Urgent Care :: Puzzled by my RES Hatchlings

[The Fluffy Injun]

Greetings All, I have been searching the web for a forum that seemed suitiable for me to park and read. I have read a few similar post about my issue but none have my same conditions.

I have 2 hatchling Red Ear Sliders that are about the size of a 50 cent piece maybe a little smaller. I have had them for three days. I purchased them online and it originally came with three but one did not make the journey due to an error on the shippers end (that has been taking care of with excellent service.) They were pretty chilled when they arrived so I put them under the basking area to help bring them up from the cold. The first day they swam and seemed very happy with everything but around night time they climbed up onto the basking rock and just have been sleeping on and off ever since. One will venture into the water and sleep but my other one rarely has gone for a dip, so much so that his little eye gets dry and he can't open it (I have been dipping his head in to help him keep it open and it has no puss or crust on it.) There water is at 75 degrees F according to my thermometer, I have a heater in there. The tank is a 20 gallon and is half full. I have the little water fall setup thing. I haven't used water conditioner because we have well water and we do not use chlorine of any type. I have a filter. The basking area is between 80-90 degrees f depending on where they are at. I have a 50 watt bulb for the basking area, which they have no trouble getting too. I have a UVB light and a Heat light over the water area. I have been trying to feed them pellets, baby shrimp, and the little brown food that they came with and have seen one eat (I woke them up to put them in the water and one decided to explore and finally found the food)

Is there something I am missing? I realize they are babies but do they really sleep that much and I am just over reacting. I did see one poop and I couldn't tell you if it was normal or not because I don't know, look like a fish poop to me. They have literally been asleep more than awake now and when i got them they zoomed all over the tank. I am just worried and don't want to have to explain to my son about turtle heaven yet plus I am really freaking attached to these little things already.

Thanks so much for the help and I hope someone knows what I can do to get these guys happy.

[The Fluffy Injun]

I forgot to mention, I also have a small fan (From a computer Power unit that I ripped out and put in the tank, out of reach of the turtles (there is no way they can even get near it)) that I run off and on to create a nice breeze and air flow.

[steve]

I would bump up the water temperatures a bit to 80F. They should be active during the day when they're not basking... I would try to entice them with some live feeder fish. If there is one that is not eating, then it's very possible that the other will take his food. If that's the case, you should leave the more reluctant turtle in the tank and take the other one out during feeding time.

[The Fluffy Injun]

What kind of feeder fish these things are little, so I'm not sure. I mean it takes the one a second or two to figure out how to get the mini pellets down

[Gurgi's Mom]

Do you have any fake plants that they can grab on to? When they are that small, I've found deeper water freaks them out. Try to lower the water, and slowly increase it as they get use to new home.

[steve]

Guppies and rosy red minnows. If interested, a RES can easily rip into them. In fact, it might even be necessary to hold it's tail and let it wiggle in front of your turtles's face.

[The Fluffy Injun]

UPDATE: I have bumped the temperature of the water up to 80 F. I put a sulfa-stone in there as well. My one is doing really well. Woody Swims, hides, and eats (I still have to wake him up occasionally to swim and eat) the other Buzz still worries me ( I have never seen him eat and I have to put him in the water to even get a drink). I leave the food in there just in case he eats while i sleep. The food does disappear but i am unsure if it's the other turtle or the guppies. I found that he (buzz) has a bump on his neck at the base of his red mark. It almost looks like there is a small pebble stuck in it. I searched online and from what I found people say to use peroxide on it and allow him a half hour in the sunshine. I have been doing this but I wanted to check here. Also Buzz does perk up once he had a little real sun. I also put in three fancy tail guppies (1 male, 2 females) one is currently pregnant. I am hoping the fry will intice them to eat. thanks again for all the help.

[ljapa]

Does that bump look like the one here

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=34460

If so, it may be an abscess and require help from a vet.

[The Fluffy Injun]

No, I'll try to get a picture in the morning.

[steve]

I'd separate them until this is sorted out.

[The Fluffy Injun]

Here are two pictures. I just noticed these. Trying to get the neck but he is surprisingly active at the moment being nippy which I am really excited about.

[The Fluffy Injun]

Hopefully this works! Sorry I'm on my phone. I also gave him a warm salt bath and he really perked up.

[The Fluffy Injun]

I just checked the other one two. They both have these tan looking bump things. Doesn't look like any of the white fungus things I read about more like a black head if you will. They are hard and not squishy is thins normal? I have no clue what it could be and it's really hard to describe. The bumps on the arm are the same ones I'm talking about.

[Pam]

You mentioned having a small fan for air flow. You don't want to have a draft for turtles. It can cause respiratory infections. Thought you would want to know.

[steve]

Were you able to separate them?