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So when my turtle basks.. Sometimes he gets scared when someone suddenly(accident) walks into the room. He just goes nuts and dives into the water. He hits the tank with his shell. I'm scared it might crack.

This is probably how my old 20 gallon tank(that ive own for 8+ years) cracked. He jumps/dives into the water and hits the tank.

Think about how his basking platform is positioned. Is there any other way you could position it so he'd be less likely to fly off it and hit a wall?

I think the turtles can't see the glass wall since it's transparent and that's why they hit it. I put little stickers on my aquariums wall above the water line, kind of like you put stickers on a plate glass window so birds won't fly into it. Since I put the stickers on I don't think I've seen Spot hit it a single time.

If the wall he usually hits is one you don't need to be able to look through, maybe you can put a decorative backing on it. Then for sure your turtle would know it's there!

I'm not entirely sure the decorative backing would work. Crush spends most of her time trying to swim "into" the backing. I think she sees a big ol rock on it and wants to get behind it. lol


How big is your turtle tenlientl?

Umm. Size of a tennis ball. But heavier xP

I'll see what I can do. I can try and put it in the side.. So when he jumps in the water.. He has a long way to go to hit the tank in the other side.

That's a good idea. If you've got freedom to move it over a bit, that would help.

Beaker (scaredy cat) literally flies off the basking ramp like a jet leaving an aircraft carrier! I just make sure there are no decorations or rocks in her way. I swear she takes off with such force that if anything hard was in her way she would surely hurt herself....

You could always pad her cell...I mean tank wall with rubber pads.

Once she gets about 6" into the water she slows down but then starts paddling like crazy to reach the other side. Then she realizes it's just the Big Head, and immediately goes into begging mode!