Hi! I recently acquired a new RES turtle from a friend who took very, very poor care of it. This turtle has spent the past couple years in about 3 inches of dirty water, in a dark tub with no light or basking area. Often not fed for days, and weeks/months between any water changes, if at all.
Basically he’s very malnourished, but is about 6 years old and 5 inches big. He looks relatively healthy, but he hasn’t eaten a single bit since i’ve took him in. He’s discovered he loves to bask and swim like crazy, and seems to be acting fine but i don’t know what else to try next.
I have a 40 gallon tank a little over half full, a 55 gallon filter, with a sizable basking area. I have a preset water heater and have been using water conditioner. I know my setup isn’t the best, but it’s a million times better than what he had. I get paid in 4 days and will buy him some more vegetation, better basking rock, and a uvb bulb.
I’ve read about carrot soaks, but have found solid advice on how or when to do them. I’m going to get him looked at by a vet soon, but like i said he seems relatively healthy and i truly can’t afford that for another week or two.
big is your turtle? 5-6 inches
How long have you had it? since tuesday (less than a week)
What is the water temperature? 79 degrees F
Did you use a thermometer? no
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? 20-25 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? yes, a 55 gallon filter
What is the basking temperature? unknown
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? large floating dock
Is there a UVB light? no, but will be on wednsday
What have you been trying to feed it? lettuce, strawberry leaves, 2 types of dried pellets, worms, dried shrimp and another type of moist, refridgerated shrimp.
When was the last time your turtle ate? unknown, but it’s been at least 4.5 days
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 40 gallon tank
Is the tank near a window? yes
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no
Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes and have been searching google/forums/facebook groups for days
Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? no
Thank you in advance for any help, it will all be greatly appreciated.