General Care Discussion :: few turtle questions about those mating courtship things

[yomama]

few questions.
please answer the questions by numbering them by which question you are answering:)
1. My turtle did those mating courtship fluttering thigns with a ROMAINE LETTUCE and...it's like 1.5 inches! So, what does this mean and will he do it again, is it a she or a he, do you probably predict? He right?2.

2. Will a 20 gallon tank fit onto a shelf without any books on the bottom as in will it be secure?

3. it seems as if my turtle never sleeps! When do they sleep? i saw him sleep ONCE but that was the only once xD

4. My turtle's head is getting bigger these few days, is it because it's growing? Or something?

Please answer:) thanks!

[BullDog]

1. He/She was probably just showing that lettuce who's boss! When they're little, it's kind of like how kittens stalk or dogs play. They're just practising for the "real world".

2. It depends on the bookshelf. A 20 gallon tank filled with water is close to 160 lbs. If the bookshelf can hold an adult at that weight, then the tank *should* be ok.

3. Most sleep when the lights are out, and sometimes they nap during the day. My Ralph is hard to catch sleeping too. I've probably only seen him sleep about 4 times in 14 years. Perhaps the hard-to-catch sleeping turtles figure if you're awake, then they should be awake too!

4. Not sure about the head, but hatchlings always look like they have a big head to me. As long as it looks normal (No bumps or red spots), then that's fine.

[yomama]

thanks! thats helpful, I want to know what others want to say about the first and second one:]

[TheComputerGremlin]

Still too young to sex, don't get impatient! You'll find out when your turtle is closer to 4" or a year old. And as for the bookshelf, the big problems would be cords or filter tubes needing a place to go, and remember that no matter what state your tank is in, it will evaporate a lot of water, so it can potentially damage books or cause mold to grow.

[yomama]

oh ok thanks jax...other people please? :3

[megcornell]

It's not a good idea to put an aquarium on a bookshelf, it will be too heavy and collapse.
And you can't tell sex before 4 inches, all you can do is make pretty random guesses. Females and males flutter.

[SpotsMama]

On #1, my turtle flutters at rocks. I've heard of other turtles fluttering at their turtle keepers. They will flutter at a mirror. Yours is the first I've heard of that flutters at his food, but every turtle has his/her own personality. It's way to early to tell if you've got a he or a she - they both flutter. You won't know the sex until he/she's about 4" long. Probably the first obvious thing you'll notice is that, if you have a male, his front toenails will start to grow VERY long.

I agree with Meg on the bookcase. Aquariums full of water are VERY heavy and I can't imagine a bookcase sturdy enough to hold one safely.

[yomama]

oh haha thanks spotsmama about the fluttering details:] it was fluttering at its food xD

ok I'll try and put the tank somewhere else:]

[Tenodera]

Haha I agree with what everyone else has said.

My turtle, Roca, would flutter at his carrots before eating them!