General Care Discussion :: New to keeping RES

[chstewart]

I have had it up and running for 2 1/2 weeks now and I see I am having a common issue. My turtle does not seem to be eating. I have been giving pellets every day, I have added 5 feeder fish, tried roman lettuce. small piece of carrot and doesn't seem to touch anything. He is in a 55 gallon tank. water Temp 72-75. Basking area which I had the wrong light at first just changes it last Friday to a UVA UVB light. What else should I do? my 7 year old would be devastated if Ruddy the red eared slider dies (yes he was delivered by Rudolf the red noise reindeer)

[steve]

How big is Ruddy? I'd start by bumping up the water temps 5 degrees or so. Does he get any privacy?

[chstewart]

He is just over 4 inches. As for privacy he is in my sons bed room so the room is empty while he is at school. then if the afternoons he is in and out of the room

[ljapa]

Does he seem interested in food at all? How's the activity level?

Do you know the basking temp? Getting warm while basking helps them to digest food, so affects appetite.

One suggestion I've heard to entice eating is to soak the pellets in the water from a can of tuna. I've never had to do it myself. My sons turtle is a pig.

[chstewart]

The water is at 76. the basking area ranges from 96 in the direct light to 84 when he is away from the light. Just the past few days when we put food in he seems to at least watch it.which before he wasn't even doing that. Some times he will jump into the water right after I put the food in but never see him eat and when I come back the food is still there. as for activity he is in and out of the water sits on the basking area for hours at a time. Not swimming around as much as the first few day. I guess I will make tuna for lunch today and save some of the water for the pellets.

[steve]

You can also try giving tuna, boiled chucked meat, and egg whites but those things might foul up his water quicker,