of those ammonia removers and nitrate removers and a ph remover if that exists please send me anymore advice you are great.

I would just place the UVB light over the mopani wood where ti comes out of the water. Then he can choose where to bask depending on the temperature of that particular spot. It is good to let the turtle have a range of temperatures on the basking dock so if he is too hot he can move to a cooler place or move to a warmer one if he is too cool.

I'm tagging Sol who has super info about filtration needs. Definitely get the dechlorinator SeaChem brand is a good one and the water test kit to start. I just don't know much about the specifics of filtrationas I keep a dry land turtle. At 17 Months old mine are just now big enough that I could put them in a tank with a heavy duty Fluval FX6 external canister filter fitted. I wanted a small filter whilst my turtles were small.

I bought the Fluval , a pain to maintain, practically no media capacity so needed cleaning weekly and worst of all slime clogged the intake and outtake tubes on a weekly basis causing me to have to strip and clean the system all the time. These creatures love extra space more on that later. Common musk turtle care is considered to be a fairly easy task, but due to its long lifespan, you have to be sure that you are up for such a long-term ownership commitment.

Once you set up their tank with all the proper elements and you come up with a good diet and feeding schedule, caring for your turtle basically involves maintenance and observation. Because of this, they need a bigger tank than you would think, considering their size. We suggest going with a tank size of 30 gallons for one adult turtle and a 40 gallon tank for a pair.

But if you can go with a bigger tank, do it! Expert Tip : When we say pair, we mean a male and a female. Two male common musk turtles should not be housed in the same enclosure. Keep a close eye on the pair though. Male stinkpot musk turtles tend to be a bit overzealous in the love department, and females can become very stressed by the harassment. They are mainly aquatic, so you are not going to have to worry about a substrate or lots of enclosure enhancements.

While a nice substrate can be aesthetically pleasing, it can cause a dangerous choking hazard. These turtles are swimmers, so clean, unchlorinated water is going to be the main element to pay attention to. Common musk turtles do require a place to bask and get out of the water, so placing a few stones, a turtle dock or some artificial plants around the tank, will work very well.

Your pet turtle will also appreciate floating toys or pieces of driftwood. If you keep the water temperature around 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the basking area at 90 degrees Fahrenheit, that should be fine. Put their basking spot on the warmer side of the tank tank, and leave the other side open. Your turtle will go back and forth between the two areas. As far as a water heater goes, get one that is designed for this type of tank setup, and make sure that the water does not get above the recommended temperature.

Even though they should get most of the vitamin D3 they need in their diet, it never hurts to err on the side of caution. This turtle does not need a high enclosure humidity level, and 30 to 40 percent humidity is perfect. This is usually taken care of by the presence of so much water, but you should check this level periodically just to be safe. As mentioned above, make sure that the water in the tank is non-chlorinated and clean.

Expert Tip: Dirty water can quickly lead to diseases and other health complications for your eastern musk turtle. Pay close attention to this! Like many aspects of common musk turtle care, feeding your turtle is really not too complicated. A basking lamp will provide direct heat for your basking spot. In the past incandescent bulbs were used, but this can be a risky proposition when water is concerned.

A splash of water on a hot bulb can cause it to shatter instantly. Instead I recommend ceramic bulbs, which are far sturdier. Your UV light and ceramic bulb need to be housed in a bulb holder. These holders then plug into the mains to power the bulbs. Ceramic bulbs get very hot so be sure to select a holder with a ceramic fitting; plastic alternatives can melt.

For ease, I would suggest that you buy two identical holders to use for your two lights. Getting cold can be bad for reptiles; but getting too hot is just as dangerous.

A thermostat does this. Be sure to choose a thermostat that is designed to a work with your chosen basking lamp and b can control the power of your chosen basking lamp. Learn more about choosing a thermostat here. Tap water is filled with additives like chlorine. This, in turn, can be bad for your turtles.

A reptile-safe water conditioner will remove this chlorine, rendering the water safe. This is a good option. With all this technology running, it is wise to keep an eye on everything. I would suggest that you invest in an aquatic thermometer to monitor the water temperature. A second thermometer can then help you to assess the basking spot temperature. Personally I use a handheld digital thermometer like this one.

Musk turtles spend the vast majority of their time either swimming, or resting in the water. All the same, they should have the option to climb out and bask. The easiest way to achieve this is to install a simple basking platform like this one. Start off by adding the required depth of water. Broadly speaking the water should be slightly shallower than your turtle is long, so they can easily reach the surface while standing on the floor of the tank.

Add your water conditioner to remove the harmful chlorine. Following the instructions on your water heater place this under the water surface and firmly attach it to the side of the tank. Install the basking platform at one end of the tank, ensuring that your turtle can easily access it from the water.