General Care Discussion :: Turtle Stopped Basking for 10 days now

[Roazbear]

Our res usually basks a fair amount of the time, I have noticed her not basking for 10 days give or take. Doesn't mean she hasn't when I'm not around her but I am around her quite a bit. I can find articles in the forum about too much basking but not for not basking. Nothing has changed. Water temp is about 82. Basking platform is reasonably warm. Is this abnormal behavior or a sign of something worse?

Thank you
Cory

[ljapa]

Not basking for ten days, particularly for an older RES is not going to cause harm.

Not wanting to bask for that long may be cause for comcern. But, first, if you aren't certain, put some food up there. If it disappears when you aren't around, you know your turtle is at least going up.

There are many reasons a turtle may not bask that have nothing to do with health. The water could be too warm, so she doesn't feel the need to bask to thermoregulate. The basking area may not be warm enough. The uvb bulb isn't producing enough uvb.

Are any of those possibilities? Are there any other behavioral changes you've noticed?

[Roazbear]

The water is 82.7. Is this too high? I do not know if this is too high? We have one of the very over priced UV bulbs so I am assuming it is doing the trick. I don't know the temperature of her basking area. I actually moved the light up about 3' because I was concerned it be too hot. But I only test by putting my hand over the basking platform. The only other behavior change I have noticed is that she is going to sleep in the evening before I turn off the lights.

I examined her and haven't found any areas on her shell that seem to be a problem. There are two little spikes on the edge of her shell over her head. I noticed that these have changed to it looks like white. I'm not sure what to even try other than wait it out.

[steve]

How old/big is Abigail? Mid-70's is more suitable for older RES. Upper 70's is a good all-round ballpark temperature. Low 80's are not great but not optimal either.

She might also be at the start of something like SAD (Seasonal affective disorder). They are a bit moody and picky during this time.

[Ponka]

There are two little spikes on the edge of her shell over her head. I noticed that these have changed to it looks like white. I'm not sure what to even try other than wait it out.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm going to answer this anyway. I don't know how these spikes look like, but I'd make sure the white isn't shell rot. My rescue-turtle had mild shell rot last year and was quite inactive then and not basking (which is bad especially if they have shell rot). Luckily with Baytril injections and with Dentisept smeared over the white shell rot areas or spots helped.

Now I'm a bit worried as she is currently not basking again. She's more prone to getting respiratory infections than my other turtle that I have had from when I was a child. She's had two Baytril shots now and has improved and is more active, but is still not basking. I'm giving the third one today. Hopefully she starts to bask again. Nothing has changed, so I don't know if she just got ill at some point and stopped basking because of that. She likes to sleep in her underwater "cave" (plant pot), but has eaten quite normally all the time she has been ill now.

[Ponka]

She's basking right now!

[steve]

Glad to hear it!