my new turtle with pics

[instar]

Nice Emydura Macquarii, with a strangely clean shell too. Tell us a bit about it steve? where was it kept etc, did you clean its shell? Most tend to get algae growth.
Nice animal !

 

[expansa1]

Spoke to a petshop owner in Gympie before Christmas and he said that they don't tell people how big the turtles grow to as they probably wouldn't be able to sell them if customers knew. He also said that they call them 'penny turtles'. Pretty responsible huh?

Expansa1

 

[steve6610]

with a strangely clean shell too. Tell us a bit about it steve? where was it kept etc, did you clean its shell? Most tend to get algae growth.

hi instar,
this was a ladys pet for the last 3 years, as it got to big she made the decision to give it away, she was very upset when i picked it up, but she knew he had got to big for her to look after, the reason for the clean shell is that he was her pet, she kept him inside in a 4 foot fishtank, she took him out everyday for walkies and he loved a scratch under his chin, lol, i'm in the process of getting his new pond setup, it's going to be about 2000lts of water, minus the island i build in the center of his pond, i have a round black polly tank, like the rain water tanks you can buy, but this one is about 2 foot high with no top, it was used for cattle water before i bought it 6 years ago, i had used it for tropical fish, but i've been looking for something to use it for, i was going to turn it into a bluey enclosure, but never got to it, now i know why, for now i'm building a island in the middle out of bricks, later on i'm going to cut it down and supply him a ramp to get in and out, i'll then fence it off and add a nice sandy spot and some hides for shelter, i'm also hoping to get him/her a partner for later breeding, i do have another little guy but don't think they will get together for a couple years yet, lol,

cheers,
steve........

 

[SLACkra]

congrats on taking the turt. how far is the lady you got him/her from away from you? once you get the pond up and going i bet she would love to come and visit him to see how hes doing.

also steve you definatly should post some pics of the pond!

andrew

 

[junglemad]

The male in some species has a longer tail and longer front claws for gripping the female you know when. By comparison the females have thicker shorter tails and their front claws aren't as pronounced

 

[expansa1]

The male in some species has a longer tail and longer front claws for gripping the female you know when. By comparison the females have thicker shorter tails and their front claws aren't as pronounced

Not a bad drawing although the arrows are supposed to point to the cloaca openings in the tails. Also, think you may be confusing American turtles with ours. The length of the front claws of male Aussie turtles aren't any different to that of the female.
Some females do have longer hind claws for excavating nests.
Regards,
Expansa1

 

[steve6610]

hi andrew,
the lady lives about 30 kms from me, but as she is old,
she can't get here much, but her daughter is coming up to see here
and they are all coming out to visit him, i've given them an open
invitation any time they want to come out, i'll post some pics of the
pond when it's done, but due to the water restrictions i'm not sure
how long it will be before i can refill the pond,

cheers,
steve........

 

[steve6610]

hi jungle,
from your drawing, i'm 99% certain i have a male, his tail is long and thin
just like your pic, if the pic is right, then i've got myself a boy, now to find myself
a female that somebody doesn't want, but after i've got the pond ready,

cheers,
steve........