Habitat - Outdoor :: I give up!

[rana]

I have given up on trying to get my ladies to bask outside. Everytime I take them out they dive in the water or spend all their time trying to get out of their inclosure. I am afraid that they will hurt themselves. Also, they zip around their tank frantically when I bring them back in. I am worried that I am putting them under to much stress, so no more attempts. Bummer!

[SINI5T3R]

what are you putting them in? if you go to walmart and buy one of those 600 gal kid pools for like 20$ you can leave them in there 24/7 and they will get used to it in a day or two and bask ALL day while the sun is out. It takes them a bit to get used to the change and when you take them out and back in and out it dont help much on getting them used to it.

[rana]

I am not allowed to have a pool of any type where I live, the landlord pays for the water. I would love to have a pool like that saw it at Walmart the other day.

[SINI5T3R]

lol really? that is wack! do u live in a house or a apt?

[steve]

How big is their container?

[rana]

I live in a trailer park. I have a large cage that I put a tub of water in and built the floor up to meet it so that they can get in and out easily. The whole thing is probably 3 ft by 2 ft. Tub of water is 2 ft long, and a foot deep. One of them actually came out of the water today tried to climb up the side of the cage and flipped onto her back. That is why I do not leave them out when I am gone. I go in the house and watch them from the window. Any other ideas?

[steve]

If you leave them out for short periods, you do not need to leave water for them.

[rana]

I guess I would just like them to get used to being out and not continually try to find a way out. I see the pics of others turtles just laying there basking and I wanted mine to be able to just relax and do the same. If its just going to stress them out it defeats the purpose really.

[steve]

It's pretty typical for them to want to get out of new surroundings.