Types of Basking Areas - Which one is right for your turtle tank? | Turtle 101 

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My dream setup is to have 2 tanks connected by the basking area...one tank filled with water andthe other 50/50 water/land if they ever feel in the mood for a grassy feel. When i first had these turtles a long time ago and have them a field trip to the back yard...they loved the grass and they were excited. I'm going to try to replicate it. Goals. I was very inexperience back then and now considering having them again. This time fully prepared...i spent the last 2 weeks doing nothing but research on the turtle i want...preferred habitat, diet, temperature of basking area and water. Lot of work ahead of me but i love these little guys. If ima do it...i want to give them the best home they can have.

“ is it a bird is it a plane no its hocu” LMAO I LOVE THAT

We bought an above tank basking area for our baby eastern musk. We found that he never once attempted to get to the ramp. He just climbs on the mopani wood that sticks out of the center of the tank. We built his scape to give him the second option of climbing up for air. The mopani is two large pieces built into a natural bridge that gives him a fairly large area to climb on. Since he never uses his above tank area, we lowered his light to accommodate his favorite spot and removed the ramp until he gets bigger. He chose his basking area 💚.

I have a yellow slider and I definetly made the best experiences by far with just a piece of driftwood (actually it's a piece of tree root, but it's pretty much the same after you wash it and let it dry off in the sun) where I placed a big piece of bark on. The root top that's above the water is a little narrow, so it's just for giving her enough space to lie on. Works like a charm and she loves discovering new ways to climb on it. Also it looks the best if you're going for a natural look, but if you don't have the space or you don't find a suitable piece of suitable wood, the above-the-tank versions obviously do the job as well. :)

I enjoyed watching your video great job on explaining everything👍

I am just starting to set up my 125 Gal tank that will eventually have 2 musk turtles and some fishies. I am currently following you on Insta and learning alot!! You are awesome!

After weeks of researching I found a turtle today. I hope you read this because I thank you so much! I wouldn’t know what to do if it wasn’t for you. Keep up the amazing work turtle girl! ❤️🐢✌️

Love your video's cute and informative, much appreciated ❤

You are very informed and you give out good info. Thank you!

Thank you! I honestly didn’t think of a homemade basking spot! 😅 My turtles are getting a bit big for their enclosure so I have to separate them now. Looks like I’m going to make two homemade basking spots! Thank you. 💖💖💖

My go to "Turtle Girl!" I can't tell u how much you've helped me, and saved my behind from making wrong decisions for my two baby 'RES. Thanks for the video as always SO HELPFUL! I'm going to turtley geek out, and make one of these right now!

Hi! awesome videos, i've been watching a lot of them the last few days! I've built my DIY above tank basking area and working on getting the ramp perfect (one of my turts is a big boy) and i was curious if i should use lights in my above tank basking area, and in the tank, or if you just do lights in your basking area. I have a light i can use to supply light to my tank that isn't a heat bulb or a Uv B but i just wanted to be sure!

Doing Good Job... Making Good Videos... bt there are vry few subscribers n viewers.... u deserve a lot.. thank you for such nice videos

Excellent video. I'm going to have to upgrade my basking platform as my lil mischievous one is always dislodging it from the wall and he is too big for it now. May go with the topper idea, I like that :)

Some plants and decoration at the basking area would be nice for the turtle.

Thank you so much for this video!! I recently bought a floating (large) turtle dock but my turtle baby is too big for it!! she keeps sinking and getting stuck! I thought it was just me lol... but now that I've seen this I think I might make one myself. But once again thank you :)

Loving your content

I want the one u have but I can't find it in stores or online 😢

Hi love ur channel I have a red eared slither and this gave me some ideas thx

Love your channel ❤️

Cool! Love ur turtles

question: I was wondering because my basking area can hold my turtles wait, can I still use it/is it still a good basking platform (I have a floating platform) *backstory* I have a floating platform and it can hold quite a bit of weight so my 4 inch yellow belly slider and my 3 inch Nicaraguan orente slider can both get on there without it moving at all, it also doesnt shift around at all and I have tried to push it down with my hand to see how stable it is beyond it works very well, I'm going to be upgrading to a kind of indoor turtle pond so I am going to replace the basking area but I was wondering because my basking area can hold my turtles wait, can I still use it/is it still a good basking platform (also I have extensions for it so I can fill my tank up to pretty much its full capacity

Great video thanks

I’m getting a hatchling mud turtle this Christmas, and from my reaserch I know that they like more shallow waters I have a large piece of driftwood were the top of the log is submerged, I plan of doing an overhang or the UVB bulb and heating bulb over the log, Do you think that would be a good basking place or would it get to moist?

Great video!!!!

We currently have a floating basking platform for our yellow belly and it never fails, when we put it back in after a cleaning, he will try to go behind the bar the suction cups are attached to and quickly rip them off the wall. At least he's not getting stuck, but I'm getting an above tank basking area because I'm tired of reapplying the suction cups.

I have a African side neck turtle would I be able to fill up his tank completely into the basking area on top just like you did on your video? If so would I be able to use that indoor outdoor carpet that’s kind of like grass in the basking area?

The turtle I found in a guest room..(see other comment on other video) lol is missing a leg. It is healed it looks like, do I still fill the tank all the way or does this limit how good it can swim?

I have a question! I have a baby turtle and he never wants to go up on his rock or up in the house.. also I filled up the water high and it seemed like he didn’t know how to swim he popped his head up all the day but since I filled the water seems like he didn’t understand why his head didn’t pop up so I take out some water ASAP.. but I seen online it said to put 10 gallons of water for them and a top basking area and I wanna do that but it scared me that he didn’t seem what to do.. with all the water I put b4 ..I’m not sure what do for him to get basking he needs instead of being in the water 24/7

Thank you for the video, when we had our RES we fused the floating docks to carry her weight. I wish you made this video 10 years ago when I lived in rural Alaska 😆

I got a suction cup one to the ground, and I just connected more of the extenders, so it’s fine for me, but I understand your points.

Nice one😊

Where can I get the over the tank basting ?

I have a 40 gallon breeder tank and need a new basking platform.for my turtles. What do you recommend for me to get for them to use

Hey how much clearance do you usually need from the edge of the ramp to the side of the tank ? And how steep can you make the ramp as in the angle of the ramp can you do 60° ?

Great video! What’s the speckled guy? He was doing some nice neck moves!

Good one 👍

Great video!! What would you use for an indoor large res enclousure ? Mine has always live outdoors but im moving and i have to keep her temporarelly indoors

Hi, I am purchasing a baby Cumberland turtle, with a 20 gallon tank. Can I fill the tank all the way to the top with water so the turtle can have more space to swim, and have an above tank basking platform? Will the turtle be able to swim in that depth of water, or do I have to wait until it is older to fill it up with that much water?

Hey! Is it possible to over do it on a filter for turtle tank?? We are getting a 75 gallon tank. And want a filter for 250 gallon.

I just was given turtles. your videos have been very helpful! I do not have a basking area yet. is it okay if I take the turtles out of the tank to dry about an hour per day until the basking area comes?

Hey I have a question!! I have two year and half year old musk turtles, would 60 gallons be enough for both or should I get a bigger tank than that?

I have a floating dock rn and my turtle is too heavy for it, I’m setting up my 90g on Friday, I’m gonna use my old dock and zip tie it to my topper, so the floater is going to be the ramp to get up do u think this is good or will there be a problem

I have an extra large basking platform that I drilled holes through and placed it on large rocks and a log cave underneath it,bambam loves his spot. and the only one he could stretch out on and the rocks help him get on it.Hes 26 yrs old now so hes a boit slower than he used to be hes in a 70 gallon

What about for a African side neck I have been seeing different answers about about how much water he should be in would you fill the tank for an African side neck?

I just checked u out and I love it !!

I have a baby Red-Eared turtle (RES) , actually he is only of 1 month so my family bought a little turtle tank for him but he loves to bask . So, I wanna make small basking platform for him can you suggest me ?

Hi. Do I need to on my uvb and heat lamp all day long?

Does anybody know which kind of epoxy is safe for use w aq turtle tank?

My brother has red eared slider named Shark Bait. I'll have to show him this video!!

Nice this video gona help me

I have one yellow belly and one red ear slider, they are both still young and small. Thinking longterm, what size tank should I use?

i think I'm about to cancel my order and just make one. these above tank i=ones seem so great

Where can I get a set up like the one shown at 5:47?

I have a 8 inch (Front to back of shell) Red Eared Slider that is going into a 75 gallon tank. He has never been in a tank that is filled to to the top. This a huge tank and I am trying to figure out what type of DIY basking area to make.

I have a bunch of questions, I am fairly new to turtle loaning and nobody who I know has any experience so like I really need some help (also a disclaimer I am working on getting I better habitat for them this is just what I have in the meantime my tank can be filled up to its full capacity, maybe 5 gallons less but that's pretty much it, my friend gave me Michael and I had no clue what to do so I wasn't prepared when I got him and that is completely my fault I should have turned him down or done something but I need advice so I can accommodate for these two to the best of my ability) 1. I have two turtles who share a 55 gallon which is filled up with about 35 gallons, my 4 inch yellow belly slider is named Michael, and my 3 inch Nicaraguan oriente is named noun just so you have a reference when I talk about them, noun is smaller than Michael and they don't fight or anything like that but Michael still tends to swim away from now on, they haven't shown any aggression whatsoever but I was wondering if the swimming away is a sign of anything and if it means I should separate them or something like that 2. are there any ways that I can tell that my turtle is overweight, i'm not sure how old Michael is, i've had him for about 6 to 7 months and I got him one he was may be an inch, he is about four maybe 4.5 inches now and whenever I look up-year-old turtles they're always a lot smaller than that so I'm wondering if I am overfeeding him, I feed him about 20 pallets of a 38% protein food with some shrimp on occasion 3. are don't know if you have experience with the breed but my smaller one, noun, theyre a Nicaraguan oriente slider and I've been trying to figure out if they're a boy or a girl, Michaels a boy so I don't know what a female turtle looks like, he is 3-3.5 inches around his tail is may be a bit shorter than Michael's, the thing that threw me off is that they don't have long claws but after some more research I found out that the breed just doesn't have long claws, Michaels tried to mate with noun like maybe three times so I don't know if that means anything, now on follows Michael around every now and then I don't know if that's another distinction or not 4. I have about four decorations in my tank because Michael will knock them all down and move them around and such and I generally don't think he's a big fan of them, I have about four in storage, should I put them in? Michael a noun don't seem to have any problems with territory as far as splitting it up goes so I'm not sure 5. Michael doesn't like eating much lettuce and such should I still offer it to him even though he's never eaten it 6. Michael is more intimidated by noun even though noun is distinctively smaller than him, is that normal (they don't fight Michael just tends to swim away from him a lot) 7. I do have rocks in their tank, I sundown trying to eat one earlier, they're big enough so of course he can't but I'm starting to get paranoid if he could somehow eat some of them, they are distinctively bigger than his mouth but he can pick some up (not eat them just pick them up) 8. i'm not completely sure what the difference between a heating light and a UVB bulb is, I have two lights they're both yellow I don't know what that means, one of them is over the basking area and the other one is over the other half of the tank, I don't know what that means and I've been searching for a UV bulb but they're all yellow so I'm not sure if I have a UVB bulb or not and besides that I can't find any good ones, do you have any recommendations thank you so much for your help your videos have been a real lifesaver even if you don't respond thank you so much

I like the one that fits over the entire length of the tank. However I don't see one like that anywhere online or offline. Where can I purchase a basking topper like that?

I just got 2 red slider can i put my new turtles in with my others turtles can you help me

Which app did u use for your thumbnail & which app for editing videos? Is it on phone? It’s so nice!:D

What do you do when your turtle doesn’t go on the basking spot

From a personal experience I recommend avoiding at all costs turtle platforms. They are made of plastic foam and your turtle can eat it easily.

So I have a basking area that's not connected to the tank, so my turtle can not go in and out whenever she wants. I put her in whenever i think it's necessary. Is that okay?

I have 2 sofshell turtles. what do u recommend? I doubt i can put a heat lamp overhead i dnt want them to dry up what can i do?

Anyone have the tutorial for the basking area at 6:07?

is putting a piece of rock or tile a good idea for basking areas? is the purpose to retain the heat? if so, what material does this best?

I bought 2 cooters about 2 months ago. They were the size of a quarter. Now they are 3 times there size. How do I get them to use a basking platform.

So here’s where I’m stuck I think I watched a video of yours where you need to fill the tank till your turtle is a better swimmer. Well I received a red ear slider that’s 7 years old and she’s only been in water high enough that was to cover rocks and barely her. Should I just fill up so I can get the basking platform for top the tank and keep eye on her so she swims? Because the floating platform sinks obviously.

I had an above tank basking area but they would go up but i think it may be because they are hatchling turtles and dont want to go too far from the water

Aquarium Co-op?! I'm subscribed to them!

The turtle dock, they do work good but yeah they can get stuck but what I like to do is to pull the plastic part out a little so that way tending get stuck:)

Diy Basking that's really awesome... I am planning to make one for my red eared slider turtle just like yours so what should be the factors I should keep in mind ??

Your turtles are sooooooooo pretty, also I have a question I see you have fish in your tank when did you start doing it??? Did you have any issues with it?????

I have a yellow belly slider and he has an above the tank baking area. Checked the temperature and it is good, but I've never seen him go up there. He just loves the water I guess.

Subscribed, liked, and commented,

What would be the best for a regular red-eared slider?

I LOVE TURTELS!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone know what type of turtle that is. @ 1:00

where did you get your terrapin he is perfect!!!!

I have a question can u put your turtle outside to bask?

my turtle is vry small, shy... Its RES .. he never come to basking area since 2 months i have bought it, new born Red Ear Slider.... always remains in water... what shoud i do?

my red eared slider is about 4 1/2 inches and i’ve had him for about a month and just got him a 40 gallon tank and put him in a week and a half ago and i haven’t been able to keep the whole tank the same temperature even with a newer more expensive heater. he has also started to shed his skin a lot. i’ve called a few pet stores and vets and they all say this is normal but google said excessive shedding is bad and i honestly dont know if it’s excessive or normal. it looks like it’s finally falling off but now he’s got smaller pieces showing up on his face and arms. i’m really scared i’ve done something wrong and that he’s sick but can’t afford to take him to a vet right now. i do water changes once a week and have recently started doing them every 2 days because he’s a dirty boy. the ammonia is at 0. please help i absolutely love your channel you have helped me in so many ways.

My terrapin basks all the time he has proper basking aria and correct lighting and still he got shell rot. What am I doing wrong?

Where do we buy them

Hi! I've been thinking about getting a freshwater aquatic turtle for some time now, for my basking area I would love to go with the DIY over top one (It's cheap, easy and gives me more tank space), however one thing that I'm scared about is the baby turtle getting overwhelmed by too much water and avoiding the basking area altogether. If I do use the DIY tank topper basking area I have to fill up the water to a high level. Would a full tank of water be okay for my baby freshwater turtle?

Can a baby red eared slider climb up to one of the basking areas with the ramp ?

That is a cool looking turtle with the spots! What kind is it? I've had a red eared slider for a couple weeks now - someone actually threw her out their 2nd floor window in front of my office. So I haven't had time to prepare! She's still in my tub and what a hassle cleaning every day before and after we take a shower! Plus I feel like she's bored af. Like a jail cell, and the only stimulation is when the jailer comes by every so often. SO. I have a 40 long tank someone gave me, I went on RU-vid looking to make a beach, but your overhead basking platform is genius. Obviously it's mass produced (and diy) but I never would have thought of it! Any other suggestions?

OMG I NEED HELP WITH MY TURTLE AKA A MAP TURTLE mini thats her name mini as a eye condision i need to now what i have to get to help her recover

i want to get a turtle but i dont know what it needs cuold you please help also what type of turtle???

Wow your videos are awesome,btw how much does one of them cost?

Which cino tartarium would you recommend for a diamond back terrapin

Hello Friend. I also did a basking area and it's been 2 days and my turtle doesn't go up. I saw that you had the same problem, did yours get up there? how long did it take? thanks

turtlely awesome day!!! you have my liked (y)

I just bought a 2 months old turtle and he is still very small. Been 3 days since he stay at my place and he still doesnt want to eat. He is very active, doesnt show any sign of sickness, temperature of water and atmospehere is around 20-24C since my ordered uvb light and heater hasnt arrive yet, any idea how to get him to start eating? I tried luring him with pallets, corned beef, and lettuce. Nothing works and am stressed out, am scared of him dying. :( My really first pet friend.

What is you used with turtle can you tell me

My turtle had shell rot from previous owner. Within a month of getting Alfred a basking area with lamp. He always would dry off for half a day. Now his shell right back to normal with a weekly scrub

Why do people dislike this? Is amazing 👏

Would a zoo med turtle dock work? Cause I have 2 yellow bellied sliders 1 boy and 1 girl. Cause I'm planing to get 2 more turtles and its a small zoo med turtle dock. If you tell me its ok then I'll be happier cause my cousins turtle died by drowning

Try adding some reptile carpet into the above tank basking area to spruce it up.

They sell bigger platforms. And it’s hard for the turtle to since it’s compacted styrofoam. And the back of is definitely a hazard. Red ear sliders that are baby’s are excellent swimmers. So u could fill the tank up all the way. If u can’t afford the lights take your turtle or turtles out side for at least 30 mins a day 3-5 times a week.