Photo Gallery :: Basking on Cork Bark

[untsmurf]

I was also wondering where you got such a big piece from. I'll need some eventually when Mikey gets too fat for his log

Great pics SpotsMama. Spot looks very happy to be there.

[Terryo]

They are beautiful pictures, and Spot looks soooooooo happy. Do you leave him outside in the winter to hibernate? I always bring mine in, but someone posted a picture in another forum with snow on top of a kiddie pool where her turtles were. I have to look for it. I try to bring them in before it gets too chilly and they start slowing down. We always have a period of "sulking" after coming in for a while. They just love it outside don't they?

[marisa]

Now that's a basking area (no offense to those who make them). That's exactly what Tilly and the painteds have been doing in their stock tanks for weeks now.

[SpotsMama]

Haimish - Spot can't escape because the concrete blocks overhang the water, forming a sort of lip around the edge of the pond. But he has tried to escape and actually did before we put the concrete blocks around the edge.

DavidY - the corkbark is resting on a tower of flagstones. The bark sort of curves around the top stone which provides a little stability. If it were floating free I think he'd use it to escape.

Steve & UNTSMURF - here's where the bark came from. It's the large flat size on the list at the bottom of the page. I think DavidY was the one that recommended it.

http://www.blackjungle.com/Merchant2/me ... _Code=WFWH

TerryO - Spot comes in for the winter. He has a nice 100 gallon "winter home" in the den. I had to laugh when you mentioned the sulking! Last year when I brought Spot in he was the grumpiest turtle I'd ever seen - like a snapping turtle. He actually bit me - hard!

[c.dorrance]

that pond is awesome

[sillyleisl]

very pretty!

[steve]

I wasn't too happy with the piece I received from Black Jungle. I had a piece from LLL reptile that was just perfect, perhaps they set a high standard

[SpotsMama]

I'll keep that in mind for next time. If I may ask, what was the problem with the piece you got from black jungle?

[Kayra33]

Spotsmama:

Your pond is absolutely awesome and Spot is adorable!! Someday I hope to have a pond for Brooks, I think that she would be so happy! So you leave Spot outside during the day and night in the warm weather? I know that you said that the tree with the pink leaves is next to it, is that what keeps it shaded? So she has some shade and some sun throughout the day? Can I ask what the corn and peanuts are for? I think that I would be scared for awhile even though I know that you said he can't escape. But it is very beautiful and I'm sure that Spot knows just how lucky he is!

[steve]

I'll keep that in mind for next time. If I may ask, what was the problem with the piece you got from black jungle?

The one had some baked on leaves, had a crack along the center and was a bit dirtier than the others I received. It's fine for a terrarium or a dry environment and I'm using it for their enclosed outdoor area.

[marisa]

That's strange, the pieces I've always gotten from BJ have been quite good.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Sheba's coming to visit!

[Kayra33]

No doubt!!! We should all take a road trip to Texas! I've always wanted to go there!

[SpotsMama]

Kayra, I do leave Spot outside day and night - sometimes. It's not a absolute thing. Believe it or not, he lets me know whether he'd prefer to be inside in his tank or outside in his pond. I put him on the ground outside and if, after sniffing around for awhile, he goes to the wall of the pond and tries to climb it, then I take it that he wants in his pond so that's where I put him. If, on the other hand, he goes to the back door and scratches, I take it he wants to be inside in his aquarium, so that's where I put him. I hope I'm reading his mind correctly! Mostly he wants in his pond, and it's rather rare for him to ask to go inside.

There's a big fig tree on one side of the pond that shades it most of the morning. There are medium sized pecan and oak trees on the other side, and they shade it in the afternoon. The basking area gets about 2 1/2 hours of direct sunlight each day and the rest of the time it's shaded or filtered light. Spot will get up and bask when the sun's directly on it. The crape myrtle with pink flowers isn't really in the direct line with the sun.

[Kayra33]

What are the corn and peanuts there for again??