Homemade Aquatic Turtle Dock

In their natural habitat, aquatic turtles spend a majority of their time in water; however, they occasionally go on land to bask in the sun. Because a turtle does not generate heat on its own, basking raises its body temperature, which helps the turtle digest food and move its muscles. With a few simple items, you can create a basking area for your pet turtle by positioning a turtle dock in its tank.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Magic marker
  • Handsaw
  • Cork bark
  • Small stones (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the width of your tank and mark the measurement on the cork bark. Draw a cut line on the bark with a magic marker.

    • 2

      Cut the bark with a handsaw. Cut a little beyond the cut line to ensure a tight fit when you place the bark in the tank.

    • 3

      Rinse the cork bark with hot water to remove any packaging residue or materials that may harm your turtle.

    • 4

      Place the bark in the tank on the side you have designated as your turtle's basking area. The bark should fit snugly due to your cutting it beyond the width measurement. If the bark is too long to fit in the tank, cut off some of the excess. The goal is to have the bark fit so securely that it will not give under the weight of a large turtle, or multiple turtles.

    • 5

      Cut short pieces of bark or insert small stones to plug any gaps on the side of the dock where your turtle could get stuck between the dock and tank wall.