I am the brand new owner of a RES that my cousin gave me 2 days ago. She rescued him/her in October 2010 from some boys that were planning to kill him and has kept him in a bowl of tap water with a rock for him to sit on. I am not sure of his age, but he is only about 1.5 inches in length and is pretty active (he loves to swim and bask in the new tank that I got him!). I am concerned about the lack of an adequate habitat that he experienced for the 8 months that she took care of him. During that time he had no exposure to heat, UVA/UVB lighting, filtered water, not the proper water temp. I am also extremely concerned about the condition of his top shell (the bottom shell appears to be in good condition). Will the lack of UVB ray exposure and inadequate living conditions that he endured cause any long-term damage to him? Will he be able to recover once I establish the proper habitat for him? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
How big is your turtle? Approx. 1.5 inches in length
How long have you had it? 2 days
What is the water temperature? 78 degrees F
Did you use a thermometer? Yes
Are you using a water heater? Yes
How much water is in there? 4 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes
Are you using any filtration? Yes
What is the basking temperature? Not sure, I'm going to purchase a thermometer tomorrow ASAP!
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Turtle Landing Pad by All Living Things
Is there a UVB light? Not yet, I'm going to purchase one tomorrow ASAP!
What have you been trying to feed it? ReptoMin Floating Food Sticks
When was the last time your turtle ate? Yesterday about 2 p.m.
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 10 gallon glass aquarium
Is the tank near a window? No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Moderate activity
Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes
Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No
