Turtle Cliff Aquatic Terrarium Filter and Rock

The turtle cliff is a promising looking product that combines an internal filter with a basking area. The integrated filter, a Repti Clear Terrarium Filter, is a three stage filter that is expandable, although expanding the filter may not let it fit inside the turtle cliff. A water heater can also be hidden inside the turtle cliff.

The turtle cliff comes in two sizes, medium and large:

• Medium – 9″ x 7″ x 7.5″ high
• Large – 12″ x 9″ x 9″ high

According to Exo Terra, the manufacturer:

The Exo Terra Turtle Cliff is a waterfall, basking area and filter in one. Its state-of-the-art filtering system instantly transforms an aquatic terrarium setup into the ideal habitat while providing turtles and other semi-aquatic terrarium animals with the ideal basking or terrestrial area. The hidden filter provides clear, healthy water while the waterfall features creates the necessary water circulation and aeration, and its natural rock texture and colour allows it to integrate easily into any aquatic terrarium setup.

• Waterfall, basking area and filter in one
• Integrates easily into any aquatic terrarium setup
• Optimal hidden water filtration system
• Provides the necessary water circulation and aeration
• Ideal basking or terrestrial area for semi-aquatic animals

My thoughts, keep in mind that my pet red ear slider turtles are over 7″ SCL (they are not small anymore):

Yeah:

• An all in one solution – basking + filter
• Looks attractive enough
• Comes in two sizes
• It can also hide a water heater
• The large size turtle cliff can accommodate a big fully grown red ear slider turtle

Boo:

• Although the large turtle cliff can accommodate a large turtle, it doesn’t offer enough space. The dimensions will only cover the turtle’s shell, but not it’s legs
• The internal filter will always be underpowered compared to a large external filter like the Rena Filstar XP3 filter
• The turtle cliff is too short. The large will allow you to have a little less than 9″ of water depth. Not near enough water for grown turtles
• The product remains submerged in the water and thus reduces both the available swimming space a turtle has but also reduces the total volume of water that a turtle needs

My decision:
The negatives outweigh the positives. I’m looking for a product that will last the lifetime of my pet turtles. Even though it provides enough of a basking surface for when one pet turtle reaches its maximum size, it doesn’t have enough height that permits me to have the proper amount of water that a pet turtle needs. Given the limitations of the product, it will work best for smaller pet turtles only. Needless to say, I have to pass on this product, this isn’t for my pet turtles.

(But it will be adequate for the entire lifespan of some mud and musk turtles!!).

The Turtle Cliff Aquatic Terrarium Filter and Rock is available at Amazon and ThatFishPlace.com: Your source for aquarium supplies and fish up to 60% off retail

First up is a sulcata (African Spurred Tortoise)…

And here again, this time with some people taking some tortoise pictures…

Besides the sulcata they also have a number of giant tortoises.

Here’s one of the tortoises posing for the camera:

And another big tortoise sleeping the day’s heat away:

Thank you so much for continuing to share your wonderful turtle pictures DG!!

Hope you enjoyed that! To have your pet turtle (and other general pet reptile) photos featured here, simply share your photos here.

This first video is a close-up of the face of a Mississippi map turtle. Although it’s a bit dark, you can see some of the turtles features such as the yellow crescent shaped stripe by its eyes.

Here’s another video of a pet Mississippi map turtle, but is outdoors. This video is much better since it is clearer and you can better see the markings it has on its head.

Here’s an amusing video of a fun pet Mississippi map turtle eating mosquito larvae and black worms.

Finally, here’s a Mississippi map pet turtle climbing some stairs:

The biggest AST was this this alligator snapping turtle video.

Here are some pictures of that snapper turtle (and another AST). Enjoy

Alligator Snapping Turtles

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Here’s a cute 1 month old pet red-footed tortoise:

Watch this video from ExpertVillage to find out more about red footed tortoises:

To learn more about their care, see our red footed tortoise caresheet. The caresheet is in wiki format, so you can not only read it, but you can also contribute to it!!

This large pet turtle was definitely one of the more popular turtles in the show. Alligator snapping turtles typically reach a straight carapace length (SCL) of 26″ and can reach weights as heavy as 250 lbs!! They are considered mature when they reach SCL lengths of over 12 inches. They are believed to live between 20 to 70 years in captivity and able to live up to 150 years in the wild.

(this is the hand stamp from the reptile show)

Me and my wife found a wonderful snow engima leopard gecko at the stall of Jason of Mighty Morphs.

A two month old female pet gecko, we went through a host of names until we and our nieces /nephew decided on Polkasaurus. She’s currently housed in a separate enclosure, but we’re hoping that when she gets bigger she can join Monkey, our other leopard gecko, in her housing.

Without any further introductions getting in the way, here is Polkasaurus!

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The coin in the photos is a US quarter – it’s not a permanent part of her vivarium, I just put it in there for photos for a size comparison.

Polkasaurus is still so small and has a lot of eating and growing to do!!

After reviewing a bunch of floating pet turtle basking platforms and finding that none of them fit my needs, mostly due to the products being too small for a large turtle or unable to stay afloat under the weight of a heavier pet turtle, I switched gears and started looking at basking platforms that are non-floating. Here’s the first…

Oasis Turtle Ramp

The turtle ramp (and the very similar turtle deck)…

…provide simple, stable and easily cleaned platforms for aquatic turtles, salamanders and frogs to exit the water and bask as they would in their natural environment. They are available in small, medium and large sizes. The Ramps are designed to fit a wide range of aquatic terrarium situations and are easily adjusted for the depth of the water environment. All 3 ramps are constructed of a single piece of formed clear acrylic with suction cups to attach it to any smooth surface.

The Kordon turtle ramp is a very popular pet turtle basking platform, though not as widely used as the Zoo Med Turtle Dock

The turtle ramp is easy to climb thanks to the green traction pads that it has. It was hard to tell from other people’s experience how the basking platform would do for larger pet turtles as most people do not state how big their turtles are. One pet turtle owner said that under the weight of a 7″ pet slider turtle, the large turtle ramp begins to sag. Another said that under a 10″ pet turtle’s weight, the turtle ramp would bend and otherwise feel uncomfortable, causing the pet turtle not to use it. Another said that it is perfect only for smaller pet turtles.

Those were enough for me as I’m looking for a pet turtle basking platform that will last the rest of the lifetime my red ear sliders, which get to a sizeable maximum size of 12″ SCL.

Yeah:

• Good grip tape makes it easy to climb
• easy to clean
• lots of suction cups, which hold the turtles weight

Boo:

• Although the suction cups are strong, the turtle ramp sags under the weight of bigger pet turtles
• This caused it not to be used by a 10″ turtle
• unnatural looking

My decision:
I need a strong sturdy turtle basking platform. My red ear sliders are around the 7″ mark and will continue to grow. These wouldn’t be useful for me at all. I Pass.

Enjoy the cool video!!