Habitat - Indoor :: how high should the water be so that my turties can swim??

[aznxturtxlover]

idk how high the water level should be so that my turties can have enough room to swim

do you guys know

i'm afraid they might drown(even tho they're aquatic turties, cuz they're just hatchlings)

[Andrew7769]

as high as it can be without the turts escaping

[TNTurtles]

yea they will be able to handle a pretty good amount of water. Fill it up as high as you can but not so they could escape.

[aznxturtxlover]

*thx lots*

[missibsu]

Swimming is a natural ability and there shouldn't be any risk of drowning. The thing to watch for would be things they can get caught under and not get out, caught in, or if for some reason the turtle was sick and not swimming properly. Turtles with respritory infection may swim lopsided (listing), and although it won't necessarily cause drowning, that would be a time when their swimming ability isn't at their best. So, fill it up without hesitation.

[alkaiser]

Make sure they have a place to rest that's solid. (A dock)

[industrial_girl_2000]

No risk of drowning due to water level. My turtle often sleeps underwater (yes they can do that too, but how that works is a completely different discussion!).

[ninja_turtle]

yes, i read that turtles have a 2nd breathing mechanism when they're underwater.

you know, ppl who work in pet stores should take training courses before they work there. when i was at the store and asked about the water level, the girl tells me i shouldnt fill it up b/c the turtle will drown.

[DanielRES1180]

That made me crack up for a while but it's not funny. I can't imagine what would be of the turtle if you actually would've believed the person. Was the person talking about an aquatic turtle because it depends in that case.

[ninja_turtle]

LOL! i believed her for a second but then disregarded her so-called "advice." or maybe i would've still believed her if i didnt come to this website. anyway, i told her that i have a RES, its behavior and the water level of about 5 inches of water. she says RES do what they do and i shouldnt fill more water b/c it'll drown.

well, evidence tells me that she is wrong. i filled my tank today with more water (i have a 10 gal. tank). ninja had to adjust for a little while (i watched him for a little bit, just to make sure he's okay) but now, he's swimming like a pro! he makes me laugh! i think he's loving it! i used to call him a little speedo b/c he swims really fast when he's in the tub.

[industrial_girl_2000]

LOL! i believed her for a second but then disregarded her so-called "advice." or maybe i would've still believed her if i didnt come to this website. anyway, i told her that i have a RES, its behavior and the water level of about 5 inches of water. she says RES do what they do and i shouldnt fill more water b/c it'll drown.

She might have been talking about tortoises. People I talk to often confuse tortoises (land only) & turtles (water animals). Tortoises are the ones that can't swim and they will drown if the water is too deep.