Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We recently got a baby RES, about a week ago, and are learning what the basics are of taking care of it. It seemed pretty inactive the first week, hiding under the seashell and coming out to eat mainly. Then after I did a water change it was flying around the tank trying to climb the walls for a day. That night I noticed it had climbed up a fake plant, all the way, and was sleeping on one of the leaves....Is this normal? It keeps going back to the same spot. It also has a flat rock to lie on which is directly beneath the light, the plant is at the other end of the tank. I don't know if it's normal or if something is wrong or what.

It is perfectly normal. Turtles are always a bit skitish at first, but a healthy juvenile will come out from hiding and swim like crazy. Turtles are also air breathing [as opposed to fish] so when they sleep they like something that props them close to the surface. My guys [& gals] like laying on the slope to their basking spot with just their noses out. My mom's little guys laid on top of the plants when they slept.

I am sure you know this but make sure you are leaving teh basking light on only when "the sun is up". This usually means some sort of 12 hour cycle. A lot of us use a timer, but you can just turn it on when you get up and turn it off after dinner, whatever gives them a day and night.
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Joshua M Guillemette

1.1.0 Children [Deven 10 & Hailey due June 1]
2.1.0 Cats [Micah, Judo, & Elizabeth]
1.0.0 Bunny [Bugs]
1.0.0 Red Belly Slider [Bernulli]
2.0.0 Yellow Belly Sliders [Maxwell & LaPlace]
0.0.2 Cumberlands [Pascal & Joule]
1.2.1 Red Ear Sliders [Kepler, Napier, Gauss, & Kelvin]