Urgent Care :: Crush won't bask

[VanishingReality]

How big is your turtle? 1.5 inch
How long have you had it? A little over a month

What is the water temperature? 82 F
Did you use a thermometer? Yes
Are you using a water heater? Yes, two actually.
How much water is in there? 3 inches, he is getting a water change tomorrow and more water will be added. It is just close to his bed time.
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes, reptosafe.
Are you using any filtration? Yes

What is the basking temperature? 93 F
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes, it has different levels of places for him to sit and a ramp next to it.
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Plastic
Is there a UVB light? Yes

What have you been trying to feed it? Yes
When was the last time your turtle ate? 12:30 pm, pellets

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 20 gallons long
Is the tank near a window? Yes but there is a goldfish tank between him and the window.
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? It can be during the day but he is used to my fiance and I being around him and when he goes to bed we place a large towel over his tank.

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? He has refused to bask. We called the pet store that we got him at today to find out what their water and basking temperatures and they said his water should be 75 max and basking should be 80-85. But on here and many other sites it says that hatchlings should have a water temp of 80 and basking of 90 - 95. All he likes to do all day is swim back and forth under his ramp and sit in his cave. He used to like to sit on his filter until we got a rock to block him from reaching his filter and heater. Even though we have woken up twice to him being over there, he hasn't done it in a while.

Also is a flavoured cuttle bone safe for him to eat since he won't even go near his current one?

Pictures will be coming soon if I can get good pictures with my phone, if not I will look for my digital camera.

[megcornell]

If he isn't ill I'd try dropping the water temp to 78-79F. It might just be that the temperature gradient isn't large enough to entice him to bask.
He may also just be a shy basker.

[VanishingReality]

They are from my phone so they really aren't that great but they are pictures.



Filter and heater and protective barrier.



Tank picture 1



Other part of tank with basking area



Overview of basking area



Underside of Crush



Crush's front

[TheComputerGremlin]

Well, I'm sure everyone will post on here that he needs more water. You should also start considering a tank upgrade. As to the basking, are you able to watch him every minute of every day? He may just be a shy basker. Try putting some stinky food up there, like some tuna, and see if it goes missing. I'm assuming that the circular rock is supposed to be his basking area, but there's a thermometer probe in the middle of it! That could be keeping him from going up there, it may be too small and have obstructions in the way.

And flavored cuttlebone is fine, but ultimately, your turtle will decide how much he needs to eat. He'll know when he needs more calcium and then eat some. You shouldn't worry that he's not eaten any, turtles will go weeks without eating any and then finish off a whole one some days.

[VanishingReality]

We had just taken the pictures while we were checking his temperatures. He will be getting all new water today and it is usually filled up to the ledge under his basking spot. We bought tuna to put on his veggies so we might just put some of that up there, thanks.

He's extremely picky and only likes his pellets and to shed things that aren't green, while ignoring all green veggies. And there are bright red cuttlebones so we though about giving that a try. We just want him to be a healthy, happy turtle.

[marisa]

If he's healthy, I think your temps are too warm---I'd drop both the water and basking area temps a few degrees. And, of course he needs more water.

Personally I prefer the plain cuttlebone over the flavored kind (no additives). How do you give the cuttlebone---in a large chunk/chunks? In smaller pieces? Sometimes it takes a while for a turtle to realize that the cuttlebone is for eating. You could try to put the scent of something he likes on it to help increase his attraction to it.