They are a fairly hardy species and don't grow quite so large and can be maintained in an aquarium. What would you do if you found a poisonous snake on your door step? African Sideneck Turtles are often seen in a range of natural habitats, such as shallow pools, large lakes, and rivers. They are actually really shy and when not swimming around like to hide. ... my African sideneck turtle will not stay in the water it has not been in the water for several weeks I put it in the water it gets out of the water now it can't get to the bottom of the car and now he … read more. Thread starter Saf1; Start date Wednesday at 1:54 PM; Wednesday at 1:54 PM #1 S. Saf1 New Member. I just bought a African Sideneck Turtle yesterday and I want to use a plastic box as its tank. I worry that staying in the water all the time is not good for them. Your turtle may take a long time to settle, and if the habitat you have supplied is unsuitable, this will hamper the turtle's settling. African Sidenecks Won't Bask Sign in to follow this . By BrookeLizC, September 26, 2016 in Crooked Necks. She is not very responsive and i haven't actually 'seen' her eat in over 2 weeks. For the sake of this piece we’ll mainly cover inside housing requirements. Water temp is 75 He has a basking lamp that came with our turtle kit from Pets mart don't know what the basking temp is. april and may are generally the months they get busy. African sideneck turtles; Box turtles; Red Eared Sliders; Painted turtles; Snapping turtles will rarely bask, but they still need a heat lamp; Some turtle species will bask more than others. A lot of turtles have trouble coming out on docks, and don't feel secure. We currently purchased an African Sideneck turtle. The shell of an African Sideneck Turtle can grow anywhere from eight to upwards of eighteen inches. . She has been staying on her basking platform and not really going in her water where she spent most of her time this passed year. Sick African Sideneck. Temporary digs for new African sideneck. Ok so I'm completely new to turtles. ! He's housed in a 29 gallon tank, with various docks, a basking light, a filter, and a basic heater that is supposed to keep the water at 78 degrees (the thermometer never goes past 65)