General Care Discussion :: Keeps messing with the turtle dock

[WeirdMeta]

My female RES keeps trying to get under the plastic bar on the bottom of the turtle dock. She's even unhooked it from the bottom suctions. She seems to just like to get under the bar and sleep. I'm just wondering if maybe its a tank size issue. Meaning that she probably wishes she had more room to swim and roam around in. I plan on getting a bigger tank sometime soon.

[Muirner]

mine do that in a 55 gal tank, they are each 1.5" so i have overly enough tank size... It is someplace they can rest and not have to work to move, and they can probably streatch their neck and reach the surface... at least that is what mine do.

[WeirdMeta]

I'm actually taking about the bar underwater. Also the turtle dock I'm talking about it the medium ZooMed turtle dock. Maybe I can post a pic of what I'm talking about.

[Muirner]

it's the "cross bar" that connects the two vertical supports correct??? I solved this by moving that to the top part, but still they go between the tank and the vertical supports

[WeirdMeta]

Hmmm, oh well. I just sometimes worry that she might get stuck and drown. She is 4 1/2 inches though so I don't think she will.

[N4784N R4613]

I would just take the two bottom suction cups off the poles all to-gather. That way she can push herself up in there with out getting stuck.

[WeirdMeta]

Ya, I think I will do that just to be safe.

[Muirner]

Yours is 4 1/2" and she does that? how cute. What size dock do you have out of curiosity? mine do it and they are very very small still.

[steve]

What's the size of the tank?

[WeirdMeta]

For right now I have one of those "turtle specfic tanks". It's suppose to be a 30 gallon but can only really hold half that. As soon as I get some money I'll be getting them a way bigger tank but for now I think their ok. I just need to clean it this weekend. I have the medium sized ZooMed turtle dock.

[SpotsMama]

You're wise to remove those bottom two suckers. That will help a lot. There have been some instances of turtles getting stuck between those dock holders and the tank wall and drowning.

All the turtles like to squeeze into tight places - mine used to like it a lot but doesn't do it as much now that he's grown - and they can get into trouble. That's why it's so important to check everything in the tank to make sure they can't get their bodies or heads stuck. My Spot got his head and front paws stuck in a hole in the bottom of a little plaster alligator once and he nearly drowned. Sounds nutty but it happens!

[Andrew7769]

my turt does that all of the time when he is bored i just leave the dock unhooked on the bottom 2 and he is fine

[WeirdMeta]

I took off the two bottom suctions today when I cleaned out the tank. I know she may not be small enough to get stuck but I'd rather be safe then sorry. She basically likes to latch on to it and sleep. She's doing that right now lol.

[cprcheetah]

Zeke used to do this, and was constantly removing his basking dock off the wall....I solved it by building him an above tank basking area....which he loves. I've noticed he's not as 'neurotic' now as he used to be.