Feeding and Nutrition :: Hasn't eaten yet

[jenaero]

Leland hasn't eaten yet. I'm not really worried because of her size but I want her to get used to me. Crash will even bask when I'm in the room and she's first up for food but Leland hides in the bottom corner of the tank. I don't want to get into feeding them separately because that'll be a royal pain for a few reasons. I actually tried that while I was setting the tank up the other day and they both ignored the food. Every time I'm near the tank for feeding, Leland freaks out and takes off like I'm going to eat her and she won't come out til I'm gone. By then, Crash has eaten everything.

Ideas anyone?

[steve]

I'd go against the grain here and say that maybe Leland needs to see you more and you might want to interact with her more. Maybe hand offer some treats? A 10 year old captive female RES shouldn't be that timid (at least IMHO) but then again, I have always over-handled my RES.

Is it possible that Leland gets bullied by Crash?

[jenaero]

It's possible. I haven't seen it yet. Of course, the tanks aren't in my living room anymore either. I suppose I'll spy on them a bit and see if there's anything going on.

I wonder if it might have something to do with the care (or lack thereof) they've been receiving up to now. I can't pick either of them up without getting bit. And they have worn/jagged beaks so that doesn't help either.

I don't know if you've seen the pics in the gallery, steve, but there's one there of their old habitat...if you can call it that.

[cam722]

I was going to suggest the handfeeding too. I know I had one turtle that was extremely shy and would go flying off the basking area or hide when I came close to the tank, but he'd come over to me if I was hand feeding him. He's the one I gave to flutterby because he just seemed so stressed by being with the other turtle. He's opened up quite a bit and gets along fine with her other turtle. He's the one she used to put the food on the dock for so he'd have to get out of the water at some point, he's like a totally different turtle now

[ellman605]

lol, spying works alot here, my turtles dont notcie me if i happen to peek into the room, and according to my dad, they're fine basking when no one is in the room, i guess the basking thing has to do with it being more open and vunerable.

anyway, i think that their previous conditions might contribute to this problem, and if you cant get him to eat, give for one time, give him something that smells good, even if it isn't nutricious, it might get him to come and eat it from you. Thats my only idea, i wish you good luck!

[jenaero]

Well, I just went down to turn the lights off and Leland was unusually brave. She looked at me like she was waiting for food so I had to try. She must've gotten hungry enough that she didn't care to hide anymore. She ate probably 10 small pellets and accidentally ate some anacharis I noticed that Crash is definetly a bully at feeding time. Pushes Leland out of the way I just hope I never have to separate them...I have enough tanks already

[steve]

You could just separate them during feeding. I keep a separate "penalty box" around but lately my turts don't mind being fed in a container.