Urgent Care :: Refuses to bask

[cam722]

I've found that when my turtles wouldn't bask it was usually something wrong with the temperature. Either the water was too warm.. or the basking area was too cool. Check the temps.. use a rock or something about the size of your turtle and put the thermometer on it. Testing the temperatures is as important as any other part of the setup if not more so. If the temp is too low on the higher part of the dock.. adjust the lights both uvb and heat so that the warmest part is totally out of the water.

[daredevilgirl013]

The UVB AND UVA are six inches away from the dock and the are pointed so that they hit all points of the dock.

I'm trying to get him to eat calcium but so far no go on the cuttlebone. In fact he plays with it and he shoves it into the filter current now and he just watches it float around. He's somehow become fascinated with the filter.

All the temps are right. 75 for water 90 for the basking dock. So I really just don't see what's wrong. Like I said, he puts half his body on the dock but not the other half. And it is far down enough that he shouldn't be having a problem getting up there.

And I'm not being impatient, I just know that if he doesn't start basking he's going to get shell rot because that is how soft his shell is. And it seriously cannot be doing him any good to have a shell that is hard on one half and squishy and soft on the other.

[flutterby]

How big is he again?

Have you put your hand on the basking dock and felt where it is warm at, just because it shines on the entire dock it doesn't mean its the same temp all over?

[shady1616]

shouldn't the water temp. be 78deg since he's just a hatchling?

How long have you had him for? Maybe he's still getting used to his suroundings.

[flutterby]

I did some research... Her first post said she just got Mikey (Aug 31) and he is a hatchling.

So his shell is likely to be soft because he's still a baby.

[shady1616]

but she said that one side was softer than the other. Its only been about a month since she got him so he could still be getting used to his enviornment.

Try feeding Mikey some cuddlebone dust covered pellets to get some calcium. And raise the water temp. to 78deg.

[JessicaTS]

I don't think raising the water temperature will help the little one bask. Although I'm not sure

[shady1616]

well, the temp. is low for a hatchling. i don't think it has somthing to do with getting him to bask.

[JessicaTS]

temperature is the most important factor to getting a turtle to bask. If the water temperature is high or similar to the basking temp, they won't see a need to get up on the dock.
78-85 is really an ill hatchling's temp. Could consider it to be a healthy average turtle's temp, but this one is not basking, which (if not ill) mean he is comfy in the water he's in, making it higher could make him feel the less need to bask. A merely 75 is the average

[cam722]

If I'm not mistaken, she said he only partially gets out of the water and that his back end isn't getting out and drying off.

[shady1616]

I didn't know that, thanx 4 the info.

[daredevilgirl013]

Yeah his back end is really soft cause I check his shell whenever I take him out to go outside or bask. His front end is hard so like I said it's not like the whole shell is just soft cause he is a baby.

It is possible he is not used to his new tank as he has only been in it for three weeks now. I do plan on changing just where it sits here so that maybe he won't think he sees whoever is in my room so much.

I have put my hand on the dock, it's warm and dry there. So it is working. I really need to get a picture of the way I constantly find him so that way you guys can have an idea of how he is basking.

[cam722]

ok, what part of the back of his shell is soft... Is it the marginal scutes. .the ones around the edge? if so, then that's normal.. they are a bit more pliable than the rest of the shell.

[daredevilgirl013]

It's his Vertebral, Pleural, and Marginal ones that are really soft. From half the shell on down. Half of his abdominal, all of his Femoral and all of his anal is really soft as well. So that alone proves that he isn't basking because half his underbelly is really soft too. Like I said, I check his shell every time I take him out so I know what's not normal and this isn't.

[tini]

i knwo what you about tha way he basks, I have seen it in other posts and also at the pet store they do it and also my own. However my turtle will bask when we are all alseep in the morning. . . .if you are that worried there are a few things you can do, take him out everyday for a little bit either in the sun or like a play box with a uvb, and/or talk to the vet to see if something else might be the cause or effect.