General Care Discussion :: going mental

[harleysmom]

Okay, I need some advice asap please.

My turtle is 8 years old and has just recently [within the last two weeks] started a VERY annoying habit. he bangs his head against the glass. constantly. he opens his mouth at the water surface when he does it, so at first I assumed he was 'eating' the bubbles in the tank from when I had the bubblewand on. but there are no bubbles now and he is still doing it. literally ALL day. he basks and bangs his head and thats it. he only does it in one spot on the tank too, on the side by the filter tubes furthest from the basking area. only that one exact spot.

This is driving me NUTS. the noise grates on me and makes my blood boil, it is just one of those things that rubs me the wrong way. I've tried to tune it out but it gets on my nerves because his tank is right beside the couch and the constant thump, thump makes me want to rip my hair out. I can't take it anymore. I have decided to get rid of the turtle if I can't find a solution by Monday because it is at the point now where I put him in the bathtub of water and shut the door most of the day when I'm home, so I can have some peace and quiet, which is not fair to him.

I wish I could keep him but he is stressing me out. any suggestions as to why he is doing this? my fiance thinks he sees his reflection and is trying to bite it, but why only in that one spot then and why all of a sudden as of 2 weeks ago?

PLEASE help, I am at the point that if he doesnt stop by monday he is going.

[gdesigner]

i don't know, but maybe you can try and fill up that particular side of the tank so he can't get over there. And you can see if it really is only that side.

[my.lovely.turtle.]

Do you have a backgroud on your tank? I would put it on the sides too. Maybe it is his reflection causing the problem. Does he bang his head in the bathtub too? If not it his defintely his reflection that is the problem.

[harleysmom]

thanks. yes i have background paper on the sides as well.
and the water is full on that side? he has an above tank basking area so his tank is full to within 2 inches of the top of the tank.
i am going to try to rig something up today with corkbark or some kind of softer material and use my aquarium glue to glue it to that side of the tank so if he bangs his head, it wont be as noisy as on the glass.

i hope that works because I am absolutely losing my mind.

[Jaysea]

When i first put a background on my tank Cody used to try to eat the plants on it by doing the exact same thing. Is the background new? Or are there plants or things on it that he might be trying to get to?

[marisa]

Can you move the filter tubes to another area of the tank?

[theartbook35]

Does he usually do this when you walk by? If you are the one who feeds the turtles the most, then, he may be trying to get your attention.

Both of my little girls, Cane and Ty, bite the tank wall when we walk by because they assume that whenever we approach the tank that they will be given food.