Habitat - Indoor :: turtle won't bask

[wendycleary]

My RES is around 11 years of age. She lived in a terrarium for the first 9 years of her life. When we got her (at age 9) and found out she was an RES, we switched her to an aquarium with about 4 inches of water and a floating dock. She grew to love the water and hiding under the dock, but will not bask on the dock. If we put food up there, she will either leave it alone or pull it off. If we put her up the dock, she climbs off immediately. I recently put some brick-type (wider, though) stone blocks in another corner of the aquarium because I thought she might want to bask on something that didn't move (wasn't floating). She will not bask on the stone blocks either. I am concerned that her shell will soften or rot over time if she never basks. Any advice will be appreciated!

[Kurtni]

Can you post a picture of your set up? How large is your turtle? 4 inches of water isn't very much for an adult RES. Maybe she doesn't feel the need to get out and bask because the water is already so shallow. Do you have heat and UVB lamps?

[wendycleary]

The turtle is about 7 inches long and 5 inches wide (maybe an inch and a half tall). I used the formula on this website to determine the size of the tank, which is about three feet wide, a foot and a half from front to back, and about that tall (17-18 inches). I can't remember how many gallons it holds. I only filled it 4 inches high with water because I was afraid she might drown, and had been advised at the pet store to keep the water level low since she had lived on land her whole life previously. She is fully submerged except her head, so I wonder if I should be concerned about her shell softening or rotting. I can try to post a picture tomorrow.

[BRuTAL_HiTMAN_]

how long has it been since you put the stones up? i wouldn't be too concerned yet, my 18 year old RES went ~15-16 years without having anywhere to bask, and she's never had health issues. do you have a heating lamp pointed at the basking area? if so, how warm is it? if it's not warm enough, she might not get out. like getting out of a hot tub, who would want to do that if the air is too cold?

[wendycleary]

She does have a heat lamp and a UVB lamp, but we haven't kept the heat lamp on all the time in the summer, since the water is heated.

[BRuTAL_HiTMAN_]

yes but the basking area should be warmer than the water, or else she might not want to get out... 10 degrees i believe is the rule

[Kurtni]

The turtle is about 7 inches long and 5 inches wide (maybe an inch and a half tall). I used the formula on this website to determine the size of the tank, which is about three feet wide, a foot and a half from front to back, and about that tall (17-18 inches). I can't remember how many gallons it holds. I only filled it 4 inches high with water because I was afraid she might drown, and had been advised at the pet store to keep the water level low since she had lived on land her whole life previously. She is fully submerged except her head, so I wonder if I should be concerned about her shell softening or rotting. I can try to post a picture tomorrow.

I'd be more worried about her drowning in four inches of water, because if she gets flipped over in such shallow water it would be difficult for her to turn back over. Just because she's been kept on land her whole life doesn't mean she can't swim, I would definitely try raising the water level as much as the aquarium will allow.

If you don't keep the heat lamp on, there is nothing enticing the turtle to bask. Turtles bask because they like the heat. The water temperature and basking temperature are two separate things.The basking spot temperature should be much warmer.

[BRuTAL_HiTMAN_]

+1 kurtini

[wendycleary]

These are all good points and very helpful. Perhaps my turtle also doesn't feel the need to bask because she can just stand in the water (as opposed to swimming all the time). When we got the aquarium for her, I intended to have a higher water level, but then didn't fill it that high on the advice of the pet store clerk. I have never worried about her flipping over in the aquarium because I haven't seen her struggle at all, but when we first had her in a terrarium (before we knew she was a RES) she would flip over sometimes and was always able to right herself.

I am still wondering two things.

Is it possible that a turtle doesn't like a floating surface to bask on (the dock is anchored to the side with suction cups?

Is there a real danger of her shell softening or rotting if we keep this set-up?

Thank you so much!

[Kurtni]

The petstore clerk gave you bad advice, I would disregard it. Red Ear sliders like to climb. In such shallow water, she could easily try to maneuver up the glass and flip herself. She could flip herself over off the basking area if she decides to use it. Even if she never flips over, having shallow water may not do much for her quality of life. Maybe you could raise it a few inches at a time if you're worried about her swimming ability so she can adjust?

The floating dock may be awkward for the turtle to climb on to, especially a bigger turtle. Didn't you say you made a stationary area out of bricks? Once the water is high enough for her to swim and maneuver in, she'll probably like that.

If she can't get out of the water and bask, it will cause shell problems like scute retention and fungus.

[steve]

RES do enjoy basking, many do it for several hours a day. Accurate temperature keeping is an easy and important aspect of maintaining your turtle's health. What's the water and basking temps?

[wendycleary]

I don't know what the basking temp is, I just use a reptile heat lamp. The water temp is in the red zone specified on the thermometer, around 75 degrees.

In terms of her dock, she isn't motivated to climb on it (not that she can't) except to retrieve a cuttlefish bone. When we put her on it, she gets right down. She is large though, so turning around isn't easy. If I were to raise the water level, I would have to build the rock area higher for her to use that to bask on, because it is just above the water level right now.

I know she intuitively knows how to swim, but I am still a little worried about her drowning because she has never lived in a full aquarium. Perhaps I should try to raise the level a few inches at a time, as you suggest.

[steve]

Without knowing what the temps are, you will have a hard time gauging your turtle's interest in basking. Can you post a picture of the setup?