Habitat - Indoor :: Turtle Eating Dock

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:39 pm   Turtle Eating Dock

How's it going guys? Anyone have any suggestions on how to get my turtle to stop eating her dock? I've had her in the same set up for almost 2 years any maybe a week or so ago she started nipping at the dock. If it was just a nip here or there i wouldn't mind but she took a decent size chunk out of it already. It's a zoomed turtle dock and it's the same one that's been in there since i've had her. Any and all help is appreciated, TIA!
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YonkasTone
 
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Post Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 2:45 am   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

May just be instinct. In the wild turtles never know were there next meal is coming from. They use there mouths to test everything even there own poop. Really we never know why. Could be just dressing up her beak! Some try cuttle bone but remove the backing on it .
One thing I found to help is to offer something for turtles to do. Gets boring in a bare tank. Make caves , forest areas , climbing places things a turtle can occupy there time on. Have one or two small fish to keep her mine active or just play with her. Those zoomed dock's to make them rigid have a type of lite weight cement in them that can cause a blockage so be observant. Also what's her diet , feeding her the same as two years ago? What's her size ? Any photos of setup with her?
litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 9:56 am   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

I haven't given her cuttlebone in a while so i'll def get some this weekend. Her diet is a mix of pellets (omega)/freeze dried shrimp/lettuce/spinich leaves/carrots and the occasional guppy or 2. usually feed her once a day in the morning. I don't have any pictures of the setup but it's very basic. glass bottom, floating dock and a little log and a box thing at the bottom of the tank. i don't have any recent photos of her in the tank but coincidentally enough this was taken yesterday (my son was keeping her entertained while i cleaned the debris from the dock out of the tank). Also, do you know of a good way to clean the dock? should i just scrub it with hot water and a brush? Thanks for your help.

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YonkasTone
 
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Post Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:19 am   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

Great helper you have there ! I take the dock out the tank and do as you do but I use white vinegar to clean everything in my house and turtle tank. That's old school ! If you have hard water and mineral deposits the vinegar will take care of that to.

Turtles what about 4" , may want to adjust her diet a little ( like that spinach ) and use the shrimp more for a treat. That size should be on 50-70% veggies. The Omega is great !
Good read here: http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html
litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 11:52 pm   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

I would get rid of the zoo med dock. It's possible that its been saturated and might have a pleasing taste for your turtle.
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steve
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Post Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 12:25 pm   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

steve wrote:I would get rid of the zoo med dock. It's possible that its been saturated and might have a pleasing taste for your turtle.


Do you recommend getting rid of it and buy a new one or a different one?
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Post Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 1:11 pm   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

If you have the time search forum you will find it's not just a zoomed dock. If egg crate is used they bite on it , real cork , plastic and so on. I come to believe a turtle can get bored if tank is to bare and very little human interaction. Offer thing's for it to do like nature throws at a turtle . About 4 decades ago I decided to offer a natural setting for all my turtles. The ten years before that I could see they were not happy an cutting up in a bare tank , tearing hoses up , docks anything. Once I offered things for them to investigate , a pile of sticks to check under , caves , planted area things they may come across in the wild it got much better. Yes captive breed but you can not take out that wild instinct nature put in a turtle. Ever since my turtles warm up to me better and faster. They do not try to escape being happy with there setup and I do offer what I call turtle time. We play together and have a great relationship. Some the only time a turtle see them is when they have to feed it , that's sad. And I truly believe turtles react to that . Some setup tanks as show tank's to fit in the room , that works for them. My setup is more as natural pond , never seen a natural pond made of glass in nature. The way I do it is not for everyone's or even my personal taste but for MY Turtle to be happy healthy and safe with a long life. Yes one can make it look great ! Neighbors can't understand the relationship and personality Piggley has with me. No biting anything me included . I personally like the extra large zoomed dock and have been using the XL type since they started making them. Yes sometime's I may modify a little but for them most part I like them and have some several years old in good shape. I also use real cork. Forums are great , have lots of different opinion's from members and it 's up to you to decide what fits into your life and your turtle. What every you buy or build make it safe.
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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 9:55 pm   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

I like cork bark too. Those are bitten too, but are 100% natural. The Zoo Med dock and other styrafoam docks don't last and I wouldn't want my turtle to take any bites of it. After those, the other types of docks are much stronger and should hold up to most turtles. Resin caves, acrylic docks, pvc/tile, and so on. How big is your tank and how much water is in it?
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steve
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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 10:23 pm   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

steve wrote:I like cork bark too. Those are bitten too, but are 100% natural. The Zoo Med dock and other styrafoam docks don't last and I wouldn't want my turtle to take any bites of it. After those, the other types of docks are much stronger and should hold up to most turtles. Resin caves, acrylic docks, pvc/tile, and so on. How big is your tank and how much water is in it?



i have a 40 gallon breeder tank usually filled about 2/3's of the way. i wouldn't mind a cork dock, maybe something like this one https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Natural-Extra-Large/dp/B000QFSNWG. i also want to get a cave or something for the bottom of the tank but the petco by me has very limited options and it's tough for me to picture the size of it when shopping online (plus with a bare bottom tank i'm sure she'll push it around a bit).
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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 10:40 pm   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

A flat one will make it harder for the turtle to climb on, but that depends on how you angle it/wedge it. I don't get the Zoo Med kind though, check ebay and you will get actual pics and measurements. Would the large version of this ramp work? https://www.zillarules.com/all-products ... form-ramps
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steve
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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 11:02 pm   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

unfortunately i don't think that will be high enough with the amount of water i try to keep in the tank
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Post Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 11:28 pm   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

Then I would lean towards the cork bark.
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steve
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Post Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 12:32 am   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

I'm thinking something like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Virgin-Cork-Bark-Flat-Large-/253022832955?hash=item3ae956093b:g:AtcAAOSwCkZZWDgr. hopefully i can cut it exact and wedge it into the tank on a slight angle making it a little easier for her to get up
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Post Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 5:33 am   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

Check here to : http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/

They look a little low on stock and normally have very large pieces like I got . The biggest I see is 17". Maybe a call to them and ask?

http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/?sub ... cts.search
litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:11 am   Re: Turtle Eating Dock

litefoot wrote:Check here to : http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/

They look a little low on stock and normally have very large pieces like I got . The biggest I see is 17". Maybe a call to them and ask?

http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/?sub ... cts.search


Thanks. I just checked but I'm afraid the piece I would get will be too small. after my half assed attempt at measuring the inside of my tank at 1 am i think i need a piece that's 16.5" long so i would need one that's on the larger side. The ones on ebay range from 16"-23" so for a couple dollars more i'll (hopefully) be shipped one big enough the first time around.
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