Turtle Basking Platform Ideas : 3 Vibrant And Quick DIY Ideas

Every turtle owner would want to have a dream aquarium by having a stunning aquarium design and turtle basking platform ideas. There’s a lot to think about when it comes to finding a place to live for your turtle. In addition, you need to know about turtle behavior that requires sunlight when in the wild and requires a turtle basking area.

There are several types of basking platforms, such as the above tank turtle basking platform DIY, turtle dock, even floating rock for turtles.

You can find turtle basking platform ideas at the turtle store, but you can also make your easy homemade turtle dock up to floating turtle basking platforms. Let’s take a look at some ideas to make your turtle’s aquarium a stunning place for them.

Why Do Turtles Need Basking Area?

All turtles, whether land turtles or aquatic turtles, need sunlight or UV light every day. Turtles need to bask for a few hours, and they need it because UV-A and UV-B are sources of vitamins and metabolism.

That’s why every turtle owner should know this, especially if they keep their turtles indoors in the aquarium. In addition to providing a UV-light bulb, there must be a special turtle platform for their basking area.

The basking area must also adjust to how big the turtles and tanks are. If you have a large-sized turtle, then you should think about large turtle basking platform ideas.

You can create a basking platform according to your wishes. You can choose a floating platform for turtles or creating an easy homemade turtle dock.

How To Make A Basking Platform For Turtles?

There are several ways to make a turtle basking platform. One of them is by using egg crate and PVC. You can find egg crates at hardware stores and measure them according to your needs. After measuring as needed, you can immediately make a red eared slider basking area.

Some hardware other than the egg crate needed is PVC pipes, PVC joints, and zip ties. You can start by cutting the egg crate with a cutter or scissor to size, then cut the PVC pipes and connect them to the PVC joints for the legs of the basking area.

Place a square piece of egg crate at the foot of the basking area, and connect the egg crate and PVC with zip ties. Do the same thing to make a small ladder out of the egg crate pieces and connect them with zip ties with the previously prepared basking area.

If you want to make other turtle basking platform ideas like basking log, basking ramp, egg crate turtle topper, or egg crate turtle dock.

DIY Turtle Basking Area

Many other materials can be used besides egg crates in making a DIY basking platform. Some use wire, plastic, and wood.

Most of the turtle basking platform ideas are used to make a DIY above tank turtle basking area.

Placing a DIY turtle basking area above the tank is easier to measure, and also many creations can be made from used goods.

Because using some used items such as plastic baskets, thin wire, and pieces of wood is more cost-effective and fun to make.

Basking Area Ideas For Turtle

Suppose you think that making a basking platform from an egg crate is too simple, and you are not interested in the easy DIY turtle basking platform. In that case, you can look at other turtle basking platform ideas, such as making a floating turtle basking platform or above tank basking area for turtles.

There are differences of opinion between turtle owners choosing a floating basking platform or above tank basking area. Although both have the same function, in terms of durability, they are very different.

Some prefer the floating area compared to the above tank because it is good for design and good for the red eared slider basking platform. Some choose the above tank because it is more functional and durable with large turtle basking platform ideas.

Whichever idea you choose, of course, there are advantages and disadvantages. Let’s see the difference between the two.

Turtle’s Floating Basking Platform

The Floating turtle platform is a little basking area by attaching the turtle platform to the aquarium glass. Very suitable if you have a little-sized turtle that only requires a small basking area.

If you want to make a DIY basking area for turtles with floating style, some of the materials needed are suction cups, a homemade dock, and brackets for a retainer.

Make a homemade dock from wood, foam, or plastic. Ensure you install strong suction cups so that the DIY floating basking platform doesn’t fall into the aquarium.

This turtle basking platform DIY is suitable for medium or small aquariums with small turtles inside. Not suitable if your turtle is an adult because the size is getting bigger, and the retainer may not be strong enough to withstand the turtle’s weight.

If you find it difficult to make your own turtle basking platform ideas, the floating turtle basking platforms are widely available in turtle stores with various shapes and sizes.

Above Tank Basking Platform

The next turtle basking platform ideas is the turtle basking platform above tank. By creating a special area above the aquarium, your turtle can freely enjoy their basking area, and your turtle has a special room besides its swimming area.

Several turtle owners make above tank turtle basking platforms DIY with sizes according to the aquarium. Some are only part of the aquarium, as a topper tank.

The DIY turtle basking platform above the tank is made of egg crate or thin wire. There is also an order like an aquarium tank with the same width, with a shorter area height. The above tank area is close to the UV-light bulb, so the turtle can choose to be close to the UV light or a bit further away.

Creating a large turtle basking platform ideas above the tank will be suitable for large-sized turtles or if you have more than one turtle in one aquarium.

Turtle Floating Basking Platform Vs. Above Tank Turtle Basking Platform

You have already seen some of the differences between both turtle basking platform ideas. You can order one of them directly through the turtle store or choose to use the homemade turtle basking platform.

What is worried about using a floating rock for turtle tank is that the turtle is getting big, and the floating area has fallen into the aquarium.

Meanwhile, the above tank turtle basking platform DIY  has to add costs that are almost the same as buying an aquarium because the size must be the same as the aquarium tank and must design to organize the basking area.

In simple terms, the above tank platform is used for large turtle basking platform ideas, while the floating turtle platform is used for small turtle basking platform ideas.

Some Issues With Turtle Tank Basking Platforms

When making a DIY turtle tank basking platform, you have to think about several issues that can occur to anticipate what will happen. Do you know what a Red Eared Turtle tank needs?

It’s not easy to make good turtle platforms in one go, so you need some references or turtle basking platform ideas from colleagues or friends and some turtle shops.

Let’s look at some issues that might happen when you make a DIY large turtle basking platform.

How To Make A Homemade Turtle Dock?

Earlier, we made a DIY basking area using an egg crate. Now let’s try making an easy homemade turtle dock with styrofoam. This turtle basking platform ideas also saves money by making a DIY turtle dock with simple steps.

Some of the materials needed are styrofoam, a low-temperature glue gun, a sharp knife, suction cups, retainer, smooth rocks, and fake plants for decorations.

Take a sheet of styrofoam and size as desired. For every foot in diameter square, styrofoam can hold up to 50 pounds of weight. You cannot calculate how much your turtle weighs and what fake plants or smooth rocks you will put on top.

Heat the glue gun, install smooth rocks and fake plants on top of the styrofoam, prevent turtles from biting the styrofoam, and make it look like floating rocks.

You can choose to install a DIY turtle dock with retainer and suction cups or directly glue styrofoam to the aquarium glass.

Since styrofoam can adjust to the size of the aquarium and can be doubled if you feel it can’t hold the turtle’s weight, it will be suitable for large turtle basking platform ideas.

DIY Turtle Dock

To make DIY turtle docks for large turtles, you can use two styrofoam and glue them together to make them stronger and thicker.

This homemade turtle basking area will be more interesting if you want to color the styrofoam green before attaching smooth rocks or fake plants to make it look more natural. By making an easy homemade turtle dock, you can be more creative with the cheap stuff.

How To Set Up Turtle Dock?

After you finish cutting the styrofoam, coloring and gluing smooth rocks or fake plants on it, make sure you reduce the water in the aquarium first and dry the glass that will be attached to the styrofoam.

Install the retainer on the suction cups and attach it to the aquarium glass, in addition to gluing the styrofoam directly on the glass to make it stronger.

If you have installed styrofoam with a glue gun, make sure it is dry first, and this turtle basking platform ideas is installed perfectly.

Besides being easy to set up, this is also an easy homemade turtle dock with items found anywhere.

How To Make Turtle Basking Ramp?

A Ramp for turtle tank is needed to give your turtle way to the basking area. You can make a turtle basking ramp from several materials such as egg crate, plastic, stainless steel, or bamboo.

It’s easy to make a homemade turtle ramp. For egg crate, plastic, and stainless steel, you just need to measure it according to your needs and attach it to the basking area and put it on an angle for turtle access from inside the aquarium.

As for bamboo, make sure you arrange several small bamboo and join them together with glue or tie them together.

If using an egg crate, you can glue the ramp with a basking area with zip ties. For stainless steel, if the basking area is also made of the same material, you will need to weld it. For bamboo, you can tie it with zip ties or rope.

DIY Turtle Ladder

Making a DIY turtle ramp or a DIY turtle ladder is the same thing. What you need to pay attention to is the width of the DIY turtle ladder, so it is not too small for your turtle.

Do not use too slippery materials so that your turtle has no trouble getting up to the basking area.

In addition, do not make the incline too sharp because it is dangerous for your turtle when going up or down to the aquarium.

Set Up Topper Turtle Tank

If you have made a DIY turtle topper with an egg crate or thin wire, you can measure according to the size of the aquarium. You can install a topper on a board or a base that strengthens the turtle basking spot.

Many turtle basking platform ideas for toppers because you can directly order a topper the same size as the aquarium. But it will be more fun if you make a DIY topper with the cheap stuff.

Basking Log For Turtles

To make the basking platform more natural, like in the wild, you can also make turtle basking logs.

Using custom-sized logs, you can stack two or three logs and align them for the basking area because one log may not be enough to adjust the size of your turtle.

The turtle basking log can be installed like floating in an aquarium, but make sure you always clean it because the log can get dirty gradually.

Final Verdict On Turtle Basking Platform Ideas

To make a comfortable place to live for turtles, of course, turtle owners think about making or choosing turtle basking platform for ponds.

Several basking platform ideas such as floating rock, above tank platform, topper, and basking log.

You can give creativity by making a basking ramp or ladder. Make sure your turtle can access the ladder properly without any obstacles.

To make a DIY basking platform, you can use materials such as egg crates, plastic, used baskets, and tools such as a knife, glue gun, and zip ties.

You don’t have to make a nice basking area like you buy at the turtle store, but with a homemade basking platform, you can be more creative without spending a lot to order an above tank basking area.

It’s your choice to make the turtle’s basking area more beautiful because the comfort of your turtle is also a concern for every turtle owner.

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️