Intro to new tank--trouble!
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:32 amI bought my RES a black Rubbermaid oval 40 gallon tank. When I put him in, he hid and refused most food for 2 days. Back to the old glass tank. Try again. We got a plexiglass top so it would be light but protected, and tried again after a wait of about 2 weeks. This time he hid and refused all food for 3 days! I couldn't take it and pulled him out again. Back to the old glass tank again. He's a happy turtle in the old cramped glass tank, but give him room to move in the new tank and he acts like he's scared to death!
I put the new tank in the same place the old one had been, so there was no big change in the 'scenery', but it does sit some lower to the floor. I put in his old basking ramp and all his rocks, heaters, light, and his ball he plays with, so the 'furnishings' were familiar.
It's very dark inside that black tank, even with a light shining down into it, and he acted so scared. Could my B.T.T. (Big Tough Turtle) be afraid of the dark? I thought about a mirror glued to the bottom of the tank to reflect light and brighten it up, but would the sight of 'another turtle' be intimidating? He's never met another turtle.
He's always been in glass, and always been in the center of all the activity in the house. He can always see the tv and computer screens and the stereo. (I don't know why he watches the stereo, but he loves it.)
What am I doing wrong? How can I introduce him so that he won't be so traumatized? How long should I wait before I panic and take him out? Did I not give him enough time? I was truly afraid he would die the way he was acting. Or am I just going to have to keep him in glass?
Also, what happens when they get big enough that a glass tank isn't big enough? A small indoor pool? Shore up the floor joists and get a 15 foot cattle tank? We're a ways from there yet, but I want to plan ahead. Does anyone have a really big RES, and what do you keep it in?
I'm new at this and there's a lot I don't know, so all comments would be appreciated. I know I'm doing something wrong, but don't know what! Help!
I put the new tank in the same place the old one had been, so there was no big change in the 'scenery', but it does sit some lower to the floor. I put in his old basking ramp and all his rocks, heaters, light, and his ball he plays with, so the 'furnishings' were familiar.
It's very dark inside that black tank, even with a light shining down into it, and he acted so scared. Could my B.T.T. (Big Tough Turtle) be afraid of the dark? I thought about a mirror glued to the bottom of the tank to reflect light and brighten it up, but would the sight of 'another turtle' be intimidating? He's never met another turtle.
He's always been in glass, and always been in the center of all the activity in the house. He can always see the tv and computer screens and the stereo. (I don't know why he watches the stereo, but he loves it.)
What am I doing wrong? How can I introduce him so that he won't be so traumatized? How long should I wait before I panic and take him out? Did I not give him enough time? I was truly afraid he would die the way he was acting. Or am I just going to have to keep him in glass?
Also, what happens when they get big enough that a glass tank isn't big enough? A small indoor pool? Shore up the floor joists and get a 15 foot cattle tank? We're a ways from there yet, but I want to plan ahead. Does anyone have a really big RES, and what do you keep it in?
I'm new at this and there's a lot I don't know, so all comments would be appreciated. I know I'm doing something wrong, but don't know what! Help!