All Turtles Message Board

kevin89 · Level 2 Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 66

My turtle is size of a quarter he seem to have a hard time swimming should i put him in the gold fish bowl with less water for couple week he like cling on the plant and when he swim across the water he kinda sink in trying really hard to swiml, he current in a ten gallon tank with no floating dock the dock is on the way i am going to buy one it on the way so i mean will he be ok. Confused

kevin89 · Level 2 Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 66

well he just swam to the bottom and touch the gravel came back up on the plant lol i guess he just starting to feel comfortble.

Kitty · Level 3 Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 100 Location: Tracy, Ca

Give him something to crawl out on, while you are waiting for your Island, a couple bricks stacked on top of each other is good, have the water line even with the top of the bricks, so it will be easy for him to get out of the water
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There is nothing more exciting than to see baby Turtles, popping up out of the ground, or to find them wondering across the yard.

dixieee · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:51 am Post subject:

what is the water level? hatchlings need to learn how to swim at first in shallow water and then raise the level gradually..if u still don't have the dock put him in very shallow water where only his body is soaked and his head can be above water if he raises it until u get the dock so he doesn't drown

good luck Smile

_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 9:37 am Post subject:

I agree, you should lower the water level so that he can rest on something, since he is that small, he can probably climb on just about anything without it flipping over, maybe a flower pot turned upside down with the water level just barely at the edge of the pot's bottom.

I wouldn't want you to wake up one morning to a drowned turtle, good luck with your turtle and let us know what you decided to do. Very Happy

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Kitty · Level 3 Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 100 Location: Tracy, Ca

Hatchlings need to learn to walk first, or they can't swim very well, some can't swim at all. I put all my Hatchlings in a shallow tub with a tiny amount of water, just enough to keep them moist. they are only in this for about 15 to 20 mins, depending on there activity, once I see them running all around, they go into a 20 gallon tank, which is about 1/2 full, they have a platform to climb out on. I feel the platform is very important, the water just peaks the top so they can get on it very easily, also it is firm and doesn't move, I also have a floating Island, they need to learn to climb on unstable things as well. I would send pics. but havn't figured the darn thing out yet...LOL
_________________
There is nothing more exciting than to see baby Turtles, popping up out of the ground, or to find them wondering across the yard.

kevin89 · Level 2 Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 66

i dont want to lower the water in the big tank due to the fish lives in it with him, but maybe i could put some rocks in the gold fish bowl put him in there. here he is notice on on the pic he hangs on top of the plant most the day.

kevin89 · Level 2 Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 66

however i thought about doing this, the yellow line on the gold fish bowl be the water level, now to the big tank the black circle is the fishy, the red circles is where the turtle hangs out at Very Happy

so what should i do my friend who has lifetime of experience he currently has a RES he told me i should leave him in the big tank he just hang there cuz he likes it and he need to get use to it.

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:05 pm Post subject:

Maybe put a few more tall fake plants that reach the surface so that if the turtle gets tired he can rest on the plant until you can get the platform for basking. Very Happy

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Kitty · Level 3 Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 100 Location: Tracy, Ca

I agree give more tall plants, looking at your photo he can, climb his way up if he had to, Turtles can stay under water for a long time, depending on the temp of the water. some of my hatchling hang out at the bottom, it use to worrie me but they have plenty of dock space. Like the old saying goes " you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink"
_________________
There is nothing more exciting than to see baby Turtles, popping up out of the ground, or to find them wondering across the yard.

dixieee · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 5:19 pm Post subject:

yeah the plants aren't tall enough..he can rest on them but it's not a real rest cz he can't breath easily (that's what i see)..turtles can hold their breath for a long time but it's not like forever..the small aquarium looks fine and will do great for the meanwhile until u get the basking area..that little guy is so tiny and he needs to learn how to swim first..i think the small tank will do for few days..i personally like it Smile

oh and smart idea the colored lines and circles Laughing

_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

VersteckterGeist · Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 6:43 pm Post subject:

i'd put some more tall plants in there like stray suggested, or something weird that floats.. like a tupperware container cap. so long as it's bigger then the turtle, it should float.

my baby turtle dax, even though i found him in a pool, he couldn't swim really good at first. we had the water level really low and she'd just cling onto some plastic plants and a basking rock we made.

now that dax is a little bit older.. like two months, i raised the water level and they have a turtle dock (that rises and sinks with the water level) and they love to swim now.

it's just that when they're littler, it's so hard for them to coordinate those little legs, that swimming becomes a chore, and they tire really easy.

good luck with your turtle.

he/she will get used to swimming soon enough Smile

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Kitty · Level 3 Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 100 Location: Tracy, Ca

kevin89 One Quick Question, Does your turtle swim at an angle? Kinda side ways? The top picture of him looks like he might be tilted to one side a little. Or is he just turning?
_________________
There is nothing more exciting than to see baby Turtles, popping up out of the ground, or to find them wondering across the yard.

kevin89 · Level 2 Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 66

dixieee · Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 9:34 am Post subject:

so he isn't listing?? like one side of him is heavier than the other?
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

kevin89 · Level 2 Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 66

dixieee · Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 12:15 pm Post subject:

that's great Smile

lol he's enjoying his life
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

kevin89 · Level 2 Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 66

i am going to get his UVB light tonight and the sun was up i was like he shouldn't stay in this dark all afternoon i took him outside put him in a rectangle tuperware with some water and a big rock he lay on top of the rock in the sun for 15 min then he went in the water stayed in it for another 15 min didn't really move much well he did move around but he didn't get back on the rock so i bought him back in put him in the tank he now swimming around gettin back on the plant he not swimming long but he swiming, he right now trynig to climb on the plant lol. Laughing

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 3:43 pm Post subject:

From what I have read in your posts, I think that your turtle is just getting used to swimming, poor little turtle, he gets tired because of his little legs. Very Happy

, he should be getting better with every day. (crossing fingers) Very Happy

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kevin89 · Level 2 Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 66

Yes that right he get tired easily i aint surprise cuz of his tiny legs and small body i figure his lung wasn't soo big so, he dont eat much in morn but at night when i see him start eatting for his night time snack.