painted turtle?

Question
We caught a turtle today and I believe it is a Painter turtle.  How do I prepare the tank for the turtle?  

Answer
Boy are you going to hate this advice!

You see, wild caught turtles make poor pets, and most people think that turtles will do just fine in very poor habitats. In reality, it runs about $150-200 to set up a good turtle habitat.

So, what you need is:

1. Big tank or plastic tub. Aim for about 10 gallons per inch of shell length, and plan ahead. If your turtle is 2" now, it will hit 4" soon, and eventually about 10" as an adult. Plastic tubs are cheaper, and the glass sides of aquaria confuse turtles anyway.

2. Filtration. This is a big deal. Good filtration costs $$$, but cheaper filters are just not worth the headache. Here is a good article for filters: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Articles/filtration.htm

3. Heater. This is pretty minor, especially in the summer, but you need to keep the water between 75-80F, and the basking site warmed to about 90F, which brings us to...

4. Lighting. Most keepers use a basking light for light and warmth for the turtle. Many also urge using a UVB light to help better simulate sunlight. (I agree with this, by the way): http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Articles/guidetolighting.htm

5. Tank accessories- basking site, substrate, thermometer, light timer, siphon cleaner...

here is a good article on 'getting your first turtle' that may help! http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Articles/firstturtleenclosure.htm



OR, you can keep it in a big tub with some warm water, and a basking site, and release it after a few days of enjoying it.