General Care Discussion :: help my red slider is biting the basking platform

[marsbars]

did not realize what the little pieces of white stuff was floating in the tank until my wife was looking at the basking platform. It has been bitten off on the sides and on the top. I went to Petco to get a new one. Of course after I spent three hours last night cleaning the tank, there were new flecks from the new 30 basking platform.

what do I do?

[jenaero]

A lot of times when turtles 'eat' the dock they're looking for a source of calcium. Make sure there's always at least a piece of cuttlebone in the tank and it should resolve the problem. Make sure to take the hard backing off first, as it cannot be digested.

[theartbook35]

A lot of times when turtles 'eat' the dock they're looking for a source of calcium. Make sure there's always at least a piece of cuttlebone in the tank and it should resolve the problem. Make sure to take the hard backing off first, as it cannot be digested.

Mine tend to go after the basking log too, I always thought maybe because it resembles a plant quite strongly... In any case, I plan on getting both cuttlebone now that you mention it, and a new basking dock (plastic floating lily pad that they definitely can't eat). The basking log is made of a foam structure, and really is better for aquatic/semi-aquatic frogs, rather than turtles. My girls can climb it easily, but it takes up a ton of space and only fits in a 10 gallon tank...

[marsbars]

where do I get the plastic floating lily pad basking dock ?

[Maltliquor45]

how big is your turt?

Get the Exo Terra Turtle Bank - they won't be able to chew on that - it's not made of styrofoam but a hard plastic resin.

3 sizes - only thing is, it has to fit in a corner.

[marsbars]

my turtle is about 6 inches

[Maltliquor45]

my turtle is about 6 inches

try the large size if it will fit in your tank

15.98" x 9.45" x 2.76"

[theartbook35]

where do I get the plastic floating lily pad basking dock ?

http://www.petdiscounters.com/c19/c215/ ... p8712.html

They have a small, and a large. I'm getting the large, which is 9 inches in diameter.