Urgent Care :: Turtle not eating

[darksyed]

How big is your turtle? 4 in
How long have you had it? 1 week

What is the water temperature? 80 degrees
Are you using a water heater? no
How much water is in there? 1/3 of a 25 gallon tank
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? no

What is the basking temperature? dunno...i have a light
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? a rock- couple of rocks
Is there a UVB light? no, normal light

What have you been trying to feed it? turtle food pellets, carrots
When was the last time your turtle ate? never saw it ate

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? about 25 gallons
Is the tank near a window? yes
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? not really, my room

Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? all it does is sleep in the water, i see it in the rock, but its not active, it basically sleeps all day

my turtle is not eating...please help. is my turtle sick? if it is I need to take it to the store. thanks

[xsavingsaturdayx]

You need a UVB light in addition to a normal light bulb (UVA AKA: heat) And you also need a water heater to maintain a steady water temperature. The water temperature for your turtle is a bit too high, it shoudd be around in the mid 70's but since your turtle is sick, 80 degrees is alright for now.

Your turtle sounds sick, instead of taking it back to the store I would take it to a vet. I doubt the store would get the medical care that he or she needs. And it is realy, realy not fair to the animal, to just let it die and all..As a new pet owner it is YOUR responsibility to make sure the animal meets all of its requirements.

Read the main site for more info on UVB light (VERY IMPORTANT, WITHOUT ONE YOUR TURTLE CAN GET SHELL ROT WHICH IS A FATAL DISEASE) and what to feed, etc.

You can also try to dip the food in something smelly like tuna or cat food, the strong smell will probably make it eat. Also remember that the turtle is adjusting to its new home. Not eating is common in new turtles, but for more than a week it is not and lethargy is bad and death often follows it.

Good luck.

[SpotsMama]

Hi, sorry your turtle is having difficulties.

Here's some suggestions on enticing a turtle to eat:

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

Like xsavingsaturdayx said, it's possible your turtle is just adjusting to his new home. They are usually quite shy at first and it's not uncommon for them to take a while to start eating, but after awhile they need to get some calories.

I agree that you'd better take him to see a vet in case he needs antibiotics. Often at pet stores they are kept in poor conditions - not clean, too cold, too crowded, food not right - and when you get them home you find they've already picked up an infection.

Good luck. I hope he perks up in the next few days and, if not, that the vet can help. Keep us posted.

[RunninWideOpen]

Hello,

Welcome to the forum!

I agree that it would be a really good idea to get your new friend to a vet.

A week is a fairly long time not to eat, but turtles do sometimes take awhile to get used to their new habitat and start eating and acting normal. With only about 10 gallons of water though, a 4" turtle will hardly have any room to move around and won't be very active. A 4" turtle really needs a minimum of 40 gallons of water (10 gallons per inche of turtle), but you could do it some good just by raising the water level. Put as much water in the tank as possible without the possibility of the turtle being able to escape. Make sure it's still able to bask as well.

I got a brand new 55 gallon tank with filter and water heater for only $155 at Petsmart. I've also seen great deals on craigslist.com. If you look around you can probably find a good used tank for pretty cheap.

[DavidY]

A lot of people here have made some really nice looking setups using one of those Rubbermaid plastic storage tubs. You can get a 50gal one for around $10.

[marisa]

Welcome to the forum.

You bought your turtle at a petstore? How was the turtle behaving when you selected him (active, eyes clear, open and not swollen, for example).

If the water temp is 80F without a heater, it sounds like he's in a very warm room. What's the temp of the basking area?

If he's never eaten carrots at the petstore you bought him from, he might not eat them right away. What pellets are you feeding him? When you put them in the water he shows no interest in them?