General Care Discussion :: Do turtles need to play?

[LadyClovenhoof]

I haven't really seen anything, but do you need to provide turtles with anything to entertain themselves with? Kinda off the wall question I guess, but sometimes George seems bored and I don't know if I should or could provide him with something to amuse himself.

[BullDog]

I know many turts enjoy pushing around some river rocks. Have you got a few of those in your tank?

I've also heard of putting a marble in there, but you have to very careful that it's much to big to eat, and it still has the risk of breaking.

Some owners have also put a mirror next to the tank for the turt to look at

[Starchick]

Two of my turtles show no signs of boredom and are perfectly happy to swim around and bask all day. My other painted, Moxie, definitely gets bored. She invented a game where she takes a big gulp of air, swims underwater, then blows out bubbles, then swims up to the surface and bites at them. At first I thought she had a respiratory infection, but she seemed very deliberate about it. I gave her a ping pong ball to push around, and she hasn't blown bubbles since. I'd say it's not a bad idea to have something or other that they can interact with, especially if you're gone most of the day.

[SpotsMama]

I don't know if turtles play in the same sense that we do, but they are very curious and active and seem to suffer if the habitat is too sterile. You should provide things to make his tank interesting.

If turtles have plastic plants, river rock and other decorations in their tanks, they will root around them and push them about. We call it "redecorating". A turtle may pick out a rock or decoration and treat it like it's another turtle by fluttering at it. Some will do this for hours every day.

If you feed your turtle live prey, he'll hunt it.

If there's something in the tank that makes bubbles or ripples - like a bubble rock or spray bar on a filter, your turtle will enjoy swimming back and forth in the current.

Some turtles like to push around a ping pong ball.

Turtles seem to love to eat, so providing them with a variety of interesting food is stimulating for them. Water plants, like anacharis for instance, are fun to tear apart as well as to eat. Big lettuce leaves are fun because it can take a turtle all day to eat one.

When your turtle gets past the point of being shy around you, you should take some time every day to interact with him. Perhaps feed him by hand. Our turtle's aquarium is in the den where we sit and read and watch TV. Spot is always aware of us and what we're doing. Sometimes if I even look his direction he'll go into his begging routine.

[taylor_a]

My new turtle's just wee and he seems to entertain himself fairly well. Sometimes it's like he's exercising; he climbs onto his dock, races across to the other side, and flings himself back into the water...and repeat.
He also spends a lot of time seeing if he can wedge himself between the tank wall and the bars from his turtle dock (he used to be able to do this but he's since gotten too big so he'll just flap around a bit before reversing. I keep a close eye on him though to make sure he won't be getting stuck!). He's so far ignored the guppies he has in the tank with him, but he likes to be hand fed!

[LadyClovenhoof]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!! I'll have to give a couple of them a try, i think i've got a bubble bar and some bigger rocks I can add in there. He gets company at night cause he is in the living room with us, but he doesn't seem to like to watch tv like our fish do.

[blackforce247]

see my baby red eared slider was pretty bored too. see i remember wen my baby female red eared slider died he wasn't as playful as before. wen i came to its tank it would look out of its rock to see me and would just swim up to the tank. i told my dad to buy another red eared slider female to replace the 1 that died. so, i went to a pet store bought a 5 inch red eared slider for 20 dollars. wen i put the female with the younger male the male was really frightened but soon after they got really close and now there like a couple. but they do the mating dance now and then, so i know i gota watch out for that. the young turtle is 2 inches the big turtle is 5 like i said, so they're wont be any egg laying for a while..............i hope

[Sgt. Pepper]

blackforce: Turtles lay eggs whether they've mated or not. And like I've said before, I highly advise against keeping those two turtles together. The fluttering is most likely out of aggression.

[Dein211]

Rolo seemed to be getting quite bored in her tank. i mean VERY bored. however i took the bubble stone from the fish tank and put it in hers since i read on a past topic how popular they are with the turts. wow, the first night she was swimming laps around it absolutly facinated with it. its her favorite hang out spot. it seems to have eased her a bit around me as well and she definately comes out more often. she still shies( or shall i say absolutly panics? like OH MY GOD ITS BACK RUN BEFORE SHE TAKES ME OUT AGAIN!IS THAT THE BRUSH?AHH!) when she see's me but its geting better especially since she knows i have her favorite treats: shrimp!

[1981camaroz28]

My turtle plays everyday walking around my house and since my kids leave there toys around she will climb on everything including pillows. Below is a video of my large female.

[Bernie]

Boredom suggests a concept of time. No animal has this. In terms of happiness, we need to keep in mind these animals have very small brains and are easily amused. No one really needs to worry about entertainment for a turtle. Lounging around in the heat or swimming around is their idea of fun.

(Actually, that doesn't sound all that bad of a lifestyle!)

[Take-One]

My turtles watch TV. Take bites out of the basking dock. Not that fun to me.

[Impulse Shopper]

sometimes George seems bored and I don't know if I should or could provide him with something to amuse himself.

Mine is named George, too!

[Impulse Shopper]

I know many turts enjoy pushing around some river rocks.

George only pushes his rocks around so he can get to the bottom surface of his container and lay there. He's getting a new filtered container today, so we'll see...

Some owners have also put a mirror next to the tank for the turt to look at

I got him a mirror tub last night. He's using it to hide under! He's so shy.

[Impulse Shopper]

We call it "redecorating".

George redecorates all the time. The fake plant must be on its side so he can hide beneath it.

If you feed your turtle live prey, he'll hunt it.

I got him mealworm last night and was concerned that the things were too big (he's a baby) so I broke it up into pieces and the vertebrae or whatever it is squirmed between my fingers. Gross! The things we do for love.

If there's something in the tank that makes bubbles or ripples - like a bubble rock or spray bar on a filter, your turtle will enjoy swimming back and forth in the current.

I can't wait to see. That's what he's getting today.

When your turtle gets past the point of being shy around you,

When does that happen, LOL? I got over my fear of him and touched his pretty shell last night. He never resists when I come close to try to hand feed him (not that he eats, but, hey). But he's soooo funny! I'll be minding my business and when I look or move toward him, he ducks his head in, LOL! I saw you watching me, George. He must be so curious (that's how he got his name). I'm like a giant, LOL! So getting him a mirror, I thought, was a great idea so he can keep in touch with his turtle heritage, LOL.

you should take some time every day to interact with him. Perhaps feed him by hand. Our turtle's aquarium is in the den where we sit and read and watch TV. Spot is always aware of us and what we're doing. Sometimes if I even look his direction he'll go into his begging routine.

I'm still determining George's permanent space in the home. I presume since he's getting his filter aquarium today, he needs to be near an electrical outlet. He likes to be high up, like on the kitchen counter. Doesn't seem to like to be on a surface that's low to the ground.