ok so my cousins leopard gecko passed away a week ago and he got a turtle so i thought well a turtle sounds like a great thing to have and fun. i did some research and found that they do take intensive care but i couldn't find a good site so i have a few questions 1.how big does the tank need to be for the RES or the Painted turtle 2. what kind of lights do i need. 3. i know i need a filter but do i need to heat the water. 4. wich turtle is cooler to watch and have. 5. what food do they eat. by the way i can't go to the austins web page because it says the page has expired sorry.
I see it's been a while but no one answered you so I will just in case you're still interested. A RES needs a pond not a tank, they get as big as a dinner plate. A painted can live in 55 or bigger but be warned they're messy. All turtles (in my opinion) need UVB and basking lights. The more aquatic ones can be done with one light that covers both needs. I heat my water but it depends on the turtle. All turtles are cool so I can't pick one. They all eat different stuff, mine get everything from lettuce to fish.
