Young Slider with shell color changes   2/13/08
Hi WWM,
<Hiya SB!>
Thanks for being here and having such a great site.
<Thank you, too. We like being here!>
I couldn't quite find what I was looking for with the search engine because I'm not too familiar with the terminology and the structure of turtle's shells. I have a very young Red Eared Slider turtle (slightly bigger than a 50 cent piece). I've been taking care of it since November and things have been going pretty good. I have a 20 gallon tank, a hang-on filter (I know they're not very good, but I can't afford a canister right now)
<Actually, hold up there. It's just fine for a tank that size, it's easier to clean than a canister and for that reason you'll do it more often -- if it's working for you, don't change it!>
A UVB/UVA bulb directly overhead, an ample basking area, and I feed the turtle a diet of ReptoMin pellets and occasionally a krill as a treat (maybe three times a week). I also completely clean out the tank every Friday unless I'm especially busy.
<Sounds good so far. Better than good. Great actually.>
Lately I've been noticing the colors of his shell changing. The area between the sections (I suppose they're called scutes?)
<They are called scutes and the area between the scutes are called margins ... but mainly called ..... The Area Between Scutes>
of the carapace has been becoming darker and darker, until now it's almost black. Although the turtle is still acting normally and very energetic (constantly tries to bite me during feeding), this has me very worried. What are the possible causes of this and what should I do?
<That's normal as the grow, SB. As he/she ages they bright green is replaced by a duller green and then a darker color that helps them blend in to their surroundings and the margins become dark & then black. SO ...... IN OTHER WORDS ... the cause for this is that your Slider is growing and thriving because you're being such a good care giver!!!>
Thanks in advance for your help.
<Once again, you do the work ..... and I take the thanks. I LOVE THIS JOB!!!!!!!! -- Darrel>

Hatchling Slider with odd behavior 10/21/07
I wrote you recently about a hatchling Red Eared Slider that was exhibiting some strange behavior; spinning in circles as it swims, flipping on it's back and stretching it's neck up and back over it's shell. It has a great appetite, basks regularly and spends equal time in the water. I keep the water temp around 80 deg. and the air temp in the aquarium basking area at 90. The turtle cannot swim below the surface. It spins in circles as it swims because it is trying to get to the bottom and cannot. When it wants to go to the bottom it clings to objects in the aquarium and descends them holding on with its claws. The flipping on it's back is also a result of it's struggle to get to and explore the bottom. I have even held the turtle to the bottom for a sec. or two and then let go and it quickly rises to the top like a fishing bobber submerged and then released. The Slider's' appearance is healthy and maintains a good appetite. It is fed a balanced diet 3 times a week. Could the turtle have underdeveloped lungs, one working lung, or some sort of equilibrium imbalance?
<Those are all possibilities, Lorie. In addition to those sometimes a pocket of gas can be generated from an internal infection and I've actually seen turtles act this way temporarily because they simply had ... gas!>
<At the moment, your best course of action and treatment is to pay SCRUPULOUS attention to detail regarding habitat, water quality and hygiene. Read and re-read the article here: (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm) and compare your keeping to the suggestions. First off, I'd lower the water temp to something around 72 degrees (That's around 22.5 for those of you living in the developed world) and give him a wider "choice" for his thermoregulation pleasure. Next I'd make sure that he's getting unfiltered UV lighting when he is basking.>
It seems to have poor judgment skills; when it eats, it attacks the food but often misjudges and misses them. <One of the endearing traits of turtles is their often comical behavior -- but let's stay away from terms like "Poor Judgment" unless you catch him ordering products from late night TV infomercials or sending money to a Nigerian lawyer.>
I'm searching for answers about its condition have been unsuccessful.
<It's difficult TO answer because what you're describing is a consequence of some condition -- much like seeing someone with a limp and trying to guess how he got it>
I wonder if it is a permanent condition, or will it grow out of it.....or worse, die?
<Once again, yes -- it could be any of those things. GENERALLY speaking ... if an animal is thriving, which is to say "active, alert, feeding and growing" then they will either grow out of or learn to compensate for any handicaps they may have. Once in a while an animal can exhibit every trait of thriving and compensating and then one day, suddenly and unexpectedly, succumb to a condition or disease that they've been carrying almost since birth. Technically, a trip to an experienced Herp Veterinarian and the resulting $698.20 medical bill would yield a guess from an expert ... but still only a guess ... with the likely result being that you're told to pay attention to habitat, water quality and hygiene until a more clear-up symptom appeared. When the responsible pet keeper does his or her part in providing a superior habitat, Red Eared Sliders can be amazingly hardy.>
<regards -- Darrel>

Red Eared Slider Question, beh.   8/13/07
I have been successfully raising our female turtle Barney for 5 years, from pond to tank and now have a new baby named Ruby, but got stumped by a question from my grandson: How long can Red Eared Sliders stay under the water without coming up for air? I have been searching the web for an hour and have come up with zip. Can you help?
<Yes we can. A healthy Slider can stay underwater longer than you've been searching for that answer! In any case, 15-20 minutes. I've seen active sliders submerge and sit on the bottom for an hour before surfacing, but my adult sliders are submerged all night while they sleep. It all depends on their temperature, metabolism and amount of activity.>
Thanks,
Jane
<welcome, Darrel>

Re: Red Ear Slider Turtle Question  7/29/07 Hi Neale, It is a 75 Watt Halogen UVA Light, do I also need a UVB light or maybe? The discoloration in the shell feels just like a shell and it is metallic. Here are some better pictures for You, also are the blood worms good for the turtles? Thanks Again, Ryan <Hello Ryan, The terrapins in your pictures look fine to me. The dark bands between the green scutes are the new, duller, scutes underneath them. As we discussed earlier, these terrapins change colour as they mature. I think that's what you're seeing here. There are no obvious signs of malnutrition or disease as far as I can tell. Now, I'm not sure why you have a UVA light. To synthesize the vitamins they need, these reptiles must have access to UVB lighting. So if you can, swap the bulbs in the fixture, or else add a UVB light to the system over their basking spot. Bloodworms are a fine treat for your terrapins, but don't get them hooked on them -- remember, a healthy slider is a (largely) vegetarian slider. Just like people, these beasties may prefer the "meat" even though its the "vegetables" are actually good for them! Take a read of this: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm . Hope this helps, Neale>

Red Eared Pond Sliders Male Attacking Female   7/25/07
Dear Crew,
<Hiya! Darrel here>
We have had the male for 5 years and the Female for 3 years. The male had been abused by his previous owner who allowed his dog to use him as a play toy, he was completely white when we got him and he is healthy now. The problem is that when we put him in with the female outside he attacks her. He has almost completely removed her tail, today I had to physically separate them. If we put them in the bath tub together he doesn't do this, it is only when they are in the pond outside. Can you please help us they are wonderful pets and we would hate to have to part with one of them but I am very scared that he is going to do a lot more damage or maybe even kill her.
<That's a real possibility, Tammi. It sounds like you have a naturally aggressive animal there.>
<When you take them out of their natural element and place them somewhere new, their natural instincts for survival (combined with stress) override their natural aggressive and territorial instincts. In the wild she'd have virtually unlimited space to simply get away from him, so if your pond isn't big enough for her to get away and stay away, you can either fence them off from each other or find another home for him.>
Thanks Putzakitty
<I've been called MANY things, Tammi, but never Putzakitty. I'll have to think about if I like it.>
Tammi

Red Ear Slider Turtle Question, beh.   7/22/07
Hello There,
<Ave.>
I have 2 Red Ear Slider babies Barbosa and Moe, One of them is about 1 inch and a half (Barbosa) the other is right around 1 inch (Moe). The bigger one does not seem to have a problem with people around the smaller one though will hide behind the filter while You are in the room with it. The bigger one will occasionally swim behind there as if to scope it out but little Moe looks like He is gonna swim through the glass. Usually when You walk in the room they will both be on the rock sunning underneath the UVA Lamp, they will take off into the water and hide which I can understand.
<Completely normal. In the wild, baby terrapins are food for just about everything, from bullfrogs to alligators. This is typical for the Chelonia generally, which are pretty well predator-proof as adults, but their infant mortality (for want of a better description) is staggeringly high.>
But Barbosa will come swim around while Your around, Moe will come out maybe 8 inches from the filter max and swim back like He is doing laps. I hate to say but the skittish one was dropped from probably 3 feet onto concrete and My Girlfriend and I are thinking this could be the cause of his fears of us.
<Possible. Animals do learn because they have to. If they didn't, they'd never avoid danger.>
He does seem to be ok it happened 5 days ago, He swims fine and does eat. Moe will not eat with people around but the bigger one Barbosa does not have a problem eating in front of You. Is it just a personality difference?
<Likely, yes. Give it time. Train the animal to associate you with good things, like (small) tasty treats. Habituation is also important. Animals love routines. Ever noticed why sheep and cows walk away from a stranger but ignore the thundering noise of high speed trains zipping past their fields? Anything that happens regularly without causing danger is eventually accepted as "part of the background" and stops being scary. What animals don't like is novelty. So if you can locate the vivarium close by where you spend significant amounts of time, you'll see a big difference in their behaviour. I have a Panaque catfish in a tank next to my workspace. Panaque are generally described as nocturnal and very shy. But mine swims about all day at the front of the tank. It does this because it is used to me being in the same place day in, day out at the same time doing the same things. As far as the catfish is concerned, I'm just scenery. So, see if you can put the terrapins by the table where you eat or the sofa where you watch TV or whatever. Someplace they can habituate to you.>
They seem to get along fine always sticking close.
<They're sociable animals when young. The more the merrier.>
I vary there diet I have the baby floating pellets I give them also give them Blood Worms, Yet to get some freeze dried crickets also gonna throw some lettuce in there to mix it up.
<Sounds good. Remember the key thing to keeping red-ears: the older they get, the more plant food they should be eating. Adults are more or less herbivorous in the wild except for the occasional day they luck out at find a dead fish or some insect larvae. There are some good articles here at WWM about red-ear diet.>
Can You also give Me some feedback on the setup we have? We have a 35 gallon tank for the guys or gals about 1/4 to a 1/3 full, a 75 watt Halogen UVA Lamp the water is filtered with a Ph around 7 or 8. Water Temp is about 72-76 Degrees the basking area is 82 to 90 degrees.
<Given their size now, everything sounds fine. Obviously they'll need a bigger tank once they mature, something around the 55 gallon size upwards. I found siliconing glass plates close to the surface to create steps leading to flat basking area worked better than building piles or rocks at one end because you kept more swimming room. So do a little research on what their adult quarters should look like, because there's a bit of art involves. The other thing is the heater. When I kept terrapins I learned the hard way adult terrapins and glass heaters do not mix. They smash them. So invest in some undertank heating if you can, or at least a heater with a plastic guard or better yet a filter with a built-in heater.>
They will be separated eventually when the time comes.
<Mine never needed separating. Males might squabble, but since they're easy to sex (longer claws on the male) it's easy enough to pre-empt this once they reach maturity.>
Thank You for all the helpful information Your website has, also any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Thank You!,
Ryan

Re: Red Ear Slider Turtle Question, beh.   7/26/07
Hello Again,
<Hello Ryan,>
I had Emailed before regarding My 2 Red Ear Slider Babies, Your information was very helpful and I have another question. Both Turtles seem to have brown in the lines in-between there Shell Plates where is was once black or green. Is this a sign of growth? I find it for both turtles to have it at the same time kind of odd.
Thanks Again,
Ryan
<Hmm, not precisely sure what you mean, but all turtles develop obvious "growth rings" on the shell plates as they grow. That's probably what you're seeing. If you want to send a photo, we can double-check. Cheers, Neale.>

Turtle shell... shedding?  – 6/19/07
Dear Crew
<Hi. Darrel here>
I have a baby turtle.
<Just guessing a Red Eared Slider?>
A tiny part of its shell looks like it shed a little bit.
There's just a tiny light brown spot now... is this from the turtle growing... its shell expanding?
<As the shell grows, the outside edges of the individual scales (they're called scutes) can turn a dirty sort of brownish/translucent -- like a dirty fingernail. Is that what you mean?>
It's just a total guess...I'm just curious.
<It's hard for me to visualize what you're describing without more detail. I'd be pleased if you write back with a more detailed description of what you're seeing. Also ... is his shell hard? Is he eating and active?>
Thank you.
<You're welcome>
<Good Night, Irene>

Turtle growth – 06/13/07
How you guys doing over there?
<We guys and girls are doing just fine over here, David, thanks for asking>
As for me and my Read Eared Sliders, we are doing great! I was wondering does it depend on how often I feed them, that's why my turtles shed or is it that they grow that fast?
<What you feed them, how much you feed them and their normal temperature are all conditions that affect growth, David. When they shed a semi-transparent shell-like scute, that's a sign of normal growth as long as the shell underneath looks healthy and normal>
My Turtles are about 3 inch from head to tail. The turtle shell is about 2 and a quarter inch. Is this a normal size for them going on about 3-4 months?
<That's actually pretty large for that age, David, I'd bet they are a bit older than you thought - maybe even a year or even a year and a half old -- but they sound healthy, so you're being a good Turtle Dad. Just remember that over feeding makes health problems for them, so when in doubt, just feed less>
Thank You,
David
<You're welcome - Darrel>

Emergency! Turtle lost in pond     6/5/07
Hello,
<Hi>
I purchased 2 red-ear slider turtles, Their shell was about 6 inches. We put them in our pond in backyard. They seemed to be fine for the first week. They looked healthy and would bask on the rocks. Then after a week one was missing. I searched my yard and couldn't find him. Then one late afternoon I saw the turtle floating in the water. He was dead. Now the other turtle is missing too. My question is, could he be trying to hibernate too early.
<I'm very sorry for your loss :( I doubt he's trying to hibernate, but it is most likely too cold for him at this stage.>
I live in Long island, New York and the weather at night had been about 54 degrees for 3 nights. Before this disappearance, I noticed he wasn't going in the water. He was always on the rock. I don't think he got loose. After doing research, I'm beginning to think my pond was too cold for him.
<I agree, Sliders don't normally live that far north but they can survive winters cold enough that the water freezes -- but there are two important things: 1) Their instinct to hibernate comes on slowly with the season changes and they have MONTHS of preparation in putting on fat stores, they stop eating so that there's no undigested food in their stomach, etc. all in preparation for winter -- this is quite different than an animal that's been in pet store conditions and suddenly put into an outdoor situation. 2) And this one is important for any future turtles you have .. not all Sliders survive their winter hibernation.>
Maybe he thought it was hibernation time? The temperature in pond was about 68- 70 degrees most of the time.
<There could be many reasons, Annie. The lower temperatures would cause his metabolism to slow down and slow or even stop his digestion. If he had food in his stomach it can start to rot and become toxic to him. He could have been sick right from the store. Is the pond 100% safe as far as them getting caught in filters, pumps or under rocks until they suffocate? What about wild animals like skunks or raccoons that got a hold of your little guy?>
Please respond soon- My pond is dark in water color so I can't see if he's in there. If he is in hibernation would it be alright to wake him? Or is he going to die, like I think the other one did.
<My suggestion is that you do whatever you can to find him, drag the bottom of the pond with a net, search at night with flashlights and look for the outline of his shell ... whatever you can ... and then bring him indoors where it's easier to control with environment and easier to observe him. Here is a link of quick care instructions:
http://www.xupstart.com/wwm/quickturtleguide/index.html
this document is just a start but it will get you and your turtle going.>
I feel so bad cause we should of did the research first. Today is second day, that I haven't seen him.
<Our best wishes are with you and your Turtle, Annie>
Thank you for any help soon.
-Annie

Reservations about a Slider's travel?   5/23/07
I have searched your Q & A section and have not seen this question.  We built two small ponds last July and just recently noticed a very large RES has taken up residence in them.  She is about 11" to 12" long.
<wow, how neat is that??  And that is a respectable size for a slider, too.>
Our ponds are rubber lined, each about 400 gallons.  She is living among our small Koi quite nicely even though she does, seem to like nibbling on some of our plants.
<Turtles with koi can be O.K. especially if the turtle is well fed. With time she should be happy to feed on the same koi food as the fish get unless she's already performing a service for you by eating worms and snails.  And even in the best case their ability to chase a fish is limited and they're almost comical to watch.  But with that said, wild things are wild things and a turtle taking a nip out of a sick or weakened fish isn't unheard of.>
My question is how far do these turtles normally travel?  We can't figure out how she traveled so far.  The nearest large pond is 1/3 of a mile from our house through, wood fences, baseball fields and streets.
<they can travel great distances in search of a perfect pond and as often as I've seen it, I've never learned what makes one pond better than another.  But, is it possible that someone saw your beautiful ponds and decided to make a late night contribution?>
She is fun to watch sunning on the rocks. It seems she travels from one pond to the other during the night, they are about 10' from each other.  If she causes to much damage to our plants we will have to relocate her.  Do you think she will return if we have to move her?
<probably not.  They explore a lot but rarely show a homing instinct so if you relocate her and she decided to leave that place, she'll as likely as not move off in a new direction.  But please .. if you DO decide to relocate her,  please take the time to make sure that the new location is suitable.>
Thanks, Lisa
<you are MOST welcome!>

My red ear sliders are shedding   5/20/07
I read somewhere if I over feed them that can lead to skin and shell shedding is that true?
<Not exactly,  David.  Shell shedding is what naturally happens as the turtle grows, but over feeding leads to obesity just like with people and with that comes looking fat & pudgy and a whole host of internal health problems.>
I notice that they can consume a good 10 pellets, this is for two turtles. What is considered overfeeding them?
<David, this is a really good question.  Over feeding & Over eating are the among the top health problems in captive reptiles.  Without having exact size and weight on each animal we can't say that any arbitrary number of pellets is good or bad.  The rule of thumb I use is  "all they can eat in five minutes,  three times a week."   A rule of good health for turtles and people is "leave them a little hungry."  In the summer when it's hot, every other day.>
.. Because what ever I throw in the tank whether its lettuce, pellets, treats and even slice cooked meat they will eat it.
<yes, but lettuce and cooked meats aren't healthy for them.   Many people feel that lettuce is exactly like candy to humans -- very good tasting but no nutrition at all.  My advice is to stick to the koi pellets and limit the amount they eat.>

Re: Red Eared Sliders shedding?   5/23/07
My Read Eared Sliders  are still shedding I was wondering how long it takes them to fully shed it all off cause that stuff looks nasty just hanging from their neck
<David, Sliders don't shed very much skin and it usually comes off in very small pieces that are hardly noticeable.  If what you're seeing is a gray mucky-looking stuff that hangs on for a long time, that may be dead skin mixed with a bit of fungus.   Make sure they're getting enough natural sunlight (not filtered through any glass, clean water and a good diet.  If it lingers for another week I'd mix a tablespoon of salt into an inch of water in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and place them in it, one at a time, for 15 minutes.>

Re: Red-Ear Slider Follow-up   5/23/07
Hello!
<Howdy!>
Thank you so much!  
The Tetra feeding sticks worked beautifully!  
<See?  You caught me on a good day.>
Should I feed them once or twice daily?  
<once daily -- actually about 6 times per week,.  Remember, they have very little to do except relax and eat, so they don't need a whole lot of food.  Overfeeding is a health problem for them>
Also you said to watch for bubbles around their nose, do you mean to make sure they are breathing or something else
<It's a sign of respiratory problems and a fairly easy one to spot.  Just something to look for -- not worry about>
Thank you again
Samantha
<Back atcha>

Shedding Turtle Gets Brighter Colored Shell  – 5/5/07
I just got a RES about a month ago I am sure he is an adult b/c of his size about 4 1/2-5 in.
<If he is a male then this would be getting close. A female can get up to 12 inches.>
Well he eats every 2 days. I read you were only suppose to feed adults every few days.
< Too much food that is high in protein will create a very thick hard shell that is difficult for a turtle to expand as it grows.>
He also gets out of the water and basks during the day.
<This is what he is suppose to do to remain healthy.>
When I am not home and at night while I sleep I think he is shy :)
< As time goes on he will learn to recognize you and not be so skittish.>
Anyhow, I would like to know if there shell changing color is normal? He is shedding as well his shell around the edge and some places on the top are turning lite green
yellowish is this normal? Amanda  
<When turtles shed the scutes on their shell, the old faded  scute is pretty dull and colorless. The new scute that is revealed is usually a brighter color. Over time this will get dull until he sheds again.-Chuck>

Shedding Red Eared Slider  – 04/29/07
Hey, I have a question about my red eared slider.
He seems to be constantly shedding his skin and am not sure if its because he's constantly growing or if he's sick he has a place to get out of the water and warm himself and get dry and he does if you have any advice it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You
< Young turtles grow rapidly under good conditions and shed often. As turtles age their diet changes from a meaty diet to one with more vegetable matter. This slows down the growth rate a little bit but allows the shell to develop normally. Your turtle may be getting too much protein, so vary the diet with some vegetable matter.-Chuck>

Turtle Age   4/23/07
Hey there.   A coworker found a RES at work. I think it is a male turtle.  We are curious as to how old he is. His shell measures about 4" in length.  Also, his back legs seem to be shedding or peeling.  Is this normal, or could he have some type of skin condition? Thanks for a response.  Pam
< RES's are normally found wild in many parts of the country. Assuming that the turtle you found is wild and is a male it could be from three to five years old. Turtles in the north grow slower than turtles in the south because the have a shorter warm season to eat and grow.-Chuck>

Smallest Turtle In The Group With Problems  4/10/07
Hello. I have three RES turtles. I'm not sure of their ages, but I have had them for about two years now. I would guess that they are about five years old. Two of them love to bask. They bask all day long, only leaving their rock at meal times and when the basking lamp is off. The other RES hardly ever basks. It will lay its head up on the rock and sleep sometimes, but I rarely see it actually fully out of the water. The other two seem to neglect it. They aren't mean to it; however, the other two swim together and play together while the little one is off by itself. Should I be concerned with their behaviors?
<I would separate the third turtle for awhile and see if he gets more active. If he does then he is clearly not happy in the existing situation.>
When I first got the turtles, one was twice the size of the other two.
The other two were relatively the same size. They have been very healthy since I got them and have been growing wonderfully. In the past three weeks, one of the smaller turtles (the one who does bask) has been growing rapidly.
It is now the same size as my larger turtle. It is beginning the shedding process and its shell looks as if it is caving in in sections. Is this normal?
< The turtles shell should be round and smooth. Irregularities in the shell are usually caused by diet. As turtles grow they need more vegetable matter in their diet and less protein. I would recommend an adult pelleted commercial turtle food as a staple, supplemented with veggies such as kale and spinach.>
Also, today, I noticed a small brownish- red spot under its neck. It seems fine, but the spot is a little abnormal, so I am concerned. Also, my smallest turtle doesn't seem to be growing at all. It's half the size of the other two. Could this be because it rarely basks? It eats normal, just as the other two. How quickly should they grow? Thank you for all of your help,
Denise
< Turtles can grow at different rates depending on their sex. Male turtles don't get as big as female turtles. If the smaller turtle is eating fine and seems active then this may be the case. If it acts shy, doesn't eat, doesn't bask, then I think you have a problem and the turtle needs his own set up for awhile. Turtles should grow a couple inches a year in the first couple of years and then start to slow down to about an inch a year. -Chuck>

Turtles always acting hungry/begging   3/29/07
Hi there!
Thanks so much for your incredibly informative website!  It has really helped me learn how to properly care for my two Red Ear Slider turtles. I've had them about a year and a half and they are 3.5 inches long and 3 inches wide (they were silver dollar size when I got them) they are now growing fast and shedding skin.  They are active swimmers and like to bask under the heat and UVA/UVB lamps.
<Sounds like you have a great set up!>
I have a couple of questions though...
<Fire away.>  
My turtles constantly want food!
<Normal for most people and animals.>
They are always begging when I come by the tank, swimming up to me and poking their heads out of the water.  I currently feed them once a day, a rounded teaspoonful (approx. 50-60 pieces) of Nutrafin Max Turtle Gammarus medium pellets which I pre-hydrate before feeding in a little water mixed with ReptoCal supplement and they eat them up SO FAST!
<Sounds good, but be sure and augment the pellets with other foods, perhaps alternating each day to get variety. Pellets one day, veggies the next, earthworms the third, and so on. Besides being more fun for the turtles (or terrapins as we call them here in the UK) variation prevents animals become either addicted to just one food or else turned off by it all of a sudden.>
If I give them more, they eat more - no food ever goes uneaten.
<Suggesting their appetites are good, always a positive sign with reptiles.>
They gobble up earthworm and mealworm treats and try to swallow them whole as snakes do.
<That's how reptiles eat -- they can't chew.>
I usually cut up the worms because I'm afraid the turtles will choke.
<Most animals can't choke; humans choke largely because of where the larynx is, an evolutionary adaptation that provides a benefit (speech) at the cost of greater risk of choking. But I digress...>
I've read on your site that overfeeding is bad and can lead to the turtles growing faster than their shells.
<I'm not sure they grow faster than their shells, but it is certainly possible for turtles to get insufficient calcium in their diet (or insufficient UV light) and therefore develop improperly formed shells as they grow. Provided the diet is rich in calcium as well as the other nutrients, I wouldn't worry too much.>
I don't want to feed too much or too little, so how much food and how often should I be feeding?
<Tricky question because it depends on the nutritional value of the food being used. The pellets should state on the packaging what amount to give per day. Vegetables can be really be give at liberty, because they can't really overindulge in them, since most of the plant material is water and indigestible cellulose. What matters in the plants are vitamins and minerals. Meaty foods are more serious. But I'd not give a turtle a bigger food item at one time than was the size of its head. Not very scientific, but at least easy to estimate! It is actually much easier to overfeed a turtle than underfeed it (just as with fish, or for that matter humans).>
Also, I've read that older turtles need veggies such as spinach and kale in their diets - but exactly how old is an "older turtle"?  When should I introduce the veggies?  I would appreciate your advice.
<Indeed correct, as red-ears mature they become more herbivorous in the wild. Presumably their size and bulk makes it less easy for them to catch prey. Anyway, there's no harm in feeding some greens straightaway. If nothing else, you'll be training your young turtles to accept a variety of foods. Greens also provide essential vitamins as well as roughage, which prevents constipation, a common problem with captive turtles. Be sure and use a variety of plants. Dandelion leaves and round (not iceberg) lettuce are particularly good. Obviously, thoroughly clean anything used to avoid pesticide residues. As mentioned earlier, these can (perhaps should) be available 24/7 so that the turtles can graze when they're feeling peckish.>
Thank you,
Gina
<Cheers, Neale>
 

Sitting Turtle  - 03/20/07   I have 4 sliders in one tank and recently my oldest one is no longer active and just sits on the bottom of the tank. Also has a white spot on his nose, other than that appears to be in good health. I don't know what to do, my other turtles show no sign of illness but don't seem to be eating as much as they do normally. I changed the water and filter with new and also checked the water temp. enclosed is a picture of my sick turtle. Thanks, Robert < A turtle's activity is somewhat based on the surrounding temperatures. Increase the temp. of the basking site and see if it makes any difference.-Chuck.>

Turtles Acting Strange  - 03/20/07  
OK, I think I got some good info from you guys but still feel like I need to be sure here.
I have two RES.  We found them in our driveway about two days after a big rain about a year ago.  They were so small, about the size of a quarter.
They are growing well and doing fine together but recently they started what I read as some sort of mating thing.  Tucking their heads in a bit and extending their front legs out, flapping them at each other's face.  Both of them are doing it and they have been swimming all over, like they were racing or something.  I cooled the water some but it still continues and has been for about four days now. If they are trying to mate now what do I do?
< Sounds like you have a couple of young males that are trying to express their dominance. Probably still too young to mate and just going through the motions.>
And when do they actually start doing this?
< The actual mating is usually reserved until they get up to about 4 inches. They must be well cared for and feel like they have gotten "spring fever".-Chuck>
I mean, they are only about a year old, maybe 14 months.
  Thanks ahead of time for your help because I am completely lost here.

Female Turtle Biting Off Male Turtle's Nails  – 2/25/07
Hi! I have 2 RES who are 3.5 yrs old and have always lived together happily.  One is a male with .5 inch long nails and considerably smaller then the other one.  Recently I noticed that the little guys was missing a nail and his hand looked a little pink.  Tonight i noticed another missing from the other hand so I decided to take a good look at him.  During his mating dance the female took a snap at him and took off another nail!  My little guy doesn't seem to be in any pain and there is no blood etc.  My questions are:
1.  Is this normal?
2.  Is there anything I should be doing to treat the missing nail.
Your help is much appreciated!
< These are just a few of the problems people have when they keep more than one turtle together. The male wants to mate and his showing off to the female. In nature she would just swim away. Unfortunately in an enclosed space like an aquarium she has nowhere to go so she tries to discourage him by biting at him. The nails may grow back. Keep the water clean so they don't get infected. Add a Dr. Turtle Sulpha Block by ZooMed to inhibit any bacterial grow.-Chuck>

Aggressive Female RES  – 2/25/07
For the past several years I've owned two red-eared sliders.  I  believe from what I've read one is female and one is male.  In the past, the  female tended to be a bully, but on the whole they coexisted nicely in the  same 50 gallon tank for years until now.  I just noticed what I  thought to be a sore on the foot of the male.  I attempted to brush  it, thinking it was fungus or such, however it started to bleed and I realized  that it was a healing wound.  When I returned them to their tank I watched  for a while and noticed the female attacking the male, particularly the healing  wound area and the other foot.  
She was actually attacking the foot of the  male.  Why all of a sudden?
< Could be pregnant.>
Is she suffering from PMS?
< It is getting to be spring in some parts of the country. A pregnant female turtle doesn't want anyone around when she lays her eggs.>
Do I  have to keep them separated all of a sudden?  Which will be a problem due  to space limitations. Thank you. Trish
<Get a tank divider but supply a basking site for the male too. Try putting them back together in a couple of months. Sometimes the female like her space and will continue to harass the other turtle.-Chuck>

Turtle Not Acting Normal - 02/11/2007
Hello all, I've been reading your site for a few hours now and I still can't find what I'm looking for.
< Thanks for trying.>
My Red Eared Slider, Manny, was 'rescued' from Chinatown, NY on Christmas about a month and a half ago.  Everything was going fine, he was eating well (not too much, a few pellets and some freeze dried shrimp once a day), and basking a good deal.  Things changed, however.  Manny stopped eating about a week ago.  He stopped basking about 4 days ago.  I have a 5 gallon tank for now (I plan to get another temporary 30 gallon tank when he grows a little more and becomes a stronger swimmer).  I keep his water at between 80 and 85 degrees and his basking site between 85 and 90 degrees.  I clean his tank once every 1 or two weeks.  I forced him to bask (placed him in a container with no water under the basking light) for a few hours yesterday.  Today I took him to the vet today and he gave him a shot of vitamins but he's still not eating or basking.  I read somewhere on your site when they are sick to turn the water temp down to 70, which I did, but now he's still staying in that 70 degree water and not coming out to bask and I feel bad chilling the poor guy.  I only noticed yesterday that he was breathing with his mouth opened when I went to feed him (I feed in a separate tank). He's mouth breathing today too.  There is no discharge or anything seeming wrong with his nose.  The vet said he looked healthy-a good color and there was no chipping cracking or peeling on his shell.  I was just wondering if there's anything you could add to clarify poor Manny's situation.  Thanks so much for your time and help, -Jill
<This is a difficult situation. None of the symptoms you have mentioned really stand out as anything in particular but lets cover the basics. The tank set up sounds good. I recommend that the tanks water temp always be set at 70 F. The temp change between the basking site and the cooler water make it difficult for pathogens to survive. The open mouth breathing could be a respiratory infection but that usually is seen with a nasal discharge and the turtle's inability to sink while swimming. Many times these rescue turtle are starved nearly to death. The rescuer tries to put weight back on the poor turtle and they get over fed. The food rots in their gut and the gas and bloat expand the digestive system and starts to displace the other vital organs like the lungs. Turtles are trapped in a shell and cannot expand their waistband when they eat too much. Turtles die from being overfed. I think you have done all you can for now. Keep the water clean and don't try to feed him again until he gets more active and acts like he is hungry.-Chuck>