Baby Eastern long necks not basking

[turtleman]

I have been studying turtles and thier behavour for going on 20 years now. Watch your turtles at night they are more active then, day they are usually very lazy. Turtles are oportunistic feeders but tend to feed more at night. Young turtles have more greens in their diet eg. foxtail and amazon sword. Green peas are really good too. Turtles do bask naturally in their own time. I do recommend not heating water thier breeding cycle depends on the seasonal changes. Heating the water at a constant tempreture all year round has been proven to sterilize turtles which makes them useless later on for breeding. If everyone did this captive bred turtles would become non-existant within 3 years and the only ones for sale would be wild caught. My water gets down to 2-3 degrees and they go dormant and sleep on the bottom of my pond. They need this time of sleep to reset thier metabolism and do not feed during this time. AFTCRA is another site to checkout too.

 

[JasonL]

I have been studying turtles and thier behavour for going on 20 years now. Watch your turtles at night they are more active then, day they are usually very lazy. Turtles are oportunistic feeders but tend to feed more at night. Young turtles have more greens in their diet eg. foxtail and amazon sword. Green peas are really good too. Turtles do bask naturally in their own time. I do recommend not heating water thier breeding cycle depends on the seasonal changes. Heating the water at a constant tempreture all year round has been proven to sterilize turtles which makes them useless later on for breeding. If everyone did this captive bred turtles would become non-existant within 3 years and the only ones for sale would be wild caught. My water gets down to 2-3 degrees and they go dormant and sleep on the bottom of my pond. They need this time of sleep to reset thier metabolism and do not feed during this time. AFTCRA is another site to checkout too.

agreed, though I had never heard about them becoming sterlie before, do you have any links to studies on this? sounds interesting...

 

[SlamD]

Thanks Turtleman, I will try them on green peas also.
What temperature would you recommend for the water? or not heated at?

 

[novek]

i didnt heat my water once and my turtle got a respiratory infection...also u just have to wait for the turtles to use the docks

 

[kazper58]

SlamD

I suggest you have a look at Australian Freshwater Turtles as Gary has suggested for the CareSheet..lots of great information about diet and everything for turtles..

 

[SlamD]

Thanks everyone, I have read the caresheets and have got loads of tips off it, just mainly wanted to get individuals opionions and ideas also. So thanks to all

 

[garycahill]

No point for individuals opinions mate. If you want to look after them properly, just follow the care sheets.

 

[Frozenmouse]

No point for individuals opinions mate. If you want to look after them properly, just follow the care sheets.

Read the care sheets there is nothing explaining why they dont bask.
the best explanation i have been given is if your water temp is too high they will not leave the water to bask and this can lead to shell softening and infection .

 

[Frozenmouse]

Once again dabool, total bs!
Soft shell is not caused by staying in the water.
You might like to learn something about turtles before you go worring people with total nonscence. You don't happen to work for a reptile shop do you?

i worked at a crocodile park and a zoo.

 

[SlamD]

What a shame i go away for a few days and miss out on all the action.
Turtles still doing great

 

[JAS101]

mine have just started to use the basking area , give it time .
my outside turtles are allways out sunning them selfs .