Eileen E Painted (water turtle)

"Come on Eileen, we are far too young and clever, and you'll hum this tune forever..." by Dexys Midnight Runners<br/><br/>PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTION COMPLETELY before contacting MATTS. Many of your questions will be answered below.<br/><br/>I'm an adult lady AQUATIC eastern painted turtle who is available in the Baltimore/Timonium, MD, area. I eat Mazuri, Reptomin, and other brands of commercial turtle pellets, dark leafy greens, and thin slices of carrots. I won't turn up my nose at a piece of plain cooked chicken, either. I ONLY eat in the water.<br/><br/>I'm for adoption because it was getting too hard for my people to care for me and they had to downsize. I'm missing some toes because I used to be kept with a male painted, and male painteds are jerks. Actually, lots of turtles are jerks, but that's a tale for another day.<br/><br/>I'm around 20 years old, but I could live another 5-20 years! I'm full grown at about 6" long, so I need at least a 55-gallon aquarium, but larger IS better! A 100-gallon Rubbermaid stock tank would be great. My tank should come with a strong external canister filter or really good home-made filter (look up "Skippy filter" on Youtube), and a basking area under a heat and UVB light. A Rubbermaid or Tuff Stuff stock tank would make a good home, and those are cheaper than aquariums. A 100 gallon stock tank is great for me, and it sells for about $90 at True Value or Tractor Supply Company and "feed and seed" farm stores. It would be great if I could live in a FENCED-IN, backyard pond (dug below the frost line so that the top won't freeze solid, if I'm spending the winter there, too) starting in the summer, then I could live there all year after that. I HAVE to spend this winter indoors, though, since I've been indoors for years and it takes time to acclimate to a new home before hibernating.<br/><br/>Painteds can live for 20-50 yrs, and can grow to be 4-6" for males, and 5-8" for females. We need large indoor aquariums or ponds, a basking spot, and water filtration. Indoor ponds and aquariums require a haul-out spot, a.k.a. basking spot, a heat light over a basking spot, a UVB light over the basking spot, a high-powered filter, and usually a water heater. Outdoor ponds must be in an escape-proof yard or the pond itself must be escape-proof. If you have a backyard pond, the turtle can't go outside for the first time until the end of May, but can live year-round outside after that. Babies shouldn't go outside until they're about 3", so they don't become bird food. If using an aquarium, a good rule of thumb is at least 10 gallons per inch of turtle (straight carapace length). So, a 6" turtle will need at least a 55 gallon aquarium.<br/><br/>For ideas on how to prepare an aquarium or pond, visit www.turtleforum.com to chat with other keepers. Review the slider care sheet to learn more about caring for a slider. http://nebula.wsimg.com/ae4cb36565545a257b1ff6f17a885dc2?AccessKeyId=A3E784782F81D21389AD&disposition=0&alloworigin=1<br/><br/>A great e-book for beginners is Red-Eared Sliders (Animal Planet Pet Care Library) (available at Barnes & Nobles https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-eared-sliders-katrina-smith/1102168496?ean=9780793849246 or on Amazon).<br/><br/>A more in-depth book, for FREE download, is https://www.lulu.com/shop/richard-lunsford/captive-care-of-north-american-water-turtles/ebook/product-17551523.html<br/><br/>REQUEST AN ADOPTION APPLICATION from matts_adoptions@hotmail.com<br/>Please INCLUDE YOUR CITY AND STATE when contacting MATTS. An application will be e-mailed to you. Once completed, the application can be returned, and if approved, you'll then have to submit pictures of your set-up before picking up a turtle. We meet adopters in central locations such as near Fells Point in Baltimore, MD, and Timonium and Parkton, MD, as we foster from our homes and do not have a central shelter. Shipping is possible if temperatures allow, if you're willing to pay for shipping, and if it's legal to have an eastern in your state. We cannot place eastern painteds into PA, WV, or VA due to regulations in those states. NJ adopters do not require a permit for an eastern painted. NY adopters would need a special educational permit from the DEC before adopting.<br/><br/>MATTS can show you ideas for making your own basking platform from PVC pipe and egg crate light diffuser.<br/><br/>Like turtles but can't have one? Want to help?<br/><br/>1) You can share my profile on social media and share www.matts-turtles.org so people can take better care of their turtles and help wild turtles stay wild. You can also share our Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/MATTSTurtles/<br/><br/>2) MATTS has educational fliers (photos) to share on social media if you email matts_adoptions@hotmail.com to request them.<br/><br/>3) Share our "Monster You Made" video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_935eZl84k on social media.<br/><br/>4) Donate to your local licensed wildlife rehabber. Wildlife rehabbers rely on donations and their own income. They do NOT receive grants from the government. <br/><br/>5) MATTS also accepts tax-deductible donations at MATTS, P.O. Box 341, Highland, MD 20777, or through PayPal at http://www.matts-turtles.org/support.html<br/>Rescue is funded by donations only, and we find homes for over 70 animals a year.<br/><br/>Thank you!

"Come on Eileen, we are far too young and clever, and you'll hum this tune forever..." by Dexys Midnight Runners

PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTION COMPLETELY before contacting MATTS. Many of your questions will be answered below.

I'm an adult lady AQUATIC eastern painted turtle who is available in the Baltimore/Timonium, MD, area. I eat Mazuri, Reptomin, and other brands of commercial turtle pellets, dark leafy greens, and thin slices of carrots. I won't turn up my nose at a piece of plain cooked chicken, either. I ONLY eat in the water.

I'm for adoption because it was getting too hard for my people to care for me and they had to downsize. I'm missing some toes because I used to be kept with a male painted, and male painteds are jerks. Actually, lots of turtles are jerks, but that's a tale for another day.

I'm around 20 years old, but I could live another 5-20 years! I'm full grown at about 6" long, so I need at least a 55-gallon aquarium, but larger IS better! A 100-gallon Rubbermaid stock tank

"Come on Eileen, we are far too young and clever, and you'll hum this tune forever..." by Dexys Midnight Runners

PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTION COMPLETELY before contacting MATTS. Many of your questions will be answered below.

I'm an adult lady AQUATIC eastern painted turtle who is available in the Baltimore/Timonium, MD, area. I eat Mazuri, Reptomin, and other brands of commercial turtle pellets, dark leafy greens, and thin slices of carrots. I won't turn up my nose at a piece of plain cooked chicken, either. I ONLY eat in the water.

I'm for adoption because it was getting too hard for my people to care for me and they had to downsize. I'm missing some toes because I used to be kept with a male painted, and male painteds are jerks. Actually, lots of turtles are jerks, but that's a tale for another day.

I'm around 20 years old, but I could live another 5-20 years! I'm full grown at about 6" long, so I need at least a 55-gallon aquarium, but larger IS better! A 100-gallon Rubbermaid stock tank would be great. My tank should come with a strong external canister filter or really good home-made filter (look up "Skippy filter" on Youtube), and a basking area under a heat and UVB light. A Rubbermaid or Tuff Stuff stock tank would make a good home, and those are cheaper than aquariums. A 100 gallon stock tank is great for me, and it sells for about $90 at True Value or Tractor Supply Company