Habitat - Indoor

Have you just started picking him up and leaving him there? I know it's not ideal, but I'm sure he misses the basking warmth.

I have! And it's not ideal, but I would gladly do it whenever I can! Unfortunately he just turns around a few times, and makes his way back to the water.

Steve - yesterday I got one of the digital "sticker" thermometers you recommended and stuck it to the side of the tank. It looked like the water's temp was higher than what my "crappy" coral life thermometer was telling me. It was around 76 degrees, instead of 72-73, like I thought. I lowered the heater a bit. Do you think the water is/was maybe too warm and that was inhibiting basking?

Also - I should be getting my laser thermometer (which you also recommended ) today - so I should be able to better judge the basking area's temp. I assume that was wrong too due to the thermometer I was using.

If I understand correctly, ideally. water temp should be ~72 degrees, and basking temp should be ~85-95 degrees. Is that right?

I think 75-76 is the right temp that could be a few degrees warmer for hatchlings and few cooler for older RES. My basking temps are upper 90's though for hatchlings it should be cooler and more strictly monitored.

I have been following this thread and it is just baffling to me. My RES just seems to BASK ALL DAY! Except for when it comes feeding time of course. My water is 73F and basking area around 95F

Gertrude used to bask A LOT. All the time. I enjoyed watching her superman pose all the time... not really sure what's going on here, but I will continue to try and try!

So Steve (or anyone else), do you think I need to consider "forcing" UVB/dryness onto Gertrude? It's now been several weeks with the new ATBA, and he's still not going up there to bask. I've tried moving the heat lamp closer to the ramp, and then closer again. Putting food up there. Putting him up there. I know he can get up there, because he has in the past, he just isn't staying up there.

I'm starting to get concerned about his never being dry, and never basking. Should I consider taking him out of the tank and placing him in a separate container, with the UVB light over? I don't think you can force them to bask, but... running out of ideas here...

I think it's fine if his pellet has some vitamin d3. You could dry dock him overnight which would be the easiest way to do it. I would get a dark cloth and cover the sides. if that doesn't work, then I would switch it, temporarily at least.

Hey Steve, thanks for the suggestions. Is there a reason it's easiest to dry dock him overnight? Is it just because he'll likely sleep the whole time and not be agitated in any way?

And do you mean get a dark cloth and cover the sides of the basking area? Or wherever I dry dock him?

Yea, having him sleep will make it less stressful. I would try the dark cloth around his basking area but I would try an alternate basking area if he's just not taking to this one.

Got ya... thanks Steve

Just thought I would post an update - Steve, I took your suggestion and put up a small dark "curtain" on the ATBA and Gertrude has gone up once or twice on his own. He doesn't stay for a terribly long time, but it's progress. Maybe 10-15 minutes, TOPS, and he's only gone up 2-3 times.

I'd re-check the basking temperature and see if you need to bump it up.

So I finally received my digital infrared thermometer (that you recommended) and the basking floor temp reads around 100. It's a 50watt bulb about 10-12" away from the surface

Do you think he would be going up there when you're not around?

I have been watching him with a webcam for weeks. He's gone up once or twice, for a few minutes at a time. Never more than 10 mins or so.

Habitat - Indoor :: New ATBA (and is something wrong with my RES?)

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