Turtle Sleeping On Basking Platform – Is This Normal?
Turtles typically sleep for four to seven hours per night.
They may also sleep during the day, or go to sleep for extended periods of time if they’re hibernating.
They may also rest in their basking area for long hours.
Even when they sleep, they often wake up frequently to breathe.
It is perfectly fine for your turtle to rest/sleep in the basking area provided that you follow certain guidelines.
Most importantly, your turtle must never be left unattended.
Turtle owners who leave their pets alone in the house complain later that their pets would sometimes urinate in the house as well as eat anything within reach including expensive electronics.
Another thing to note is that your turtle could become aggressive after sunbathing too long.
That means that you need to rotate basking spots every couple of days depending on your location, climate conditions, and size of your pet.
Also, it is important that you maintain proper humidity level. Ideally, 75% relative humidity and 25°C ambient temperature is best suited for turtles.
If you notice that your moisture content drops below 50%, increase the amount of water in the tank.
How long do turtles bask?
Turtles’ basking habits vary.
Sometimes they’ll bask for 2 or 3 hours; other times they’ll bask for 9 to 10 hours.
It’s hard to tell exactly how long they’ll bask.
Turtles usually know when they’ve had enough of basking, but sometimes you may see a change in behavior like overbasking or no basking at all.
This is the time to act.
Can a turtle bask too much?
Turtles can bask too much.
They may bask for 2 hours at a time, but sometimes they may bask for 9 hours straight.
This is normal.
Sometimes, they may just enjoy being hot.
If the temperature gets above 105 degrees, they’ll enter the water and come back out once they’ve cooled down.
However, if it stays over 9 hours, something could be wrong.
The water may be contaminated or the pH level may be higher than normal.
These issues can irritate the turtle.
Make sure the water is clean and check the pH levels often.
Also, consult a veterinarian to see if there’s anything else going on.
Where and when do turtles sleep?
Turtles often choose a comfortable place to sleep and rest.
They may do so on the surface of the water, in their basking spot, or in any number of strange locations.
Turtles like to rest on the surface of the water or in their basking spot.
Meanwhile, box turtles and other land turtle varieties retreat into their shells and relax in a quiet spot.
Some turtles, like painted turtles, burrow into sand or mud to sleep.
Turtles’ eyes close when they rest.
They remain motionless while sleeping.
Turning off the lights in your aquarium at night will help your turtles adjust to the new lighting environment.
They should be able to find enough food and water during the day and will be better prepared for nighttime feeding.
Turtles can survive in water for long periods of time.
However, since they don’t breathe air like humans do, they must surface periodically to breathe.
Turtles can easily stay underwater for several hours at a time.
Because of this, aquatic turtles should never be left unattended in water.
Turtles do not breathe underwater; instead, they take in oxygen through their mouth and exhale carbon dioxide through their gills.
They cannot survive long periods of time submerged unless there are no obstacles that would prevent them from surfacing.
Why is my turtle sleeping out of water?
One reason why your turtle sleeps out of water is due to improper filtration system.
When air passes over wet surfaces, it picks up dust particles thus contributing to respiratory problems.
For example, if you have a filter box placed near the window, the dirt picked up from the flooring gets filtered into the water, causing poor water quality.
And worse yet, the dirty water mixes with clean water, polluting both waters further.
To avoid this scenario, try placing your filter away from the window sill.
Place the filter unit directly beneath the heating element.
This ensures efficient circulation without mixing of contaminated water.
Another possibility is that your reptile likes to lie on top of substrate right above the heater.
In case this happens, move the substrate downward until the base reaches the lowest point of the aquarium.
Then, fill the tank with fresh water and allow sufficient time for the tank to adjust itself properly.
Afterward, carefully remove the old substrate and replace it with new moistened sand.
Don’t forget to add calcium supplement once again.
Do turtles sleep at the bottom of the tank?
Turtles usually sleep at the bottom of the tank.
However, if you want to make sure that they don’t fall off the edge, you can install a small ledge along the upper side of the tank.
Or you can buy a special resting shelf for reptiles.
These platforms come equipped with tiny holes at regular intervals allowing excess water to drain freely.
Your turtle uses the extra space between the tank wall and the platform to breathe easier.
Why is my turtle always sleeping?
Your turtle spends most of his day inactive and relaxed.
His natural instinct tells him to save energy and conserve resources.
Therefore, he doesn’t bother opening his eyes unless he feels threatened.
Unlike mammals, reptiles don’t sweat nor secrete hormones responsible for regulating body temperature.
Instead, they control internal body temperature using large blood vessels running throughout their entire bodies.
Their heart rate slows down significantly while their metabolism decreases.
All of these factors work together to lower the overall body temperature.
On sunny days, turtles wake up only when the temperature rises above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even then, they often relax in shallow water and wait patiently for cooler nights.
How many hours do turtles bask?
During warm summer days, turtles will bask for 12 to 16 hours per day.
During cold winter months, they sleep 7-10 hours overnight.
Although turtles typically bask nocturnally, you can encourage daytime basking by keeping the lights turned off during daylight hours.
These tips should give you a general idea regarding your turtle’s activity patterns.
