Habitat - Indoor :: new basking box!!!

[Starchick]

Yup, a 29 gallon.

Now I need some advice though. Mike's concerned because every time Napoleon jumps off the dock his shell makes a scraping sound on the edge of the slate. It's very smooth, but we'd like to cover it with something just to be safe. I tried artists tape, but the heat from the lamp made it peel right back off. I was wondering about a thin layer of aquarium silicone, or something like that. Suggestions welcome!!

[skyguyx5]

Hmmm... maybe like some kind of cloth? use tacks to put it on there, but make sure that the turtle cant get them off. Those thin tacks. Not the one to hang stuff on... Would that work?

[Starchick]

I don't think I can pound anything into it, it's some kind of slate or ceramic. Fabric would be okay but it would probably have to be glued, and I'm not sure what would work...it would have to be waterproof, heat resistant and non toxic.

[skyguyx5]

Ohh thats right.. Its tile. Sorry. I thought it was wood for a second, but forgot that you said it was tile in there.... oops

[steve]

Tacks (or nails) are not a good idea... I think there was a situation where someone's turtle was able to eat a couple of them. Besides, they'd rust quickly.

If that tile is not fixed into place, you can use something like reptile carpet and fold some underneath the edges. You can also use something like cork bark to line the bottom. It would also allow the plastron to dry more effectively.

[grey goose]

I love the ones that look like 3D "shadowboxes"' It really looks great! I also like the fact that Napoleon is "supervising' the finishing touches!

[grey goose]

If you could find a piece of rubber (or something that won't break down) and just silicone it to the edge?

[WyredHardware]

What about taking a file and taper the last few inches of the tile. Put a relatively large taper to it and have the edge of the basking tile under the water line. The buoyancy of the water will lift the turtle up and should cut down on friction a lot.

[j0z3]

Beautifull!
soo talking about lamp heating to entice a turtle..How Many Watts are those bulbs?
How Many Watts are needed..? im scared of putting a 100watt bulb to maria. Is 40watts enough?

[Starchick]

It depends on the distance from the turtle. 40 watts is probably enough if you can put it pretty close to the basking spot and shining straight onto it, rather than at an angle. Get a thermometer and check the temperatures, a high wattage bulb won't hurt your turtle so long as the temperature is in the right range. The bulb I'm using is 100 watts, but from across the tank the temperatures range from 88 to 98 degrees on his rock. He likes it at about 96 so he's fine.