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I live in So Cal and the water temp during the day is between 80-81 deg. The basking area temp ranges between 91-93 during the day and much cooler at 87 at night. What's the highest temp that RES can withstand?

I keep mine around 90. I think once you hit 100 is when it starts to get too hot. Someone correct me if I am wrong....

I noticed my turtle prefers it between 95-98 or he won't go up.

Before I got my basking light, I used a little spot light and the temp was around 87 or so and they all 3 would bask. Now that I have a basking light I've only seen 2 turts max. Also, I changed the basking area setup from stone to flooring marble. Would this have any effect on them? maybe its too smooth?

Mine stays about 92.

RES are temperate, not tropical turtles, and a temp that's excessively high for prolonged periods can harm them. Upper 90'sF and up is really too warm. Some people say their turtles like to bask at 95F, but I've got to wonder. If they were in the wild and it was really hot they wouldn't be likely to bask (especially if there wasn't a breeze). I think you'd only want to have the temp much higher than 90F if the turtle were ill (but never as high as the higher 90s up).

My RES likes it in the upper 80's and won't lay directly under the light if the temp goes up much more than that. The painted hatchlings have basked when the temp was in the mid-80s (which I'm happy about because hatchlings are more sensitive to heat and I don't want them "knocked out" by it).

I'd try to keep the temp around 90F if possible (increase the distance from the light, use a lower wattage, etc.). Excessive heat can contribute to a number of problems, including fast growth and shedding skin.

Marisa,

The reason I was trying to keep it around the low 90's was because of the +10 deg difference rule between the basking area and water temp. Maybe I should try lowering the temp to the high 80s and see if that works.

I had it in the high 80's-low 90's and the only time he got out of the water was when I took him outside. I even put his food up there to get him to come out and it was a no go. We can follow all the rules and guidelines we want to, but I think it comes down to the fact that each turtle is an individual with individual needs/wants. While they may not be tropical turtles, they're not wild turtles either, most are bred in captivity, making their environmental needs completely different from a wild turtle. I highly doubt the turtle ponds in the wild have filters, heaters, digital thermometers and pretty rocks.

Try it and see. If they're used to having it so hot, maybe you could lower it in stages. (Or lower the water temp a bit if possible so the lower basking area temp is still warm to them.)

The 8-10 degree difference is more of a guide. You want to have a contrast between the water and basking area temp so the turtle wants to get out of the water to bask for the warmth.

What is different about the spotlight you used to use and the basking light, the wattage?

If the basking spot is really different, it may take them a bit to get used to it. I'm also wondering if the stone isn't absorbing the heat and contributing to not wanting to bask (too hot). Personally, I like to see a little texture of the basking area (but it shouldn't be abrasive as it will wear their shells when they move around on it). You want a little air underneath so their plastrons can dry off too. (These are three reasons why I like something like corkbark--doesn't absorb heat like stones do, isn't abrasive, and lets the turtle dry off underneath.)

[quote="flutterby"] ... they're not wild turtles either, most are bred in captivity, making their environmental needs completely different from a wild turtle.

Are you sure about this? I've always though that turtlekeepers try to replicate a turtle's native habitat as much as possible. With aquatics that has to be done with equipment like filters, etc., and it can be a poor substitute if not done correctly.

The spotlight I used didn't provide UVB or UVA rays, it was just a little clamp spot light for outside use mostly. I got a 100w T-Rex flood bulb and it gives off a lot more heat. The marble is cool when I touch it.
You make a good point about texture for the basking area. Never thought about the underside of the turtles. I'll try laying slate rock there instead of marble and see how that works.
Thanks for the help!

Just thought of something.
I've never really payed any attention to how the turtles are when they're basking, but are their undersides directly on the rock when they bask? I think I recall them still on all fours, so shouldn't they still have enough space to dry their underside?

mine sometimes tuck in or stretch out. I've never seen mine on all fours...

Ok..Interesting. So I guess marble is probably the culprit here.

Mine usually shells up. Every know and then he has extremities out.