General Care Discussion :: Slider Behavior

[Threepwood]

First of all, I'd just like to say hello -- this site has been an invaluable resource since I came into the possession of a Red Eared Slider a few days ago. I'll post all about that later, along with a few more questions I have, but for now I'd just like to know one thing.

What is the normal behavior of a RES in captivity?

This particular RES began like all of the others I've read about here -- rapidly swimming up against the glass, circling the tank and all. A few days have passed since then and it has calmed down quite a bit. It's never had a problem eating, though now it seems to only prefer krill and shrimp (though I continue to offer it romaine lettuce and various fruits). And it basks just fine. It doesn't even nose-dive off the platform when I approach it anymore. Water temperature is at a cool 75 to 80 degrees.

I've bought most of the necessary equipment. I still need to get a UVB light, a filter, and a larger tank (the current one is 10 gallons, which I realize is mostly inadequate, though this RES is very small and in fact less than four inches). I've been using the actual Sun as a replacement for the required UVB bulb for the time being.

What I've witnessed it do today (even though it's only early morning): swim around a very little bit; climb up on its basking platform and, well, bask for a while; eat some shrimp (until I figure out how to get it to eat anything else); swim a bit more and inevitably end up back on the basking platform several times; and now it's currently residing by the fake plant I placed on the other side of the tank. It tends to hide there, and sleep there at night. It's also been recently spending a lot of time just on the edge of the basking platform, kind of half-in and half-out of the water.

It does still tend to gravitate toward the walls of the aquarium, though, but it's not really trying to force itself through, if you know what I mean.

So, does this sound like relatively normal behavior? I ask only because it was just a while ago that it was flipping out, and after reading all of these posts about RI, compactions, etc. etc...well, you can't blame me for asking. It doesn't swim lopsided, there's no white stuff anywhere, and the only time I see it open it's mouth is when it's eating. It's a quick swimmer and it seems pretty healthy. Maybe I'm just surprised that it's chilled out so soon.

The real problem is that I have no experience with these sorts of things, and I'm not sure what you'd call normal behavior for a turtle.

Two final questions: what do your turtles do all day, and if you've raised a relatively young RES, what were your experiences? And is it safe for them to come into contact with those Whisper water heaters?

[scripta_elegans]

Sounds normal to me, although your basking temp might be a little too warm, and your water should probably stay as close to 76 as possible. I think the half in half out basking could be from a higher temp than the turtle prefers, or it could also be that he feels safer touching water. Turtle pellets like Reptomin or Mazuri are better for the little guy than shrimp and krill. Those are tasty treats, but they lack the vitamins and minerals of pellets, and they also are higher in protein which can cause issues if fed to regularly. The sun is the best possible source of UVB so as long as you get him outside regularly, you'll be fine. Water heaters can burn turtles, but I am unsure of which model you have. The glass ones are more likely to cause burns than the plastic cased ones.

[ajozwiak]

Welcome to the site! There is so much good information and helpful people here. I'm still learning myself!
What your turtle is doing sounds like normal behavior to me. My turtles spend a lot of time hanging out on the plants or half on the dock as well. They're just resting I guess. I've had them since they were hatchlings. They primarily chase each other around, eat, bask, play in the bubbles, rest on plants, move rocks around, etc.
Good luck with your new turtle!

[industrial_girl_2000]

Welcome to the forum!

To answer some of your questions:

Shrimp & krill are like junk food for turtles. And turtles are like kids: if you offer a kid junk food vs. the healthy food, they will go after the junk food! I would withold the shrimp/krill & offer pellets & the romaine. Don't worry about the turtle starving, he won't. Healthy turtles have a voracious appetite & will eat everything in sight!

Everything else you described sounds like normal behaviour!

They won't burn themselves on a submersible water heater, don't worry.

[Threepwood]

Thanks for the responses, everyone.

I'll see about lowering the water temperature a bit, and I'll try moving the basking light further up to perhaps lower the basking temperature. I also realize that shrimp and krill are like junk food, and if the best way to go about getting the turtle to eat reptomin sticks and vegetables/fruits is to just flat out stop offering them, I'm all for it.