General Care Discussion :: Tank placement a problem?

[Congelata]

I have a couple questions about my new turtle.

I've placed my tank in the dining room since it is the biggest area in my house to keep it. We tend to pass by the tank more often instead of the hallway and I have noticed Dumbledore being very skiddish when we do.
She will bask on the floating log but slide off immediately when we pass by.

Are we causing her more stress by just walking by the tank?
She has only been here for a few days so I am hoping she will calm down over the few months.
There really isn't any other place in the house to put the tank since it is pretty big.

Another question about feeding.
Currently I am feeding her two commercial food sticks and 4 small rips of red leafed lettuce. Every once in a while I will feed her some fruit like cantaloupe or a strawberry.
Should I be feeding her more or less?

I watched the feeding video and have been hearing some conflicting reports about feeding in the water and in a different place.
I could put the food on her heating lamp ramp thing but she seems to do fine eating the floating food.

Thanks for all the help!
I am trying to give her the best home possible. I adore her and I am pretty sure my cat is super jealous...

[ataraxiamb]

Hi!

Most turtles are skittish until they get used to you, especially when it comes to basking. If the high traffic area is the only place in your home where her tank really fits, then it's OK. My turtle is in my living room. He's gotten used to my walking past his tank and even the cat jumping up right next to the tank while he's basking. Most likely she will adapt over time to the extra human exposure. My turtle now only plunges off the basking rock if I get really close to the tank or try to take off the cover.

The rule about food sticks is they should only get the amount that would fit in their head (were it hollow) every few days. Everyday is OK if she is a hatchling. She can have as much lettuce as she will eat, but the fruits should be more like once a month treats than a staple of her diet.

The turtles can only eat in water. Some people hand feed turtles over the basking area, but the turtle will just grab whatever food is offered and scatter into the water to eat it. They don't have tongues, so they need the water to act as their saliva. I wouldn't leave food on the basking ramp unless you are enticing her to bask. If she has any trouble eating the floating lettuce, you can purchase a veggie clip, but it sounds like she's doing just fine!

Can you post a picture?

[slider_keeper]

Pics are always welcomed and enjoyed.

[Congelata]

Thanks for all the advice

Yeah I am hoping she will calm down after a while. She is a juvie and has only been mine for under a week. She eats well and loves the floating log. I havent seen her under the heat lamp though.

I am considering getting rid of the gravel. It is large but might till be too small.

She seems to be doing just fine

[slider_keeper]

I would get rid of the small rocks, it will collect debris and make the water dirty. As your turtle grows, she could be able to eat one of those rocks, that could cause impaction which can be very expensive when it comes to vet bills. A bare bottom or a sand bottom are the easiest to keep clean. If you like the look of rocks, you could use sand as the substrate and put large river stones on the sand or partially buried in the sand. You could also add more water, sliders love to swim and are very good at it. Is that a 40 gal breeder tank?

[Congelata]

Yeah I am considering doing sand. I realized they were too small Ive been messing around with the tank too much since I got her so I am going to wait a week or so before switch it out.

The water level is about 5 inches at the moment. Should I add more?

She is warming up to us though! She didn't swim away from her basking when we walked by all of yesterday <3 Ive been feeding her enough food that can fit in her skull, lettuce and commercial sticks.
Is there a limit on how much you should feed them lettuce in one feeding?

[steve]

Yes, add as much as it can hold and that your turtle can't escape or is too close to any lighting/heating element.

[Congelata]

I removed all the rocks and just have a bare bottomed tank. I also raised the water. The waterline is 6 inches below the top of the tank. I am hoping she wont crawl out. She hasnt really expressed any interest in climbing out either.

[steve]

Don't underestimate their ability to get out a tank... it can be easy and cheap to secure the top. Are you using a lamp stand?

[Congelata]

At the moment I am using the stand. It is telescoping so I raised it much higher than before.
I think this weekend I will get the Rena XP4 for the tank. I still want to raise her basking area above the tank but I might just get some material to create a top so I can rest the basking light on.

Edit.
So my super cheap and paranoid way of covering the open tank is...an oven shelf.
Yes ladies and gents I pulled a shelf from my oven and stuck it on the tank.

Hopefully I can find something similar and larger this weekend but for now here it is
It isn't long enough so I slid it over to the side with the filter, which I am also going to change soon, so she wont climb on top of it and into my cats litter box.

[steve]

Some former mods used an oven shelf, so we approve it as an idea. Someone also used a wire shelf and cut/paint it to his liking... it's a simple and nice looking project.