How should I clean my baby Yellow-Bellied Turtle’s cage?
I јυѕt ɡοt tһе turtle іח Daytona Beach Florida, I јυѕt wanted tο see exactly һοw tο сƖеаח tһе cage safely.
1. Wһеrе ѕһουƖԁ I рυt tһе turtle wһіƖе im cleaning tһе cage?
2. Hοw ѕһουƖԁ I take tһе turtle out οf tһе cage?
3. Wһаt ѕһουƖԁ I сƖеаח tһе turtles cage wіtһ?
4. Wһаt kind οf water ѕһουƖԁ I рυt іח tһе сƖеаח cage? Spring οr tap?
6. I notice a lot οf peoples UV lamps tһеу υѕе fοr reptiles аחԁ οtһеr pets tһаt need those lights аrе red lights, mу light im using IS uv…It ѕауѕ іtѕ ‘UV Filter-001′, іѕ tһаt ɡοοԁ fοr һе/ѕһе?
ANY OTHER INFORMATION уου һаνе аbουt tһеѕе kind οf turtles tһаt i ѕһουƖԁ know аbουt (especially info аbουt babies, ѕіחсе һе/ѕһе іѕ a baby.)
THANKS YOU!! — Jessica.
Lizard Friends
One Response to “How should I clean my baby Yellow-Bellied Turtle’s cage?”
1) A container of some sort, like a rubber maid tub. If it’s warm enough, I take mine outside and put him in a small plastic children’s swimming pool with tepid water in it while I clean.
2) Pick him up. (I’m not sure if you meant something else with this question or not; answer seems straight forward to me.)
3) Elbow grease and lots of water. Soaps and cleaners should not be used, unless you get a pat safe cleaner from the pet store., and even then you have to make sure you don’t leave any residue behind, aka rinse like crazy.
4) You can use spring if you want, but it’s going to get really expensive when the turtle is big and in a big enclosure. It’s easier to use tap water and use a fish or reptile water dechlorinator (same stuff basically.) Turtles need 10 gallons of tank space per inch of shell length. For example, a 4 inch long turtle needs a 40 gallon tank, minimum. The enclosure should be 25% dry land, where the turtle can get completely dry, and 75% water. The water should be 1.5 – 2 times the length of the turtle’s shell, deep.
5) Just add tepid water to the enclosure. You should also have a aquarium heater in the enclosure to heat and maintain the water temp at 78 – 80 F.
6) I couldn’t find out any information about the bulb you said you have. Who’s the maker/brand? In any regard, there are two types of UV light that diurnal (active during the day) reptiles need; UVA and UVB. UVA is used in a reptile’s mental well being and is found in any white light emitting bulb. UVB is used in a reptile’s metabolism, food digestion, and the absorption of calcium. This light is emitted by a fluorescent source or a MVB (mercury vapor bulb.) Unless you are using a MVB, heat and UVB light will be two separate bulbs. Zoomed makes the best long tube style fluorescent bulb to date, and T-rex makes the best MVB. MVB’s will emit heat and UVB light, all from one bulb. The basking temp should be 90 – 95 F. Basking temp and UVB light should be available for 10 – 12 hours a day.
Here’s are a couple of good sites to get more information about the turtle you are keeping, and turtle care in general:
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-yellowbelly.htm
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/basiccarebasking.htm