Urgent Care :: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

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Post Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 3:52 am   My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

Hello everyone!
I have 2 Red eared sliders one male (Torti) and one female (Squirtle).
From past 4 days Torti has not been eating anything. I feed them once per day. I keep the basking lights on for 12 hours a day (i.e from 10am to 10pm) and I feed them in between 7pm to 8pm. Both of them are usually very excited whenever they realise that I am going to feed them. I give them bloody worms, carrots, capsicum and turtle food. I feed them bloody worms alternate days.
Apart from not eating Torti is basking a lot. He stays in the basking area until the lights are on. If I go too close to the aquarium he or open the lid to see him, he gets spooked and slides to water and swims to the darker part of the aquarium. Usually whenever I use to go near the aquarium he would slide of the basking and beg for food. Squirtle still begs for food everything she sees me around the aquarium. Past month Torti had even started doing that fluttering claws thingy.
My aquarium is 80 gallons and the water temperature is 78 F.
I did a water change 2 days back assuming that it was the water which was making him behave like that. Before the water change the water temperature was 84 F and because of that Torti would only stay underwater only with his head out of water now that the temperature is slightly decreased to 78 F he mostly stays in the basking. He swims perfectly and there is no sign of RI that I can see. His shell condition is good and his eyes are perfectly fine and no body part is swollen. He swims for maximum 2 min after I move away from the aquarium and then goes back to bask. At night after the lights are off he slides into the water and gets to his sleeping posture immediately which is very strange as he does not go to sleep so fast. Around 2 weeks back torti had eaten the aquarium sealent but he passed it out the next day and was eating properly even after that.
Usually Torti plays a lot with Squirlte but lately he is not doing any such thing. Squirtle had eaten some of her basking sponge and passed it out as well so I assume even Torti must have eaten it as he is around 10 times as naughty as Squirtle and Squirtle literally learns everything from Torti.
I have not seen Torti poop either from past 4 days.
I have no idea what needs to be done for him to start eating.
Squirtle is her usual self and plays around, begs for food, basks normally and swims a lot.

They both have been with me for a year now. Both their shell size is around 4 inches.

Kindly suggest me what needs to be done.

Tank size: 80 gallon
Water temperature: 78 F
Tank mates: 1) 2 suckermouth catfish. 2) 3 pairs iridescent sharks.
Filteration: Internal filter (cleaned weekly)
Shrest
 
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:45 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

Is Torti ignoring all food? Do you have other foods you can try? Might be a good idea to isolate Squirtle when you feed Torti.
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 11:00 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

I have tried blood worms, reptomin, carrots, cabbage and meal worms. Torti usually eats anything I feed him but blood worms are his favourite. I keep finely diced carrots on the basking and they chomp on them when they relaise it's there but Torti is not interested in any food from past few days. He just passes by them.
I removed Squirtle and tried feeding Torti so as to not stress Torti anymore but he still won't eat. Right now he has been swimming a bit from past 5 mins.
Is there a possibility that he is constipated?

Thank you for the reply...
Shrest
 
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 11:18 pm   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

It's possible he's constipated, but he would probably appear to be in distress. Without any more symptoms, I would just keep a close eye on him and maybe try some different treats (like live fish).
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Post Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 2:35 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

I have tried live fish before but my turtles just are not interested in fishes for some reason.
Is there any reason to be worried if he is not eating?

Edit: I saw Torti do the fluttering claws thingy today to Squirtle, Squirtle looked like she was scared of it and was striking her tail from her hind legs.
Today even Squirtle isn't eating her food.
I have no idea as to why are they behaving like this.
I am getting pretty worried as there is no herp vet near my place.
Shrest
 
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:57 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

One thing to consider is that if they continue to harass each other, you will need to separate them. Neither symptoms you mentioned are ones that I would think there is some sort of illness unless there are other symptoms or this goes on.
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steve
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 2:28 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

Alright....
But then this was the first time Squirtle getting scared from the fluttering claws, usually she just swims away and they always stay together without any kind of issues. They don't fight for food either.
The local store near by has got Tubifex worms (frozen cubes). Shall I try giving it to them?
I don't know if it's safe for them.
Shrest
 
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Post Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:08 pm   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

Worms could be a rare treat, but if you really want to entice him the live fish should do it. Maybe hold it by the tail and let it wiggle in front of hi face to make it easier for him to grab. As for the fluttering, it does sound like the aggression is escalating.
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 2:30 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

I'll try feeding them live fish.
Shall I separate them?
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 2:38 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

To be on the safe side I would separate them.
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 2:52 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

Okay I will separate them...
A few days back when I changed the water in my aquarium I had let them free on the ground. They were super active when they were on the ground playing, exploring and trying to climb on each other but as soon as I put them in the aquarium Torti was not very active and 2 days later even Squirtle became lethargy.
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 10:49 am   Re: My turtle is basking a lot and won't eat anything

Separating is good just if you're having suspicions if anything is wrong. Yes, it would be more work for you but you get used to it in my case anyway.
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