General Care Discussion :: My Weird Free Range RES

[gt6mk31]

Hi, was looking around to see if anyone had a turtle as bizarre as mine and discovered this forum and thought I would ask.

We got Mikey (female RES) when she was a baby about 12 years ago. We have had different habitats over the years. Nothing that I really thought was good enough (except for when she was tiny).

I also need to mention that I have always feed her pond food - koi sticks or pellets. I have tried giving her fruits and vegetables, even meat when she was younger and she wouldn't eat any of it.

I set up what was to be a temporary situation using an under the bed Sterilite storage container about 4' long x 2' wide x 1' deep with filter and rocks to climb up on. We ended up leaving it set up. She climbed in and out, roamed the house, got back in.

Little by little she would spend less and less time in the water. She finally quit getting in the water at all. Occasionally I would put her in there and feed her. She would swim around a little and get right back out, not even eating the food. Her current favorite place to hang out is in my closet.

The tub was nearly dry from evaporation and new puppy that thought it was her personal bowl soI decided it was a good time to clean it. Then I just didn't even bother setting it back up.

Every now then when she is out and about I fill our tub (extra big 72 x 36) and put her in and feed her. Last time I left her in there for probably 18 hours (with a bucket she could climb up on). When I took her out the food was still in there.

I have no idea what she eats or drinks. We do have dogs, so there is a low sided waterer available. We don't have bugs. (other than random flies)

She is very friendly, likes to have her head rubbed, doesn't try to bite. We hear her clomping around on the hard wood floors now and then, but if you want to see her, chances are she is in my closet.

Have any of you ever heard of such a turtle?

Sorry for the length. I have enjoyed looking at some of your habitats.

[marisa]

Welcome. No, I've never heard of a RES living like yours. And I have to say I feel sorry for her in that she's not living in the kind of habitat that would be natural for her...

[gt6mk31]

I agree. I feel sorry for her too.

I would have liked something bigger than what I had to begin with, but I with the tub ~ 2' x 4' filled and ALWAYS clean and all the space she wanted outside of it, I don't think that was too restrictive. She had easy ramp access in and out, rocks for climbing or laying and sunshine through the windows.

I did forget to mention, that I never find any wet spots. The bedroom is wood parquet - not a newer seal laminate - and I never wear shoes. Trust me, I would step in wet spots. I have also searched the closet day after day and find nothing. Nothing smells either. So where is she going to the bathroom?

[Diamondbacks4Life]

I have heard of a florida red bellied doing this during the winter when they brought her in from the pond putside. She would rather walk around the whole house then be confined to a space with water.

The owners thought was maybe its caused by the fact she was used to being in a big open area. Though she head back to the tank when she wants to be fed.

[TheComputerGremlin]

If she's not eating or drinking, she can't possibly be excreting anything. But how long has it been since you offered food? Turtles can last a good long time without eating, but eventually, she'll starve to death, which is bad.

As much as I hate to tell you, you NEED to get her set up in a proper setup. Just because she is existing this way doesn't mean it's good for her, or that she's happy, or that she'll live much longer. You must get her in the water with a basking area, 24/7, for the rest of her life. The occasional free-roaming is fine, but not exclusively. Hiding in the closet is because she's scared, she doesn't move much because she has no caloric intake to give her energy, and heaven knows what she's eaten off the floor that could be stuck inside her. It's just plain irresponsible, that's what it is. And for you to imply that she's chosen this existence is terrible as well. At least when she had the ability to get into water, to eat food, I would have been fine with your post. But to say that you've not even bothered to set up the water again for her! I'm just so completely upset by your post.

[gt6mk31]

She isn't hiding in the closet because she is scared. She has been out roaming a good part of the day today. She isn't even afraid of the dogs. She will crawl right over their legs if they are in her path. I suppose I should also have mentioned that my closet door is open more than it's closed. The TV is in there so if we watch tv before bed it stays open all night and more often than not, I leave if open if she is in there so she can come and go at will.

I had her in the tub for a couple hours earlier and offered her food -- pond food and lettuce. As long as I was in there watching she still didn't eat it. When I took her out and cleaned the tub it looked like it was all still there. No, I didn't count pellets or weigh the lettuce. I cannot force feed a turtle. And, yes, I have tried different kinds of food. Since then, she has been roaming around again - hanging out in the livingroom.

I actually plan to eventually to set her tub back up and I will still do it with access to the floor. I enjoy watching her swim, climb, etc. I can keep putting her in it but the past several years simply reinforce that she will get right back out and stay out.

[gt6mk31]

Believe me, I know how weird and horrible this sounds. I do care about this crazy turtle. And if someone I didn't know told me they had a turtle roaming throughout their house, I would probably either not believe them or think they were nuts.

When she was younger and in a tank first thing in the morning I would go into the living room and turn on the light and feed here. It got to be that she would hear us and by the time I walked into the living room she was literally banging on the tank and splashing like crazy.

[BMF26]

I dont think it sounds like you dont care about your turtle... you did explain that after a while she just stopped going in there. Its not like you just decided one day that she wasnt allowed access to the water anymore.

I have never heard of such a thing... but its not outside the realm of possibility.
With that being said... please make sure she does have a proper set up, and if she wants to go in the water she can, and if she doesnt then she hangs with the dogs!

Personally... i thought this was funny. I wish my turtles were a little more "friendly". they are still little though.

anyway......welcome to the forum!!!!

[bigG]

My female RES likes to walk around also. When I clean the tank, she is placed outside in a small tank. She is large enough now to climb out. However, she walks over to the sliding glass door and waits until I open it. Once the door is open, she walks in and romps around the house. I occasionally let her out of the tank and let her walk around inside the house. She will explore the immediate area outside the room containing the tank for a few minutes. She usually spends her time huddled in her favorite corner beneath the computer desk. One difference with my female RES is that she does eat (in the tank) and loves to bask under the UVB lighting on her favorite rock.

[TheComputerGremlin]

I didn't want to sound harsh, and I'm glad that you are still here chatting with us. I can certainly see the possibility of having a free-roaming turtle, but I would think a few changes should be made.

First, she needs a deep tub or aquarium of water. Build a ramp up to it and require that she spends at least an hour or two in each day (without access to escape).

Second, she needs UVB, so I would put a UVB bulb and basking bulb in the tank setup so that she can bask under the light. And sunshine through the windows isn't UVB, almost all of it is filtered out so she reaps no benefit.

Third, while she's in there, continue trying to feed her. She should eventually come around to eating something, possibly out of boredom!

And after she has had her few hours in the tank, take her out, dry her off, and let her go back to roaming. That is the best compromise I can think of.

The banging against the tank you mentioned is perfectly normal. My turtle goes wild every morning that I go to feed her, as do most people's turtles.

[Lilsaint]

My turtle doesnt know how to go back to her tank.!! LOL we had to get her out. She would've starved to death if we couldnt find her

[bradmeisel]

cool story. I tend to agree with computer gremlin.

[bigG]

Now that the weather is cooler, I place my RES in the master bathroom while cleaning the tank. The ceramic tile is quite smooth (for a turtle) but they manage to walk around and explore. When the tank cleaning is finished I either place them back in the tank or let them walk around the rest of house. The female RES usually finds her way back to the room containing the aquarium. I realized a long time ago, that they either have a good memory or sense of direction. They both have their favorite hiding places. However, they maintain their regular routines of feeding, basking, and sleeping in the aquarium.