Pet Turtle : Stones

Stones (greater than 2 cms in diameter) form an essential part of any turtle tank, and add immense ornamental value to your tank. Properly arranged they can provide the turtle a hiding place, form a ramp to the land area, and serve as anchors around any plants.

You can use stones of any type or color. Infact differing variety and textures make for a more interesting turtle habitat. But don't go overboard in placing stones in your tank as they limit the 'swimming area' available to the turtles.

Also make sure that you don't put any stones that have sharp edges as they can damage the turtle shell. Smooth river stones or those found on rocky beaches are ideal. A few stones of varying sizes clustered around a plant form an arrangement that looks nice as well as gives the plant a much-needed anchor.

Always try and put a flat stone in the land area for the turtles to bask on. You can fix your light source to focus on this stone. A darker stone is preferred for basking, as it is more natural, and would heat up faster than a white or lighter colored stone.

Maintenance

Stones need to be cleaned every 7-10 days. They should be collected from the tank, cleaned and returned to the tank only after the water has also been changed and not before. Stones should not be subjected to strong detergents, acids or other cleaning ingredients, as they tend to absorb these. It could release these chemicals into the tank water later, polluting it.

The best way to clean stones is to rinse it thoroughly under high-pressure water stream. They should also be scrubbed using an old toothbrush, especially along the rough surfaces, troughs, fissures etc. as this where most waste can collect.

If you notice any green growth or the stone surface is slimy to touch, it requires a thorough cleaning. If you maintain your tank well, this would be required only once in 3-4 months. To clean the stone, rub bleaching powder paste on the stone surface and place it in the sun for atleast 30-45 minutes. This bleaching powder costs less than INR 10 for 100 GMS and will be easily available with your local grocery shop. After the paste has dried, soak the stone into boiling water and keep for 1o minutes. Let it cool, then rinse it under a high-pressure water stream. Scrub well using an old toothbrush, making sure that no traces of white powder remain. Soak in clean water for an hour, before putting it back into the tank.

Stones of varying kinds and colors are easily (and cheaply) available with pet stores, so avoid picking up anything from the roadside. But if you pick up any from the roadside sterilize it before you put it into the tank.