6 Best Turtle Basking Platforms in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks
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Turtles are ectothermic (cold-blooded) reptiles that enjoy basking in the sun for warmth. Wild turtles will leave the water to find a suitable rock or platform where they can bask. In captivity, most pet turtles are kept in artificial setups with little to no exposure to natural sunlight. This makes it important for turtle owners to provide them with a basking lamp for external heat. Your turtle will also need a suitable basking platform underneath the lamp that they can access when necessary.
Most pet turtles require a stable and safe basking platform that fits into their enclosure. With this in mind, we have reviewed and compiled a list of the best turtle basking platforms available today.
A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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Penn-Plax Turtle Topper |
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Best Value
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Penn-Plax Floating Turtle Tier Platform |
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Premium Choice
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Zoo Med Turtle Dock |
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Penn-Plax Reptology Shale Scape |
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LaBrinx Designs Hanging Turtle Ramp |
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The 6 Best Turtle Basking Platforms
1. Penn-Plax Turtle Topper – Best Overall
| Dimensions: | 5 × 14.25 × 6.5 inches |
| Material: | Plastic |
| Size compatibility: | Tanks up to 55 gallons |
The best overall basking platform for turtles is the Penn-Plax turtle topper. This is a large basking platform that is suitable for tanks up to 55 gallons in size. It is one of the most highly rated basking platforms for turtles for good reasons. The design can easily be secured to the top of most glass tanks without taking up your turtle’s swimming space. This gives your turtle enough space to swim while offering them a dry and enclosed space to bask. A ramp pulls out from the base for turtles to climb through.
The Penn-Plax turtle topper is fully enclosed with a barred top where the basking lamp shines through. The barred top prevents your turtle from accessing the basking lamp, thus preventing your turtle from being burned. It is secure enough to support both hatchling and adult turtles, even if they choose to bask together. Although the design might be bulkier than the others in this review, it is still the safest and most space-efficient option.
- Space efficient
- Easy to maintain
- Secure
- Bulky
- Pricey
2. Penn-Plax Floating Turtle Tier Platform – Best Value
| Dimensions: | 16 × 11 × 16 inches |
| Material: | Plastic |
| Size compatibility: | Small and large tanks |
The Penn-Plax floating tier platform is the best value for money in comparison to other platforms in this review. This basking platform is not only affordable but offers your turtles a unique and easy way to bask. There are two sizes available (small and large) to fit different tank sizes and to support various turtles. It can be placed anywhere in a tank, although a corner is preferred since it can take up your turtle’s swim space.
The platform floats at water level and doesn’t sink easily for most small to medium-sized turtles. It is designed to look like a real pier and has a sturdy build that most turtles can’t break easily. The platform is only designed to hold turtles that are below the product’s dimensions—larger or heavier turtles might collapse this platform unless it is placed securely between the tank’s walls. Although it is made of plastic, this basking platform won’t melt easily. If it does melt, then the basking lamp is likely too close to it.
- Good value for money
- Available in two size options
- Sturdy
- Takes up swim space
- Not suitable for very heavy or large turtles
3. Zoo Med Turtle Dock – Premium Choice
| Dimensions: | 5 × 8 × 2.75 inches |
| Material: | Polypropylene, plastic |
| Size compatibility: | 40 gallons and larger |
The Zoo Med turtle dock is our premium choice for its affordability, different size options, and reliability. This basking platform has been created to look like the natural rocks and logs a turtle would use to bask on in the wild. It is available in three different sizes—mini, medium, and large. It can easily attach to the walls of both acrylic and glass tanks near the basking lamp using the four suction cups provided.
The design curves on one side to replicate a ramp your turtles can use to access it to bask. This basking platform helps to keep your turtle dry and doesn’t take up too much of their swimming space. The mini and medium-sized Zoo Med turtle docks are recommended for hatchling turtles, whereas the large size can support most adult turtles.
You ideally do not want to use this basking platform for heavy turtles that are larger than this product’s dimensions. Furthermore, the suction cups are not strong enough to support multiple adult turtles while basking.
- Naturalistic appearance
- Easy to install
- Available in three sizes
- Suction cups can’t hold multiple turtles
- The suction cups may become worn over time
4. Penn-Plax Reptology Shale Scape
| Dimensions: | 7 × 9 × 3.5 inches |
| Material: | Resin |
| Size compatibility: | Small to large tanks |
The Penn-Plax Shale Scape is a realistic rock formation that has multiple uses for reptiles. It functions as both a hideout and basking platform for turtles, lizards, and various aquatic reptiles. This shale scape is available in different sizes, so it can be used for many different types of turtles regardless of their size. However, the medium size is one of the most popular options.
The small size is suitable for hatchling turtles, whereas the large and extra-large sizes can be used for even the heaviest adult turtles. It has various steps that lead to three flat platforms that your turtles can use to bask under. Since it is commonly used as a hideout, it does not include any suction cups to mount to the tank. This makes it a better choice for turtles that live in shallow waters so that the top part of this platform sticks out of the water.
If your turtle has deep tank water, the extra-large option is recommended since it is nearly 10 inches tall.
- Available in different sizes
- Suitable for both hatchling and adult turtles
- Naturalistic appearance
- Functions as a hideout too
- Cannot mount to tanks
- Too short for deep tanks
5. LaBrinx Designs Hanging Turtle Ramp
| Dimensions: | 10 × 10 × 14 inches |
| Material: | Acrylic |
| Size compatibility: | Medium to large tanks |
If you are looking for a large basking platform that hangs and can easily mount to your turtle’s tank, look no further than the LaBrinx Design Ramp. This basking platform fits securely onto your turtle’s tank by the four hooks provided. The platform can be tightened to the tank walls to prevent even the largest turtle from collapsing it. It is made from clear acrylic, making it strong, versatile, and able to support the weight of both small and large turtles. It can hold multiple small turtles, or one adult turtle around 10 inches in size.
The front ramp extends into the water so that your turtles can easily access this platform for basking. It can be a bit tricky to set up at first, but it is relatively easy to clean. Due to its large size, this basking platform is on the bulkier side, although it needs to be this way to support large turtles.
- Suitable for large and heavy adult turtles
- Easy to maintain
- Versatile
- Bulky
- Tricky to set up
6. Sunxenze Acrylic Turtle Basking Platform
| Dimensions: | 04 × 8.46 × 2.2 inches |
| Material: | Acrylic |
| Size compatibility: | Small to large tanks |
If you are looking for a transparent and discreet basking platform for your turtle, the Sunxenze acrylic basking platform might be a good choice. This basking platform is made from clear high-quality acrylic with a terraced slope. It is not only affordable but also discreet and doesn’t take up much swim space in a turtle’s tank. You can attach it to most acrylic and glass tanks using the two suction cups at the back.
Due to this basking platform’s size, it is only suitable for hatchlings or very small adult turtles. It is not strong or large enough to support most adult turtles. The clear design makes it easy to hide away from view but still provides your small turtles with a dry place to bask. Alternatively, you can also use this platform as a feeding station for your turtle because it has multiple uses.
- Affordable
- Discreet
- Made from high-quality acrylic
- Suction cups get worn over time
- Only suitable for hatchling turtles
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Turtle Basking Platforms
Pet turtles spend around 2 to 8 hours of their day basking. This makes it important to choose a basking platform that can make their basking experience comfortable during those few hours. When choosing a suitable platform, it should not only meet your budget but be safe, spacious, and durable for your turtle.
You want to consider the size of the platform first since this is important for the safety aspect. If your turtle is basking on a platform that is too small, they are more likely to fall off, knock it over, or even break it. Not all turtle basking platforms are created equally. Some are better suited for small or hatchling turtles, while others are bulky and better suited for adults.
Certain basking platforms are made to mimic the natural materials turtles bask on in the wild, while others are transparent to be discreet. If you have multiple turtles in a tank, you might want to consider offering your turtles two or more different basking platforms. This ensures that all your turtles aren’t fighting over basking space while getting to choose their preferred basking platform.
Different Types of Turtle Basking Platforms
Nearly all turtle basking platforms are made from either plastic, resin, or acrylic. However, the basking platform’s design usually matters more than the material it is made from. As long as the material is water-resistant, the design comes first.
Fortunately, there are several options to choose from.
- Hanging platforms: These basking platforms can be adjusted to hang on the sides of the tank. They are the sturdiest platforms that most turtles cannot knock over easily.
- Mounted platforms: This type of basking platform mounts at the top of a turtle’s tank. It can be tightened on the tank’s walls to keep it secure while your turtle uses it.
- Suction cup platforms: Suction cups are commonly used to secure turtle basking platforms in a tank. However, the suction can be faulty at times and lose its suction power while your turtle is using it.
- Stand-alone platforms: This type of basking platform has no suction cups or components to mount to your turtle’s tank. They usually function as a hideout and basking platform and are compatible with shallow turtle tanks.
- Transparent: These basking platforms are generally made from clear acrylic and can easily be hidden in your turtle’s tank if you don’t like the bulk look of other platforms.
Do Plastic Turtle Basking Platforms Melt?
Most turtle basking platforms are compatible with the recommended heating lamps required for turtles. Whether the platform is made from plastic or acrylic, it is unlikely to melt when used correctly. If the platform is too close to the basking lamp or too strong for your turtle, it is possibly going to start melting the plastic. This is usually an indication that your turtle’s basking lamp is closer than recommended or too strong for your turtle. Always research the specific basking requirements that your species of turtle needs.
Conclusion
Upon reviewing the best basking platforms for turtles, we have chosen three as our favorites. Our top pick is the safe, durable, and fully enclosed Penn-Plax turtle topper. Followed by the affordable and maintainable Zoo Med turtle dock. Our third top pick would be the Penn-Plax floating tier platform for its value for money. The Penn-Plax brand seems to be the most popular choice for turtle owners, especially when choosing a basking platform.
Featured Image Credit: Tippy Tortue, Shutterstock
