Habitat - Indoor :: Basking platform

[slpeterson]

I have had a a RES and new aquarium for about 3 weeks now, and I never see him up on the basking platform. Granted, I am at school or work for most of the day, so he could be up there at that time, but even on the weekends when I check on him frequently, he is always in the water.
The basking platform is floating piece that I purchased from pet smart that is placed in the corner of the tank and moves up and down on the sliders attached to the side of the tank, adjusting for water levels.
I have seen other RES at pet smart, that are the same size as my RES get up and down on it with no problem.

Is there a reason that he is not climbing up on to the perch? I am concerned that he is not basking like he should.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Stephen

[steve]

This is a frequent topic here. The main rules for basking are: new RES need time to adjust and some privacy, water should be 75-78, basking area 10 degrees warmer and the basking area needs to be easily accessible.

Were the RES at petsmart the same size as yours?

[daredevilgirl013]

Here was the problem with my res not wanting to bask..he could see us. So I moved the docking bay to the other side of the tank so that all he could really see is the wall and he wouldn't see us till we were right there next to him. It works and he now basks. That maybe the problem. Plus you gotta stop checking on him every time you turn around, that's going to make them not want to bask because they'll feel a predator is always around.

[slpeterson]

Thank you for the responses.
I guess it could be a case of getting used to the environs and not wanting to bask when they see or sense someone around, but that doesn't seem to stop the RES at Pet Smart, that are constantly climbing on and climbing off the perch, with many people constantly around.
I will try and slide the tank up against the wall some more and see if that works.
When I had him in his temporary storage bin, which consisted of a shallow water area and then a brick and rock he could climb onto, out of the water, he was always laying up on the rock, with his legs extended, basking under the same light I have now, even with people around.

Other question I have is about feeder fish. How often will a RES take a fish? I have only seen him eat one of the few that I put in the tank and the only reason, it seemed, is because the fish was nibbling on the pellet food that the turtle was eating.

[daredevilgirl013]

Mine was like that too when I bought him at the mall, he was basking when I bought him, but he was used to that and in a tank with about 200 other turtles. Here he's alone, new environment, new people, and in a much better place in my opinion. So you have to look at that too. Plus he's right next to us, he's not in a tank in the middle of nowhere where people usually stick to the walls of the mall instead of in the middle of the mall walkway. So you have to think about that.

As for fish...I don't know about that. Mine probably wouldn't even eat them if I put them in there. Mine's just a very picky eater, he won't eat too much of anything besides his pellets and his treat of shrimp every once in a while. So it's really a touch and go on what turtle you have.

[blaydes]

I had just gotten my one year old slider in a new tank also, and I noticed that he wasn't basking. I thought that maybe he couldn't get on it because it doesn't have a ramp, but is still close to the water.I would pick him up time after time and put him on it and he would just keep swimming. One day I was coming in from school and I saw that he was on his basking rock, and had been there for a while.Now he is on there just as much as he is in the water. I think that your turt is just getting used to its surroundings.