Habitat - Indoor :: new here... have a question about basking

[mrhappy]

Hi,

I was given a red eared slider about 2 years ago by a coworker who had him in a tiny plastic thing and didn't want him anymore. He was only a bit larger than a dollar coin at the time. I bought him a 15 gallon tank, water heater, platform and spot light and kept him at work. He's been sortof the office pet and has been given various names over the years. the latest is "mr. happy" for what might be obvious reasons as he's undeniably a male. He has grown a alot and is probably about 7 inches long (just shell) So now for a couple different reasons, I need to find a new home for him. I no longer want to have a pet at work and he's too big for that tank. Nobody wants to take him home and I don't agree with everybody's bright ideas to release him into the nearby man made lake.

I've decided to bring him home so I've started setting up a 75 gallon tank that has been collecting dust forever. He's a mean sucker and doesn't like to be touched but I think my kids would enjoy having him at home instead of the rare office visit. But I digress...

I've looked at the setups here and I 'understand' the need for a basking area, but in a couple of the photos, I've noticed what looks like a second basking area a couple inches below water level. What is the purpose of this area? A turtle couldn't get dry below water, obviously, so how would that be useful?

[TheComputerGremlin]

It's a resting spot. Sometimes turtles just want to rest in the water (to sleep and such) and not be exposed on the basking spot. They also make ledges with suction cups on it for them to kinda hang onto.

[wezeles]

the turtles normally sleep underwater...

a platform a few inches below water is just for the comfort of not making them swim to the top all night long for air, giving them a place only a few inches underwater to sleep is a nice idea, they can stay fully submerged and just poke there head up for air when needed.

[mrhappy]

i see... OK that makes sense. I thought it was meant to be a second basking (under a light) area. But it's good it doesn't have to be under a light. this was worrying me.

thanks for the help and would love to have a nother question answered if I could.

I would really like to have a sand bottom even tho it might require more cleaning than normal. I have kept planted tanks in the past with much success even with plain sand bottoms. I know plants can grow in it with some 'fertilizer' help.

I know if I put one live plant in a tank, the turtle will likely eat it. But has anybody successfully kept a stock full planted tank with a turtle? Will they eat *anything* or leave unappetizing plants alone? If there were enough small fish to chase and nibble on, will the turtle still eat every plant in site?

thanks!

[megcornell]

I don't know of anyone who has successfully kept many live plants in their tank, turtles pretty much eat them completely or rip them to shreds and the plants die.
If you'd like plants for decor, I'd set up the tank with some fake plants and then add fresh plants and vegetables for the turtle to happily munch on.

Also, how wonderful of you to give "mr.happy" a home, it sounds like he's getting a nice set up

[SpotsMama]

Pictures....can we see pictures of Mr. Happy?

[LOBO]

i was thinkin of putting fake plants in my tank but im afraid that she'll try eating them too.

[mrhappy]

I don't have any pics, i'm afraid.

I've thought of putting plants along the back with a mesh barrier, if you will. so the turtle can eat what is sticking through, but leave the important part so they can regrow.

That will be later down the road, I guess. Thanks for your replies!

Has anybody got any "plans" for building an above tank basking area? I'm fairly imaginative and can probably cook something up but it would help to either see some plans or pictures of what others have done.

[Bascomb]

rhappy -- Don't plan on a turtle not eating anything. He will eat anything. It does not have to give them nourishment. They will eat plastic, carpet and rocks, anything.

[FLhaven4strays]

Here are pics of when my son's basking area was just completed


<a href="http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee107/tnickers22/?action=view&current=HPIM2463.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee107/tnickers22/HPIM2463.jpg" border="0" alt="Jimi's &amp;quot;upstairs&amp;quot; 12/25/07"></a>

[TheComputerGremlin]

Look through the photos section of the forums, that's pretty helpful. Meanwhile, if you are creative, you really just have to build a box on top of the tank with a ramp into the water, so however you can imagine that to look. I've seen some good examples on the forums.

[mrhappy]

very nice pics... I may have to do something a bit differently because I have a full length light which I built for planted tank... but it doesn't cover the enter backside of the top.. just the front half. So whatever I do will have to be in the back half of the tank as opposed to the right half or left...

thanks for all the help everybody. when I do have something together I'll make sure to post some pics.

[Bascomb]

Fl hav 4s -- Your son's hand in the tank is a good example of how you can feed them by hand. My turtles eat out of my hand. By doing that I can make sure that the pigs done hog all the food. Good Photo. b.

[FLhaven4strays]

Yeah...he loves to feed his guys by hand. And now that he's completed his "family" w/ a painted he can make sure they each get (only!) their share. I do the same w/ two of my pond turts.