Re: sick betta fish (follow-up), now fdg. RES   9/23/07
Since you were so helpful with my late betta fish... do you know anything about the feeding of red-eared slider turtles? We have two small ones who have been happily eating dried shrimp (brine shrimp?) labeled Repto-treats... which reminds me of the betta fish situation.
They also eat arugula leaves that I float in the tank, but they completely refuse to eat the Repto-min pellets. Do I need to cut out the shrimp until they've started eating the pellets?
Thanks,
Lauren
<Lauren, red-ear sliders need a mixed diet that, as they get older, becomes more plant than animal based. Current thinking is adults need about 70% plant material in their diet. Suitable foods include dandelion leaves, duckweed, Sushi Nori, green curly lettuce (not iceberg!) and so on. The main job of meaty foods is as a source of calcium. Typically, people dip worms or whatever into calcium supplement powder. Anyway, there are plenty of facts about this aspect of RES care here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/resfdgfaqs.htm . Cheers, Neale>

Red Ear Slider   9/12/07
Hello! I am writing about my red ear sliders again. I have 2- they are about 6 months old and I have a typical set-up with a filter, basking rock and lamp, and a water heater and some fake plants. I have had one of the turtles since about May and he has been healthy and active for the most part- but he has stopped eating. I noticed about 3 weeks ago it seemed like he was having problems breathing and his body would jolt out of its shell every few seconds. I started cleaning the tank more often and it seemed to help him because it went away in a few days. Then a week later he stopped eating and is always basking (which I believe is because he is trying to fight whatever sickness he has) and is not very active. It has seriously been about 3 weeks since he has eaten- how can he survive that long?
<Chelonians -- turtles, terrapins, and tortoises -- take a long time to die. They take a long time to do most things! But seriously, let's review. What sort of basking lamp do you have? Is it the UVB type? That's essential for vitamin synthesis, and without it, they gradually weaken. Secondly, are you adding vitamins to their food? Again, this is a long term issue, but an essential one. It's also very easy to feed the wrong things (pellets, meat) to these fish instead of the right things (plants) and end up with constipated, sickly, vitamin-deficient pets.>
I did have live plants in the aquarium for a while and he really liked those but I took them out because it was really messy. Could he have gotten use to feeding off the plants?
<Perhaps, but the main thing is these turtles are plant eaters, and need to eat plants. This is non-negotiable. Whether you add live plants like Elodea or chopped greens of the right sort (dandelions, curly leaf lettuce, Sushi Nori, small bits of soft fruit, etc.) doesn't matter. But they must have some access to plant matter every day. As they get older, this becomes EVEN more important, because the adults are basically herbivorous.>
I had a another companion for him when I first got him that was born with many deformities and unfortunately did not make it longer than 2 months, and this turtle (Crazy Feet) is acting the same as the other did before it passed away, except he only lasted about 1 week without eating.
<Ah, a pattern. Please go back and check you're doing all the right things. Missing just one key step can be fatal in the long run. There are plenty of articles bout these animals at WWM; read, review, and ask questions.>
The pet shop suggested that I get a water heater because it's getting colder here (I'm in Southern California) which I did about a week ago and I am keeping the water temp at 85.
<A bit too warm for them. Aim for 25 C (77 F). They're subtropical animals really. On the other hand, they are sensitive to cold conditions too, so don't let it get below 18 C (64 F).>
They also suggested guppies but local pet shops have been out of them.
<OK, stop listening to this pet store. Red-ear terrapins do not need to eat fish, and it isn't good for them either. Live fish are a potential source of parasites and bacterial infections as well. So, stick with what they eat in the wild: green foods, invertebrates, green foods, green foods, and green foods. Use prepared pellets once or twice a week, but no more often than that because they are too dry and cause constipation. And before you say, "but they're sold as reptile food" well hamburgers and French fries are sold as human food but no-one defends the idea that they're good for us (except maybe the marketing departments of fast food chains).>
I feed them Reptomin and dried shrimp.
<Stop doing this except as a treat. It's green foods they need. GREEN FOODS!>
I am very concerned he is going to go soon, please help with any suggestions!
Thank you,
Samantha
<Good luck, Neale>

Red Eared Slider isn't competing for food   7/25/07
Dear Crew,
<Hiya, Andrea -- Darrel here>
I have two red eared slider turtles and one has grown and the other hasn't. I read on your website that the bigger one may be dominating the tank. However, when the smaller turtle attempts to eat it seem to be able to open his mouth wide enough to consume a pellet. The turtle opens his mouth only slightly and I don't think he's eating but appears to be trying. Do you know what is happening and what I can do?
<They little one must be quite small if he can't chomp on a pellet. Here's what I'd do: At feeding time, place the larger one in a separate container and feed him there. Wait for about a half an hour after you remove him before feeding the little one who is still in their regular home. Use a razor blade or sharp knife to cut a few pellets into smaller chunks and feed them to the little guy. This way he gets to eat smaller pieces and he gets to enjoy them in peace. Then just watch him to see how he's eating. If that doesn't worm, try some night crawlers (earthworms) or even a ball of Tubifex worms from a fish store. Once he starts eating again, continue to feed them separately for a few months -- usually this problem settles down.>

My red ear sliders, eating goldfish  6/6/07
Hey guys.
<Hello again, David>
My turtles are doing great.
<That's always good to hear>
My Friend and I got some little baby gold fishes. It's funny how my turtles chases it and try to eat them. They have successfully caught two. I was wondering if it is healthy for them to eat the little fishes.
<It's O.K. David, but not great. Goldfish can carry diseases and not only that but when the turtles DO catch them, they eat "most" of the fish and the remaining small parts just help to dirty your water. If you want to feed them goldfish occasionally, that's fine but I suggest that you use Koi Pellets or Tetra-Min reptile sticks as your basic food and then get some Night Crawlers (a kind of earthworm) for treats every so often.>

Simple Slider Food   5/18/07
I bought my Red Eared Slider about a month ago. The person that I got them from said that they were about 3 months. So how long or how old should i wait till i feed them live bait?
<Thank you for writing, David.  There really isn't a size requirement for feeding a Red Eared Slider and in fact, I'd suggest that you don't feed him any live bait.  In the wild turtles will occasionally pursue live bait but with the exception of worms and snails they're rarely fast enough to catch anything.  For a basic diet, I'd suggest that you find a good quality Koi Pellet at your local fish store.  They come is different sized pellets so you can buy your guy the small size for now and it has all the nutrition he needs to grow and thrive.  Don't over feed him, make sure is water is clean and that he can bask under a heat source that's between 80 & 90 degrees and no higher.  Good luck & keep us posted.  Darrel>

Regarding some turtle question, RES fdg., comp.   – 5/13/07
Dear crew, I have several questions and I hope you can help me.
Recently I tried feeding my red ear slider with new food, dried Red Shrimps, or at least that's what the bottle said. Anyway, after I fed the turtle with it , it appears that it refuse to eat the usual turtle pellets. My turtle will only eat those pellets if I haven't fed them for some period. If I throw in some shrimps , they ignore the pellets, is it normal ?
< Your turtles are actually quite fond of the shrimp. It is in their best interest to feed them the pellets first. As they start to slow down you can add a couple of shrimp. An all shrimp diet is not good for your turtles overall health.>
Could I introduce a new turtle or different species to my turtle? Is there anyway I could do it safely , assuming their size varies greatly?
Thanks for ur time and reply
< I would recommend one turtle per container. RES's are very aggressive turtles and see other turtles as competition. Smaller weaker turtles would be hiding from the established turtle and not be getting enough food.-Chuck>

Comments & Questions, Turtle/RES comp.   5/15/07
Good Morning Gentlemen & Ladies
And ... as always ... many thanks.
<As many welcomes>
First a comment about Red Eared Sliders.  I've been raising them and breeding them for almost all my adult life and I can tell you that all types of sliders, cooters that you're liable to run into in the local pet store will live together famously if they have enough sun, enough food and enough clean water.  Although I wouldn't normally put hatchlings in with adults, eggs that I missed collecting have hatched out and the babies spent as long as a month with the adults with no ill effects as long as the adults are happily fed.   Heat 'em, Feed 'em & Clean em.    As far as food goes -- forget the packaged turtle foods in the cans and remember two words:  "Koi Pellets."   From hatchlings that have to take several runs at even a small one to adults that can eat a dozen in one gulp ... they'll live, thrive, grow and reproduce on that one staple.  Softshells & Mud/Musk turtles, too.  Once in a while when I'm at a pet store I'll buy a container of night crawlers (worms) and toss some around and they seem to like the treat and it rarely affects their basic appetite.  Once in a while they get finicky, but after a week or three they'll give in and eat again.  Box turtles are another story -- I've seen them 'fixate' on something like strawberries and go as long as a YEAR refusing any food at all if they can't have their favorite.
<Thank you for this input... Please do consider joining us if you have time, interest... if for nothing else to help with such captive Chelonian questions> Darrel
<Thank you for writing, sharing. Bob Fenner>

RES Won't Eat   5/12/07
I hope you are still in the business of helping with turtle problems. I found your link on a website and we could use some expertise! I had a RES and a Cooter both with respiratory infections; the cooter didn't make it, even with antibiotic injections from the vet.  My RES seems to have finally recovered and looks to be feeling better, but still will not eat.  I suspect he may be eating some of the lettuce, but I can't be sure as I also have a map turtle (who did not get sick) in the same tank (although she seems to be more interested in the pellets & the feeder guppies than the lettuce, I really can't be sure who's eating the lettuce).
I have tried offering fresh strawberries & kiwi with calcium powder on them, and Reptomin fruit gel, but so far he doesn't seem to be eating any of it, and won't go after any pellets, no matter what brand (or turtle yummies either). He doesn't seem to be having pain upon movement, so I don't think there's any significant calcium deficiency or shell trouble yet, but I'm worried that if it does start, the painful movement will further restrict any attempts to eat, or even to get to the lettuce.
He spends most of his time in the basking area, although lately he is getting in the water more, sometimes riding around (surfing?) on the lettuce. Water is currently at about 86*
< Way too warm. Upper 60's to lower 70's would be better.>
although I have to cover the cage with a towel at night time when the A/C kicks on to keep it that temp, otherwise it drops several degrees.
< At night it is suppose to drop several degrees. This is normal.>
I was instructed to keep it this temperature in order to get him to eat, but it doesn't seem to be helping.  His last round of shots was about a week ago, and he's not completely lethargic like he was when severely sick, but I'm still worried that if he doesn't start eating he will develop shell problems. Is there calcium in dark lettuces?
< Not much of anything in lettuce. Try spinach or kale instead.>
We do have UVB spiral bulbs (3) in the hood, and UVA in the basking lamp, so if he can just get the Ca+, there's plenty of D3 available.
< If the light bulbs are over 1 yr old they need to be changed.>
I read something someone else said about humidity in the tank keeping them sick, so maybe I should dispense with the towel and add another basking lamp to keep the temp up?
<I would recommend checking the temp of the basking site. It should be at least 85 F. I would lower the water temp and not cover up the tank at night.>
Although we do have very dry air in AZ, perhaps its getting too humid inside the tank with the towel covering it.
< That's one way to get your turtles sick.>
My infirmary for him while he was sick was a large Tupperware rectangle with just a little water and a huge basking rock, with a towel draped over the whole thing to keep out drafts, and that seems to have worked pretty well.  He's been back in the tank for about a week now, getting stronger every day, but still not sure he's eating, which is why I'm worried, and writing.
Hope this isn't too long...I'm looking for help since the vet doesn't seem to know what to do at this point (and he's a reptile specialist recommended by ARAV!) and we're just very personally vested in our turtles!  We've made arrangements to adopt a new Cooter from Las Vegas (day trip!) but want to make sure our little guy is healthy again before bringing a new one home. If there is a fee for your question & answer service, I am happy to pay it, I had stumbled upon some questions & answers on an online
message board that had your name & email. Thanks for your time, ~Alissa
<Check the temp of the basking site (85F+), lower the water temp and don't cover the tank at night(70F). The dry air is actually good to remove the fluid from the turtle's lungs. Try feeding washed earthworms, mealworms, crickets, waxworms, ZooMed Adult Aquatic Turtle Food, aquatic snails, spinach and kale. One of these will get him eating if he is healthy. The heat of the basking site is the most important factor. WWM advice is free. Our main goal is to help save pets lives.-Chuck>

Feeding Turtles Bait Shop Worms   5/11/07
Hi, is it safe to use nightcrawlers from a Bait shop to feed my turtles.  I have both Sliders and Painted. Thanks!
Brian
< Those would be fine as a treat as long as they are washed off.-Chuck>

Little Turtle Will Not Eat  - 05/02/07
My little RES is not eating. He sits in the basking light all day and rarely goes in the water. He has been like this for two weeks now and we were getting worried about him so I found this food called Repta-Aid. We have been force feeding him for about 4 or 5 days now and he won't open his mouth for the food. Also when he basks his head will bob and his eyes will close. We have another baby RES turtle in the tank with him and the other turtle is doing fine. We have a filter for the aquarium too but it's not doing much. If you can please help us we don't want him to die! Thank you! Bree
<Your turtle is sick and is trying to warm himself up under the light. The basking site needs to be at least 85 F. Get a bigger light or move it closer to warm him up. Do not force feed him. If he is not warm enough the food will sit in his stomach and rot. This will cause more harm than good. Hard to say what exactly is wrong with him. may have eaten too much or got cold and now has a respiratory infection.-Chuck>

Feeding Turtles   5/2/07
I have a question regarding my son's new RES turtle.  We did lots of research before purchasing "King Tut" and have all of the equipment I think we need for him.  My question is regarding his food intake.  We have Zoo Med turtle food and treats, live fish in the tank as well as fresh veggies for him.  I am concerned because he is only eating the feeder fish.  He has eaten 6 in the last 36 hours.  All of the reading I have done says he needs the other two components in his diet as well.  Does he need the dry food and veggies to be healthy?  
Should we try crickets and meal worms instead?  Your help is greatly appreciated! Deidre
< If the turtle is a hatchling (approx 1 "), then their diet should be 80% ZooMed Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food and 20% other foods. As a young turtle they need lots of protein for growth. Older turtles (4"+) need the adult turtle food as well as some vegetable matter. Feeder fish are actually poor food sources for turtles. They are often poorly treated and are barely alive. They are a source of protein and calcium but not much else. The pellets are designed to be complete but I still would add other things to make a varied diet. Crickets, mealworms and washed earthworms are always accepted. Don't let the turtle train you into giving him treats all the time.-Chuck>

Baby Turtle Being Overfed   4/2/07
My hatchling RES, about an inch long, must have possibly eaten a whole pellet (about a centimeter and a half long) usually I break them up into smaller more manageable pieces, but I came home yesterday to find a huge poop in the tank, usually they are about 2-3 millimeters long and small, this one was larger than the pellets, in both length (about 2 cm) and diameter. I noticed Fred's cloaca (I think that's the right term) was huge and looked stretched out.  Should I be worried? (I know gross question, but I'm really worried it was like an organ or something)
< A prolapsed colon is caused from an extreme bowl movement that has traumatized the area.>
They have everything they need and are happy and healthy otherwise. 20 gallon tank (for now, while they are babies, I will upgrade as they grow), ZooMed turtle dock, basking light w/ UVA/UVB at 90 degrees, water temp at 75, filter, etc. I feed them guppies (which they are not very good at catching. any suggestions on slower feeder fish?),
< Feeder fish are not great food for little turtles.>
tiny Ramshorn snails,
< They may have a problem passing the shells and contributing to the condition you are so concerned about.>
occasional red meat, Gammarus pellets, and offer leafy greens although they don't even recognize them as food.  They've got fake plants to hide in and a cuttlebone for calcium. Am I missing anything?? Thanks in advance, your site has helped with so much already.
< I would recommend ZooMed Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food as a base diet and add the other things as treats. The vegetables will be more important in their diet when they get older. The key to feeding turtles is to watch them while you are feeding them. At first they act like they have never eaten before. Soon they slow down as their belly begins to fill up. You should stop feeding them when they start to slow down. Never leave food in the tank for them to eat later. When they start to move around and hunt for food then they should be fed again.-Chuck>

Older Turtle With Shell/Feeding Issues  3/30/07
Hello -I have a 9-year old red-eared slider that I've had since she was hatched.
She is constantly shedding her scutes and recently I've noticed small white spots on the top of her shell.  At first I would take her out and clean off her shell and use some shell-conditioner (moisturizer?).  But the spots keep coming back.  I can flick off these spots - there is a barely-noticeable dent left behind when I do so - and it doesn't seem to be soft.  The spots do not seem to return in the same place, rather another point on her shell.
She seems to be fine otherwise - she basks regularly and eats turtle pellets.  Her eyes are clear and don't seem to have any problems.  I have tried adding other items to her diet (mealy worms, crickets, veggies, etc.) but she doesn't seem interested.  She used to eat feeder fish regularly, but I haven't put any in the tank since she was moved into a 125 gallon tank.
There are currently 4 small fish in the tank with her - originally there were 6 fish but she only ate 2 over the course of about 2 years, so I haven't tried them again.  Previously when there were fish in her tank she would eat them almost immediately.  Should I try them again?
< No, not needed.>
She has two big rocks on which she can bask - both have lights over them.  I have the water temperature around 80 degrees.
<Too warm. Drop it down to the lower 70's to the upper 60's.>
I would take her to a vet but I'm having a hard time finding one in my area that deals regularly with turtles.
There seems to be a lot of algae that grows on the rocks - could this be an indication of a water issue?
< Water is high in nitrates.>
Can I put algaecide in the tank (I have some that I use for my fish tank)?
<Better to change more water and clean the filters more frequently.>
I have 2 filters for the tank - I know each brand of filter is different, but is there a general rule of thumb for how often the filters should be cleaned?
<I would get in the habit of clean each filter every two weeks. But don't change them both at the same time. Clean one on even weeks and then change the other one on odd weeks.>
Does she need vitamins?  If so, how do I get her to eat them?
< At this age your turtle should be eating more vegetable matter. Try not feeding your turtle for a week, then add some spinach and kale to the diet. The pellets should be for adult turtles and not for hatchlings.>
She's not handled very much and seems to be pretty shy when I get close to her/handle her, so hand-feeding is probably going to be an issue.  Thanks so much for your help!  Kasie
< If you have not done so in awhile, I would recommend that you change the light bulbs. Even though they are still lighting and heating the tank, the wavelengths get weak over a couple of years and need to be replaced to make sure that your turtle gets the proper lighting.-Chuck

Older Turtle Questions II  3/30/07
I wanted to mention that if it's a lighting issues, I live in the Northeast so taking the turtle outside right now isn't an option b/c it's too cold.
<Once again check the date on the lighting. new lighting may be needed.>
On that note, how warm should it be if I do want to take the turtle outside for some sunlight?  Also, I can send a picture of my turtle's shell if that would be helpful. Thanks again, Kasie
< The outside highs should be at least 65 F. Less than that and turtles usually just go dormant. Check on the items I have discussed and see if things get better.-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>

Cat Biscuits Not Good For Turtles  03/25/07
Hey crew! Firstly i just wanted to thank you all for the really useful info you've given me, thanks to your advice I've learned heaps about my red eared sliders and have learned ways to keep them happier and healthier! I've been looking at cheap alternatives to some of my turtles' food (as I'm sure you understand, turtle food is at ridiculous prices now days!) and a friend of a friend told me that she uses cat biscuits ( about half the size of a small fingernail, not large ones) for her turtles. I've tried my turtles on these and they happily eat them, but I'd like to know your opinion on feeding my turtles these. Thanks again! Caitlin. 
< Turtles will pretty much eat anything. Feeding these biscuits occasionally is Ok but not for the long term. These biscuits are too high in protein. A high protein diet causes the scutes on the shell to grow abnormally quick and thick. This prevents the shell from expanding as the turtle grows. Eventually the turtle is squeezed to death in its own straight jacket shell. For the long run a commercially prepared turtle diet is best.-Chuck.>