ploskinj wrote:hi industrial_girl_2000,
how long do you let her roam around the house, and how long can they stand out of the water? Does she enjoy it?
Mine always head to the walls and started scratching it so i put her back to her tank immediately
I leave Sheba out of the tank for several hours at a time (up to 8 hours) and then put her back in her tank. She is EXTREMELY energetic and will walk all over the main floor of my house & even come to me when I call her (like a dog) & climb on me to get my attention. She HATES it when I walk past the tank & ignore her & will make lots of loud splashing noises & bang her shell against the tank to get my attention. This is one woman who WILL NOT BE IGNORED!
I started feeding her in a separate pan 17 yrs ago when I first got her because (as you all know) reptomin pellets can make water really stinky/dirty. I just got tired of her "baptizing" the whole house with aquarium tank water when I carried her to her feeding pan (she didn't like being carried & would wildly flail arms & fling water everywhere), so I just let her walk behind me, all the while enticing her with one of her favorite treats in my hand (put food in front of her nose & Sheba will follow you wherever you go).
So in Sheba's case, being out of the tank is "less stressful" than being carried. Being out of the tank means that she will get food 70% of the time. She knows who has the food in hand & follows because she knows she will get the treat in the end......like a dog!
I'm very glad that Sheba kinda "became" like a dog to me because I am allergic to furry/feathered pets which is why I got turtles in the first place!