General Care Discussion :: How Long Should She Be Basking?

[larqw]

Toutolina loves to bask - every day as soon as the son reaches her tank or I turn on her light, she climbs up to bask. Sometimes she's up there for up to 8 hours and even more. Is that normal?

[Bascomb]

LGW -- If he is basking for 8 hours, that is a little excessive. However, my question is, what is the temperature in your tank-- The optimal temperature is 77 to 78 degrees for the water and 90 to 91 degrees for the basking area. When my turtles are up on their basking for a long period I check the water temperature. They like the difference between the water and the basking. Make sure that you have the uvb going also. b.

[larqw]

Oh okay, thanks!
Water heater broke so the water is a little chilly. The temperature of the basking area should be around 80 degrees. I guess I have some shopping to do!

[marisa]

The basking area temp should be in the range of 88 - around 90F, a basking area temp of 80F is too low.

There's no real time that a turtle should bask. Mine vary---some days they spend most of the time in the water and only bask for short periods, other days they spend most of the time basking and go into the water to cool off. If the lights are on for an average of 12 hours a day, they should have enough time to bask when they choose to.

[larqw]

thank you

[industrial_girl_2000]

Sheba loves to bask & sometimes spends 8 hours up there. That's normal if the turtle is healthy.

[larqw]

COOL! thanks

[Robbie883]

I actually have the opposite problem, my turtles seem to never bask. It's got to the point to where I've taken them out of the water and put them in a giant rubbermaid container with the light shining on them for a little over an hour every day.

[steve]

I would try to find out why they won't bask in their tank and try to resolve that issue.