General Care Discussion :: New basking spot + Water level help? D:

[Mr. Grimsly]

Okay, so here's the deal. Mr. Grimsly's water level was around 4 inches high, WITH medium sized gravel on the bottom. He seemed content to me, though he couldn't swim around too much. Well today I got rid of the rocks, and added my own home-made basking area while raising the water level to about 10 inches. He is swimming around much more, but I am concerned about him sleeping and getting up for air on a normal basis. I am also concerned that he will not be able to reach his basking area.
His new basking area is basically a collection of slate piled one on top of the other and at the top is where my lamps are pointed. The thing is that the water level is almost at level with the edge of the basking area, and there is no ramp so I am worried that he will not be able to get on top. I know turtles can get to some pretty strange places, but can they really pull themselves up onto a flat piece of slate? If not, I don't know what I'll do! x.x
Please give me a bit of advice, turt experts! >.<''

[kaimarion]

Can you post a pic?????
And I don't think the gravel is a good idea!

[Safdar]

Ya a pic will help.

[untsmurf]

Okay, as for the swimming, sleeping, and breathing thing, don't worry about it. These are aquatic turtles, they can do it.

As for your basking spot, I'd need a pic to be definite, but it is probably hard for your turt to get onto it. You might want to consider stacking them so they form steps. that way your turt can just walk up them. The entire tower wouldn't have to do this, just the last few tiles, so he can get a leg up.

[SpotsMama]

I think the gravel situation is taken care of, kaimarion. There used to be gravel in Mr. Grimsley's tank but it's been removed.

I'm getting a mental picture of a tower of slate slabs stacked about 10 inches high so that the top layer is just above the water level and this is the basking platform. Is this correct?

Mr. Grimsley may be able to pull himself onto the slate (just depends on how the whole thing is shaped) but it doesn't sound like a very safe basking situation. Slate is extremely heavy and if it shifts even a little it will probably crack the glass or plastic of the aquarium. Not to mention if it slips a lot it might fall on Mr. Grimsley. Another concern is that, as with the stack of gravel, a stack of slate uses a lot of good swimming space. Your goal should be to maximize the space available to Mr. Grimsley for swimming.

There are some very inexpensive good alternative ways to build a basking platform. Here's a link:

http://www.redearslider.com/custom_platforms.html

Note especially the description of a PVC platform at the bottom of the page. You could get to build the framework for just a few dollars at Lowes or Home Depot. You already have pieces of slate for the platform. All you'd need then is some aquarium silicon - which you can get at any Petsmart or similar store - to fasten the pieces of slate down and you'd have what you need to build a very nice, safe custom platform.

Of course, if you've got $20 or so you could get a zoo med turtle dock. They work great too!