Feeding and Nutrition :: head size?

[hcmg08]

I have a red eared slider turtle, hes arround 3 yrs old but still very small. and i keep hearing to feed him once a day only a "head size" what does that mean? I understand the concept, but im just alittle confused about it. I have been feeding him 3 times a day... 5 pellets in the morning...5 in the afternoon with 2 treats... and 5 pellets at night. Is that wrong? He eats them right up he never wastes his food... I want to make sure i am keeping him healthy and happy.

[megcornell]

Head size means feeding as many pellets as would fit into your RES' head if it were hollow. Don't include the neck in this measurement as then you'll be overfeeding.
Currently it sounds like your turtle is getting a lot of pellets, but still not growing. How big is he and what is his set up and diet like?

[hcmg08]

he has a 20 gallon tank with a filter a heater basking lamp and platform a log and some fake plants.. he was sick for a while and we didnt kno so i think thats why hes still so small. his shell is 2 1/2 inches tall and 2 in wide. i have been reading alot on him.. i just got him from a family member last summer and we didnt kno much about him and now that i have been reading im not sure if im doing the right thing for him.. he begs for food ALL the time..lol.. but now i know that he will over eat.. but another question i have is.. can i spread out his food for alittle here and alittle there or just dump it all in at once?... oh and he eats pellets (mini sticks) for his main food and treats are baby shirmp and mini krill..."reptomin"

[Daniel3507]

you can spread out the food or just dump it in. as long as you are not overfeeding. you should cut back the treats to once a month because they are so high in protein. too much protein can cause pyramiding which is not good for their health

[hcmg08]

thank you all very much for your advice.. if there are any tips to help me keep my 3yr old RES healthy, please share!! =)

[Daniel3507]

the best thing you can do is just not overfeed and have a proper set up.

[hcmg08]

this is my RES! hes my baby.. thats him in my pic under my name too... is he small for 3 yrs old?

[megcornell]

He's very small for a three year old. Turtles grow roughly 4 inches in their first year and an inch each year afterwards.
As you just got him, there's not really anything you can do to "make up" for the growing he didn't do. You can however give him a balanced diet and great set up to make him as healthy as possible.
When you say he was sick... did he have parasites? If so, that's why he's so small.

As for his set up, you should remove the gravel. Not only does it trap debris and lower the water quality but turtles love to eat it and it can become impacted in their bodies and kill them.
You sound like you're on track though with catching up on reading about turtle care. You can start adding veggies and cuttlebone to his diet to balance it. Look at the nutrition section to see what are some good veggies to feed.

[hcmg08]

thank you very much for all the advice!

[TheComputerGremlin]

Also, a 20 gallon tank is a tad on the small side, but even then, you want it filled up as much as you can, about 2 inches from the top.

[Daniel3507]

just make sure that they cant climb out. they are surprisingly good at that

[hcmg08]

I would like to say thank you again. everyone has been very helpful with all the questions i had. and thanks to all of you i will be able to take care of my RES with NO more mistakes!! =) so thank you all!!! i really do appreciate it.

[SpenceMasta]

remember to fill your tank to the top, just cause hes a small turtle doesnt mean his surroundings should be small and proportionate so he looks cute and happy in a tiny home, you'll find he will become more active and healthier in large amounts of water, also it actually stays cleaner for longer the more water you have

[TupacTheTurle]

take out the gravel tooo