Urgent Care :: This is Regarding BABY red-ear sliders! I am a new owner!

[anniegege2000]

i recieved 2 baby red-ear sliders as pets. and they are breathing really weird. and they don't really eat. the tmperature is about 68 degrees. shouldn't that be ok? the tank is pretty small and its mostly water and rocks. and they sleep alot. and don't eat.
they breath weird. like their neck expands out. are they ok?

[megcornell]

No, your turtles are not OK, unfortunately.
Baby turtles need warm water, around 78 degrees. In your case, because they are ill, it should be around 80-82F.
It sounds like their habitat is not appropriate. Turtles need heaters, filters, basking lights, and a basking area as a bare minimum. Take a look at the main site to see how to properly care for turtles and change their set up ASAP.

The longer they are cold, the worse their chances are. So getting a good water temperature should be your first priority.

The labored breathing means they already probably have respiratory infections. Start looking in your area for a good herp vet to take them to. They'll need antibiotics to get over their illnesses.

Good luck!

[ilikeadabox]

You DEFINITELY need a heater their water should be around 80 degrees, sometimes baby's don't want to eat, just be consistent and offer veggies. Listen closely for sneezing and whatnot because they might have a RI (Respiratory Infection) good Luck w/ your baby's!

P.S. If the rocks are small enough to eat remove them and you should consider an upgrade as you are supposed to have 10 gallons of water per shell length so 2 2" Sliders should be housed in a minimum 40 Gallon tank!
P.S.S. You need a basking area, a heat lamp and a UVB bulb!

[anniegege2000]

i put the turtles next to some heat. i hope that will make them feel better!

[Arisu]

hi, welcome.
I'm sorry to say this, but unless you can provide your red ear sliders an adequate habitat, you shouldn't expect healthy turtles. unfortunately, red ear sliders and other turtles are very specific when it comes to caring for them. unlike dogs, turtles aren't highly adaptive to their surroundings and require extra measures in order mimic an environment in which they can thrive.

good luck with the turtles

[anniegege2000]

can a basking area be a big rock? my turtles still aren't eating. is it because the water is cold. i am going to get a heater tomorrow. along with a larger tank. the pet store owner game me a cheap little tank, about the size of half a cereal box. i want to solve the eating problem pleeeeaasseee hhheeellp!

[steve]

I agree with Arisu, you need to work on the setup ASAP. Get the water temps around 80F (make sure you have a water heater) and look into the entice eating options.
www.redearslider.com/entice_eating.html

Have you read over these pages?
www.redearslider.com/hatchling_tips.html

www.redearslider.com/startup.html

[megcornell]

Until the water is warm enough, the turtles won't have enough energy to eat. That's why getting them at the right temperature is the most important thing you have to do.
That said, even once the water warms up, they may still be too sick to eat. You'll really need to look into a vet I think if things don't improve soon.

[briannashea]

pets given as gifts seems like a cute idea until you look into it - tell the giftgiver they owe you a few hundred dollars which is how much you will ultimately need to put toward a proper home for them, and with them in unsuitable conditions for a while now their veterinary care is going to cost you as well.

if you think about the 'worst' case scenario: if they both turn out to be females that means you have 2 turtles which can reach around a foot in length...and most turtles inevitably start fighting even if it's after years of living together. that'd mean you would need to separate them and get them each a tank. so you'd then need to get two 100+ gallon tanks/filters/heaters/heat lamps/UVB lamps/other accessories. it's a big responsibility...I doubt whoever gave them to you informed you of all their care requirements!!