General Care Discussion :: Turtle won't bask

[eazyegee]

My RES won't bask I've had him for 3 months now and he basked sometimes. When I had him the first few weeks he used to bask when I put the light directly over the basking area, the temperature would go way up, but he would bask. The lamp has been on the narrow side of the tank shining towards the ramp. My lamp broke last week and I bought another and put it in the same place, but now he won't bask. I give him privacy and the house is mostly quiet throughout the day.

[grey goose]

Since it's a new lamp, have you checked the basking temp? It may be too cool or too hot. Also if the water is too warm, sometimes turts will get lazy and just bask in the water, spreading their back legs out.

[eazyegee]

Basking is 84, the water temp is 86.

[grey goose]

There's your problem. Water temp should be around 76F (full grown adult 74-76), basking temp around 90F. The water is WAY too warm and basking is too cool.

[eazyegee]

Oh I forgot to mention it's a baby RES so isn't temperature for a baby supposed to be like 84 or 86?

[pumpkinsherbet]

yikes! waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too high. a little higher is okay (like 80) but they're going to overheat at 86.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Baby (hatchling) turtles should have water temp of around 78-80.

Adult turts like water temp to be about 76.

[eazyegee]

The temperature of the water is now 80. Ok I seen my RES basking once when I peeked through his screen, but now he stays at the end of the ramp most of the time. Is one time normal for them to bask?

[octpusgirl8]

Sometimes my turtle will spend most of his day basking, and sometimes he'll just bask for a little while in the morning. Depends on his mood i guess. You should be keeping his basking area about 10 degrees warmer than the water for him to be inclined to bask. As long as you've got the temps right, basking once in a day shouldn't be an indicator of a problem.