Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey everyone..i usually pst in the snake forums but since i have turtles i figured id post a question. i was wondering how many of you have had a slider drown? i have 3 red belly's and i found the medium sized one dead upside down last night. he somehow managed to get stuck face down between the wall and the log for them to bask on and im guessing he ran out of air. i check on them multiple times beause no matter how careful i am about arranging their basking spot the smallest one always seems to find ways to get himself stuck. sadly enough it was the one who has never gotten stuck before that died. i take the best care i can of them, so i'm very distraught.. some people say turltes are just, well, turtles but mine each have their own personalities. how can i make sure this doesnt hapen again, and have any of ou had this problem?

~Erica

Personally I only a single brick/cinderblock placed in the middle of the enclosure so they can't get stuck. I'm sorry for your loss. for little turtles I just use shallow water though I have had hatchlings drown from being turned over by tankmates.T avoid this I place them single now.

theyre a pretty good size so i was really suprised that he drowned. normally they upright themselves in like 2 seconds...ive rearranged their tank and been keeping a close eye on them so it doesnt happen again. i would have thought they were more likely to get stuck and drown as babies, but they'll be moved outside in the next couple of days. i was going to move them outside yesterday and i keep thinking that if i had done that he would still be here

Yeah it is fun to watch each ones personality. Glad to see you rearranged it. There are some turtles at my partners place of employment that drowned due to getting stuck. So there is always a possibility especially if they get wedged between something. You have an outdoor pond.

they'll be in a plastic kiddie pool on the back deck (in front of the kitchen windows) untill our pond is finished. someone is always outside at our house so theyll still get checked on a bazillion times a day

Drowning is a constant threat for these critters, so don't think you're the first. I've had this happen to a couple myself. Thing is this.

Like Croc, make it safeproof. At least until they're big enough to clamber out of any trap. Avoid heavy rocks. AND WATCH OUT FOR LOOSE GRAVEL! It'll shift on them.

Many lose turtles this way, however, so it's best to stick to logs or something light.

As for kiddy pools, be careful. Sunstroke, wild animals, and flooding are another threat. Might be good to punch a little hole near the top. AND MAKE SURE THEY CAN'T CLIMB OUT! Turtles are great climbers, and I've lost quite a few this way.

Cheers though.

luckily for me wild animals arnt much of a threat because of my 2 crazy dogs. they'll be on the porch where theyre visible from 3 rooms. oddly enough theyve never tried to climb out of the pool, they seem to love it. theyll be in full sun for maybe 1/2 the day, so i was planning on using natural plant for shade, and i have some to cover a portion of the pool for when its starts getting really warm. i could just leave them inside, but theyre outgrowing their tank and untill i get a new one this will give them more room. thanks for the suggestions, theyre much appreciated. it seems that sometimes on kingsnake forums people are quicker to criticize than to offer nicer suggestions.