General Care Discussion :: Help! New turtle won't bask!

[Bobbysmom]

Hi, I am very very new to the turtle world, but thanks to you guys I think we are on the right road. We bought a small 2-3 in turtle on Friday 23Jan09, currently Squirt is in a ten gallon tank with sand river rocks a floating dock and a few plants. He has no interest in basking. We have a UVB bulb above his floating dock, but he will not go on the dock. Even if we put him on it he dives off into the water. Is this normal? The tank he was in at the pet store was very shallow, I think he is just enjoying all the freedom he has and doesn't want to come out of the water. Any ideas?

[mikee]

Bob-mom -- First start with the basics of water temp at 76 to 78 degrees. Basking area should be about 90 to 91 degrees. The basking area has to have a source of heat and uvb. Turtles like the difference between the two temps. The aquarium should be at least 10 gallons per inch of turtle.
The filter should pump at least 5 times the water that is in the aquraium. Think in terms of gph. This is a start. m.

[SpotsMama]

New turtles - and yours certainly qualifies - are often shy about basking in front of people. Sometimes people don't think their turtles are basking, but later discover that they are when they think no one is looking. You can test this by putting something - like a pellet - on the basking platform, then go away, and when you come back later if it's been moved then you know your turtle's been up there.

If yours is just a shy basker, never fear, he/she will grow out of it with time.

[mikee]

Bob-mom -- If you are sure that he is not basking and everything else is up to par, try this. I had a turtle that was doing the same thing and I started lowering the water temp a couple of degrees at a time until the basking area is a good place to be to get warm. I would not get much lower than about 70 degrees. He may be basking on the sly while you are not in the room. They have to have heat and uvb rays to metabolize their food. If he is eating well he is basking while you are not there. m.