Urgent Care :: Turtle isn't eating

[tagi]

Hi all,

My turtle stopped eating last week and it doesnt seem to show any other symptoms. It's basking and swimming normally. I haven't been observing him constnatly so its possible he might be swimming less but he doesn't appear sluggish. He doesnt make wheezing or other noises when breathing and is fairly alert. I'm not sure whats wrong. Any ideas would be great. Thanks

How big is your turtle? 5-6 incches
How long have you had it? 6 years

What is the water temperature? ~
Are you using a water heater? No
How much water is in there? ~25 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? No
Are you using any filtration? Yes

What is the basking temperature? ~85-90
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 Dock
Is there a UVB light? No

What have you been trying to feed it? Wardley Pellets
When was the last time your turtle ate? Last week

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 40 gallons
Is the tank near a window? Close but not right up against
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Moderate

Have you read the Basic Care section? No
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No

[xsavingsaturdayx]

First thing first, you need a water heater so that the water can stay at a stable temperature. And a thermometer so you can read the temperature, temperature plays a HUGE roll in a RES's health. RES often wont eat if the water is too cold, they can also get sick and die if not taken to a vet.

You also need a UVB light, UVB is VERY important. It helps with calcium and an overall good and healthy shell.

My advice, get a water heater and thermometer. And read through this whole site about RES care.

[SpotsMama]

I'm in agreement on the recommendation. A frequent cause of turtles not eating is water that's too cool. A water heater and a thermometer to monitor it would be helpful.

And the UVB light in addition to a heat light is necessity.

Here are some tips on how to entice a RES to eat:

http://www.redearslider.com/entice_eating.html

Your turtle seems kind of small to be six years old. Does he get anything to eat besides the Wardley pellets? That brand of pellet is not at the top of the list where quality and nuitrition is concerned, in fact it's near the bottom. Why don't you try a different brand, one of those that's highly recommended.

http://www.redearslider.com/pellets.html

Also, especially at his age, it's very important that he get vegetables in his diet.

http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html

And he needs a cuttlebone in his tank for added calcium and to keep his beak trim.

After you've done the reading, you'll probably have some more specific questions, so then just ask away.

You've done really well to bring your RES this far (6 years) so I know you care a lot about him. We're pulling for him to get better!

[tagi]

I do have more questions

1) Sadly, i've never introduced alternative foods to my RES. He's been eating strictly pellets (Sorry made a little mistake, i had wardley pellets but curretnly have reptomin. Not that it makes his limited diet that much better) Is there a way to get him to eat new food? He recognizes pellets fine but doesnt identify carrots, greens etc. as food. Would smell/movement alone be enough to entice him? If offering alternatives fails on the first few tries, what else can be done?

2) I've never used a heater and he's never had episodes of not eating. When I had him in a tank w/ gravel pilled up on one side, i remember that he'd sometimes burrow in the gravel and stay there for days on end. Presumably because of cold water? But since i reorganized his tank to having 80% water and a dock, he's been active and eats regularly. He looks fine physically but I keep expecting to see problems. Is there a way to is there a way to tell if his loss of appetite is a part of a more serious problem?

[SpotsMama]

One thing that caught my attention was your mention of gravel in the tank. Is it still there? Is there any conceivable way tha your turle could swallow a piece of gravel? Have you ever seen him eat gravel?

There are so many things that could cause loss of appetite. At this time of year and seeing as how you don't have a water heater, water that's too cold is the first thing that comes to mind. That also could have caused him to burrow into the gravel in an attempt to begin hibernation in the past. You really need to get a thermometer to check those temps. Maybe they are fine but you won't know for sure until you check.

Once you are sure the temp is ok, then you can look at ways to entice eating as per that link that I provided above. The fact that you're using reptomin pellets is good - they're very nuitritious BUT they don't provide everything a turtle needs. Try to entice him to eat his veggies too.

Your last question - is there a way to tell if his loss of appetite is part of a more serious problem? Loss of appetite that persists is a serious problem in and of itself. If it's more than just a day or two in a turtle that usually has a good appetite then it is worrisome. Are there any more symptoms of illness? Lethargy, swollen or irritated eyes, breathing with the mouth open, mucus around the nose.

If it were me and I was concerned I'd take him to a good vet. If he's ill his chances are much better if he gets attention sooner.

Keep us posted!

[tagi]

I got a UVB light and heater yesteday along with a bigger basking platform and aquatic fern. The water temp is currently set to 76 degrees. Do these changes take care of the lighting/water temp issues ok? If so, how long should I give him to get better?

I think it might be the lighting and heating issue because I recently switched him to a bigger tank where the lamp is further away from basking platform and water is cooler. He's basking a lot more than usual but so far thats the only other symptom.

Conserning gravel:
Yes the gravel is stillin the tank. I've seen him pick up piece of gravel with his mouth but never seen him eat it. But his head has only gotten big enough to actually swallow a piece recently. If he is impacted, what can be done? I know i should take him to a vet but...what would the vet do to get the rock out or take care of it?

Thanks for all the help!

[SpotsMama]

I'm glad to hear that you're regulating the temperatures now. I still think you need a thermometer to check them. There's no way to tell just by feel if they are right. You can get a very inexpensive thermometer in the fish section of the pet store. If you get a glass one, be sure not to leave it in the tank where your turtle can get it - they tend to bite them and it can break! Just leave it on the basking platform or in the water long enough to get a good reading then take it out.

The gravel really worries me. There have been a number of threads on here recently from people whose turtles have swallowed gravel. Not eating is usually the first symptom that's something wrong. Have you seen your turtle poop? If he's pooping, things are passing through normally but if he's not, I'd get him to the vet right away for an x-ray. If he's got gravel inside, the vet can give laxatives that may enable him to pass the gravel.

You should get that gravel out or the tank ASAP. It's a shame the people that sell turtles and turtle equipment don't warn people about the dangers of gravel.

[tagi]

I forgot to mention that I did get a thermometer too hehe. Draw back is its one of those stick on to the side ones so it might be off at times. Is that sufficient or should I get another just to make sure?

I confess, not sure exactly what turtle poo looks like. So I can't honestly say that I have or havent. I can say for sure that nasty green stuff thats not uneaten pellets builds up at the bottom of the tank.

He hasn't eaten yet... how much longer should I give him to adjust? The more I think about it the more worried I get. Still I want to make sure that I'm not seeing or making up symptoms just because I'm worried.

Thanks much!

[octpusgirl8]

You might as well get a digital thermometer, they're not expensive, i think mine was around $5 and they're much more accurate than the stick on kind. If you've ever seen guinea pig poop, turtle poop looks much the same, but mine's usually light brown or orangey if he's been eating carrots. They do tend to eat their poo so if you don't see it that doesn't necessarily mean he's not pooping. When you get rid of the gravel it will be easier to see it. Have you tried offering your turtle mealworms? I give them to mine once in a while as a treat and they are his favorite thing in the world. The smell kinda meaty and they're vaugely pellet shaped so i would think he's recognize it as food. Not to say that you should be feeding him mealworms all the time, just that this might be a way to get a bit of food into him. If he doesn't start to look better soon i would take him to a vet, whatever the problem is the sooner he begins treatment the better his chances are. I wish you and your turtle the best of luck!

[DavidY]

Well, you're going on a week now without your turtle eating anything. You should probably get him to a good herp vet asap. At least for a checkup and some peace of mind. If he has a serious problem, you don't want to wait until it's too late.

[SpotsMama]

I agree with DavidY. Get that turtle to a vet! Tell the vet about the gravel. Keep us posted.

[spin1078]

your turtle could have eaten gravel and it is impacted in its intestines. THis is not a good thing. Get it to a vet like all the others said. The water temp needs to be at least 78deg. My RES likes it around 80-82. Shes fairly young and from what I understand they like it a bit warmer than usual.

[tagi]

My turtle's eating again!

I confess that I didn't take him to the vet yet because he was getting visibly better. I waited for one more day and he behaved and ate normally this morning. I think it was the water quality issue.

Thanks for everyone's help!

[SpotsMama]

Good news!!