Swimming is normal and natural for your pet, but if your pet starts swimming in one area in particular, if the animal starts swimming in the corner, then you may start to become confused and concerned.
This article is a look into why your turtle keeps swimming in the corner
Table of Contents
My turtle keeps swimming in the corner:
If your pet turtle does something once then you likely won’t take much notice, but if the animal consistently does something then you may start to worry. You may start to worry about your turtle constantly swimming in the corner
Here is why your pet turtle may consistently be swimming in the corner:
Trying to escape:
Happy, relaxed, and comfortable turtles will gladly relax and swim in their tank, take nice long breaks, and enjoy themselves in the tank all around, but turtles that are not relaxed will not behave this way.
If your pet is stressed, frightened, or feels uncomfortable then it will try to escape, it will do this by swimming into the corners of the tank.
Turtles don’t understand glass, they don’t understand that they can’t swim past glass because it is solid, what your turtle does see is the rest of the room where it can run to.
What to do:
Some turtles will get used to the glass and will realize that it is swimming against a barrier, but some turtles will not.
You can help the animal understand that it is swimming against a barrier by attaching some tape to the outside of the enclosure, doing this will help the animal understand that there is a barrier in front of it.
Your pet will get used to being in your care, and will get used to being in the tank, soon enough. Once this happens it will stop trying to escape.
This will take time but it will happen, don’t try to carry or touch the animal while it’s still getting used to you.
Excitement:
Another reason why your pet turtle may be swimming in the corners is that the animal is excited. The animal likely gets excited when you walk into the room because it thinks that you’re going to feed it
This behavior starts once the animal is settled in and feels at ease in the tank.
These animals, over time, get used to seeing you bring them food and because of this, they start to associate you with food.
Turtles are opportunist feeders and will try to get and eat food at any chance they get. They will get excited when you come around, thinking that you’re going to feed them, when they see you.
What to do:
A turtle that does this is just fine, as long as you’re feeding the animal the amount of food that it needs the animal should be fine
Do not feel pity for the animal and start to overfeed it, overfeeding your pet turtle will only cause it to gain weight and become overweight