Musk Turtle Set Up

[Rogue4Fish]

Thanks Davo86, In there next set up there will be no dock, just lots of bogwood and branches sticking up out of the water.
There is lots of conflicting information about basking some say it's a must, some say it's a waste of time.
So I thought I'll give them the opportunity while they are hatchlings and by the time I set up their permanent home I'll know what their own preference is.

I've ordered some small bits of bogwood for this current set up as well.

Davo86 - What age would you suggest sexing becomes possible?

Thanks for your input.

You NEED to give an option to bask...although they might not regually use it, it still needs to be there. I know mine does use it from time to time, but he's normally perfectly happy in the water. I think he feels vulnerable when he comes out as he's always right on the edge of the dock, ready to pounce back in the water if I come in.

 

[JamieMRatcliffe]

Like I said, there is a basking dock, and their new tank will have plenty of wood and branches out of the water, it doesn't have to be a plastic station for them to bask.
Sounds like yours is shy, mine tend to swim upto the front of the glass if I stand in front looking in.
Got any pictures of your set up? Would be nice to see.

 

[Rogue4Fish]

Like I said, there is a basking dock, and their new tank will have plenty of wood and branches out of the water, it doesn't have to be a plastic station for them to bask.
Sounds like yours is shy, mine tend to swim upto the front of the glass if I stand in front looking in.
Got any pictures of your set up? Would be nice to see.

He's a weird little chap. If i sit at the table, he'll come swimming up to the front of the tank. Swims frantically into the glass, trying to get out lol If he's out of water, he goes all shy!

I'll take some pics and post them up later...it's not my tank. It's the other halves...

 

[JamieMRatcliffe]

They all have proper different personalties, from more research the general consensus from people who have kept them a long time seems to be a UV tube and lots of branches coming out of the water to climb on is best (As Davo86 said) .


I'm working on getting as much bogwood as possible for my next set up (So if anyone has any they are looking to get rid of let me know).

Do you use a docking station with lamp?

 

[Rogue4Fish]

Yeah we are. Although because he's only a baby, he's in a small tank atm.

Going for a bigger tank later on in the year, so probably get rid of the dock and go with something more natural.

The only real reason I like the dock is because for some reason, we lose so much water from the tank through evaporation and the dock obviously sticks to the water level. We've got the UV and lights set up...

I guess it's a learning curve for us, as he's our first. He's called Beans cos he's full of them!

 

[JamieMRatcliffe]

Yeah we are. Although because he's only a baby, he's in a small tank atm.

Going for a bigger tank later on in the year, so probably get rid of the dock and go with something more natural.

The only real reason I like the dock is because for some reason, we lose so much water from the tank through evaporation and the dock obviously sticks to the water level. We've got the UV and lights set up...

I guess it's a learning curve for us, as he's our first. He's called Beans cos he's full of them!

These our my first too, so Im very much the same.
I've put vents in my lid because I hear too much humidity can be bad for them as well.

 

[JamieMRatcliffe]

http/img130.imageshack.us/i/img0476kd.jpg/

Use imageshack

 

[JamieMRatcliffe]

Okay, so I was planning on building my 4 foot tank up slowly, with lots of bogwood and branches then moving the turtles over, but..
due to an accident the tank in which the turtles were housed in got broke and I had no chance but to move them over early.

I'm going to nip out to the LFS in the morning and buy some wood to add height to the tank, climbing and resting places.
I also need to replace one of the tubes with an UV tube.
I've ordered 25 plants and some floating lilies and 5 more moss balls to add to the tank. (Should arrive Tuesday).

So to anyone out there...

Before I go to the LFS any ideas on how to get some natural looking resting spots, climbing material etc for the turtles?