Habitat - Indoor :: won't go in above tank basking area

[bert100]

Last Saturday my wife and I spent the day drawing plans, buying the material, and building an above tank basking area for one of our RES. WE were so excited to put the turtle in her new home, but we must have been more excited about it then her because she wants nothing to do with it. My question is, does it usually take some time for them to learn that they can go up there? I have placed her up there many times but she always goes right back into the water. I have even locked her up there a few times hoping she would learn that she can bask there. I posted a few pictures so you can see the setup and so you could give me your thoughts if you see a problem with it that might make her hesitant to go up there.

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[josephkr]

It took my turtle about a week before she started climbing up there. It took about 3 weeks before she'd bask while we were around.

[josephkr]

I did put a dish with pellets soaked in tuna juice and it would disappear while I was work, so I know she would go up there, but it took a while to get her comfortable.

[Gurgi's Mom]

Very nice job! What temperature is is getting up there? How many inches is the platform from the surface of the water? Does she have a smooth & easy transition back into the water?

[bert100]

josephkr, that is a good idea to put something up there and see if it moves, I am going to do that tonight.

Gurgi's Mom, thanks for the the complement, it turned out way nicer then we were expecting. The temperature bounces between the high 80's and low 90's. There is about three inches between the top of the water and the platform. The transition between the water and platform is easy for her to get up and down but I have noticed that every time she leaves the platform she is in a full sprint and she ends up sliding down the ramp and hitting the tank face first. I believe that if she would just slow down she wouldn't have this problem.

[steve]

It looks great. I'd try to get the basking temps to reach the mid to upper 90s. Try leaving a trail of food up there to see if she will go up there by herself. Also cover the side, so she has some privacy as she gets used to this.

[Kansasslider]

I would remove that big round rock so it has easy escape route. It took mine weeks before they used it. Now they bask all the time. What is the distance between the water and the atba? Ie how long of a drop would your turtle have when it leaps off of the basking area into the water? Real nice job by the way!

[bert100]

Kansassliner, it is about a three inch drop. Do you think that is to far?

I am also getting worried about her being in the water too long. I have been taking her out for short periods everyday but she is has been in the water 95% of the time for the last week. How long can this continue before I need to begin worrying about health problems?

[josephkr]

I can't see your pictures so I don't know your set up, but mine is set up with the UVB above the ramp and the heat light on the back portion of the ATBA. When I was trying to lure my turtle up there I switched the lights for a while so the heat was closer to the ramp, trying to lure him up the ramp. Once he used the ramp more I switched them back so he's guaranteed UVB and then he can regulate how much heat he gets by going deeper into the ATBA.

Also, my turtle is a girl but I spent so long calling her a "him" and it just kind of stuck. After all, her name is Sgt. Drake Alexander. Just to explain why I've previously called her a her, and now I'm calling her a him.

[Kansasslider]

When I walk in the room my turtles will jump in the water. My basking area is about 1" from the waters surface.Mine went for weeks maybe longer not basking with no ill effect. .3" is a pretty long fall for a turtle. Can you get it closer to the water? Don't assume they will use the ramp to get back in the water mine don't very often.

[bert100]

Ok, so I took the advice you all have given me. I have put a small dish of food up there. I removed the big rock so she can have an easy escape route. I covered the front so she can have some privacy. I switched the lamps so that the UVB is closer to the water and I put in a bigger bulb to raise the temperature. I am going to try to lower the basking area a few inches in the next few days. Thank you all for the great advice and if anyone else has something more to add please do. Now I guess I will just give her some time to to get use to it.

[amwassil]

So how's it going?

I built a rather elaborate ATBA for my three RES only to discover THEY didn't like it! Turned out exactly what they didn't like about it was the surface of the ramp and platform which I made out of flexible cutting boards with a nice serrated surface for traction. So I ditched that and built another one using their old Zoo Med floating platforms. They're now happy as punch and spend hours each day basking contently. Go figure.

[bert100]

She still won't go up there. I lowered the platform so it is now almost touching the water and I wrapped the ramp in the lining for toolbox drawers so she could get a better grip going up. I also raised the temperature to the mid 90's hoping it would encourage her to go up there. She does rest on the ramp but she just doesn't seem to know she can go all the way up it. I guess I will give her a little more time but I am definitely getting worried about her being in the water all the time.

[amwassil]

In one of your original photos it looks like you have a plastic light diffuser ("egg crate") over the top. If you haven't done so, try removing that. I discovered long ago that my turtles don't like a box and especially don't like a box with a top on it. Maybe yours doesn't either. Also, I know the "90 degree" stuff, nonetheless have you tried changing the height of the lamps? When I first started building basking platforms I discovered that I could very easily make it too hot and the turtles would not bask. Raise the lights a few inches, temp at the basking platform falls a bit, bingo! the turtles go up to bask. Currently, I have plenty of UV and a couple of heat lamps (35 and 60 watts). The platform is nowhere close to 90 degrees, yet the turtles are up there hours per day flying legs and extending necks, etc., the whole basking repertory, even falling asleep! Turtles do have individual preferences and you have to cater to your turtle's preferences even when they don't necessarily match the general rules of engagement.

Hope this helps.