General Care Discussion :: Caves/Hiding

[blkdaemon]

I recently got a new hatchling. He's adorable and quick! We've only ever had adults before so this youngster is a new experience for us.

We built a basking platform out of sculpture stone, and he loves it, but he spends a lot of his time wedged in the gap between the platform and the wall of the tank and under the overhang of the platform, almost as if he needed the cave to hide.

He has a whole 10 gallon tank to play in and he rarely leaves that corner. He likes to get fed in that corner, he sleeps there, etc.

Is this normal?

I'm also worried about as he grows if he is one day going to get stuck in there and hurt himself.

Thoughts?

[industrial_girl_2000]

Could you post a picture of your set up?

[Spookster]

They do like having an area they can hide. They will retreat to it usually when they are frightened. I made a cave out of a plastic milk crate with a heavy landscaping stone on top. Our turtle loves it. She hangs out in it all the time. She decorates it too.

[CountryGirl68]

You can put a terracotta planter into the tank so the turtle has a "safe haven" to hide in. Face it slanted towards the back of the tank so it gives him a bit more privacy. You want to get him away from wedging himself because as he grows, he just might get stuck.

[SpotsMama]

I've heard of using a coffee mug as a hide out for a really tiny turtle - sounds cute, huh? Some people have used big pvc pipe sections.

[scripta_elegans]

I put 2 caves in my tank and they still like to wedge themselves into any place they can. I think they like worrying us by sticking themselves!

[Muirner]

That's my current "coffee cup hideout" and they only go in there once and a while now, sometimes they even hide behind the cup. I found the alternative, was getting a pack of plants and sticking them to the side of the tank and letting them be able to "hide" near the surface. here is a pic
that is Mary Kate in the plants, and ashley saying hello... Ofcourse i have those plants on each end now, and that's where they sleep. (but now they have started to check out the log)

[fungke]

hello Muirner, thanks for posting the photos. i was just on my way out to buy a PVC elbow for my turtle as a hidding spot but i am using a mug instead.
do you know if the colour of the mug makes a difference? yours is black and i suppose it offers a little more security as it is darker.