Iv had my turtle for a week now she wouldn’t bask on her first platform so I got her a hut that she can hide/ sleep in and it doubles as a basking area because of how tall it is and she won’t use that either she just sticks her head out of the water to get air. Is that normal
African Sideneck won’t bask
- Thread starter tortmommy
- Start date
Doesn't she even rest on the side? Make sure the temp is good. Also what kind of platform is it? If she doesn't go on it it's because the temp is not good or she doesn't feel secure doing so. Also maybe she only goes on it when you are not there? I wouldn't worry so much as you only had her for a week. For long term, not basking may cause excessive algae on shell, shell rot and lack of uvb but for turtles there is often calcium and d3 supplement in food... Can you handfeed her? If so, I would make her climb on it to get her food so she get used to it. Also, you will have a great time seeing her throw herself in water with food in her mouth.
It’s the top of her dome that she hides in its big enough for her it doesn’t move. The water temp is in the mid 70’s like I read it was supposed to be I have turtle sticks but they are too small to hand feed and she hides from me
Would the tank being too hot or too much light keep her from coming out? I know that’s unlikely but I just turned her heat light off and left the uvb light on which makes it look dark and she came right out before you could barely see her head 
OK your basking does not make your turtle completly get out of water. I use something like this but a bigger one. The uvb and the heat lamp must be at the same place and over the basking spot, otherwise she is not getting much uvb at all. 
Also,I would put a thermometer on that basking spot which should be completly out of water.
Also,I would put a thermometer on that basking spot which should be completly out of water.
Ok then if I do that I will most likely add more water to the tank and add the basking area I use a temp gun to measure the basking spot that’s why I don’t have a thermometer. I also don’t understand why when the lights are on she hides and when the lights go off she comes out anything I read about Sidenecks said that they are active during the day
DavidB
Member
I use one of these in my African Sideneck's aquarium and he loves it. He'll perch on the upper ramp under his heat bulb for hours. The only gotcha is in a smaller tank like a 20 Long (what I use), it renders most filters useless because it obstructs water circulation. I need to manually change the water once a week.
Just throwing this out there as a possibility, are you using a coil bulb?
No I do not use one she has not comes out to bask at all still and won’t come out if I have a bright light so I use the infrared light that is 100watts and that keeps the water about 77 degrees and the basking about 84 degrees
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