General Care Discussion :: RES In A Pool

[mybrosteve]

I saw a video on YouTube yesterday of people rescuing a RES out of their pool. And i was wondering, would the chemicals in a pool be harmful to a RES? I dont have a pool or anything so i dont have to worry about it, i was just curious.

[missibsu]

I personally don't think it's a healthy thing to do. Most people here buy water conditioners to get rid of chlorine, and that is usually what is used in pools. It can irritate the eyes for one thing.

If they aren't chlorinating their pool, then I don't know that I would want to go swimming in it. Who knows what kind of bacteria there could be.

[industrial_girl_2000]

LOL, well, it ain't good.

You know how chlorine can irritate our eyes when we swim and the same thing can happen to a RES. Also, we consciously aren't supposed to "drink" the water in a pool (and we as people know this), but a Turt isn't necessarily going to live by that rule, so some of the water may get swallowed.

A while back, I let Sheba swim in a pool one time because I wanted to swim with her & be in *her* environment with her for once. I knew this couldn't be accomplished in a lake so I opted to take her in a pool (smaller, more controlled environment). So I waited on a very hot day, late in the afternoon, when the chlorine wasn't as strong, and hopped in with her. She seemed to enjoy it, but we only stayed in for about 20 minutes because I didn't want her eyes to get irritated from any residual chemicals.

Keep in mind also that Sheba is not a hatchling & has been healthy her whole life. There was also no chance of me losing her in this smaller (condo community) pool. It was a one time deal. I just wanted to swim with her once. She always has so much fun swimming around her tank! I guess I just wanted to be part of it for once.

[missibsu]

Kristen, did she follow you around?

[industrial_girl_2000]

Kristen, did she follow you around?

Sheba was almost afraid at first (this pool is massive compared to her old 55 gal tank), and wouldn't leave me (I was standing in the shallow end with her). She kept going 3' down to the bottom, and coming back up where I was, looking at me & staying near me, just floating. I kept telling her to go off and swim (especially since I wanted her to make the most of this opportunity!), and she eventually sunk to the bottom & started *walking* around the pool...! Once in a while she would come up for air, then sink back down to the bottom again and start walking. Yeesh. She had all that opportunity to swim and all she did was walk around the bottom, like she does when she walks around my living room.