Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We just cleaned out our pond and after 2 winters one of the RES my husband put in the pond in 2002 was still there, burrowed into the sludge at the bottom. I've read that is how they hibernate? He hasn't grown in the last 2 years, he's still about 4 inches (the shellis 4 inches) Well, now that the pond is clean, there is no sludge, so indoors he came. I got a UV lamp, and a heat lamp, and a basking rock, and a small filter. At first I filled his new home with about 6 to 7 inches of water, but it appeared that he couldn't swim, or couldn't get his body to float. He was struggling as if in a panic, so I lifted him up and he stuck his head out and after a few seconds he hopped off my hand and went to the bottom. Same thing though after awhile. So I ended up lowering the water to about 4 inches so he is fully covered, but can stretch just enough to get his nose out. He hasn't eaten (I've offered turtle sticks, krill, and bananas), and doesn't move about much. He won't try the basking rock at all. Am I expecting too much for his first day in a new home? Could itbe he had started the hibernating process and now has to re-adjust? His water was about 80 degrees with the lamps on so I didn't put a tank heater in.
Thanks for any advice!
Karen

wow, well i can honestly say i have never taken an outside turtle and tried to change it to an inside turtle. but i can say this... that much stuff is A LOT for the turtle to handle in one day... i'd say give him awhile to adjust and see if it changes it's attitude about the food or basking. considering it has been outside, it might also just be afraid of you... i know that my turtles, when i first got them, were afraid to bask in front of me... but now they do it all the time! if he doesnt recover in a month or so.. i'd say take him to a vet, but other than that.. just let it adjust to it's new surroundings, it may come around yet!!!
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~ Evie

Pets:
RIP 0.1.0 German Shepherd {Dusty}
0.1.0 German Shepherd/Collie mix {Shadoe}
0.0.2 RES turtles {Booger & Snot}
1.0.0 African Clawed Frog {Bingo}
0.0.2 Snail {Gary & Larry}

80 degrees is probably too warm, it may not bask if the water is that warm. You said you got a UV light, does it have UVB? Not all of them do and that is what the turtle needs. You might want to put some "furniture" in the tank that the turtle can use to rest near the surface. I would put more water in the tank so he can swim but still have the option to rest on something near the top. All that said, it will need time to adjust to the its new surroundings.

Good luck! Nancy