do MAP TURTLES need a heater ?

Question

Last weekend my boyfriend got me a male and female map turtle ,
they are around 3years old,
There last owner had them just over a year and did`nt tell us much on what to do ??
I have filled half the tank with room temp water and have a floating log atatched to the glass and gravel .. the hood on the tank has a light which if left on long gets pritty hot ...
I have a small pump aswell which has only 2 sponges in it and just ripples the water i think :S...
Im not sure if im doing it all right as the more i read up on them it looks like theyre in hot water but the previous owner had them in cold for a year ...
Please any answers would be great....

Answer 1

I cant stress a having a heater enough for map turltes. Map turtles are prone to getting health issues if their water isnt in top quality. Their water should be in low 80's. You probably want to fill the tank up a bit higher because they are good swimmers that spend most of their time in the water. Also make sure that the light that you are using is a uva/uvb bulb. This is also vital to their health.





If you have any more questions about your map turtles, I would be happy to help. Just email me.

Answer 2

They should be in water that is 70 to 77 degrees. Most people keep their houses at around 72 degrees or so, so you really do not need a heater unless you like your house cold. The basking area (the floating log) should be at 90 degrees and that's where your light should be shining. That light should be on for 14 to 16 hours because that's how long the sun is up at the peak of summer where map turtles come from. It should be turned off at night to allow them to sleep. Please, though, do not use the hood or at least open up every hole possible. One of the most common causes of shell rot in turtles is that they are not able to dry off completely. If you're using a hood, this will mean that evaporating water will not be able to escape and the humidity will be too high and the turtle won't be able to dry off completely even though he has a nice place to get out of the water. It's better to keep turtles in an open top setup or if you must have a lid, a screen top.

Answer 3

turtles like to swim. ..so filling the tank with water is a good idea.. this is how i set up my tank



tank - preferably 40g or bigger for 2 3yr old turtles, filter.. get a flovul or eheim (if you have the money to spend), the basking rock with a heat lamp on it is a must..as well as an underwater heater.. get a 100-150w one.. and a 100w basking bulb for the lamp.. the water should be about 29oC or about 78oF reptomin aquatic turtle pellets are what i feed my turtle.. .. i feed it once a day anything else is just decoration



big tank, underwater heater, filter, basking area, heat lamp and bulb.. if you like get another lamp and put in a normal bulb for uva rays to help them grow healthy

Answer 4

i had a pair of maps up until a few weeks ago....they need about an inch above their length for the depth of the water.i had a heater in the water and a basking area...which they never seemed to bother with.when feeding them its best to take them out the tank and put them in a shallow dish as they pass faeces as they feed..this will improve the water conditions in the tank as it will get REALLY smelly.Pet shops will tell you that you Have to have a uv lamp.....I would beg to differ.if they lay eggs you will definately need one as the young will develop soft shells otherwise but for a pair of three year olds i doubt the necessity.turtles are SUPPOSED to keep cool in the water and come out to warm up...mine did it the other way round!(and where both fit and healthy)infact...i also had a baby mud tutle in with them and they where all very fit and well.