Basking Areas For Turtles.

Shelli

I want to build an out of tank basking area for my sliders, but have no idea how to go about it. Has anyone built one? I reckon plexiglass would be the best bet but how would I put it together?

tallus

why not fashion it in to a right angle and use aquarium Silicone cement? it's pretty strong stuff. Or buy a custom made one? I saw one in a local petshop a few weeks back.

Shelli

Where do you get the silicone cement? And any idea where to get some plexiglass? I live in Dublin.

Ramon

Shelli wrote:

Where do you get the silicone cement? And any idea where to get some plexiglass? I live in Dublin.

You're best going to an aquarium suppliers as most trade silicone also contains fungicides which are harmful to reptiles.

Shelli

Does anyone know the name of a place in Dublin that would stock it?

Ramon

Try Dublin Pet Stores on Capel street...they used to sell small tubes. ALternatively you should be able to get it online from an aquatic suppliers.

If you're using plexiglass, make sure the angle is not too steep and remember to put some deep scores on the incline for footing.

Good Luck

Shelli

I have an idea of what I'm gonna use, I have some stainless steel chain that will be attached at the four corners of the plexiglass and secured to the side of the tank, the chain will be wraped in plastic vine and the ill attach a thin piece of slate to the plexiglass with the aquarium cement, the ramp up to the platform (also made of plexiglass) will be coverd with slices of cork for grip.

I'm gonna get started this evening, Ill post some pics when Im finished.

Ramon

Sounds great...look forward to pics:)

Shelli

Ok, sorry for bein a pain, but if anyone knows of shops where I can buy supplies for the above plan can you let me know? The stuff is proving harder to source than I thought!

Ramon

Take a trip to your local builders providers.

Stainless steel chain: bathroom & Sinks...the stuff used for sing plugs will do

Cork Tiles

Silicone (& a silicone gun, but as earlier check for fungicides)

They should have perspex but if not why not try a Tiling centre and ask them to cut a terracotta floor tile to size and use that instead of the plexi & slate???

Wibbs

Shelli wrote:

I have an idea of what I'm gonna use, I have some stainless steel chain that will be attached at the four corners of the plexiglass and secured to the side of the tank, the chain will be wraped in plastic vine and the ill attach a thin piece of slate to the plexiglass with the aquarium cement, the ramp up to the platform (also made of plexiglass) will be coverd with slices of cork for grip.

I'm gonna get started this evening, Ill post some pics when Im finished.

Sounds a novel approach. I'd just be concerned with the chain and plastic vine. You know what turtles are like for messing with stuff. One of mine(mud turtle) would have that floating in the water in under an hour.:D Sounds cool though. I'd like to see piccies myself when its finished.

Personally, I've always gone for the "natural" approach with my tanks. Gravel substrate with well secured rocks leading to a basking area. You do need an undergravel filter with that setup though and it has to be plugged into a large external cannister filter, as turtles are very dirty when compared to fish. Powerheads won't cut it at all. That setup cuts down on the cleaning routine I used to have to do. You could add the usual internal filter(fluval type) on a really big tank.

The fashion for bare floor tanks always struck me as "boring" for the turtles, though I can see the point that it appears easier to clean. Mine do seem to enjoy rummaging around in the gravel and I prefer the look myself.

Shelli

I gave up on the gravel a couple of years ago when I lost a little guy to impaction, I thought it was grand as I had been using is for nearly ten years, then it happened, I use large flat river stones now, with a few plants, sometimes real, sometimes fake, and a couple of the more natural looking ornaments.

Wibbs

I'd heard of the impaction problem, but never actually heard of anyone having the problem. luckily I've never had one happen. Sliders seem more partial to eating gravel(for digestion I presume) than other species. Their must be a load of them pegging it in the wild if the behaviour was that common though.

Shelli

I'd like to buy a cave for them, but I'd like a natural looking one, I had a flower pot in there but it got too small. Any suggestion?