General Care Discussion :: Rio Grande question

[slider_keeper]

I have a Rio Grande. I got it from a reptile store back in Dec. It is eating very well and is active. I feed it pellets and a variaty of greens. I got it as a baby about 1 and a half inches. It hasn't grown much at all. Maybe a 1/4 an inch or so and it's wieght has not changed much. I do not suspect parasites at all. It's shell is hard all around and it is very responsive. I have about ten yrs experience with slider turtles. Mainly the North American RES. This is my first of this species. I have never seen a baby turtle not grow, that is other wise perfectly normal, from my point of view of coarse.The tank setup is as follows;
50 GAL plastic container.
MVB bulb 12 inches from turtle dock
Bask temp 90
Ambient temp 75
Water temp 77
Filter Fluval FX 5
And a 150 watt heater
Bare bottom.

Is this common in the Rio Grande or is my turtle a runt of its family:?: Sorry I refer to the animal as it but I don't know it's sex yet obviously So what do you guys and gals think? Thanks for your input.

[jay2487]

I got 3 hatchling peninsula cooters a while back. All were basically the same size then but now, one seems to have not grown very much at all where the others are dwarfing him now. He is just as active and gets around just as good, eats as much and even establishes dominance over the others, getting right in their faces and having long staring contests. Yet he just hasn't gotten to near the size they are. It seems he is brighter colored also, so I just assumed he is a male and the other two are females. I could be wrong but there isn't anything visibly wrong with him so thats the conclusion I came to.

[slider_keeper]

that is a possibility I do know females grow faster. just seems weird is all

[davidthegreat]

I do not know. I have a Rio Grande Slider as well. I love him! He is so beautiful, and eats well. I've only had mine 3 weeks and he already has grown. If you do not want to keep him, i'll take him! lol

[marisa]

"Back in December..." isn't all that long ago, and I'd say 1/4 inch growth in that time isn't bad. I'm caring for two Eastern painteds that hatched last fall; one is noticeably larger than the other, but the smaller one is active and eats really well. If yours is the same, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. You may find his growth rate increasing as the weather warms.

[slider_keeper]

I never thought about that Marisa. I have always lived in a warm climate I just moved here this Dec. Thank you for your feed back. Oh a btw I won't be giving my turt for nothing it is a very pretty turtle;)