Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I read recently that RES normally sleep under water. What does it mean when I catch them sleeping on the basking platform? Myrtle has been doing that a lot lately. I thought the water was too cold or something.

That would be my first guess. If the turtle is sleeping on the basking platform perhaps the water is too cold. Do you have a water heater that keeps the water in the mid 70's?

One thing, is your turtle sleeping on the basking platform when the light is off. If you leave the light on all the time, I would expect they might sleep there.

One other thing, my turtles like to sleep in cover. I have some drift wood, and floating aquatic plants. You may try providing some kind of cover to make the turtle feel safer while sleeping.
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I've had her for 14 years and she's always slept near the filter. The water temperature is around 72-74 degrees. I keep the heat lamp on from 9AM-9PM, and I'm worried because she's sleeping on the platform when the light is off.
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14 year old Female RES Myrtle

for what its worth in my outdoor ponds i have one female southern paint that ALWAYS sleeps on the basking platform.she is with a half dozen others who are"normal"in that they sleep underwater near the ramp/driftwood base,& etc.
go figure

I have RES about 1yr old in a 29G tank. I keep the light on during the day and off at night. My RES sleeps in and out of the water. The water is constant 74-78Degrees. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Good Luck.

My first reaction is: check the water conditions. Water temp is the least likely of causes - since turtles can handle a wide range of temperatures. It would be more likely that the turtle is avoiding the water because it is dirty or the water-toxicity is rising.
Second, and possibly most important - how is your turtle behaving in other areas of daily life? Eating habits, swimming habits, basking habits, etc.
If the turtle is behaving normally other than 'sleep-out-of-water', its not a problem.
If the turtle is avoiding the water all around, there most-likely is a problem, in habitat or health.

Both of my turtles have spent a night out of water from time to time.... At bed-time, there is a 50% chance that one or both will be basking, and even after 'lights-out' I don't hear a splash for several minutes... if at all.