Habitat - Outdoor :: Question about real sunlight

[mzkitty23]

So, if i put the turtle in an outside enclosure does he HAVE to be basking to get the benefits of the sunlight. Do "real" sunrays penetrate the water where he can get the benfit if he's swimming?

Also, my turtle seems to not like to be moved anywhere...if I move him or take him out, he just hides under something in whatever he's in until I put him back in his regular tank. do u think this is normal and he will eventually get used to it and be more comfortable? After such an excursion, he even acts weird in his regular tank for a few days!

*Note-I've only had him a month, even though he's 12.

[Nettle]

I think the consensus is that UVB rays don't penetrate glass or water (even though my legs can get sunburned in a pool).

Most turtles don't like being handled or taken out of the tank. After I clean the tank, they act highly skittish for the next day or two, so that's normal. It usually takes a while for a turtle to warm up.

If he's 12, then he might not have had the best treatment from a previous owner. He could be afraid of being taken out of the tank because of bad connotations from his past.

How big is his tank, how many inches is he, and does he have something to hide in when he's in there (like a privacy cave)?

[mzkitty23]

he was not taken well care of by his previous owner at all...that is how i ended up with him. well, if it's normal for them to act skiddish after they return to the newly cleaned tank, I guess that makes me feel better. actually, inside the tank he is very friendly and social, especially towards me. i can even pick him up right there by the tank and he still seems okay and calm, but it's just when i took him out of the tank to clean it and he was out for a while, it acted really wierd for a few days. so i was wondering if making an outside area for him would be a happy thing for him, or just make him nervous! you know? He is around 9" and his tank is 100 gallon and he does have something to hide in, in there (he gets in it very occasionally).

[Nettle]

Each turtle has their own personality and preferences. I've seen babies that are completely sociable and unafraid of people and turtles years old that still dive off of the platform, so your turtle is probably normal.

An outdoor enclosure for the summer in Texas would be fine. He'll eventually get used to it even if he's scared at first.

[mzkitty23]

yeah, i think i'll go for it. he seems to "adjust" to things well. he's really happy here and really seems to love being here. i just want him to have a great life. thanks for u'r help!

[jroc 518]

well my turt use to do the same with hiding till I put him back. Eventually if you leave him there for a while he will come out and start walking around to explore. But if there is people, noise, or anything like that it will just hide again.

[steve]

Well, outdoors there is still UVB in the shade and in cloudy weather but greatly reduced. The penetration of UV rays is also greatly reduced through water.

Do you have a backyard you can let your turtle roam around while you watch? 30-60 minutes would be good though it might get too hot in TX for extended roaming.

[mzkitty23]

i do have a back yard that is enclosed that i could watch him, but my dogs are back there a lot so my vet sort of warned me against putting the turtle back there on the grass and then letting the dogs run across it b/c of salmonella, blah, blah...I'm thinking of just making him a little set-up with a kiddie pool with a place to bask. Yep, TX is super hot right now so i would have to just put him out there a few hours in the morning time.

Also, he's doing really good. I just fed him and he's REALLY getting super friendly with me particularly. I went up the the tank and he started spinning around and sticking his head out as far as he could...lol. Also, he shed so much like i had talked to u about before and his colors on his legs seem brighter now! he is still eating more protein than recommended, but i'm able to "trick" him into more veggies and pellets than before, so the pieces of meat are getting smaller..woohooo!

[steve]

I'd recommend a infrared thermometer if you plan on taking him outside since that kiddie pool will heat up fairly quickly.

[marisa]

The sunlight (and therefore UVB rays) can penetrate a few inches into the water. On a sunny day, he'll get some UVB rays even in the shade, and UVB rays can also be gotten on overcast days as well.

He's acting that way (hiding) because he's in a new environment and feels vulnerable. One of my painteds tries to hide the minute he's put outside, especially if he's not in water.

[sm02]

I'm not sure I understand the question. But regardless of whether or not he can get the benefits of the sun while underwater, he still needs to come out to dry off and actually bask