Baskin area
Turtles need to get out of the water to bask in the sun or artificial heat source like light bulbs.  The basking site is very beneficial for the turtles health for shell is shedded and possible parasites on the skin, die because of the natural sunlight.  There are several types of basking area’s that can be used or build into an aquarium, but they’re not al as good.  A lot of people use a big stone or a pile of stones stacked on each other to let there animals bask on.  This has some negative sides:

·       Sometimes the animals have problems getting on the stone

·       The stone is still a little under water, so the belly of the turtle is never completely dry.

·       The stones take up swimming place and the risk exists, the stones collaps and the animal gets buried or can't get away from it so it drowneds  The tank can get damaged as well.

  A better way is a thick cork slab wedged between the sides of the tank;  Unlike stone, cork doesn’t harm the turtles shell.  But this method of a basking area is far from perfect.  One of the better types of a basking area is a glass platform.  They can be build into an existing aquarium, but even better would be a tank that’s made with the pieces glued into it while it’s constructed. As I said before, there are several ways of constructing a basking site.  These are 2 ways of building one into an existing tank. 

·       Make a platform with 3 pieces of glass glued to each other.  Make the platform so that it comes out of the water (picture) but leaves enough dry area for the animals to sit completely dry

·       Glue 2 strips of glass (about 8-10 mm thick) with a silicon sealed onto the sides of the aquarium, where you (after the silicon has dried out can place the removable piece of glass.  Then, glue 2 smaller pieces under a 45° angle onto the side.  After they are dry, glue a piece of  about 10 cm high onto the strips so this piece stays under water when the tank is filled.  This piece can be used as a step on to the land area (drawing). Rubber is used to put on the glass and the step on.  While creating a basking area, make sure it’s made under a heat source (lightbulb)