Urgent Care :: Help!

[sarah]

I just got a new turtle and need help!
Short background,
I got the turtle from my school, who's had her for three years. My teacher said she was caught wild but I am not certain that's true. She wasn't treated very well there. She wasn't feed at all on weekends and the heat was turned off on weekends. (Along with the lights)
I know she's better here, but she's sick.
My turtle won't eat and is only active when I pull her out to play with her.
She's ate one piece of "commercial" food in the last three days! Her shell color is very very dull and she is shedding slightly.
I know that the problem is mostly water temp. We don't have a heater for her, but I can't afford one for at least another week, possibly two!
What can I do until then?
Please help, I've posted on other sites and nobody will write back, I'm desperate.

[steve]

Water heaters are very inexpensive, you can also leave her in room that's around 80 degrees to help. Cold water reduces activity and appetite and you need to get the setup going. If you intend to keep her, then you have to expect that this will be a financial commitment, including veterinary costs.

[marisa]

If the ambient air in the room she's in is around 75F, that's what the water temp will be as well. Since the turtle isn't a hatchling and if the lack of eating is due to a water temp that was lower than that, the turtle should eat, especially if you try some stronger smelling foods to get him going (bits of tuna packed in water, boiled white chicken meat, etc.) But switch back to pellets and supplement with other foods (look at the info on this site) when your turtle is eating. During the day, the basking light will also warm up the water a bit (but turn it off at night). If your turtle's shell isn't in the best condition, besides proper diet, basking under the correct lighting will also help improve it. Get a UVB light and use it along with the basking light (which can be a regular light bulb).

If you just got the turtle, keep in mind that he's still adjusting to new surroundings and this may also be contnributing to the lack of appetite.

[sarah]

We are putting a 60 watt bulb above her basking area, but can't determine how high up it needs to be from her. We only have a 10 gal. tank for the time being. We are also going to move her to my room because she is in the living room right now, which stays cooler. I'm going to buy her a heater once I get the chance though!
I don't know that the enviornment has much to do with it, when I pull her out she is very active but still won't eat (because she is not in water I would have to guess)
Thanks for the help

[TexasJagsFan]

Place the bulb, 6-8 inches about the basking dock. Or place it where the dock maintains atleast 10 degrees warmer then the water.

[sarah]

Thanks, I did! Bobbi opened her eyes and is moving a little, which is a start. She is still just sitting in the heat, I guess she has to get warm though.
This will help her to start eatting right?

[TexasJagsFan]

I don't know, it might. Like Marisa said, try some smelly foods to get her started.

Your turtle's shell is probably dull because she is an adult. When they become an adult, their shell is a combination of black, some yellow and a couple other colors.

[sarah]

hm..lol I know nothing apparently.
Everyone says something different....
Oh well...I'll figure it out.
Just tuna....cold?

[steve]

here is a basic and printable guide... http://www.redearslider.com/res-guide.pdf

I'm not sure what everyone else is saying, but we're pretty consistent here. You should avoid feeding cold foods (especially frozen), let it warm to room temperature.

[steve]

Bobbi is only 3" at at least 3 years old?

[sarah]

Yes.
I talked to a vet who said Bobbi is entirely to small and was obviously treated bad before I got her. (I've only had her since Friday)
He said to just try the light for 12 hours a day (tomorrow I am going to get a UV lamp and price a heater)
The doctor said that it seems like I may have an "anorexic" turtle... and there may not be anything else I can do.
She is so much more active, and I just put the light in there a few hours ago.
Tomorrow I am getting earthworms as well, and I'll try to feed that to her. She wouldn't eat the tuna. I am going to keep trying though.
I was also told to put her water in a shallow dish so there isn't any water in the gravel, I don't know exactly what to use for that yet though. The dr. said the gravel will get moldy so I was thinking about trying mud instead....Is there a special mud to use though?
Anyway, Doctor said to try keeping her warm for now to make sure she isn't going into hibernation. Well see how that works.

[marisa]

Gravel??? Take out the gravel. If your turtle gets curious, s/he may be tempted to try to eat some, and there's the possibility of your turtle becoming impacted, which is dangerous and which will require immediate medical care. There's a fairly recent post in this forum about someone whose turtle sadly died from this. Get some river rocks that are larger than your turtle's head for the bottom. You don't need a lot, just some to make it more interesting and give him something to push around. Some people have bare-bottom tanks as well.

If a turtle starts to eat gravel, it's often a sign that the turtle is looking for more calcium in the diet. Providing some cuttlebone (the stuff for birds) for the turtle to nibble on would be a good secondary calcium supplement (take off the hard backing. My RES likes head-sized pieces.).

[steve]

Are you using a thermometer to measure the water and basking temperatures? It seems there are few things from your setup that may be missing and I am curious about the instructions you have received from your vet. What are the water depths, what are you using for a basking area?

Try some live foods like guppies or minnows, though you may have to hold the fish to her mouth to get her to eat.

[sarah]

Bobbi ate!!! One and a half pieces of "commercial" food. yay
We're going to try and get her to eat tuna here before to long (again)
Guess what the problem was!!?? Bobbi will only eat when she's under water! We added a UV 10 watt bulb and got rid of the 60 watt and we put more gravel and water and a stick on thermometer. The water temp. is 74-76...that's about it.
Bobbi has had gravel or whatever it's called, for the last three years...

[sonyj]

RES can not eat out of water. They have minimal saliva glands and a fixed tongue. Water is a must for RES both to eat with and to live in. The more water in their habitat the happier they will be. Be sure to fill the tank up with as much water as you can without room to escape. Many people use a floating basking area or one built to be on top of the water to allow the most use of tank space to be for swimming purposes.

Keep reading up on the site and just ask if you have any more questions. Glad she's eating.