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Post by Ebbie on Nov 19, 2002 23:54:45 GMT -5
Ok, I really want to get a turtle, but know next to nothing about them. My local pound always has them, so I was going to get an older one from there, but I have a couple of questions. 1: Do turtles bond to you? and 2: I live in Southern California where it is really warm most of the time. Can the turtle live outside during the warm seasons if it has a little house to go into? I would bring it inside when it rained or was cold. 3: Are there any vegtables that are poisenous to turtles? We have a huge organic garden it could feast on, but I am not sure it is safe. The part of my backyard it would be in is fenced off from the horses and other animals. So I was wondering if this is a good idea to get one? I would spend plenty of time with it, I just dont really want to get one if it has to be stuck in a cage most of the time. Thanks!!!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2002 15:08:51 GMT -5
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Post by Mr._Turtle on Nov 20, 2002 18:53:42 GMT -5
Remember that all turtles live outside in their natural environments, so if doesn't freeze where you live, you could probably keep an aquatic turtle, such as a red eared slider or painted turtle, outside all year long if you have the space and inclination.
My western painted turtle, Turtle, lives in a plastic pond from Home Depot on our covered patio. These ponds come in different sizes but one about thirty to fifty gallons would be nice. I change the water at least once a week by scooping it up with a five gallon paint bucket and throwing it on the plants. (Turtle juice is a great fertlizer.) When the water level is low enough, I lift the edge of the pond and dump out the rest into the bucket. When you change the water by hand, you don't want too big a pond. The advantage these ponds offer is that they can be moved around to take advantage of seasonal sun and shade.
Fill the pond half way up so the turtle won't be able to climb out and create a basking area for the turtle to lounge upon. I use a two foot rounded river rock that I found in Colorado and brought back to Hawaii. Some Home Depot ponds also have shallow areas along the sides that the turtle will find useful.
Elodia is a great aquarium grass for your outdoor turtle pond because it grows like crazy, turtles love to eat it, it will provide cover to shade the water and gives your turtle privacy.
We keep our turtle pond next to the glass patio door so that we can wave to Turtle whenever we walk by. Turtle will usually stop whatever she is doing and swim over to look. We especially like to watch her bask on her personal river rock as she rotates like a sundial and assumes different interesting postures. All legs and head out, head in, one leg in and others out and various combinations and permutations thereof. She's very comical.
In the evening at feeding time, Turtle will beckon us in her charming turtle way to come outside to feed her. When she sees us outside she sort of jumps up and down in the water in excitement. Then we'll sit down and feed Turtle her Reptomin sticks by hand one by one. Turtle's four pet orange comets avidly consume all the fragments and will boldly try to steal food from in front of her open mouth. An occasional nip on the finger comes with the territory and is topic of conversation between Mrs. Turtle and myself. For all parties concerned, Turtle Time is a relaxing time of the day and highly anticipated. So yes, your turtle will bond to you.
The main concern of an outside turtle pond are predators, human and animal such as raccoons. Beware of both. In Hawaii, we only have the former to worry about.
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WuGwei
GTT Juvenile Turtle
Posts: 160
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Post by WuGwei on Nov 21, 2002 1:03:16 GMT -5
I bet your pound has RES (Red Eared Sliders) and they live and eat in water. The come out of water to a log or rock to bask (warm up). They not eat out of water. They need water to swallow (water turtles). I think you can throw some greens in the ponf for the turts to eat, but make sure there aren't any pesticides or chemicals. If you have a tortoise (land turtl), then you'll have to build a pen. I doubt your pound has tortoises, b/c they are valuable. RES are unwanted cheap and advanced turtle keeper would buy one. Read more about turt before you get into it. Cheers, JJ
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Post by ouwoexferiz on Jun 8, 2019 19:24:29 GMT -5
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Post by egoxuciji on Jun 8, 2019 21:13:02 GMT -5
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