General Care Discussion :: Is it possible for turtles to sleep in deep waters?

[Sen5es]

I have a red eared slider that is about an inch and a half. I only have one floating basking rock which it basks on all the time with UVA/Heat/UVB light shining towards the dock. But the water itself is almost about 12inches deep. At night I always see it in the water. Can it sleep if the water is that deep?

[BullDog]

They can, although they seem to prefer a resting spot closer to the surface. You can put a large floating plant or an underwater shelf as a resting area.

With Ralph, for most of his life I never had an underwater resting area. He would sleep on the ramp to his dock. Then when I got Frankie, I sort of had to put a resting area because she wasn't comfortable in the deep water. I figured I may as well make one for Ralph, and the same night I put a shelf in there, he slept on it!

[marisa]

Most turtles, especially young ones are more comfortable with some plastic plants to rest on and hide/sleep in.

By floating basking rock, I hope it's anchored under the lighting, not floating around the tank...

[jozzep]

Yes

[robind]

Mine chills on her basking ramp as well, or on some floating hyacinth. Its fricking impossible to grow plants in a turtle tank.

[mikee]

Yep! They can and do sleep on the bottom. I have three in one tank that are about 4 to 5 inches and they do sleep on the bottom. They will come up every few hours and take a breath and go back down to snooze. m.

[bover907]

Mine sleeps sideways, clinging to the pille of rocks that hold up his basking area.

[Gimli]

My Gimli sleeps on the bottom... I think I've seen him once or twice sleeping out of the water...

[nikola]

Mine sleeps on the bottom all the time, she stretches out her legs completely while sleeping. Looks so funny every time