There’s a ton of info on the net, but most of it is buried in nasty, ugly sites. Here’s the good stuff:
General Info
- Anapsid by Melissa Kaplan – a lot of in-depth information from an authority who really knows her stuff.
- Happy Turtle – Tons of information, a little on the amateur side.
- Reslider’s Swamp – basic information about tanks, feeding, etc. Rarely updated. Fun for the pictures, though.
- The Turtle Ranch – run by Tony & Judy Simmons of Houston, a group that does turtle rescues & adoptions. When (not if) I get my next turtle, it’ll definitely be a rescued or adopted one.
- Turtle Times – Frequently updated with lots of articles and a forum. Click on Care Sheets or Web Sites at the top of the page, and you’ll find lots of links on turtle care for all kinds of turtles.
Discussion Forums
- Turtles.Net – web forum with a live webcam of red-eared sliders.
- Turtle Talk – web-based forum where you can post messages and read info.
- Turtle Times – another great forum with a very active community. If you’ve got a question about turtles, this is a great place to start.
Mail Lists
If you’re new to mail lists, I’ll explain how they work. (If you’re not new to ‘em, I’m still going to do it anyway!) Mailing lists are like a virtual discussion group – you email the mail list address, and everyone in the group is instantly gets a copy. It’s like carbon-copying a bunch of people, without the hassle of remembering who’s in the group. A lot of people (like me) “lurk” on the mail lists, meaning they just get the emails but rarely reply. Subscribing to a mail list and just lurking is a great way to read up on turtle info.
Before you post on the mail list (meaning, write an email to the group) I’d recommend just reading the list for a week or two first. That way, you can get a feel for how the list works, what people talk about, and the like.
- Houston Turtlers – a group of Houston area folks that spread info on how to care for your turtles & tortoises, as well as rescues & adoptions.
- Melissa Kaplan’s List of Mailing Lists – great list of resources.
Read My Turtle Info:
My turtle has a white spot on it’s shell for a while now. Should I be concerned.
I have a red ears slider.
Hi, Nelson. Your best bet is to click on the forum links above and post that question, where there’s more folks with turtle knowledge. Thanks!
ur turtle probably had shell rot when it was younger and the shell just grew like that afterwards. but im not a professional, thats just my opinion. in which dont be worried, turtle shells fall off eventually bc they outgrow them and thats normal too.
My turtle was purchased from China town in January of 09, recently one of my turtles died as the other began to get large. Slowly after the other turtle died, the still living one became sick. I am unsure what to do because a vet is not in the area. My turtle is making strange gagging noises, is not eating, and tends to float in the water rather than swimming like the turtle usually did. He has no reaction to humans anymore where as he used to swim away when I tried to touch him, and i tend to find him floating on his back in the water as if he is too weak to flip himself back over. I have tried to feed him leafy greens and already changed the water multiple times, making the water warmer as others have suggested. Please help me and my turtle, I don’t want him to die like the other one.
Kaylie – what city/state are you in? I’ll find a vet if you can’t.
Thanks so much for all the usefull info about small RES. How many drops of baby vitamins do I use per gallon of water?
Well, it depends on the vitamin brands – check the bottle for the instructions.
I just recently left on vacation and I left my baby r.e.s. with a co worker. He has a mature r.e.s. and a bigger tank. So I figured it would be ideal for him to take care,of my turtle while I was gone for 2 wks. I was informed my turtle passed away 7 days after I left town. Could my turtles death be a result of a different habitat? My co worker mentioned my turtle was swimming upside-down and appeared to be gasping for air or burping.
Adam – I wish I could tell you what ended your turtle’s life, but it’s too tough to tell from here. I’ve seen different chemicals in the water cause problems, though.
hi i bought 5 new turtles 3 days ago they were dying and im in korea and the local would’ve let them die if i didnt..im in the air force and i cant be home all day but i play with them and seperate them accordingly…they are all different but i do not know what type of turtle they are previously before i bought them i owned one very small turtle that my friend gave me. and i keep him seperated they have the right size tanks and accomidations..i believe one of them is a snapping turtle he’s very different from the others with color and his shape in head he got bit and i seperated him i need to know how what would be the best way to doctor him up in korea its very hard to contact a vet. and there minor cuts and little snips but i want them to heal quickly so they dont get infected and ive been keeping him dry alot. should i use neosporin on him while he’s on dry land?
Beth – you’ve got a lot of questions there. The best thing to do would be to click on the forums listed above and post the questions there, where a vet might be able to help.
thank you very much i really do appreciate it..
im sorry to tell you this but ive tried getting online chat and every other offer i can that the forum offers. i dont have a vet here that would know could you please find out for me and relay that message back to me i dont want him to die from infection. i put neosporin on him and kept him dry for about 4 hours to let it heal for alittle bit, but i just found it this morning its only had about a day to heal and its already looking better so is there a certain type of food or vitamin i can give him to get better or heal faster? or should i keep him out of the water for the rest of the night…
Beth – I’m just not a doctor, period. I’m sorry, but I can’t give medical advice for animals or people.