What to do with turtles due to moving...

[HarryMonster]

So I'll be moving to an apartment in Massachusetts soon, and I have two red-eared sliders. I'd like to bring them, but it isn't the ideal situation. I have a filter, but they get stinky within a week, so in a little apartment a 50-gallon, stinky tank isn't the greatest thing. I'll also be living with my boyfriend, and he's not too fond of living with them. Does anyone know of an organization (either in the Massachusetts or New Jersey/New York area) that would take them? Someone offered to give them to her child's class as pets, but I refused because I want someone who's experienced and will provide the best care. Is there a Tufts networking site where I can put them up for adoption for a student who might be living in a house/have a better environment for them? I feel terrible for wanting to give them up, and they're only ~7 years old, so any ideas would be appreciated!

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[msmrtrthnyllb]

 

[HarryMonster]

I don't understand your response.
If this implies that I should set them free into the wild, I would never do that because it wouldn't be safe for them.

 

[ratbandit]

Clean the tank more and deal w/ it? Sorry it's harsh but 50 gallons really isn't that unmanagable. I'm sure once you get to school you could send out an e-mail or something, someone might want them especially if they come w/ a tank and supplies for free.

 

[nyanko]

Clean the tank more and deal w/ it? Sorry it's harsh but 50 gallons really isn't that unmanagable.

I'm gonna have to agree with this. It doesn't really seem like something a vet student should do, giving up their pets just because it seems inconvenient. I could see it a little more if you had a giant, energetic dog who you could absolutely not take with you because you HAD to move into an apartment (though I'd also argue that you should have thought more before getting said dog), but I really think the best thing to do would be just to deal with it.

 

[Electrophile]

Yeah, I'll have to agree with the other posters. Reptile rescues are almost always packed to the brim. Unless you can find a good knowledgeable friend, I'd say buck up and keep them until you can. That's what goes along with having a pet.

 

[BlueCheeseToo]

I have a RESL in a 30-gallon, and since I will not be able to bring her with me, I have been trying to figure out what her best option is. My dad is willing to take care of her but his work schedule often keeps him away for two days at a time, and if the filter stops working or the intake gets clogged, it won't be pretty when he gets home. I know what you mean, the tank can be a lot of work to clean out every week (especially because it's currently in the basement, I have to carry buckets of water up & down the stairs).

There's a great local reptile rescue but I know they're full, and there'd be little chance of anyone wanting to adopt a RESL. Basically anyone I know who likes turtles already has a RESL from a rescue group.

I posted a flyer at work (a wildlife hospital) to see if anyone would like to adopt a "part-time turtle," keeping her only while I am away at school. I thought the idea might appeal to the many high school & undergrad students who work/volunteer there, who might be interested in turtles but could not commit to such a long-lived pet while their future plans are uncertain. There has been some interest but no solid plans so far.

I also looked into making maintenance easier for whoever does take care of her, evidently a setup that uses a small pool filter rather than a fish tank filter will keep the water in better condition for longer periods of time.

Have fun at Tufts, it was one of my favorites but I didn't get in. I still think they're cool.

 

[HarryMonster]

I have a RESL in a 30-gallon, and since I will not be able to bring her with me, I have been trying to figure out what her best option is. My dad is willing to take care of her but his work schedule often keeps him away for two days at a time, and if the filter stops working or the intake gets clogged, it won't be pretty when he gets home. I know what you mean, the tank can be a lot of work to clean out every week (especially because it's currently in the basement, I have to carry buckets of water up & down the stairs).

There's a great local reptile rescue but I know they're full, and there'd be little chance of anyone wanting to adopt a RESL. Basically anyone I know who likes turtles already has a RESL from a rescue group.

I posted a flyer at work (a wildlife hospital) to see if anyone would like to adopt a "part-time turtle," keeping her only while I am away at school. I thought the idea might appeal to the many high school & undergrad students who work/volunteer there, who might be interested in turtles but could not commit to such a long-lived pet while their future plans are uncertain. There has been some interest but no solid plans so far.

I also looked into making maintenance easier for whoever does take care of her, evidently a setup that uses a small pool filter rather than a fish tank filter will keep the water in better condition for longer periods of time.

Have fun at Tufts, it was one of my favorites but I didn't get in. I still think they're cool.

Thank you for understanding. I'm looking for a better set-up for them with their tank that will keep it cleaner longer, too, and I appreciate that you understand. If it was as easy as "keep the tank clean and deal with it" I wouldn't have posted on here. I can find a better way of emptying it (I was using buckets before), because my co-worker was telling me how she deals with her large fish tank, but she fills it back up with buckets like you and me! I wish I could grab a hose or something. I have a turtle filter, but it fills up quickly because they're so messy. I'll change the filter before I change the water, but I can only do that for so long before the water starts looking gross. Let me know how the pool filter thing works out. I took these turtles off of someone's hands at work (they were going to release them into the wild), and have put a lot of effort into taking care of them. I don't think it's helpful to say it doesn't seem like a vet student thing to do, because I want them to have the best lives. If I'm never going to be home with them, and they're going to be stinking up someone else's apartment (which I definitely don't want), why is it so bad to look for some place better equipped?

 

[LucyLoo]

I totally understand the whole messy turtle thing, I think the others were being a little hard on you. I've had a Western Painted turtle for 11 years and can imagine the mess TWO water turtles would make.

I've heard of people hooking a hose to the faucet and filling up large tanks that way. I don't know if there is a way to set up your tank in your new place so it is in some proximity to a faucet.

Either way, good luck. I'm sure you'll find the best solution for them.

 

[jenniferrrrr]

Though I admittedly don't know much about turtles, I think too often people jump to being judgmental of those that are looking to find their pets a new home, most likely, at least in my experience, because of previous experiences either in shelters or rescues or vet clinics in which we see owners that blatantly don't care about the quality of life of their animal once it's out of their hands, as long as their pet is out of their hands.

As future vets, it's also important to be able to judge when you are able or unable to give an animal the best care, or whether somebody else would better be in that position. Personally, I think Harrymonster is doing the responsible thing by realizing that someone else may be able to provide better care and by discriminatingly trying to find the turtles a new home. Just from the effort that it seems Harrymonster has put in to trying to ensure that the turtles have the best quality of life possible once they are no longer in Harrymonster's care, I think if the solution was as simple as cleaning the tank more often, Harrymonster would have reached that conclusion by him/herself. Just my two cents.

 

[HarryMonster]

Believe me, I am not one to push any kind of animal away or shirk my responsibilities. I may have made my boyfriend seem like a bad guy in this, too, but he's already willing to live with my cat (who I adopted because he was abandoned behind the vet clinic where I work with ringworm and roundworm) and he's highly allergic. I've taken in a tiny stray mother cat and her four kittens, taken them to the veterinarian, rushed her in on Sunday when she had a 106 degree temp, and I am looking for homes for them with the help of a local rescue group. I'd love to keep them all, but it's not possible. I have to compromise with the person who's going to be sharing an apartment with me. If I didn't have him to keep me rational, I'd probably end up as a cat lady! (You never know...I still might!) You can pass judgment all you want, but I asked for advice on more efficient cleaning tips or responsible rescue groups/possible student adopters. I feel guilty enough as it is. I'm trying to find a solution for everyone involved. I hate how I feel the need to defend my character and intentions, but that is all I'm going to say about it.

 

[TrocarKarin]

For those of you carrying buckets - if you have a sink nearby, have you tried a python? Its a siphon that hooks up to your faucet, and can move water out of and into the tank, no effort needed on your part.

 

[jenniferrrrr]

Just to clarify in case my post was misinterpreted, I definitely support your decision to find another home for your turtles. I know Tufts has a pretty extensive wildlife program, and though I know your turtles are pets and you don't want them released back into the wild, maybe they might know of people that might be good owner matches. Good luck and yay for Tufts soon!

 

[Chaco]

I have two large turtles in a 55 gallon tank, and they go with me from apartment to apartment. What I do to make maintenance less is use two filters, one hanging on each end of the tank, and for when I need to change the water I have a Python hose that hooks up to the sink. The python is great because I can use the sink to both drain the tank (it siphons right down the drain) and the refill it easily. The hoses come in different lengths so you can put the tank pretty much anywhere in an apartment and get a hose that reaches it from the kitchen or bathroom. With the two filters I don't need to change the water weekly, sometimes not even every two weeks, and with the python it's easy to do. I can even set it up and let it drain while I study or something. Here's the Dr. Foster and Smith link to the one I have: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3910

I would try to figure out how to make maintennace doable for you, because, as otehrs have said, rescues are generally overrun by sliders (as are ponds where misguided owners release them) and I would be leery of adoption to most people, having seen many sliders at the hospital I work at, most of them ill due to their improper care.

 

[winglessflight]

I have 2 RES, both of which were in a 75 gallon, however they have since decided they don't want to live together (after I have had them together for 16 years), so they will come to school in separate tanks. Anyways, you should definitely get the Python, it works great and makes refilling the tank SO much easier. You can use it to empty to, although I don't because then I can justify not exercising that day, haha. If you can't find a home, or decide to keep the, getting the right filter will make life so much better.

For years I had the in the tank one, which kept the tank clean for only a couple of weeks. In February I bought an Aquaclear 110, which is a hang on the side tank, and it is wonderful. I only have to change the media in the filter and rinse it out once a month, and the water has been crystal clear since then. I have to add a few buckets a week of water due to evaporation, which isn't too hard. I also occasionally do partial water changes too, just so that I don't leave the same water in the tank for a long time. This however can be done at leisure, since its not because you have a stinky tank. Also, with the Python, it makes it a lot easier. The only real downside is because most turtle tanks are not filled all the way (mine is about 3/4 full with water) there is a splashing sound as the water falls. I have heard you can quiet it by adding hanging plastic plants to the outflow, but I have been to lazy to do that yet.

Even better are external canister filters, such as Eheim, and Filstar XP3. They work even better than my filter, and are quiet. They can be a bit expensive, but are well worth it as they keep tanks clean for months and months.

here's an article http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Articles/filtration.htm

There's also a turtle forum: turtleforum.com, that may be worth joining. You can ask all types of questions on equipment and care, and also can ask for advice on rehoming turtles.

Sorry for the long post. I know how much work turtles can be, but the right filter makes them so much easier.

 

[Electrophile]

Though I admittedly don't know much about turtles, I think too often people jump to being judgmental of those that are looking to find their pets a new home, most likely, at least in my experience, because of previous experiences either in shelters or rescues or vet clinics in which we see owners that blatantly don't care about the quality of life of their animal once it's out of their hands, as long as their pet is out of their hands.

As future vets, it's also important to be able to judge when you are able or unable to give an animal the best care, or whether somebody else would better be in that position. Personally, I think Harrymonster is doing the responsible thing by realizing that someone else may be able to provide better care and by discriminatingly trying to find the turtles a new home. Just from the effort that it seems Harrymonster has put in to trying to ensure that the turtles have the best quality of life possible once they are no longer in Harrymonster's care, I think if the solution was as simple as cleaning the tank more often, Harrymonster would have reached that conclusion by him/herself. Just my two cents.

I don't mind if people find a pet a good, well-qualified home. Sometimes that's in the best interest of everyone and I've had to do that with two of my previous pets (a dog and a rabbit). But dumping a pet on a rescue who are almost always full to the brim and draining their very limited resources is NOT something a future veterinary doctor should be doing. You all can call me judgmental if you like, but that's setting about the worst example I can think of taking responsibility.

Now, to give you some other ideas, you could contact a rescue and ask if you they'd mind posting photos of your turtles on Petfinder or something similar so that way if someone is looking for a turtle or two, they can know where to go. But in the mean time until a good, well-qualified home can be found, care the turtles yourself. That's what you sign up for when you take an animal home. I won't mince words on that.

 

[nyanko]

I pretty much agree with Electrophile. Some people in this thread have given what seem like some good suggestions too (the Python thing and seeing if you can get them up on Petfinder). I don't think there's anything wrong with rehoming a pet the proper way, but just dumping them off on a rescue or shelter doesn't sit right with me, that's all.

 

[hoodle]

Hi - I have a female RES in a 75 gallon, and we have both the python for draining and a fluval 404 filter (really big canister filter). It doesn't get stinky even without water changes more than once every other month (or even less). It can be hard to prime, but we have some tips and tricks I can share! Anyhow, if you're doing RES, you really need a external canister filter, something rated to a dramatically bigger tank size due to the massive poo influx of a RES. I think the 404's for like a 200-300 gallon tank. We're gonna get our turtle a bigger tank soon, and just stick a second 404 on it for additional filtration.

 

[LovesAnimals]

When we moved out to California from Pennsylvania, our turtle came with us as a carry on. We gave away our tank in PA, and bought a new one in CA and for awhile we had a tank cleaning issue. Finally, we realized if we had two different types of filters the tank stayed clean. Not sure the logistics of it all, but one cleaned the big stuff and the other the small stuff. Eventually we decided she'd be better with a turtle lover (because our dogs and cat freaked him out) and found someone looking for a turtle. We watch her every summer during school breaks, but overall it's worked out for the best. I never thought I would be 'giving away' a pet of mine, but it just worked out for everyones benefit that way.

 

[jenniferrrrr]

Not to hijack the thread, but in response to Electrophile, it doesn't seem like dumping the turtles on a rescue that was full to the brim was Harrymonster's intention. She even mentioned that she had the opportunity to give the turtles to a classroom and she didn't want to because she wanted them to be properly taken care of. I don't think that responding to someone's original post by telling someone that that's not what a future veterinarian should be doing is a constructive response. It seems like you might have misinterpreted her intentions.

Good luck with finding another home for your turtles, Harrymonster

 

[ratbandit]

Just b/c somebody is being critical it doesn't mean their not being constructive. If I was doing something that could be seen as "unveterinary-student-like" or whatever, I would like to be told so. She did specifically mention that she was looking for a rescue group amongst other things.

To HarryMonster -I didn't realize that you were looking for alternatives to cleaning the cage- the Python hose thing is a great suggestion, I've used it before and it worked very well. I worked in a museum that kept about 8 water turtles in a tank, a pretty large tank, but probably the equivalent of keeping your turtles in the 50 gallon. We cleaned it out twice a week with the hose.