Turtle baby behaviour

[Sapanga]

Hi all, just wanted to ask a quick question I acquired a baby golden thread turtle and it seems the little guy is quite often staying at the end of the turtle dock where it slopes down so he is mostly submerged in water. Quite often he hangs of the end of it. I do have a much older turtles of this breed around 12yrs but I have never seen him do anything like this. So my question is really is this normal or might there be something wrong. I recently lost two wee baby turtles so I’m probably being extra anxious about this, but thought it would hurt to ask. Thanks

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. I'll tag some of our more experienced turtle keeping members for you.

@Markw84
@mark1
@harris

 

[Sapanga]

Thank you so much

 

[Markw84]

Baby turtles live the bulk of their days hidden in water plants close to the edge of streams or ponds. The need that security. I fill my tanks with plenty of fake, plastic plant garlands I cut to 2 ft lengths and then anchor to the bottom so the rest floats to the surface. this give the turtle many places to hang in the plant near the surface. They will often bask this way - hanging in a plant at the surface near the basking light, so I like to make a basking area that extends over part of the water.

Very young hatchings will do best in water that is just deeper than they are long in shell length. Also with plenty of plant cover, I use that tank to get them eating well with blood worms and other foods. I have no substrate in the starting tank. I only transition to a full sized tank once I see them eating well, acting actively with strong flight reflex and can see growth seams starting to enlarge.

 

[Sapanga]

Baby turtles live the bulk of their days hidden in water plants close to the edge of streams or ponds. The need that security. I fill my tanks with plenty of fake, plastic plant garlands I cut to 2 ft lengths and then anchor to the bottom so the rest floats to the surface. this give the turtle many places to hang in the plant near the surface. They will often bask this way - hanging in a plant at the surface near the basking light, so I like to make a basking area that extends over part of the water.

Very young hatchings will do best in water that is just deeper than they are long in shell length. Also with plenty of plant cover, I use that tank to get them eating well with blood worms and other foods. I have no substrate in the starting tank. I only transition to a full sized tank once I see them eating well, acting actively with strong flight reflex and can see growth seams starting to enlarge.

thank you so much you have put my mind at ease, it definitely seems like he is basking at the end of the turtle dock. I do have some plants in the tank so I will look at may getting some that he can hang around and hide in. I have two baby turtles and the other one seems happy enough to bask right up on top of the turtle dock. I was just so unsure as I hadn’t seen this before, but totally makes sense the way you have explained it. Both turtles are quite strong, great swimmers and are eating well.

 

[TurtlesBunniesPlants]

Golden Threads are beautiful turtles! They might be the most attractive Mauremys turtle out there.
I would love to live with one someday.

How deep is your water level? Baby/juvenile turtles can and do swim and dive but they tend to get tired quickly especially if you keep them in a deep bare glass tank where not so many things to hold on and rest in between.
If you are using a powerful canister filter or pump you might want to lessen the current too.
Another possibility is that he/she is simply regulating body temperature because water is warmer near the basking spot.

 

[Sapanga]

Golden Threads are beautiful turtles! They might be the most attractive Mauremys turtle out there.
I would love to live with one someday.

How deep is your water level? Baby/juvenile turtles can and do swim and dive but they tend to get tired quickly especially if you keep them in a deep bare glass tank where not so many things to hold on and rest in between.
If you are using a powerful canister filter or pump you might want to lessen the current too.
Another possibility is that he/she is simply regulating body temperature because water is warmer near the basking spot.

Thanks for your advice. They are indeed beautiful. I do have quite a gentle filter so that the current wasn’t too much for the wee guys. I do have a few things they can hold onto in the tank. Both wee guys are doing well. The little one is now coming up onto the turtle dock and basking a little more, so maybe he was just trying to get used to his new home. He is quite a strong swimmer and I have watched him taking a wee break on some of the things in the tank. I think I was just overly anxious about the wee guys

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Thanks for your advice. They are indeed beautiful. I do have quite a gentle filter so that the current wasn’t too much for the wee guys. I do have a few things they can hold onto in the tank. Both wee guys are doing well. The little one is now coming up onto the turtle dock and basking a little more, so maybe he was just trying to get used to his new home. He is quite a strong swimmer and I have watched him taking a wee break on some of the things in the tank. I think I was just overly anxious about the wee guys

Regardless of species, the wee guys always need more attention. They make us worry the most, but it's a good thing. ?