Habitat - Indoor :: Out of tank basking area need your help please!!!!!!!!!!!

[almmaaa]

Hi everyone,
I need your help please. I made an out of tank basking area for my turts. It is made out of plexiglass and I have this plastic thing that I don't know what its called at the moment on the floor of the basking area.

My dilema is that I don't know what to put so my turts can have access to it. I purchased this long wood like basking platform that I thought would be a perfect ramp but it is not, It is too steep for them to go up.

So If someone could tell me what I can do to make a little platform for them to go up to it. I want them to have more swimmming room that is why I made it. I have looked thru the gallery but do not know what would work best I will attach photos of it.

[taylormaid]

Are you able to fill the tank any fuller? It looks like the ramp might not be so steep if the turtles didn't have to climb so far out of water.
By the way, it's funny that you posted this, because I am almost finished building an above tank basking area for my turts & was looking on here for ramp ideas =)
What is the green material you have on the basking area? The ramp I currently have is a little small. I would like to build a larger one, but am unsure of what to put on the ramp so the turtles can grip it.
Anyway, good luck =)

[almmaaa]

THat green thing thats lining the botton of the plexiglass is that material you put like in your kitchen drawers like the non skid kind. I'd love to see pictures of yours. I can't put any more water because there is a side opening so you could put the filter. It comes with a little plastic thing and I also put a piece of plexiglass but I would test it and put more water in it but I would risk having a big ol spill !!!! Here is a picture of the basking ramp and how it looks with the zoo med one and the long one please tell me what you think.

[taylormaid]

It looks good -but you're right, the ramp *is* pretty steep. Also, it looks like it may be too slick for the turts to climb.
If you look on here, there is a pic of a basking area that is built into the water & resting on PVC pipes.
Here is a link to the ramp I am using. I used to just have it attached to the side of my tank like the picture shows. But I made a platform above water & attached this ramp to it -Um... hard to describe! I'll look for my camera & try to put up pics.

http://www.reptiledirect.com/index.asp? ... ProdID=732

[taylormaid]

Uh... I took pics of what I have done so far, but don't know how to upload them here
I'm not so computer savy ...obviously! lol ...but if you could give me easy instructions, I'll post the pics =)

[SpotsMama]

Hey taylormaid, don't feel bad! We all have to learn. At least you know how to take the pics! That was the hardest part for me!

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1811

[taylormaid]

Cool, thanks =) Hopefully I can get it to work! All of the pic taking was easy, since I let my boyfriend figure it out first & then show me how ...I don't like being one of *those* girls, but it sure makes things easier
Well, here are pics of what I have so far.
I have just put the basking box on top of the existing tank cover for now. I am making a new tank cover that will let the basking box sit more securely on top of the tank. Plus, with the new cover I will be able to attach the basking box so it won't be able to move around. Right now, it isn't secure. But I just put it on tonight & the turtles are still freaking out about it. Hopefully they won't mess w/it too much over night



These are pics of the ramp I have right now. I would like to make a large one -but for now, hopefully it will be Ok.



IMG]http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s168/JTaylormaid/turtlelovin006.jpg[/IMG]

And, because this is my first time posting pics on this forum, here are pics of my super cute turts =)

Axle Fury

IMG]http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s168/JTaylormaid/turtlelovin008.jpg[/IMG]

And Cuatro (the big one) w/Axle Fury

IMG]http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s168/JTaylormaid/turtlelovin009.jpg[/IMG][/img]

[taylormaid]

Um... Take Two
another pic of ramp



Axle Fury -my little guy!



And Cuatro (the big girl) w/Axle Fury

[RunninWideOpen]

wow, those are great basking boxes! good job!

almaaa - do you have anyway of bending plexiglass? if so you could make one at the angle you want and epoxy it to the floor of your box. then put some non-skid paper on the floor of it so they have grip.

if not plexiglass maybe you could do it with some other type of material. plastic or something. good luck!

[kinetic]

the higher the water level the easier it will be the make a ramp, you may be able to use cork bark and the turtle dock you have there, and sort of make a more gradual incline for the turtles... youll have to play around with it once you have the water level where you want it

[SpotsMama]

I'm sorry - straying off topic - but I have to comment on those bottom two pictures of the turtles - how dynamic! Really exciting!

I'm very much reminded of pictures of another turtle on here called Peanut who also has spectacular front claws. Here's some pics:

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewt ... ght=peanut

[pitym]

Ok I am straying too SpotsMama. I always thought my turtles had long nails so I thought they were male. NOT!! When I saw the new turtles in the pet store near home, they had Edward Scissorhand claws, just like these. Therefore I have decided mine are both female. I also saw the males "flutter" the way everyone talks about on here and it was amazing.

[SpotsMama]

Yeah, those male claws are awesome! Spot has them too. I call them Freddy Kruger hands.

[almmaaa]

Taylormaid your basking is so cool. Too bad I can't be that creative but hey I could just add that back ground right?

Tohmit
The water level cannot go any higher because the tank has an opening on the side for the filter. It has a little plastic thing that goes there and I added a piece of plexiglass to it and that covers the hole but If I add more water to it and it leaks I will water everywhere, and that is not fun .
I don't think you can bend plexiglass It will break What other material can I use? How do I epoxy it? WHats that? Where can I get that material so they can have a grip?
THank you all for your help.

[almmaaa]

the higher the water level the easier it will be the make a ramp, you may be able to use cork bark and the turtle dock you have there, and sort of make a more gradual incline for the turtles... youll have to play around with it once you have the water level where you want it

Where can I get that cork bark from?