Turtle eating floating dock

[Galligak]

My almost 2 year old yellow belly slider is eating my floating dock which is foam!!! I've tried rearranging the tank daily but nothing seems to stop her. I'm almost to the point of taking it out, but then she wouldn't have a place to bask and I don't have much funds to go buy another dock. Please help!

 

[siva]

Do you already feed her cuttlebone?

 

[alLexX]

try making a dock of wood or soething and hang it from the top of the tank. my turtle tore apart pretty much everything but left the wood dock alone.

 

[Galligak]

Yes I'm feeding her cuttlebone, and alLexx I'll look into the wood thing. Thanks a bunch!

 

[siva]

In that case it will probably be hard to detour the behavior. It's probably not coming from a deficiency but just boredom. This is very typical slider behavior. I ended up going with the above tank platform, the best deal I found on it was here: AllPet.com - Pet Supplies
I know you can't buy another dock right now but for future reference. It's so great since it gives them increased swimming space by having the tank all the way full.

 

[Galligak]

Thanks! I will defiantly look into that! Thanks again

 

[Tenochsun78]

Hey! I use pieces of slate it's cheap if you go to a landscaping place ( not a aquarium store) you can take it out rearrange easy to clean

 

[Tenochsun78]

The first pic is his basking area and 2nd just wanted to show he has little stairs going up. I'm really diligent about cleaning some people recommend no rocks ( cleaning purposes)

 

[Gboy66]

Hahah i was this thread title and was like what?!?!? Hahah but ya, i agree with a simple wood platform

 

[Nomadu571]

Exo terra make a magnetic 'floating' dock. I love mine I have one in both tanks. They are easy to remove and clean and are made of hard plastic so no biting would break it. The magnets are very strong and hold a good amount of weight. They are a good buy, simple, easy to fit, an elegant solution.

My red claw crab loves his little 'island' away from the fish, and the musk turtle who never really basks uses his sometimes, and it takes his weight nicely.

 

[siva]

As a crab lover I just have to add that red claw crabs are a brackish species, and shouldn't be kept in a freshwater tank.

 

[Tenochsun78]

Would you recommend a pea puffer with a crab?

 

[Nomadu571]

Yeah, well although this seems to be a popular opinion, they can be kept in freshwater successfully if you are diligent and are caring about your tank. Mine has been in their for well over 6 months now, and has only got bigger. He is fine, was brought from a shop keeping him in fresh water, so the trend continues, and I can assure you they survive very well, he has shed many times.

 

[siva]

Would you recommend a pea puffer with a crab?

I don't have puffer experience. I know larger puffers eat crabs, but pea puffers might be OK, if they are a brackish species that is.

Yeah, well although this seems to be a popular opinion, they can be kept in freshwater successfully if you are diligent and are caring about your tank. Mine has been in their for well over 6 months now, and has only got bigger. He is fine, was brought from a shop keeping him in fresh water, so the trend continues, and I can assure you they survive very well, he has shed many times.

No, you can't assure me, as I do have experience keeping BW crabs in FW, I know they do not live out their full lifespans in FW. Six months is in no way indicative of long term success. Nor does molting necessarily indicate the crab is thriving. To say it's "opinion" is inaccurate. They are wild caught from brackish mongrove swamps so, yes, they are in fact a brackish species and, IMO it's wrong to keep them in FW. Of course the shops keep them improperly, that's no excuse. Shops often keep most of their aquatic pets improperly, atleast to some degree. It's your crab to do what you'd like with, I am just passionate about keeping semi-aquatic BW crabs properly, and try to educate wherever and whenever I can.

 

[Nomadu571]

This guy was definitely not caught in a brackish mangrove swamp, he was born and bred in freshwater. I know the shop, and the way they keep their stock.

 

[siva]

Well that's HILARIOUS considering it's IMPOSSIBLE to breed them in freshwater. Do a little research dude. Now you just sound ridiculous.

 

[Gboy66]

Lets get back on track here guys.

So aqua, are you going to have to make an island in the mean time? Wood or maybe slate?

 

[Nomadu571]

Well that's HILARIOUS considering it's IMPOSSIBLE to breed them in freshwater. Do a little research dude. Now you just sound ridiculous.

If you say so.

 

[Tenochsun78]

What size is the turtle now?

 

[siva]

She started this thread four months ago so it's probably all taken care of now.