Does anyone have a turtle in their home? A RES?

[KimL]

we have had our turtle since March. I think it's a male and it's a red eared slider. I know NOTHING about them and am slowly learning and figuring them out. They are so much more then we thought they'd be. He is such a charactor. Curiuos and friendly. He seeks out our company when he's out of his tank.

The thing is, he seems bored. I HATE the idea of cage animals and I now have one right in my house! He's not too big yet and we have him in a 40 gallon tank. I'd like to make a new habitat for him. does anyone have any fantastic sites or suggestions?

we've tried adding things like limbs, etc to his tank for him to explore but he seems to get aggrivated by them. he'll not use them and hides from them. I just hate that he looks like he's trying to "Get out" all the time!!!

[34me]

We had a red eared slider for many years. We had a girl (short nails = girl, long nails = boys, at least that's what we were told at the vet school) We had our gal out doors during the spring/summer/fall. She too, was quite a character. We lost her this spring to a racoon posse.

[Buzzer Beater]

I kept turtles for about 10 years. It's nice that you have him in a big tank... most people don't want to spring for that. Do you have a spot where the water is moving, and a place for him to get out under a heat lamp and bask? That's important to help ward off shell rot and let him control his own temp.

[KimL]

yep, he has a basking spot and, it seems, when his shell is shedding he LOVES sitting under the watefall and letting the water pelt down on his shell (could it itch?!?!).

I think he does have a bit of shell rot on the underside- what do i do about this?

We'll spring for anything that will make his life more enjoyable- that's why we have animals... so WE can enjoy THEM enjoying THEIR lives too!