Turtle won't eat – 7/3/07
Dear Crew,
<Good morning - Darrel here>
I just got two yellow bellied slider hatchlings and they are about a month and about the size of a half dollar. The bigger of the two seems to eat every once in awhile although not as much as some of the sites say it should, it only eats a couple of blood worms and only eats maybe once a day.
<Nothing wrong with that -- I don't even feed my hatchlings every day, usually every other day. I don't think blood worms is the best diet for them, however. Small Koi pellets or Repto-min (by Tetra) make very good basic diets>
With the other smaller turtle, we have never seen it eat and we have had them for about 5 days. All the smaller one does is sit on the rock under the heat lamp for long periods of time and doesn't seem to have any energy. I am really concerned that it is sick and I don't know what else to do.
<Maybe not SICK exactly ... smaller turtles from a group hatch often exhibit what I call "runt syndrome" where they simply don't thrive as well as the others. Mostly it just takes them time to get started, but once in a while they go downhill and simply don't make it. But let's not jump off that bridge just yet>
Would it be a good idea to put it in a separate tank to eat, maybe a smaller tank?
<Not really, not unless he's was REALLY sick. You say he's basking most of the time and that implies that he does swim on his own as well? Try a change in the diet first and see if he's just more interested in other foods. Also, I'm enclosing a link at the end of the response that has information and suggestions. Please read it and match the environment you've given them against the suggestions in the article. Heat/light/water quality are all issues you should look at carefully.>
Another question I have is, there are snails at the bottom of the tank and there are some empty snail shells that the bigger turtle like to try and eat, do you think getting some dried snails would be a good idea for the bigger turtle or is that something they can't have?
<They certainly CAN have them, although most dried foods you can get in pets stores are very low in any real nutrients. I raise my hatchlings to adulthood and parenthood almost exclusively on koi pellets and occasional night crawlers (earthworms). Making yourself crazy trying to find just the right exotic foods doesn't seem like the best use of your time -- if you HAVE extra time, use it to check, double check and triple check their environment. They'll be glad you did>
Thanks so much for your time, hope to hear from you soon!
Stephanie
<Yer most welcome!>
<Try this: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Re: Are you a Fungi -- or just a happy guy? Turtle fdg.  – 06/28/07
Sorry about my other email being unclear. So here we go again :)
<Great!>
As far as what I feed my turtle HBH turtle bites and turtle treats brought from the pet store.
<OK, I'm not familiar with this product, but at first glance it seems fine. I only say koi pellets and Repto-min sticks because I use them to raise and breed my water turtles and I'm 100% confident that they work and that constant use will eliminate dietary issues>
The turtle is about 4-5in.
<OK, a small adult, not a baby or adolescent>
The whole shell is a dark color except for along the right edge of the shell. It's been this way for a few weeks. I wear latex free gloves when I pick him up and I have noticed that its almost like a blue/black color of the shell comes off on to the gloves, if that makes any sense.
<Now I'm starting to think about a shell fungus -- normal shell colorations don't come off. What I'd like you to do is take him out, dry him off and gently rub his shell with a cloth soaked in vinegar. Don't be afraid to rub if the shell is hard, like fingernails -- if it feels soft and gives under the rubbing then we have a bigger issue. Right now, just clean him off a bit and see what comes off on the rag.>
Like I stated before I feed him about twice a week and he eats all of his food however he doesn't swim around much. He usually stays in one spot most of the time. Also I have been noticed that for the past few weeks he hasn't been basking like he use to. I keep the water temp at 72 not sure if it should be much higher than that?
<No, the water TEMPERATURE is fine, I'm hoping that the basking temperature is at least 85 degrees, but right now I'm thinking a fungus due to husbandry issues.>
In addition I clean the water every few weeks
<If the water is crystal clear, change it every week. If it gets dirty of murky in any way, change it more often.>
and I also put some turtle reduction waste solution in the water when I clean the water and change the filter regularly.
<I don't know what that is and I'm getting the willies just thinking about using any kind of chemical to reduce waste in the turtle's actual water. I suggest that you stop this, at least for now and take extra steps to get the water crystal clean and clear. (But please write back with the name of the chemical -- I'm interested to hear about what's out there.)
I hope this information gives you what you need.
<Yes! I think we have a tactic. Clean his shell like I asked and let's see what comes off on the rag. I'll wait to here from you. :) !>
Amanda
<Darrel>

Please Help! Box Turtle won't eat  – 06/11/07
Hi Everyone
<Hi Shelby, Darrel here>
I have had my box turtle for about 4 years now. We start a hole for her to dig into every winter, and every spring she has come back alive and well. It always takes her a while to start eating again, but this year it has been different. She came up a little earlier this spring because we had some pretty warm weather for a couple days before the winter settled back in again (this was around April). It's summer now, and we haven't gotten her to eat yet. We're really worried that there's something wrong with her.
<Not necessarily, Shelby. An otherwise healthy box turtle can go over two years without food, so it's not time to panic just yet.>
I've heard that turtles grow according to the size of their environment.
<No. That's fish, not reptiles>
Well, she's been in the same pen since we got her. We keep her outside. The pen isn't small. We put in lots of weeds and a dirt area to make it seem like rest of the outside. My dad built a little wooden box for her to stay in. We have a
big water dish that she can climb into. She hasn't gotten but just a little bit bigger since we first got her. Could this be a problem?
<I doubt it, Shelby. Box turtles are thought to live to be 100 years old and based on average temperature, type of diet, amount eaten and amount of time in hibernation they can grow quite slowly.>
Also, sunlight doesn't always reach her pen. Should we get a lamp to shine into her pen? Is that going to make a difference?
<As long as it gets SOME sunshine and a lot of ambient light (that's like indirect sunshine) I wouldn't worry about it -- at least not right now.>
We couldn't get her to eat lettuce and carrots, so somebody told us to feed her crickets and worms (when we first got her). She's always ate them, but like I said earlier, we can't get her to eat. Should we try to change her diet after this many years? Do you have any suggestions?
<Yes, I have lots of suggestions. First, don't be worried. I suspect that all that's wrong is that she hasn't come out of hibernation properly and her systems just aren't up to speed. What I'd like you to do is this: Put her in a cardboard or plastic box that's at least 3 times as long as she is, with sides high enough that she can't climb out and bring her indoors -- somewhere in your house (maybe in a corner of your bedroom or den). Make sure she can't get out and any curious dogs or cats can't get in. Don't worry about heat or light right now .. what we want is a place where she doesn't get TOO hot or TOO cold, OK? Normal light that you have in a room during daylight is fine. Now every day, place a shallow bowl with lukewarm water in the box and place the box turtle in it. No more than a half inch deep and no more than 85 degrees and just let it soak. After the soak, remove the water and place a tiny bit of food in the box with the turtle. One Strawberry, a very small slice of melon, Night Crawler earth worm is good (cricket or mealworm is not). After a half an hour, remove any uneaten food and just keep doing this, day after day ... for a couple of weeks. My bet is that your turtle will get with the program and start to eat again.>
My mom said that if she doesn't eat soon, we're going to have to let her lose somewhere. I really don't want to do that, and don't think she would make it.
<Please don't do that, Shelby. That's the one thing I'd say NEVER do -- is take a captive animal and let it loose. If it's sick, it won't get "well" just by being outside of your pen and it might spread it's sickness to other turtles. And even if it's not sick, there's a good chance that it's come to depend on you for food and care and wouldn't be able to fend for itself. So please, please, please tell your mom that a real expert said to never, ever ever do that, OK? If your Mom or Dad or you decide you can't or don't want to keep it, you can find reptile or turtle clubs in your area that will find it a new home. If not, write back and we here at WetWebMedia will help you find someone.>
Please, can you help us!?
<that was the first things to do, Shelby -- I hope it helps. If not, or if the turtle doesn't move or seems to get worse, please write back>

Feeding a Box Turtle – 5/25/07
We rescued a male box turtle from a parking lot nine days ago and put him with our larger female box turtle in her well-equipped 24 gallon Rubbermaid box.  
<That was nice of you, Jay>
But unlike the female, the male does not eat anything.  I've tried live mealworms, crickets, shrimp, prepared turtle food, lettuce, tomatoes, apples, even put the food up to his mouth, but he will not take a bite.  He enjoys the water dish and the basking lamp, he has a daily walk outside, he gets along well with the female (no fights), he is active and seems otherwise healthy, but I do not know how long he can survive without eating.  
<Jay .. Few turtles or tortoises can match a box turtle for being stubborn about eating or not eating.  If he's otherwise healthy he can go for many months without eating, so I simply wouldn't worry about nine days.>
What do you recommend?  
<I use a diet of fruits (like apples and pears), vegetables (like green beans and broccoli) along with night crawlers (big earthworms) for mine, Jay.   I also prowl the garden looking for snails (only because I never ever use any form of snail bait or poison!) and they LOVE snails!  The books say that as they get older they're supposed to become more vegetarian and less carnivore (more fruits & veggies and less meat) but that has never been my experience.   Mine appreciate the apples and pears and SOMETIMES the veggies but mostly they wait for what we call "worm day."   Mealworms and crickets can be like candy -- filling but not nutritious and not really that good for them.  Same with lettuce and tomatoes - forget them & If you're going to feed leafy greens, try collards and chards and other dark green ones.  At least ... that's the way it should be, Jay.  The truth is that Box turtles can be easy feeders, in which case you should think about my menu above -- or they can be fixated eaters.  A Box I had I once swam in the pond and ate Koi pellets along with my water turtles and wouldn't touch anything else, so sometimes we have to adapt.   Do this, Jay:
1) as long as he's active and otherwise fine, don't worry too much
2) Try to offer different things like above and whatever you think of
3) Eventually when you hit the right stuff on the day he's hungry, he'll eat>
Thank you for your advice.
Jay Smith
<you're welcome>

Old Box Turtle  5/26/06
My name is Stacy I am 14.
Hi Stacey, Pufferpunk here.>
My sisters boyfriend found this box turtle on the side of the road on a rainy day.  When he got home he gave me the turtle.  I noticed that my turtle has 2 holes in her shell.  
<This is common with older turtles.  Had some shell damage in the past but should be fine & be able to live a long life with this.>
On his right back leg that he only has 1 nail on it and the other has all 3.
<Yes, you have a 3-toed box turtle with 1 deformed foot.  No issues there.>
I was wondering what I could do to fix everything that's wrong with her.
<Nothing to fix.  Just things that happen to a turtle in the wild.  Be sure to give it at least a 20 gallon tank, with a shelter on one side (an overturned box with the side cut out will do & a water bowl large enough for it to bathe in on the other side.  Be sure to change the water daily, or it will be drinking poop water.  Mulch is a great substrate for them.  It's cheap & you can buy large bags even at most gas stations during gardening season. Just make sure not to use cedar, it poisonous!  Change every 2 weeks & hand clean any poop daily (most will be in the water).  You will also need a reflector lamp for warmth.  
Food: dark green veggies (no iceberg lettuce--mostly water), any fruits.  Frozen mixed veggies (defrosted 1st, of course) work well.  So do fruit cocktail, well rinsed, for quick feedings.  They love red foods.  Canned dog food or dry soaked in water.  Crickets & earthworms (found in wild-box turtles tummies when dissected), are a favorite treat.  Dust the food with reptile vitamins (be sure they have calcium in there, for the shell).
If kept properly, a box turtle can live over 30 years!  ~PP>
Thanks a lot, Stacy Cline

Turtle Not Eating
This is the first time for me to have red ear slider. One slider has yellow orangish markings instead of red the other does have the red markings is this
something to be concerned about and will it become a health issue?
< Some variation in color is to be expected between turtles. This is normal. >
I don't believe they are eating as much as they should. I have had them for 3 days and the turtle (dot that's her name but now I learn that she may not
even be a girl the store sadly misinformed me on how to tell the sex) with the yellow markings is the only one eating. Other than this I am happy to say
that they appear happy which makes me happy. If you could just ease my concerns that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
<Check the basking spot with a thermometer. It should be about 85+ F. Turtles need heat to properly digest their food and a spot that is too cool with cause digestive problems later on. Once they are properly warmed up the appetite should come around.-Chuck>

Keeping Yellow Bellied Sliders  4/6/06
Hi Bob,
< Chuck, this time.>
Recently I bought 2 yellow belly sliders and at the moment they are approx. 1 1/4 in long, I have them in a 27 litre tank with a floating island and they seem to be happy enough. My only fear is that I am feeding them dry shrimp and I'm afraid to give them any fruits or small vegetables because am not too sure whether or not they are too young for this type of food. Also do I need to give them any additional nutritional pellets or vitamins? If you could tell me what age is ok to be feeding them different types of food I would greatly appreciate it. I'm not too sure of the sex yet because they are still quite young but just in case will I need to prepare for breeding or incubation? Thanking you Tommy
< Young turtles are more meat eaters. When they get three or four inches then they start to eat more vegetable matter. Veggies can be offered at any time and won't hurt them. Try spinach and kale. Zoo Med makes a commercial aquatic turtle food that can be supplemented with insects and worms. Proper lighting with UVA and UVB, will provide the turtles with the means to produce their own vitamins. females get bigger than males and males have longer tails.-Chuck>

Feeding Turtles Feeder Fish  - 3/16/2006
Thanks for the advice. Can I give the baby turtles live feeder fish?
< While fish are definitely part of a turtles diet they need to be feed other things as well. Feeder fish are poorly treated and usually are not that nutritional. Small turtles would have a problem catching a fish. I think the feeders would just end up living in the tank with the turtles.-Chuck>

Turtle Eating Sulfa Block   2/13/06
Hi,  I tried to find an answer to my question everywhere else you suggested and am not having any luck.  I have a black knobbed Sawback map turtle, female about 2 years old, approx. 5 inches long (shell).  She is normally a very voracious eater, all of her living conditions are correct ( heat lamp, basking area, large filter, UV light, good varied diet, Reptisafe in water, etc...)  anyways --- 2 days ago she decided to eat her Dr. Turtle sulfa block.  Now she is not hungry and hiding under her dock, VERY unusual behavior for her!  I have had her since she was little and she has never been with a male so I know she is not egg bound.  Is that sulfa block that she ATE like a goof going to hurt her?  Jessica
< A turtles get older their dietary needs change. They need less meat and more vegetable matter in their diet. Your turtle needs minerals. Add some kale and spinach to the diet while feeding Zoo Med Adult Aquatic Turtle Food. It may take awhile for the turtle block in the stomach to dissolve.-Chuck>

Young Turtle Feeding   1/26/06
Thank you for your speedy reply to my first inquiry.  I have one more question about the little turtles. I have been feeding them "Zoo Meds Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food."  I was advised to feed each turtle about 3 pellets each.  On the back of the container though, it says to feed them a teaspoon EACH!!  This is a huge difference!!  Am I starving my turtles?
Also, one seems to be shedding his neck skin...a normal sign of growth, right? -Ljc
<Try following the directions on the package and see how much they eat. This would account for them eating fecal matter if they are not getting enough to eat. Some shedding of skin is considered normal for young growing turtles.-Chuck>

Turtle Eating Fecal Matter    1/25/06
I have had my turtle for about 3 weeks to a month and have never seen it poop. This morning my son noticed that it was little green balls in the tank (poop) and the turtle was eating it. Is this normal behavior? How often should they poop. This was his first time since I've had him. Also the little antibacterial thingy (shaped like a turtle) that you drop in the tank, he eats that too. Is this normal? Please help!! April Wilson
< Your turtle is craving minerals and vitamins. Vary the diet with Zoo Med Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food, Zoo Med Turtle Treat, washed earthworms, mealworms, kale and spinach.-Chuck.>

Turtle Won't Eat  12/22/05
I have another question for you. Our turtle has not been eating since we got her. We got her on 12/17 and she has only eaten 1/2 of a pellet of turtle food. We have tried the shrimp, shredded carrots, two types of baby turtle pellets. I have also tried putting her in another container just for feeding but she won't eat there either. What do we try next?
Concerned, Tammy
< Try washed earthworms, mealworms or kingworms.-Chuck>

Turtle Success Story 12/18/05
Thank you so much for all your help.  I wanted to let you know that we ran out and got Tim a heater and changed the heating bulb to a warmer one.  The next day he was eating and behaving a lot more like his old self.  He still doesn't bask a lot but he is basking - which is a new thing for him.  He makes us laugh stretching out his neck and legs trying to get all that "sunshine".  Thanks for all your help.  Just wanted to let you know that the turn around was really quick.
<Excellent, glad to hear he is coming around. -Gage>

Turtle Quit Eating
Hi I have had my turtle for 4 years, he's always active and healthy, was always
a big eater, he's really quite large, he has a good water temp and basking
temp, his water is clean, and he's very active, my problem is, he doesn't seem to want to
eat which is odd, cause he was always a big eater, everything is fine really, can
u give me some advice.....Thank you Trisha
< When turtles are little they are mostly carnivorous. They eat worms and bugs and meaty things. When they get older they switch to a more vegetarian diet. Zoomed makes an aquatic turtle adult food with less protein then their hatchling food. Try that with some kale or spinach leaves. Look at some of the pelleted fish food high in Spirulina as an alternative too.-Chuck>

Turtles Don't Eat  12/7/05
Hi, I have two red eared sliders. One is approximately two and the other one. Both have been acting out of sorts lately. The water temp is at 80 F and they have a basking area with a heat light. The tank is cleaned regularly and has a filter. Yet all of a sudden the turtles no longer swim at all. They won't eat anything and the little one makes weird sounds almost like those a kitten would make. The larger one has swollen eyes which I understand to be a vitamin deficiency and have now been treating with drops from the vet. I am very concerned about them and wonder what the problem could be. All they do is lay on the rock all day and night under the heat light and only move when I pick them up to make sure they are still living. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Tracey
< Cool the water down to room temperature. Check the temperature of the basking spot. I would keep the water no warmer than 70 and make sure that the basking spot is up to 85 F. They probably have a respiratory infection that may require the attention of a vet. Give Eye drops by Zoomed on the eyes if they close and keep up on the vitamins.-Chuck> 

Little Turtle Eating Too Much  8/27/05
Hey, I'm a first time turtle owner and I've had my RES for about 2 months now.
He threw up twice in the past week.  I was wondering if could be because
he's sick or over fed?  He's been acting normal.  He begs for food A LOT so I'm
always dropping a stick or two for him.  Also, I know that when they bask it
helps with digestion and I've noticed too that this week he hasn't been basking
he's too busy begging for food.  Could that be the cause of him throwing up?  
Thanks for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.
< Your little guy has you well trained. They would eat 24/7 if you fed them, and to make room they throw up so you can keep feeding them. Cut back on the food and try to vary their diet with other things.-Chuck>

Turtle Won't Eat 8/20/05
Bob,
<Chuck Here>
How long can a small turtle go with out eating?
< Not too long depending on the temperature>
I have a small slider and  he has not eaten in over a month. I take him out in the sun/shade every day his water is clean and filtered he has a basking light when
he's inside he's active but he will not eat I have tried everything  
from turtle food to apples, lettuce, treats it breaks my heart. I have
called every vet in this area but only one takes care of turtles and
they are gone for another month. What else can I do? Thank You,
Janet Makinen
<Little turtles need more protein for their little bodies to grow. If you turtle is truly active and healthy then try small earthworms, mealworms, or crickets. Once he is eating you can introduce the other stuff.-Chuck>

Turtle Still Won't Eat 8/22/05
Chuck, Thanks. I live in a really small town with very few pet stores but did
fine one that had crickets they were kind of big but I got a  few anyway
and some mealworms keeping my fingers crossed he doesn't seem interested
in either but I'm praying. I live in Florida and the soil where I live
is very sandy I looked for worms but found nothing but scorpions under
the stuff I turned over. YIKES!!
I just don't understand what's wrong with him. We have one vet who
deals with reptiles but she's out of town for about a month. I can't
tell if he's sick, he's active when he's in the sun *sigh* thanks for
all your help.  I'll let you know what happens to him. again thanks
Janet
< Increase the temperature of the water in the tank and the basking spot. Water temp to about 80F and the basking spot up to 100F should help.-Chuck>

Young Red Eared Sliders
Hey Pufferpunk,
<You've got Gage tonight>
I would like to ask, why doesn't my RES eat anything.
<My guess is they are cold.>
I got a new heating pad as well as a rock which they can go under and over; however, my only problem is that they are not eating anything [five days and counting].
<What is the temperature in the tank?  A heating pad may not be enough, they are also hard to regulate.  78degrees would be good.>
I fed the turtles the turtle sticks, some lettuce, and ham [which is diluted so that its not really salty]. How can I make them eat?
<I'd leave the ham out of the diet, depending upon their size, try some night crawlers (cut up if needed), wax worms, small crickets, and the turtle sticks.>
They are just baby RES' so how often should they eat?
<Every couple days at least, they are young and growing.>
They seems to swim around some but when I just put food in front of them, they don't eat it.
<Make sure your water is warm enough and try some worms, everyone loves worms.  Best Regards, Gage>
Thanks, John      

Red Eared Slider Feeding
Hello: I have a 1 year old red eared slider that's about 3 inches long.  Currently I have him in a 20 Long Fish tank with the water level two-thirds full.  I'm keeping the water temperature at 78 degrees.  Is this correct?  I'm feeding him moist cat food now (salmon flavor -- which he's crazy about -- more so than the ZooMed products) and his poop is a very dark green.  Is that what his poop should look like?  Previously, he was eating ZooMed Can-O-Worms, Mini Crickets, and Earth Worms and his poop was a lighter color and it looked like mini sausage links.  I changed the food for variety purposes and cost (Can-O-Products costs $5-$8/can and the cat food is .39 cents a can).  The tank has a 18 inch 3% UV / UVB light that's on from 7AM - 11PM.  Also, the tank has a terrace with ramp and a lower submerged level that I built.
Brian
<Hey Brian, everything sounds good except for the cat food, if you are going to use it, it should be a very small part of his diet.  I would pick up some floating turtle sticks to use as a staple, and feed worms and crickets for variety.  He will need a larger enclosure as he grows.  Keep up the good work, check here for more info, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm
Best Regards, Gage>

Feeding Young Red Eared Sliders
O hey Gage, should I go out in my backyard and try and find an earthworm, wash it off with plenty of water [and soap?], and feed it to the turtles?
<Worms from the yard will work, rinse with water, no soap.  You can also get them from the bait shop, if the turtles are really small you can use blood worms sold in the frozen fish food section, just thaw them out before feeding.>
Does the worm have to be dead when I feed it or do they like it wiggling around in the water?
<Wiggling.>
My brother said that one of the smaller turtles ate something but the other one didn't. Since one is starting to nibble at things; shouldn't the other do the same? I mean, I don't want one of them to eat and the other one starving when I think that its just not ready yet. Also, is it true that babies don't eat when they are born for awhile until their egg sac goes away or something? If so, how long do you need to wait until they do start eating? Thanks For Your Help John
<Whoa, I did not realize they were that young.  I am not sure about the egg sac, I imagine they would absorb it after hatching, but I do not know the time period, and do not have any books handy here at work.  I would recommend purchasing or getting a book from a local library that goes over breeding and rearing hatchling turtles if yours are that young.  Water Quality and temperature are going to be important in raising your turtles up.  You should also find a good reptile vet in your area and have them checked out, especially if they do not start eating soon.  If they have recently been moved to a new tank it could take them a few days to settle down and get adjusted.  There is a good care sheet for sliders located here
http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
I may have already sent that, not sure.  Best Regards -Gage>

My Red Eared Sliders
Hi,
I bought two RES for my son for Christmas one of them is doing fine and seems to be growing normally. The other my favorite is not growing he is still the same size as he was when I got him and today I noticed that he seems to be off balance he keeps flipping backwards and swimming in circles I have looked him over for injuries and have found none, his eyes look fine the only thing I have done different is I got them some krill said it was high protein. If you could give some advice I would appreciate it. I know of no reptile vets in my area. Thanks Sandra
< You don't want to give them a diet too high in protein or else they grow faster than their shell. This leads to a distorted shell that never really looks the same. I would isolate the smaller turtle into his own tank. Makes sure. If he still has a good appetite then I would give him some live food such as mealworms, earthworms and crickets. Make sure to give him a warm dry area to bask. A heat lamp with a full spectrum bulb is recommended. Usually high heat will take care of most of the parasites that affect turtles. Make sure to keep up on the maintenance and keep their tank clean.-Chuck>

Baby RES not eating 07.04.05
Thanks for the advice! I did get a filter although I did not get a heater  
for the water yet...but I have one other question. My baby R.E.S. won't eat now!  
It has been 3 days and I haven't seen him eat a bite yet. Is this normal? Get
back  A.S.A.P. THANKS
<I missed the previous email but cold water will definitely slow metabolism and discourage your turtle from eating.  What's your water temperature?  What foods are you offering?-Gage>

Turtle on a Fast 7/9/05
Baby RES not eating 07.04.05 Thanks for the advice! I did get a  filter although I did not get a heater for the water yet...but I have  one other question. My baby R.E.S. won't eat
now! It has been 3 days  and I haven't seen him eat a bite yet. Is this normal?
Get back   A.S.A.P. THANKS
< Heat is the key to a turtle's metabolism since they are cold blooded. The warmer they are kept, the more energy they burn and the more food they require. If the water is too cool or they don't have a hot spot to bask then they simply won't eat.  If it is too cool then the food would be rotting in your turtles gut and that may kill him.-Chuck>

Red Eared Sliders Not Eating 7/19/05
I have two baby RES. One female and one male.
< You cannot tell the sex on baby red eared sliders until they are around 4 inches in length. At this size I wouldn't really call them babies.>
The female seems to be more aggressive then the male. But that's not the problem. The problem
is that the turtles have not yet eaten yet. I've had them for 3 days
now and they haven't eaten. I've tried baby floating pellets and bits
of raw ham. Is this normal for them? And the male seems to spend most
of his time under water. He goes up when he's under the light though.
Is that also normal?
< If you are truly referring to baby red eared sliders then the are pretty small at around one inch. Look at the belly and see if they still have an egg spot on the bottom of the shell. If they are really this small then they just got done absorbing their egg sac and really shouldn't have been sold yet. We have gotten letters from people impulse buying baby turtles at swap meets and then trying to figure out how to take care of them after they get them home. Keep the water clean and give them a basking spot out of the water where they can heat up under a plant light or some natural direct light. Try feeding them small washed earthworms. That will usually get them going.-Chuck>

Red ear sliders
Yes I bought two red eared sliders Saturday dec.14, they're both about the size of a Half dollar, I'm curious about how much I feed them, how many times I feed them a day and the longest I should leave my black light on for them? I appreciate you reading my questions. thank you, Mark
<Hey Mark, with sliders this small I would feed them small amounts 2 to 3 times per day.  You do not want left over food in the tank.  If you have your water heated I would leave the backlight on all day so they can bask, and turn it off at night.  If you water is not heated, I would get a heater.  There is a ton of info on the web about these turtles, I would use Google.com and search for red eared slider care sheets, you should find tons of info. Here is something to get you started http://www.tortoise.org/general/watcare.html  Best Regards,  Gage>

Re: Red ear slider
Thanks again so far they haven't eaten at all today what do you recommend, to get them to feed, I read that during this time they really don't want to eat.
<during what time?  the winter?  adult turtles would refuse food if you dropped their temperature enough and they felt the need to hibernate.  I would not do this with youngans, they will most likely die.  Make sure there water is heated to around 76f or above.  Try offering live worms, feeder guppies, frozen beef heart, and turtle sticks/pellets.  Best Regards, Gage>
Thanks again.

Aquatic Turtle Care
I have 2 yellow bellied sliders.  I am contemplating putting them in an outdoor pond.  We live near the Virginia coast and I wonder How to set up this pond (supplies, plants, etc.).   Also, can they stay out there year around?
<I do not keep my turtle outside because of the predators, but outdoors is definitely best for them if you can meet all of their requirements.  The link below is to an article on ponds for turtles, it should be a good place to start.
http://www.tortoise.org/general/pondmak.html>
What kind of plants do I have to have in order to make a outside pen for them?
<most pond plants should be fine>
And what kind of foods do they eat beside night crawlers and lettuces? And where do I find powder vitamins and calcium's to sprinkle on their foods?
<Here is a good article on feeding aquatic turtles
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/aquaticdiet.htm
If you have a local reptile shop you can get the vitamins from them, or from an etailer like our wonderful sponsor http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ Best Regards, Gage>
  Thanks  Julia Rk

Winter and Red Eared Slider
I really need to know if I can leave my red eared sliders out side in the winter or not. I have a little pond outside that they can live in. I have a heater for the pond so it won't freeze.   I keep gold fish in it and they stay alive.  I have it all fenced in so they can't get hurt by any animals. They also have land to go onto so they can be on land if they need to.  please help
<It really depends on where you live.  If it gets cold enough they should bury themselves at the bottom of your pond and go into hibernation.  I personally would move them inside, I have never hibernated a turtle or tortoise and if I were going to try it I would like to be in control of the conditions.  Check out the links below to help with your decision.  Best Regards, Gage
http://www.anapsid.org/hibernation.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Refrigerator.htm  >

Turtle Feeding
Hi, I just got a pair of hatchling yellow bellied sliders about a week and a half ago.  They are about 1 and 1/2 inch in length.  I am feeding them Zoo Med's Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food about once a day and they don't seem to be eating.  This is what the man I bought them from suggested I feed them.  On the first day I got them I fed them and they seemed to eat a little bit but now I don't ever see them eat the food.  I have tried removing them from their habitat and putting them in their own separate containers with the food for about an hour an still nothing.  Do you think it is just me or do I have a problem?  Please let me know.   Thanks!
~ Jenn
<Hi Jenn, I would give them a chance to adjust to their new surroundings and offer a variety of foods, make sure their temperature is warm. Check out the link below, for similar issues, I am sure they will come around.  Best Regards, Gage
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/sliderfaqs.htm >

Turtle Food 1/11/04
WWM Crew.
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Please can you tell me the best food for my turtles I have 1 painted (2 months) old and 2 yellow bellies (3 months).
I live in the UK and food seems to be frozen bloodworms, frozen daphnia and frozen turtle food.
I would like to give them a good diet.
<I have an African Sideneck, Asian map & soft-shell turtle (in addition to 6 box turtles).  They eat cut-up pieces of fish, squid, shrimp, turtle & cichlid pellets, earthworms & crickets.  Make sure to use reptile vitamins w/calcium on their food, at least 1x/week.>  
Thank you for your time.  Damon
<You're welcome--Pufferpunk>

Turtle Hunger Strike
My public library children's area recently received a pair of yellow-bellied slider turtles.  They're about three years old.  The family that donated them kept them in a ten gallon tank with only about two inches of water and some gravel -- no light, no space to swim, nothing.  Their diet -- apparently the only thing that worked for them -- consisted of Tetrafauna Reptomin pellet food.  According to the family, they ate well and always got excited about their food.
We immediately filled the tank more than half full, set up a heat lamp, provided them with a dry perch, etc.    The turtles seem to love their new space and take periodic laps around the tank.  They did lots of exploring the first day, and now have picked their favorite spot on a partially submerged rock.  But after a week here, they still have not touched their food.  We're planning to introduce meat, earthworms, etc., into the their diet, and hope that will help.  But if it doesn't, what's up?  are they just traumatized by their recent move?  Again, they reportedly ate very well before.  Please advise.  Thanks!
Catherine E. Threadgill
Children's Services
Charleston County Public Library
68 Calhoun Street
Charleston, SC  29401 >>>Hello Catherine,
It's likely that you're just witnessing the effects of acclimation. Give them a few more days, and I'm sure they'll begin eating. Try to avoid disturbing them during this time if possible, as the added anxiety will prolong the fast.
Good luck
Jim<<<

Sad Turtle  12/1/04
Hello, again.  
<Hi, it's Pufferpunk here again>
We upgraded to a 20 gallon aquarium with
mulch and a big bowl for swimming, etc., and she
absolutely loves it, but she still won't eat.  I did
the mixture you said and she turned her nose up at it.
<Have you tried warming her up in her bowl (with warm water) before offering her food?  also, they seem to be attracts to red foods, especially earthworms).  
After two days of not eating I started to worry and
gave her some apple which she gladly accepted,
<Red foods, see?>
but even the fruit she eats only bite sized amounts (to
you or me) a day.  I've tried feeding her 2 or 3 times
a day-giving her a fresh piece of something
different-but she barely eats.  Are there any vitamin
drops that I can drop on the food I give her to keep
her healthy?  Or should I consider carrying her to a
vet?  
<I don't think a vet is necessary.  Turtles will try to hibernate in the winter. Try to keep her warm & keep offering her lots of variety, to find out what her favorite foods are.  You can buy good reptile vitamins form a pet shop.  Also, adding cod-liver oil to her food & rubbing it on her shell & legs is very good for her.  ~PP>
Thanks for all your help.
Jenni

Box Turtle Care & Feeding  11/21/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
This may be normal behavior, or I may have been misinformed on care.  I have a box turtle-about 1.5 years old.  She is in a 10 gallon aquarium w/sand or aquarium gravel on the bottom, about 2 inches of water and about 10 1 inch-ish rocks scattered about for basking.  There is also a fake plant and a decorative rock in there with her.  My problem is that she seems almost sad.  She always hides under the plant, doesn't eat very well-refuses to eat the pellets they gave me at the stores and is partial to iceberg lettuce and any fruit.  She has done really well today, but I'm worried she may be lonely.  (A friend found the baby nest in a river behind his house, gave some away when old enough and returned the rest where they were found).  My brother got her, or I would have asked for 2 lol.  I was wondering a few things 1) Am I caring for her properly 2) Would it be a good idea to get her a "buddy" 3) If so, what kind of turtles get along well with box turtles?
Any advice would be wonderful, and I apologize if I re-asked a question, I'm not a good skimmer.
<1st thing, I must ask you to please use proper capitalization in your letters.  These go to our FAQs & I have to fix them myself, before sending it.  That takes away from time I could be answering other questions.  If you do really have a box turtle (high arched shell, brown in color, locally caught ones usually have 3 back toes), then it is a land animal, not water.  It will need a container large enough to soak in for water, but mostly a dry area to hang out in.  I use cypress mulch about 3" thick, so it can bury itself, if they wish.  It will need a 20g long tank, so you can have one cool end (with the water bowl) & a warm end (with a reflector lamp above).  You need to change the water as soon as it gets dirty, as this will also be it's drinking water.  It will also like a cave to hide in (a large shoebox with one side cut out will do).  There is prepared box turtle foods made, but it can get expensive.  When wild box turtles have been dissected, they found mostly earthworms in their stomach, so that should be #1 on their list.  Usually I mix up some frozen mixed veggies, & diced fruit, mushrooms & canned dog food.  If you haunt your local grocery, you can sometimes see them taking old, soft fruit off the shelves.  Ask them if you can have it.  Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value, as  it is mostly water.  The greener the better.  You can make up larger amounts & put into small 1/2 cup portions & freeze, to feed later.  Also, find a good reptile vitamin to "salt" it's food with.  If you want more turtles, you will need 20g/turtle.  I'd stick with only box turtles as companions, but they really don't care if they live alone.  
Here are some good sites on turtles:
http://www.turtletimes.com/  http://www.turtletimes.com/market/index_store.htm  
Good luck & enjoy your turtle--it will live for around 30 years if you take good care of it!  ~PP (My name is Jeni too!)>
Thanks again, Jenni

Is It a Chicken, or a Turtle? No! It's the Eastern Chicken Turtle
Hi I've just recently brought an eastern long neck turtle.  It's about 2 years old.  I was just wondering how much food and what food is the best to feed him.
< You probably are referring to an Eastern Chicken turtle. This is an aquatic turtle that does well on meal worms, earthworms, crickets, king worms, trout chow, fish and commercially available turtle food. A varied diet is best. Feed him once a day so that most of it is gone after a couple minutes. As the weather warms up then his metabolism will increase and he will need to be fed a little more and maybe a couple times a day.-Chuck> 

Turtle Feeding
Hi, It's Ben again. I hope you got my last e-mail. I forgot to ask you one of the most important questions of all. As I have said I have two 5 month old yellow bellied turtles and I feed them about 100 1/4inch sticks between the two of them once every second night. Is this enough because I have my doubts. Yours sincerely Ben Thanks for your time
< I would rather see you feed them 50 pellets every day instead. Little turtles always act hungry so their behavior is not that unusual. Mix in some fresh food every one in a while like crickets, mealworms and earthworms too.-Chuck>

New Turtle Pet
Hey, My brother found a turtle going down the road the other day. It is about 4 inches across and 4 1/2 long. It never goes in its shell and I don't know what is wrong with it, it never eats . I don't know what to feed it either. I tried lettuce. It has little pockets of air it seems like above its back legs. If you have any clue what could be wrong please email me
back. Amanda
< Go back to the WWM Homepage and type in turtle under the Google search. There you will find lots of info on turtles. Your turtle sounds like the fat deposits on its back legs indicate that it has been eating well and is actually in pretty good shape.-Chuck> 

Turtle Won't Eat Anymore
Hi, We have an Eastern Painted turtle (Turtiss is her name). We think she is between 3-4 years old. She used to eat meal worms (as many as possible) and now she won't eat much at all. We bought a 30 gallon aquarium for her when we got her along with a deck for her to bask in. She used to eat some fish flakes and lettuce, but she really won't eat much of anything. Do you have any ideas as to why her appetite has changed so much? Karen Sennott
< Turtles need a good amount of heat on their basking spot to help digest their food. Without enough heat the food sits in the gut and rots. Not good. Check the temperature of the basking spot with a thermometer. It should at least be 90 to 100 degrees on the spot itself. If it is lower than that you need to get a bigger light source or move the existing heat source closer to the spot. A few days of warming up should help get things moving.-Chuck>