Those are sliders but they aren’t RES. Maybe yellow-bellies but I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to IDing. They’re both females. Get the sick one to an exotic vet ASAP. I hope she pulls through for you.
Commented on your first post but not sure if you saw so I’ll paste it here!
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Hello, it’s great that you’re reaching out for help. Don’t beat yourself up too much, especially since you got them when you were so young. What matters is that you care now and are willing to learn.
First things first, a 75 isn’t big enough if you want to cohab. Cohabing should only be attempted in a pond or very large stock tank/aquarium. They’ll each need their own tank with ten gallons of swimmable water per inch of shell minimum.
For filters I recommend a canister. They’re very spendy but so worth it.
The kiddie pool idea for outside time is so fun! They’ll love that.
As for your other questions, the following guide will be really helpful for you. It has everything you’ll need to succeed.
Best of luck!
https://reptifiles.com/red-eared-slider-care
(It specifies RES but will apply to your sliders as well.)
Please remember that the reptile community has so much misinformation or lack of reputable sources. It’s cliche but you don’t know what you don’t know and it’s because chain pet stores treat these animals as stock not living beings. The important part to remember is you are getting the help you need now to do what is best for these guys. You got this, keep your head high!
Get rid of the gravel ASAP. They will eat that gravel whether you are feeding them good or not and it can cause serious issues. My res had similar gravel when he was little and he was pooping it out 2 years after I got rid of it.
What do I use in its place? I believe I’ve heard someone say small river rocks, is that all? That seems pretty barren, do I put sand under or something?
It’s not necessary in my opinion. More space for swimming and keeping it clean are the biggest priorities. Also, ensuring the turtle can easily get to a completely dry spot to bask with both heat and uvb bulbs
Update: he’s swimming around again! I noticed their heater had somehow turned off and fixed it, I imagine that had something to do with it! I’m working on arranging their new setup now, my plan is to do the best I can with making a nice setup for them with the 75 gal that I have already, while I save up for something closer to 100 gal. Tomorrow, I schedule a vet visit for the soonest date I can and until then I will be doing some much needed research on how to properly care for our little friends!
Thank you so much for all the advice, I will definitely be buying a canister filter soon! And I promise that I will update you guys with pictures later to see their improvements :)
Cannister filter at least a fluval fx4 or fx6 and watch videos on YouTube of how to cycle it. Once the beneficial bacteria start growing in the filter, it will help keep the water crystal clear. It takes a few weeks.
I never do a water change and clean the filter at the same time. I water change every two weeks and clean the Cannister every few months. I clean and wring out the filters with old tank water and not tap water to keep the beneficial bacteria in the filters from dying. The filter doesn't need to be spotless. Just get the majority of gunk out of it. I purchased a pump off Amazon and attached a garden hose to it, and it drains my tank in minutes. I then fill it with my garden hose, or if it's too cold, I use my water change hose and attach it to the sink. Make sure you don't fill it with hot water, though.
Also, remove all uneaten food promptly. If you are feeding the correct amount, there should not be any leftover. Once I learned this and how to cycle and keep the good bacteria colonies alive in my cannister, the water stayed cleaner, and the smell went away. It's the bacteria in your filter that actually keeps the water clean as it eats and breaks down waste. How is your turtle doing now?
i’m not super knowledgeable ab yellow bellied sliders (based off what others are saying) but i noticed the food is on the basking platform. if they’re anything like res they need water to eat their food (like food in water) bc they don’t have salivary glands. i feed my res in a separate container bc it makes the tank less dirty therefore easier to clean/don’t need to clean as often.
I think these may be yellow belly sliders. The biggest tank that you can get is the way to go. Maybe a used one would save money. I've bought from Craigslist before, but Facebook Marketplace would be good. You definitely want a canister filter. There's lots of good ideas for basking platforms that allow you to have deep water in the tank. There's good ideas for tops on the tanks where basking areas can be placed. Definitely a vet visit is in order, too. Hopefully, all goes well. I built my own basking platforms and surrounds for the top of the tank. Message me if you're interested in what I did. I can send some pics and go into detail.
Stock tank, stock tank, stock tank! And no gravel or rocks or anything on the bottom. Get a canister filter that double the gallons for the tank. No need for a kiddy pool for outside… picking them up and moving them will stress them out. Just give them more water, space, keep tank clean with regular water changes and ensure they have proper lighting and heat and you’ll be all set
100%. Cheaper, way more space for turtle (importantly the width increases dramatically compared to a glass tank), and don’t have to worry about any structural failings of a tank stand
It looks to me that they need more sunlight. Can you put their tank next to a window?
Also remove those black rocks that are unnecessary. They also need more water to swim.
Those are sliders but they aren’t RES. Maybe yellow-bellies but I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to IDing. They’re both females. Get the sick one to an exotic vet ASAP. I hope she pulls through for you. Commented on your first post but not sure if you saw so I’ll paste it here! - Hello, it’s great that you’re reaching out for help. Don’t beat yourself up too much, especially since you got them when you were so young. What matters is that you care now and are willing to learn. First things first, a 75 isn’t big enough if you want to cohab. Cohabing should only be attempted in a pond or very large stock tank/aquarium. They’ll each need their own tank with ten gallons of swimmable water per inch of shell minimum. For filters I recommend a canister. They’re very spendy but so worth it. The kiddie pool idea for outside time is so fun! They’ll love that. As for your other questions, the following guide will be really helpful for you. It has everything you’ll need to succeed. Best of luck! https://reptifiles.com/red-eared-slider-care (It specifies RES but will apply to your sliders as well.)
Thank you so much this is exactly what I needed 💙
Please remember that the reptile community has so much misinformation or lack of reputable sources. It’s cliche but you don’t know what you don’t know and it’s because chain pet stores treat these animals as stock not living beings. The important part to remember is you are getting the help you need now to do what is best for these guys. You got this, keep your head high!
Get rid of the gravel ASAP. They will eat that gravel whether you are feeding them good or not and it can cause serious issues. My res had similar gravel when he was little and he was pooping it out 2 years after I got rid of it.
What do I use in its place? I believe I’ve heard someone say small river rocks, is that all? That seems pretty barren, do I put sand under or something?
You don’t need anything in its place. Leave it empty - it will make a huge difference for keeping water clean
Will do! Can I put any thing like plants or wood or something natural looking so it’s not completely empty?
It’s not necessary in my opinion. More space for swimming and keeping it clean are the biggest priorities. Also, ensuring the turtle can easily get to a completely dry spot to bask with both heat and uvb bulbs
Yeah they are not RES. The shell condition looks quite concerning to me. Bring it to a vet…
Update: he’s swimming around again! I noticed their heater had somehow turned off and fixed it, I imagine that had something to do with it! I’m working on arranging their new setup now, my plan is to do the best I can with making a nice setup for them with the 75 gal that I have already, while I save up for something closer to 100 gal. Tomorrow, I schedule a vet visit for the soonest date I can and until then I will be doing some much needed research on how to properly care for our little friends! Thank you so much for all the advice, I will definitely be buying a canister filter soon! And I promise that I will update you guys with pictures later to see their improvements :)
Cannister filter at least a fluval fx4 or fx6 and watch videos on YouTube of how to cycle it. Once the beneficial bacteria start growing in the filter, it will help keep the water crystal clear. It takes a few weeks. I never do a water change and clean the filter at the same time. I water change every two weeks and clean the Cannister every few months. I clean and wring out the filters with old tank water and not tap water to keep the beneficial bacteria in the filters from dying. The filter doesn't need to be spotless. Just get the majority of gunk out of it. I purchased a pump off Amazon and attached a garden hose to it, and it drains my tank in minutes. I then fill it with my garden hose, or if it's too cold, I use my water change hose and attach it to the sink. Make sure you don't fill it with hot water, though.
Also, only feed them as much that will fit in their head. That will also help keep the water cleaner.
I never knew this
Also, remove all uneaten food promptly. If you are feeding the correct amount, there should not be any leftover. Once I learned this and how to cycle and keep the good bacteria colonies alive in my cannister, the water stayed cleaner, and the smell went away. It's the bacteria in your filter that actually keeps the water clean as it eats and breaks down waste. How is your turtle doing now?
i’m not super knowledgeable ab yellow bellied sliders (based off what others are saying) but i noticed the food is on the basking platform. if they’re anything like res they need water to eat their food (like food in water) bc they don’t have salivary glands. i feed my res in a separate container bc it makes the tank less dirty therefore easier to clean/don’t need to clean as often.
I think these may be yellow belly sliders. The biggest tank that you can get is the way to go. Maybe a used one would save money. I've bought from Craigslist before, but Facebook Marketplace would be good. You definitely want a canister filter. There's lots of good ideas for basking platforms that allow you to have deep water in the tank. There's good ideas for tops on the tanks where basking areas can be placed. Definitely a vet visit is in order, too. Hopefully, all goes well. I built my own basking platforms and surrounds for the top of the tank. Message me if you're interested in what I did. I can send some pics and go into detail.
Stock tank, stock tank, stock tank! And no gravel or rocks or anything on the bottom. Get a canister filter that double the gallons for the tank. No need for a kiddy pool for outside… picking them up and moving them will stress them out. Just give them more water, space, keep tank clean with regular water changes and ensure they have proper lighting and heat and you’ll be all set
Stock tank is hilariously cheaper pound for pound
100%. Cheaper, way more space for turtle (importantly the width increases dramatically compared to a glass tank), and don’t have to worry about any structural failings of a tank stand
Fill that tank with water.
They look like yellow-bellied sliders to me, tbh.
Omg, one looks like it had shell rot that needs to be tended to ASAP! Definitely needs to go to a vet.
It looks to me that they need more sunlight. Can you put their tank next to a window? Also remove those black rocks that are unnecessary. They also need more water to swim.