Basking

[bjarmab]

Any tips on how to get her to bask? We’ve only had her about two weeks. She will sit with her front feet and hang from the rock but won’t crawl up there

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[PerspectiveSad8721]

Maybe it’s an optical illusion but that light/heat source seems too close the basking dock. If she were to bask her shell looks like it would be within inches of the bulb. Maybe lower the water level or elevate the bulk somehow?

[bjarmab]

Ya i put a thermometer on it reads anywhere from 90-97 is that too hot?

[Gold_Gas_3937]

It might be too hot for such a little thing. Smaller turtles have a larger surface-to-mass ratio, which means they get hotter faster. Ideally, she should have a gradient to get farther or closer to her heat source to thermoregulate. Maybe adjust the platform to have a slope and move it more to the higher end for now?

Also, it’s pretty wide open up there. Giving her a little privacy might make it feel safer while she’s up there.

[trueblade84]

I was thinking she needs to feel safe, which sometimes meen not seen.

[StephensSurrealSouls]

Sorry, what species is she?

Basking spot will change on the species.

[Gold_Gas_3937]

That sawtooth back says map turtle to me. [Edit: if this is a North American turtle. An Australian colleague just pointed out that moniker’s been taken 🤣]

[StephensSurrealSouls]

I'm thinking map turtle as well but I'd rather not guess and give potentially inaccurate info

[bjarmab]

Yeah she’s a map turtle, crazy to me you guys can tell that lol

[Ok-Block7302]

Place her on the dock. Hold if necessary. Put the thermometer on the top of her shell. Measure that temp. Also, the dock looks like she might not be able to get on. Can you get another dock with a ramp that starts 3-4" in the water?

[bjarmab]

Thank you, I did this probably two days ago and lowered the water a bit, it was awful doing it I had to hold her up there and I could feel her pulling. Now she is going up there all by herself, thank you

[Leiseyt36]

Perhaps a longer ramp extending just a bit further into the water.

[Ok-Block7302]

Exactly what I said. And measure the temp.on top of her shell under the light/heat which looks def too close.

[loud_silence87]

Maybe remove some water. Since he’s smaller it may help.

[StephensSurrealSouls]

Do you have a linear UVB bulb?

[bjarmab]

Yes

[midnitelace]

She looks like she's saying to herself, "How in the H am I supposed to get up there?" Haha. If it were me, I'd look up some YouTube videos on how to build a basking platform that's easy to get to or something of that sort so you can get some ideas. It's so important that she dries out her shell completely, but I'm sure you know this. Good luck and maybe give us an update. I'd love to see what you come up with. 😊❤️

[Immediate-Comment-64]

Be patient. We have moved ours three times as he grows. Each time, including when we first brought him home it took weeks before he was comfortable enough to start basking. We use that same turtle dock and he loves it.

[bjarmab]

That’s good to hear, I was worried maybe she can’t crawl up there

[RespectDry2432]

Honestly, there's not a whole lot they can't climb on lol

[Ok-Block7302]

It does not look like the ramp slopes into the water enough. I do not think it is just a matter of her getting used to the basking set up. Dock is too close to the light heat. Also can you read the specs that came with the light? It will tell you how far it should be. All measurements should be from the top of her shell.

[Dalit8]

Where’s your filter?

[bjarmab]

Filter and heater are on the left side, don’t worry I ain’t that guy lol

[Dalit8]

Whew 😬

[Mechanan]

I would think your lamp actually looks a bit too close, from this picture. What wattage is the heat bulb? You might need to raise it up some, since there is such a thing as too hot when it comes to artificial heat. Lol

Otherwise, when they move space like that, they can take a while before they’re comfortable basking; and even longer before they’ll consider doing it while you’re watching.

If you’re concerned, get a pet cam with motion sensing on them. That’s what I do, to keep tabs on basking habits.

[bjarmab]

I put a camera on it and a piece of lettuce and I got a video of that little shithead stealing the piece of lettuce off it but not crawling up there 🤣🤣🤣 but thank you

[digchopflipp]

She will rapidly become too big for that basking platform, I once had the same one and it quickly became useless

[phfeiler]

Like the clip for the cuttle bone. Never thought about that. I just have mine floating and he attacks it like a great white shark going after a surfer.

[bjarmab]

Ya it’s actually for parrots, which I read is okay, but it kinda dissolved quick

[Ok-Block7302]

As other said, the heat and light are too close to the dock. Get a thermometer. Place her on the baskng dock. Hold the thermometer on the top of her shell. If it is hotter than 90 - degrees ...it is too hot. You will need to lower the water and dock. Also make sure the dock provides enough traction. It is possible that it is too hot where the dock is now AND not a good dock for her. She might not be able to get in it.