General Care Discussion :: is this okay?

[pumpkinsherbet]

aeryn's favourite spots to hang out at seem to be under the filter and around the water heater. i moved them both to the front so i could keep an eye on her when she does this, but is it safe?

[grey goose]

They do love squeezing into tight spots, don't they? Neither spot looks safe to me....She could get stuck under that filter, or stuck/burned by the heater..I'd raise the heater up a little, or at least position it on an angle.
If the tank has enough room, why don't you buy one of those hanging plants? My guys love climbing and squeezing between it and the tank, but its loose enough that they can't get trapped:



It comes with a suction cup so you could attach it to the back wall, and trim it to fit:



I got mine from a local pet store (6.99). I think you could get it at Petco or Petsmart.......

[pumpkinsherbet]

whenever i see her near it i tap the tank to try to coax her away from it. the heater hopefully won't be a problem anymore, then, cuz i moved it so it's more than 2½" from the tank's bottom. the filter is 1 3/4" from the bottom, but i'll move it up if i have to (just say the word). forcing me to raise water lvl by two more gallons but that's okay! i've been looking for an excuse to do that!

they do have their plants, two of them, and a nice little hiding cave. john likes the cave alot, aeryn's partial to the plants and she's insistent on hanging out under that filter!

i also have one of those floating basking rock, which is where i keep the plants. makes for good hiding/swimming area. they seem to enjoy sifting through the plants. turtle exercises?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26688278@N ... 492266964/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26688278@N ... 492266964/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26688278@N ... 492266964/

[scripta_elegans]

My turtles did the same thing. I put my heater at a slant as Grey Goose suggested, which stopped that case of wedging, but with the filter it was a problem for me. I did get a plant that sticks to the side of the tank, and that did help. Eventually I replaced the filter as i tend to be a little on the neurotic side, but none did get stuck behind it before that point.

[grey goose]

They seem to love rubbing their shells against things....Can you stick a rock thats large enough under the filter to block them from going there?

[pumpkinsherbet]

how's this?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26688278@N ... 492266964/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26688278@N ... 492266964/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26688278@N ... 492266964/

[grey goose]

That should keep 'em from going under there. Actually, that pic of her under the filter with her legs sticking out is kinda cute. Dangerous but cute......

[scripta_elegans]

I think you solved the under the filter problem. I hope they don't try to wedge behind it. That's what mine decided to try instead of under the filter. They do love tight little spaces.

[pumpkinsherbet]

fortunately they can't fit between the filter side and aquarium wall because i made that gap far far too small for them. they can get a foot, maybe, with some coaxing

[lisajonathan00]

My little babies like to hide under my filter and behind it as well. I have my submersible heater attached to the bottom of the tank and one will squeeze itself under that all the time. Than I put it on the side and the one still try to squeeze behind it. Ugh! I dont know how to prevent that anymore.

[Muirner]

Giving them someplace to hide, or rest under water is what they are looking for, just think it's no effort staying under water. They can chill. Just keep eyes on them, or you can do what i did, suction cups attached to fake plants... Suctioned to the wall, then they rest on these it's great.

[pumpkinsherbet]

blast it she's doing it again. the heater's 4" from the tank bottom now, but she likes to swim to it. warm spot i guess. i just don't want her to get burned.

here's a vid...
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v244/ ... heater.flv
(here's a tour of the tank, she's gots lotsa hiding spots)
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v244/ ... nktour.flv

[grey goose]

If that heater is a Tronic or Ebo-Jagger (or about the same size) you can get a plastic cover for it....

[pumpkinsherbet]

err... i don't know. it's a neptune 100 watt

[grey goose]

I dont think they make a cover for that heater. Try setting it on an angle (the dial end up near the waterline, and the other end near the bottom). This way, he cant get under it, and if he grabs onto it to rest while at the surface, he'll only make contact with the dial part.