Habitat - Indoor :: turtle escape artist/ turtles not basking/lighting.....help!

[bredsun]

So, one of my turtles keeps ending up on the floor, and I have no idea how he is managing to get out of the tank. Also my turtles don't really bask. The furthest they get is half way up the ramp to the basking area. The water temp is about 80F and the basking area is about 90F. Also, I don't yet have a lighting system for the rest of my tank. These are all related to the tank, so see the tank below. I've added some egg crate over the right side of the tank because I'm planing to add a light above it. I'm also thinking of lowering the water level and extending the ramp. I could really use some advice and direction on the way my tank needs to develop so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

7 baby RES by the way...we kinda find a home for wayward turtles.

[BullDog]

They're probably climbing over the top of the basking dock. The rocks and plants you have their provide perfect stepping stones for them to climb up and over the short wall. You should make your wall higher, or put some egg crate on the top of the basking area.

They most likely aren't basking because the water is on the warm side. Try lowering it a couple of degrees to about 78. Also, is the atba new? turtles can take a long time to get used to anything new (up to a month). If they are going on the ramp, then they'll go all the way up when the feel more comfortable.

My final suggestion is to take out the gravel from the bottom of the tank. RES can and will eat anything smaller than their heads (even if you don't see them doing it). If any gravel gets lodged in their digestive track, they can become impacted and die. Besides the health risk, it also traps a lot of debris (with 7 RES, you're going to have a lot of poop!). Plus, with the depth it's at on the left side, it's taking up a fair amount of swimming space. With that many RES, the more space the better!

[meltedspork]

I agree with everything BullDog said above. Here's some other thoughts:

With the water level that high, they can easily pull themselves up over the edge of the tank. I think you should keep the water that high, because they need as much swimming room as possible, but put some sort of cover over the tank.

Also - maybe the ramp slippery or too steep for them to climb up? Just a thought.

[bredsun]

so what would be the best thing to put on the bottom of the tank? or do I even need anything on the bottom?

[SpenceMasta]

you dont need anything at the bottom, unless you really want to be decorative, you can use river stone (large smooth stones) or sand, the stones should be way larger than their mouths and sand is too small and will pass right through them

other than your walls being too short, the biggest problem you might have is too many turtles, they will produce TONS of waste so you're probably better off with a bare bottom tank, also i hope you have a pond ready cause 7 turtles are gonna need a lot of room, and thats if you're lucky cause chances are very high you're gonna have fighting and aggression, it could be tomorrow or 5 years in the future when you're going to notice nipping and biting, and if you leave them be you're gonna have dead turtles, then you're gonna have to have separate tanks

[Raphulk]

that heat lamp is really close, and your turtle could touch it and burn itself.


nice basking area!

[bredsun]

thanks for the info....i got rid of the gravel, and you are right about too many turtles...they are starting to get aggressive and 1 of them has a pretty nasty scare. We helped some friends take care of them but it seem we are the ones who need help now...

I also got a new UVA heat bulb and placed it higher, directly over the basking area....hopefully they like it better...