Terrapin in a jar - Help

[teachterrapin]

For context, I'm a teacher over in Shanghai. Recently a school cleaner brought in a terrapin in a glass jar... literally a tiny bit bigger than the terrapin.
Unfortunately, this is a normal thing in China, where you can buy them for about 50 cents and they're seen more as decoration than a living thing.

I went home for the weekend, came back on Monday and it's STILL in the same glass jar, unable to move around, gasping for air in filthy water.

I took it upon myself to kidnap it, bought it a small (but bigger than a glass jar terrapin enclosure where it's got access to some water, just enough where it can lie and be underwater,
with a platform for it to bask.

My issue is that I have to keep it in my classroom with 6-year-old children, as no one else seems to care or is interested in it. I also know nothing about terrapins from my limited
Google knowledge. I've provided it with a UVB bulb, a small filter, and it has a bunch of rock-looking filter things underneath the enclosure. I've also added some anti-algae liquid to the water... I ordered
something to de-chlorinate the water, and they gave me that instead for whatever reason.

My problem is that the school keep turning the UVB light off, as they say it's a waste of electricity, and too hot for the turtle, and children (which I am slightly concerned about, what with 6-year-old children around).

My thinking is that anything is better than the glass jar it was in, but I also need a long-term solution. For the UVB light, is there anything else I can use that is more discreet, or not as hot? I know the
'not hot' thing defeats the object for killing bacteria, but I'm also not gonna lose my job over this terrapin I've decided to try and keep alive because of someone else who couldn't be bothered to look after it and just
leave it in jar until it dies.

Any advice would be much appreciated. We've got a big pond outside, but again they just use it for decoration and empty all the water out every few months, along with the fish, fill it back up, and put new fish in... It doesn't have any filters,
etc. So that's what I'm dealing with in terms of the school's mindset here.

I know all of this is far from ideal, but I'm trying... which is better than its situation before.

EDIT: I just found the image of the turtle in the jar for reference on what a bad time it was having.

Thanks!

 

[Lcc86]

Sorry I can't offer any advice but thanks for rescuing the little guy! I don't know if it's safer to bring him home given your school's concerning attitude to animal welfare, I'd be worried someone would dispose of him.

 

[Naughts]

@Archerfish or @Herpin Man would help if they see this...

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Wow, sounds kind of like a losing battle, but good on you for trying. I know next to nothing about turtles, either.

 

[Herpin Man]

It's clearly an Emydid of some sort, probably a red eared slider. Whatever it is, do NOT release it in the pond, or anywhere else outside. This species has become an invasive pest worldwide.
As for care- it needs a large aquarium, as large as you can make space for. A livestock watering tank would also work. This is an aquatic species, but it will need a basking area consisting of logs or rocks. The water temps should be in the mid 70s f, and a powerful filter should be used- they are messy.
A UVB lamp is necessary, as well as a basking lamp. The basking area should get to the low 90s f.
They eat a wide variety of foods; fish, earthworms, insects, aquatic plants, and turtle pellets.
It doesn't sound like the school is going to allow you to do all of that. If you are willing and able to set it up properly at home, great. If not, find someone else who can. If that doesn't work, it would be better to euthanize it than to release it. Turtles do not make good pets for most people, unfortunately they are often purchased as toys.

 

[teachterrapin]

It's clearly an Emydid of some sort, probably a red eared slider. Whatever it is, do NOT release it in the pond, or anywhere else outside. This species has become an invasive pest worldwide.
As for care- it needs a large aquarium, as large as you can make space for. A livestock watering tank would also work. This is an aquatic species, but it will need a basking area consisting of logs or rocks. The water temps should be in the mid 70s f, and a powerful filter should be used- they are messy.
A UVB lamp is necessary, as well as a basking lamp. The basking area should get to the low 90s f.
They eat a wide variety of foods; fish, earthworms, insects, aquatic plants, and turtle pellets.
It doesn't sound like the school is going to allow you to do all of that. If you are willing and able to set it up properly at home, great. If not, find someone else who can. If that doesn't work, it would be better to euthanize it than to release it. Turtles do not make good pets for most people, unfortunately they are often purchased as toys.

Yeah, it's a red-eared slider. It seems to be doing alright, the aquarium isn't big enough but I'm limited with the restrictions. Probably won't bring it home as I've honestly never really wanted a terrapin, I just got lumped with it and felt bad doing nothing. I'm confused about the bulb situation. I have a UVB/UVA light that heats up quite significantly and I'm currently able to leave it on for around 8 hours a day. What's the difference between that and the basking lamp? Will try and get it relocated, but like you said - people just look at them as toys because they're so cheap and abundant, so it's probably easier for them to just buy one for 50c and get it delivered to their house.

Thanks for the help.

 

[GaryE]

It's a tough call. I inherited 3 I didn't want, and kept them in a large aquarium. One lived 37 years, one 39 and the last died at 41 recently. I had promised a dying relative I would keep them for their lifespan, but I never really enjoyed them. They're long lived, hard to keep clean animals that deserve excellent conditions. They rarely experience them.


When I was a kid, they were sold in many stores here (Canada) and were dirt cheap. They were disposable pets here too, although they are no longer easily available. The mistreatment of creatures like that is one of the ugly sides of pet keeping cultures.

 

[Herpin Man]

A uvb light is necessary for properly uptake of vitamin D3, which is needed for proper bone and shell development. A basking light is needed for proper basking temperature.