How deep should water be for my baby Chinese golden thread turtles?

Hi there! Let me see if I can help you with Michelangelo. I read through this article from Reptile Magazine, and it seems to have some good advice on husbandry and diet of the species: http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Turtles-Tortoises/Turtle-Care/Golden-Thread-Turtle-Care-Tips/ I also really like Austin's Turlte Page for information about turtle husbandry: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-chinesegoldenthread.htm In addition, I would recommend you do try to encourage Michelangelo to bask, whether it be outside in the sun, or under a UVB bulb lamp (monitored of course). It is important for his metabolism to have the UVB lighting. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

Thanks for reaching out about Michaelangelo. It sounds as if he is more comfortable and hiding less, as long as still eating and active. If you become more concerned, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out. Whether they get along depends on the sex of the other turtles, the size of the tank, having multiple haul-out locations for bathing, water and basking temperatures/UVB exposure and food access. Hiding spots should be multiple also. All animals should be disease free prior to introduction. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about your turtle. There is no such thing as too big a tank, but the minimum will be determined by the size of the animal, and will change as it grows. The larger the water volume, the more stable the water quality. Turtles will probably need a water heater, haul out area, basking lamp with heat and ultraviolet B radiation. Good luck.

Thanks for your question about Jade! A 20 gallon tank is likely appropriate for him while he is young, however this species of map turtle can get to be about 10 inches or so in length, and due to this size, will need a larger tank as he gets to be full size. Ideally, the water level should be at least as deep as Jade is long, and more ideally it would be 1.5x deeper (ex: if Jade is 10 inches long, the water would be 15 inches deep). There would also need to be enough space for two haul out areas, one on the cool end of the enclosure and one on the warm end of the enclosure. There will also need to be space for a water heater to be present. With all of these items, it can get quite crowded in a small tank! I hope that helps to answer your question, and good luck!

If you post another question with images of Nala and Simba attached, we can possibly identify the species. This would make it easier for us to provide correct care information. In general, aquatic turtles need: a tank, clean water, a submersible heater, an area out of the water for basking, a heat source, a UVB light source and proper food. Two babies will be fine in a 10 gallon tank for now (20 gallons would be better), but as they grow, so their tank must grow. Ideally, you want to provide 10 gallons of water per inch of turtle as a general guideline. This means you may be looking at a 100 gallon tank or larger when they are full grown.Please don't release them into the wild after reading that! The water level should be no deeper than twice the length of their shells. That will increase as they grow and become adept swimmers. Most species do well in water that is kept about 80 F. A heat lamp can provide an area for basking near 90 F. A UVB light provides beneficial rays to aid in vitamin D synthesis and calcium utilization. Diet depends on the species, but for now, commercial pellets, fresh greens, vegetables will suffice. Let us see what kind of turtles you have and we can provide more detailed information for their care.

Thanks for your question about Bolt. I think it is great that you are taking him out to interact on a daily basis, and I would recommend that you also provide him with a haul out area in his tank. This haul out will allow him to get out of the water when he would like. This area is also important because aquatic turtles need to bask and get exposure to UV light to stay healthy. You should have both UV lighting and a basking lamp available for him above the haul out area, and the UV light should be changed every 4-6 months. If you would like to discuss Bolt’s husbandry in detail, I would be happy to do a consult with you. I hope this gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!