General Care Discussion :: Change in basking routine

[Lauriea21]

Hello, I'm new here, proud owner of a around four year old RES. She's about seven inches when she is "doing yoga" on her basking dock. My dad likes to call it that when she stretches out every limb. Recently, she has not been able to fit on her old dock, and I couldn't find a bigger one anywhere! We tried some slate, and other things and she kept trying to get up to her light. I just finally found a big enough platform that is the exact one she has had her whole life, just wider. I put it in and she tried it and kept her routine for about a week, the about 2 weeks ago she stopped basking. She never even attempts to get up there. She swims actively, no change in diet, same temp. as always (75-80), but no basking. She is shedding a bit because the winter coming, but other than that, no change at all!!! I've googled every phrase related to this, but I've found nothing useful, so I joined this forum. Please help, I wasn't worried at first, but it's been a few weeks now and I don't like it. ALSO, she spends a lot of time huddled to her heater, even though the water is warm and I leave her lights on half the day. She does swim around so I know she's not too cold. Should I increase temp? I feel like it is just so hot in there already. Help me out!! All the other problems I've encountered I've known what to do, but not this time! THANKS SO MUCH!! Happy to be a part of the Turtle Talk community. -Laurie, South Jersey

[steve]

Hi Laurie, welcome to the site. Shedding has nothing to do with winter.

I have a few questions... how big is her tank? Is it filled up all the way? Are you using a basking light? If so, what kind?

[theartbook35]

My mother loves when they stick their feet out while basking, she calls it the "supergirl pose", since all three of our turtles are females.

Okay, when setting up a proper basking area you need to keep certain things in mind: First, can they climb onto the basking dock or above tank basking area without any difficulty? Second, does the basking dock hold your turtle's weight completely, without sinking? Third, the basking temperature needs to be ten degrees higher than the water temperature. So, if you keep the water at 75 degrees, the basking temp. needs to be 85 degrees. If you already have a ten degree difference, then raise the basking temp. about five degrees extra. Sometimes a turtle won't bask if they feel like the temperature is not high enough. In any case, the temp. should not go over 90 degrees.

[Lauriea21]

Hi, thanks for the replies. I have her in a 75 gallon tank and the basking area is everything it should be except I do not know what the temp gets to. She has always been fine with it but I guess it has gotten colder in the house since she stopped. I just have the UV light that is above the platform. Should I have a thermometer where the water isn't? Or do they have lamps that have the temp on them? The water makes the whole tank hot it's filled a little less than half way, enough for her to swim with plenty of room but she can definitely get up on the basking site. Also, what does cause them to shed? Thank you

[theartbook35]

Hi, thanks for the replies. I have her in a 75 gallon tank and the basking area is everything it should be except I do not know what the temp gets to. She has always been fine with it but I guess it has gotten colder in the house since she stopped. I just have the UV light that is above the platform. Should I have a thermometer where the water isn't? Or do they have lamps that have the temp on them? The water makes the whole tank hot it's filled a little less than half way, enough for her to swim with plenty of room but she can definitely get up on the basking site. Also, what does cause them to shed? Thank you

You can't have just UVB above the basking spot. You need a heat emitter, either infrared or ceramic, to raise the temperature. You should get a good quality thermometer (not from walmart or target, those ones suck), which can be suction cupped to the tank wall.

[Lauriea21]

Great! That's perfect, so I just need to keep the thermometer on attached to the inside of the tank around where the light is? Are these heat emitters UV? Or do I keep in the UV tube light and put the new emitter next to it where she basks? The UV light does let off heat, so is it ok to have both? What if the emitter is too hot? Do they let you adjust the temp or is it just a light? I just don't want to make it too hot. I also don't really get why before she was fine with just the UV light, and basked all the time, but now it's not enough for her. Thanks!!

[steve]

Elevate a thermometer on the basking area for a few minutes to get a reading. Some people use a rock or something that is of similar height of their turtle. Ideally, the basking temp is at least 10F warmer than the water temp.

You need both a UVB bulb and a heat bulb. They are separate fixtures, unless you pick up a self-ballasted mercury vapor bulb which will produce heat and UVB. Move it further or closer to the basking area to adjust the temperature range.

[nimbusdrake]

This thread has been really helpful as I am in the same situation now with my turtle. I understand that basking is important for turtle health and development, so about how much time should my turtle be basking? The UVB lamp I have now covers the entire tank, so my turtle does receive UVB light indirectly, but is that enough? BTW, we leave the lamp on about 8 hours a day. Any help would be great, thanks!

[steve]

Artificial UVB from fluorescent are fairly weak, does any of it cover the area where he basks? Do you have your lamps on a timer?

There is no set amount of time a RES should bask, however they should do it for a few hours a day.

[nimbusdrake]

Artificial UVB from fluorescent are fairly weak, does any of it cover the area where he basks? Do you have your lamps on a timer?

There is no set amount of time a RES should bask, however they should do it for a few hours a day.

Thanks for the reply. We do not have a timer. The light does cover the basking area, but I now know (from reading this thread) that the basking area is not warmer than the water temp. We are working on improving this though Currently, I'm working on a new basking set-up.

[hill]

I suggest that you keep the basking temp at about 90 to 91 degrees with a uvb light. I keep my water temp between 75 to 77 degrees. When I have one who does not bask as much as I think he needs to I slowly lower the temp in the water. I get results when the water temp gets down to 70 to 72 degrees. Sliders are temp driven and will get out on the basking area to warm up.
Good Luck!

[taijiangah]

Since you don't have a basking light above the basking area, just a uvb, your turtle is probably feeling warmer in the water than out of the water during the winter. Just get a regular 100 watt above the basking area and he should start to bask again (I use 100 watt mercury vapor lamp with a dimmer, much brighter, hotter, and you can focus the beam much better)

[marisa]

taijiangah, it should have said it somewhere, but mvbs should not be used with dimmers.

nimbusdrake, whatever wattage bulb you add for heat, check the basking area with a thermometer to make sure it's not too hot. Somewhere in the range of 88 - 90F is good.