General Care Discussion :: Turtle Not getting in Water

[Kazari24]

I have a baby res that was having issues before but I have been taking him to the vet. I got him now a 10 gallon tank with a water heater and a new filter that does better. I have a rock and a floating dock for him. My turtle refuses to get into the water. The water feels cool but the thermometer says it's 78 degreese. he wont get in. He used to get in the water all the time when someone came near his tank in the summer. Now he stays and sleeps on his rock all day long and basks. If I put him in the water to feed him, he will float around and if I put him in the water in the tank, he will float around for a bit and then get back out of the water. I don't knw what's going on. Does anyone know if this normal for them in the winter or something?

[Kazari24]

Also my turtle also sleeps on his rock or dock at night when the light is off too. He won't even get in.

[jenaero]

What did the vet say? My res don't really slow down during the winter. My other herps do tho.

[marisa]

What do his eyes look like? Are they swollen at all? Does he keep them shut a lot of the time? Does he eat at all when you put him in the water to feed?

What problem was he being seen by a vet for? Was he prescribed meds? If so, was he given the full course of them?

[Kazari24]

he shuts his eyes a lot and scratches the top of his head. But they do not look bad. the vet said he was fine. But he's not very active at all. He sleeps a lot and when I put him in the water, he doesn't like to stay in there and get back out. The water's at 78 too and i have a water heater. i didn't have enough stuff for him before but now i have better stuff maybe it takes awhile to get him going once again?

[Kazari24]

The first vet did think he had RI and gave him bantyl at .02 but the second vet said he was fine and didn't have that i just had to get better stuff for him which i did. some days he eats a lot and other days he wont touch his food at all. i have kale that i put calcium powder on, for awhile he ate that but now he wont touch the stuff and he will eat shrimp. he also eats crickets gut filled with calcium and krill and collered greens.

[Crazymansun]

It's weird, some people have RES that has no change in behavior whatsoever during the winter, and some do. Both my adult RES and my baby RES are showing some kind of inactivity too. It's not that they don't eat at all, but they seem to eat less.

Make sure your RES doesn't have swollen eyes, but other than that your RES could be reacting to the change in season. Turtles are reptiles, and they do hibernate/be less active to conserve energy.

[Kazari24]

Okay good. No he doesn't have any swollen eyes. The vet said he was fine. He eats but he just stays and basks. I guess he's okay. I keep him in the light and he stays warm. Thank you. I was jus tworried because he use to be soo active but in the summer.

[industrial_girl_2000]

If it makes you feel better, my RES basks *constantly* all day long. She sits up on her ramp for (sometimes) more than 8 hours in a day (!). She just loves loves LOVES her lamp & basking area. It doesn't even bother her when I walk by, or even if I stop to say hello (she likes the attention).

At night, when she is tired, she gets in the water & sleeps on her big fake tree root, under the water.

[Kazari24]

That's cool yeah mine wont get in the water period. He stays in it if I put him in there for a bit and then gets back out, he basks all the time and he sleeps on his dock too. He use not to do that in the summer.

[Kazari24]

My turtle still stays on his rock or dock. He moves around some between the 2 while the light is on but he won't go in the water even to sleep. He will sleep on his dock. He eats sometimes then sometimes he will hardly eat anything. His shell is becoming dry and brittle from staying in the light. He's small and the back part of his shell is soft but the vet didn't say anything about that. I give him kale with calcium powder and some shrimp. I'm just concerned that he wont go int he water at all not even to sleep! I heard that some RES turtles do hibernate even in a controlled habitat..do u think this is normal for my baby turtle? He hasn't grown since I bought him though but I got him better stuff now but he still isn't showing any signs of improvement. Got his new stuff last week for him. But all he wants to do is sleep. Then usually if I do put him in the water, he will get back out and then rub his head with his hand a lot to get it off and he often just sleeps with his eyes closed. His eyes don't look swollen or anything.

[CountryGirl68]

I heard that some RES turtles do hibernate even in a controlled habitat..do u think this is normal for my baby turtle?

I've only read about turtles hibernating *in* the water, not out of it. So that's not why your turtle spends his time on the dock.

Then usually if I do put him in the water, he will get back out and then rub his head with his hand a lot to get it off and he often just sleeps with his eyes closed. His eyes don't look swollen or anything.

Even if his eyes are not swollen, there could be something in the water irritating his eyes and that could be why he doesn't like being in the water. Do you add anything to your water (conditioner)? What is your water temp?

[Kazari24]

Hmm okay

I dont' know what his problem is. I use to put in stuff but now I don't. I just use Spring Water that's it. The temp of the water stays around 78. I have a heater in the water that keeps it around that. The water feels cold but the thermometer says it's 76-78. I don't know what his problem is :/ I am going to put another stone for him to bask on to make the water level higher than it is. But he's been doing this for a month now and his shell is getting dry and brittle.

[Kazari24]

I think the stupid heater is not working that I JUST bought. It's not getting warm at all. The water is at 74. I am going to have to get a new one tomorrow and see if that works. When I put him in his plastic tank to feed him the water's warmer and he's fine.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

What brand of water heater did you get? I went through two heaters before i got one that works-the first one was a glass water heater and it broke inside my tank!-and then second one was rated for 15 gallons and i was useing it in a 10 gallon and it wouldnt keep the water at a straight 78 degrees.When you do get a new one tommorow,i recommend you getting a "visitherm stealth heater" since you have a ten gallon tank you can get one rated for 30 gallons for the price of 29$ at your local petco,pet supermarket etc..
And another thing dont worry that the water is too cold if the thermometer says 78 and you feel that its kind of cool then that is normal for us it feels cold but for them its just right.Just dont let the temp drop anymore that.