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My turtle has never been shy. Its always swam to me if I get near the tank and she will bask even with people in the room. Shes always been used to seeing people as my home is not that large and she is in an area thats frequently passed by. Ive noticed lately though that she has become a little shy.

Today itself when I went to feed her she dove down to the bottom of the tank and put her head in her shell. When she finally realized I was there with food, she shot up to the surface again. Also she refuses to bask with me in the room now. Hmmm..... She acts like Ive traumatized her somehow!

I dont know if its the new tank or what but I think I had seen her do this in the old tank lately too. Do they become more shy as they get older?

sounds the exact same with me, bobby is fine with me, but tode.....very timid, always shoots away when i come near, then re-surfaces, and then does it again...

Well with Michelangelo (who is hopefully getting into his new tank today!) I don't know why but I know when I bought him at the mall he was basking with all those people around and didn't care. Ever since he has been with me he jumps away if he sees anyone into the water and hides, and he won't bask if he can see us. And this has never stopped.

So now his setup at the current time is so that he can't see out and we can't see in unless we stand over his tank, and his basking dock is on the side where he can't see us walking by, he can really only see the wall. That way he basks.

His new set up will basically be the same except I'm leaving the small sides open so that we can see in, but the main long sides (front and back) well have backgrounds on them so that he can still bask and not freak about seeing us. And his basking dock will be on the same side. I figure if he's going to freak out then I'll do my best to help lower his freaking. Though last night I was in the room getting ready to go to sleep and I heard him clawing at something and he wouldn't stop. So I got up and looked over and he jumped off the dock and looked at me like uhhh what? I wasn't doing anything! And then he swam away.

But maybe get some fake paper plants to put in the tank to help them hide if they feel like they need to Michelangelo loves them and he'll actually wrap the plants around him so he feels totally secure.

There could be a lot of reasons Butterfly. Not only are their markings unique but so are their personalities. From my guess, it might be the new habitat that you provided. It's really no big deal when turtles do that. It's instinct. I know many feel that after weeks, months, or even years with their turtle(s) that the bond between the owners and their turtles is strong and it usually is but turtles are startled easily. Like you mention before Butterfly, after your turtle realize it was you, it came right back up. As for daredevil, my only advice is be patient. I usually try approaching my turtles slowly when they are basking. This might help and hopefully, the turtles will realize that you mean no harm to them.

My turtles are weird like that too.. It's like they can recognize who we are and they know who the safe ones are. My grandchildre, my daughter and I can walk up on them about anytime, basking or not. They'll either stay up there or come over to use. They even let my grandson "pet" them. My mom went over to see them one day and they ran away and hide in their shell. Same thing happened last week when my mom and Uncle came over, he went to their tank and they freaked out. I told him it's because they know he fishes and they're afraid of him hahaha.