Feeding and Nutrition :: New rescued Turtle won't eat

[WendyByTheBay]

Hi everybody!!

Normally I never get a new kind of pet before I read everything on it, but it was one of those situations that just happened.

I went to a family members house this Thanksgiving and the kids were throwing something around in the yard then came inside and threw it in the tank. The kids announced they just lost the other one. I went to go see what was in the tank and it happened to be a very small RES. I was horrified. My sis in law said "Well take it if you care that much." She also told me she hasn't fed it in weeks.

I can't get the poor thing to eat. I have a heater in the tank and the water is about 80 degrees. It is quite active now. It likes to sit on the rock under the light and swims a lot. I tried the pellets and some of the veggies that was suggested on another thread on this board. I called my sis in law and she said it used to eat a lot but it's been a real long time since see remembers feeding it. I know it's gotta be hungry.....

So far everything seem good except I feel like it's been way to long since it ate something......

[Arisu]

exactly how long as it been since you had it? that story horrified me. actually, it just made me kinda sad. but most RES are treated this way if I was there I would've went outside and looked for the "missing" one too

you could try soaking the pellets in some kind of tasty juice (tuna is a frequently used one) and see if you have any luck

what did your sister in law used to feed it? hatchlings are highly carnivorous. try stuff like dried krill or boiled chicken/shrimp. pretty much anything to get his appetite going again.

[blackforces get you]

its actually understandable. i mean, well, the turtle isnt customed to the food, must have been found sick. and its always good to give a 2nd shot!. keep trying to feed and if it doesnt work, its best get sent to a vet

[BullDog]

Good for you for getting him out of a bad situation

Give him at least a week for him to get used to his new surroundings. Keep trying the pellets and veggies though! After a week, as others have suggested, you can try him with tuna juice or some sort of fish.

If you haven't already, have a read through the main site so you can be prepared to care for your new res

[WendyByTheBay]

I got it Thanksgiving day which was the 27th, so I've had him for just a few days. The whole thing was pretty horrifying in my opinion too and we searched the whole yard for the other with no luck. Her whole attitude was "well, I bought them for the kids at the flea market, they're just flea market turtles." I just don't understand some people....

I am feeding him the same food she used to feed him. I wasn't sure if I should try something new or not. I didn't know if they were like dogs or cats about food changes, lol. I'll try that with soaking the food, boiled chicken and krill.

I have been looking through this board and man, I am overwhelmed by the wealth of info here. I guess I am getting a crash course in turtle care. There is much to learn.....

Thanks so much for ya'lls replies!!!

[steve]

There is a bit of info, but we'll help you sort it out. It gets much easier once you get the basics down. In the meantime, make sure the water is around 80F, the turtle gets plenty of privacy and you can try new foods anytime.

www.redearslider.com/entice_eating.html

[queenjane]

Thank you so much for rescuing that turtle. That just makes me sick.

I'm having a similar problem with my 2inch turtle. I raised him from a hatchling after he fell in our pool. All he would eat was shrimp.

But Wendy, please, please be careful with the shrimp. Do NOT under any circumstances give in to his begging (Yes, RES are horrible beggers!). If you put him on an all-shrimp diet like I did with mine, he will experience severe health problems (like mine is!)

I'd recommend feeding him shrimp if he won't take the regular stuff only after a week. And if/when you do start with the Tetra Baby Shrimp (dried), I'd make sure that he gets other stuff. In fact, I probably wouldn't even feed him that shrimp every day, but alternate it with other stuff, and on the days he does get shrimp, I'd make sure it's only a minor amount so he doesn't get hooked on it. Always feed the shrimp with other foods.

[queenjane]

By the way, my Tank won't eat ReptoMin but WILL eat HBH brand "Turtle Bites."

Try those! And keep trying,.

[WendyByTheBay]

I just love my turtle!!! He eats now!!! I am so happy. I was soaking the pellets in tuna juice and the first day he ate them, then wouldn't eat anymore. So we got him another brand and he ate one stick each time we fed him. Then my dog somehow got to where we kept the turtle and fish food and ate it all, lol. So we went back out and got the Reptomin and he really seems to like that a lot. Never saw him get that excited about the other food, so I am hopeful with this brand.

He's so cute! He used to hide when we came up to the tank, now if we even walk near by, he gets all excited and will swim along the length of the tank just to see what we are doing. I can't wait to figure out if it's a boy or a girl, lol. I call him "The Little Brat" (in a loving way, of course) and my 5 year old calls him "Biscuit". I don't know why she named him that.

But yeah, he's showing signs that whatever life he had before will not affect him in his new life he has with us now. He will be a spoiled turtle:), like the rest of the pets we have living here already. I really like this board, I feel like I have learned so much in the week that I have had him!!! Thanks!!!

[megcornell]

I'm so glad to hear things have turned around and he's eating (and begging now). He's a lucky guy to have been rescued by you. My turtles have always eaten reptomin and they love it, I think it's one of the better balanced brands out there as well.

[WendyByTheBay]

Oh so he's really not wanting to see what we are doing??? He's begging for food???? LOL!! See that's why I will probably keep calling him brat, lol.

[RESnTX]

Glad to hear he's doing better and feeling more comfortable around you. Keep up the good work and don't spoil the lil "biscuit" too much. lol.