General Care Discussion :: I think Oliver is depressed.

[marisa]

He actually looks bigger than 4.5 inches in the pics. The shell looks much better where he shed that last vertebral scute in that last pic of him.

[laurapa]

Those pictures are way zoomed in. He is on one of those Zoomed floating turtle logs (don't worry, it's anchored under his lamps), which don't hold a much bigger turtle.

He could easily hide completely under my husband's hand, he is so small!

My concern today isn't as much about his energy level (he did lots of exploring today), but with his skittishness. It's amazing the things these days that will freak him out and make him jump off his log. I think I need to build him a nice ATBA and put it at the FRONT of his tank so it blocks visual of people walking around.

But he didn't used to be this way. Back when he was in an glass tank, he would swim right up to the glass, follow your finger around, and be excited to see you. Sure, he would jump off his rock from time to time, but not so often.

Now it seems like the only time he acknowledges my presence is when he's freaking out and diving to the back of his tank. Or when I dangle his pellet container over the tank.

I think these factors are all working together:
1. The traumatic roach trap incident.
2. Puberty causing more fight/flight androgens (whatever these are in turtles) to be coursing through his veins.
3. The new tank on the floor, even though there are hiding spots.

I don't know how to rebuild trust. I have been sitting myself down in front of his tank while he eats to let him see that I'm the one feeding him and I'm not going to hurt him while he eats. Sometimes he is OK with that, but sometimes he'll run to the back of his tank in the middle of eating. It makes me sad.

Any other trust-building ideas?

[SpotsMama]

Laurapa, I think you are very insightful. All the reasons you listed for his skittishness make sense. As you've experienced, turtle personalities aren't static - they evolve over time. If you are always gentle with your turtle and take time to interact with him, he'll get more and more relaxed around you over time. The main ingrediant is time.

For years I picked Spot up every day to check his shell and skin. I didn't hold him for long but I do think the frequent non-threatening handling taught him that I wasn't anything to be afraid of. I also took him outside to walk around in the sun when the weather was nice, which I think he liked. Spot's aquariium is in our den, where we are all the time, so he gets to see a lot of us. You know about the food - the stronger the link between you and good food in your turtle's mind, the better he'll like you.

[marisa]

I think his skittishness and flights off the basking area are mainly because of something he sees or perceives. My RES is as mellow as they come, but if I approach his tank holding an object he's unfamilar with, he'll often dive into the water.