Reddit reviews OASIS #64224 Turtle Ramp - Small 8-Inch by 4-Inch by 2-1/2-Inch Turtle Ramp
We found 2 Reddit comments about OASIS #64224 Turtle Ramp - Small 8-Inch by 4-Inch by 2-1/2-Inch Turtle Ramp. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Now improved with Black traction Tape!Non-porous Acrylic -easy to cleanRubberized textured strips for tractionSimple, stable basking platformFor turtle shell Width up to 2. 5 "
My experience comes from a YBS. Map turtles appear to be a bit smaller, but in general look like they need the same kind of care (aquatic environment with room/heat to sun, UVB, etc.).
You can start with a small tank and upgrade, but I wouldn't recommend too many steps in here. In other words, it's a waste of money to start with a 10 gallon, upgrade to a 20, then a 50, then a 75, etc. The general rule of thumb seems to be 10 gallons per inch of shell. So a two inch turtle needs a 20 gallon tank, a fully grown female will need a 100 gallon tank. Petco has regular $1/gallon sales, up to X gallons. You could find a good deal on a 40 gallon breeder tank this way that would last you a good amount of time, and upgrade to a larger tank once you determined male/female and saved up some money. Or go smaller, but then you'll need to upgrade sooner. Don't forget, when you upgrade the tank, you'll likely need to upgrade the filter, lighting, etc.
Shopping List Not shopping around at all, so some prices may be high, but if I were setting things up like new for a 20 gallon long tank:
Add to this any aquarium decorations you might want, timers really help out for controlling lights. I also have an air pump on timers ($15, plus tubing and stones), mostly to help agitate the surface of the water. You'll probably want something like this or a surface skimmer to help keep the surface clear. Most of that stuff can wait, it's just extras, but hopefully it helps give you an idea. All total, you're looking at $200, rounded out on the high end. You can shave a lot off by shopping around though. When looking at filters, remember that turtles are dirtier than fish. I'd aim for one that's rated at 3x the size of the tank you have. So if you have a 20 gallon tank, even if it's only filled up half way, look at filters rated for 60 gallons or more. Edit: IIRC local pet stores sell starter kits with most of this included that would probably cut down on the price as well.
Honestly never had a problem with my turtle that would rate a vet visit.
Mine has nibbled at me before, but he's too small to do any damage. The only reason he has is when I'm feeding him treats or something, he's never bitten me to be aggressive. With the exception of snappers, I wouldn't call them an aggressive species, but like any animal, they'll each have a different personality.
Your tank setup needs a bit of work. Generally there should be 10 gallons of water per inch of shell. For a 4 inch turtle, a 40 gallon tank is good. A bigger tank allows for some room to grow.
There should be water in the tank at least twice the shell length of the turtle, so you'll want a lot more water. Turtles are primarily aquatic animals. But don't simply just add a bunch of water. Slowly increase the water by an inch or two each day so your turtle adjusts to swimming and how deep the water is.
Get rid of the blue substrate. It's small enough for the turtle to eat and is a possible choking hazard. It's also a pain in the ass to clean. If you really want rocks, you can get river pebbles that are bigger than the turtles head and he won't be able to eat. The rocks really don't so anything for the turtle though - it's just tank aesthetics for you. They do tend to make cleaning more difficult as well. Add in that space is already limited in a 10 gallon tank and I would remove the bottom layer altogether.
With the addition of more water, your current baskin rock is not likely going to stay above the water level. I would recommend a ramp that adheres to the side of the tank. I use the medium version of this ramp for my 5+ inch RES. I used the small one when I first got my turtle and had a 10 gallon tank and both I and my turtle love it.
There's 3 important things when it comes to lighting. First is a heat source so that the basking area is warmer than the water. I don't remember the ideal temperatures, but they should list them somewhere on the site you found (I think 85ish for basking? Don't take my word for it though). From the pictures, you may want to move the lamp closer to the basking spot. The second important thing is UVB. These lights typically don't produce heat, but the UVB is crucial for the turtle's shell. This is often neglected by newer turtle owners, but during the day you'll want these two lights. I now use some size of this double dome lamp after using two separate lamps for a while. The third thing is to provide a change from day to night. A night bulb is fine, but completely optional. The important thing is that the turtle recognizes the fact that the "sun" has gone down when the main lights go off. It doesn't really matter if a night bulb comes on or not. Timers are the best way to regulate the bulbs. You can get ones aimed at reptiles at your local pet store or online (with more features), or you can use Christmas lights timers.
Finally there's water temperature. Like with the basking area, I don't remember the ideal water temperature. I think it's 75ish, but again - check Austin's turtle site or one of the other RES sites. If the ambient room temperature is the right temperature at all times of day throughout the year, then you may be able to get away without a water heater. More likely than not, you'll want a water heater to keep things at the right temp. It's especially more important since you'll have more water in your tank soon. Some underwater tank heater is probably fine. Ideally one that you can adjust the temperature on - but one with a built in temperature setting that matches the ideal temperature is okay for now. By the way, with all the temperatures that you want to monitor, getting a laser thermometer is often recommended. I don't have one, but you'll definitely want to have some way to measure the temp of the water and basking area.
I'll see about posting a couple pictures of my turtles setup (both my 10g tank from my starter kit and my 40g tank now) so you can get an idea of how much water is needed.