Habitat - Indoor :: Turtle Aquarium “Ornaments”

[Clint]

As many of you probably have discovered, some turtles are terrors. Miniature Godzilla’s wrecking any aquarium ornaments, plants (real or fake) and practically anything in the tank (mine loves pulling the heater out of the suction cup holders as well as the bubbler). I’ve moved around quite a bit and have had to switch aquariums a few times and am finally able to get a larger tank for my ReS to swim around more in. I’m beginning to make a full aquarium topper that will allow her to move around freely above the tank (including basking area). I feel like she gets bored when in the water. I give her feeder minnows, but she either eats them all in a day or two, or will get lazy and stop chasing them all together until they weaken (sometimes after years of having them in her aquarium). I’m hoping to get some ideas from those of you who have destructive turtles. I want the tank to be a little more pleasurable to look at, but mainly to keep her from being bored of having a practically empty tank. There are two fake plants in the aquarium as well as a small piece of drift wood. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. If this has been asked in a previous post I would appreciate direction on where to find it. THANKS AGAIN!

[litefoot]

In my time never seen one place or thread dedicated to this , but should be one. In my decades I found if a turtle under one year old they do not like change. Once a juvenile there natural in-stinct from the wild to hunt takes oven. To me found them very curiosity checking everything , yes mainly for food but also just too dam nosey. Will dig up a plant just to see what if anything is under it.
Observe well what you turtle does and how. She will tell you what she wants by actions. Also there attention spam will change and a week or month later having other interest. Like a child’s. Instead of setting a tank up on what fits into my decor I offer what my turtle want’s and tweak it to look nice. That spot you want plants live or plastic … watch how it pulls them up and were she puts them. Make a plan to arrange them there and tie or silicone them down. It helps not buying those cheap fish plant’s that snap together. Solid one piece one’s hold up better with turtles even rubberized one’s work best. I have a plant wall/cave my Piggley loves and does not move it ! I also instead of placing decorations the way I want to fit in my feng shui I go by what he wants by observing. I make arrangement's for him to explore , swim and or walk between. Once he gets use to them I change it up a little . Then he has to figure out how to navigate it all over. Like a maze. It keeps his curiosity under control. And Piggley love's it ! Turtle’s love to investigate everything , offer her things to do that. Yes I found they get bored. As in my photos I change my tank up a lot for Piggley . I had a 20” piece of driftwood I wanted in a certain place and he kept moving it back in his place. Yes turtles are very strong. When a juvenile took a few days to do so but when as a young adult could move it back in one day. Today it stays were he wants it or he does get mad. He won ! I don't move it at all. Now he never moves it ! Think it’s because the top of it serves as his feeding station next to my chair. Piggley went through a climbing stage plants and trees , a diving period , the great hunter… now he does a little of all. Thats also why I use stock tanks they offer so much more room than a glass tank. One with a standard 12” tank even an 18” tank one is very limited. Having a Seaclear tank is nicer at 24” wide but the cost $$$$. My 150 gallon stock tank is 3’x5’ make’s it easy to offer things for Piggley. Observe well and your turtle will tell you by his/hers actions what it want’s ! Making for a happy and content turtle with there habitat's.

Ps: you may want to read up on feeder fish even shrimp . I did use for a good while but now maybe just one small one once a month. Member's do lose turtles related to this , can happen : http://www.insectivore.co.uk/articles_t ... oning.html

Any photos of your girl's setup ?