General Care Discussion :: ummm.... need some help...

[rayzherup]

I have two baby red eared sliders. they are about the size of a half
dollar. Maybe a tad bit larger. I have them in a twenty gallon tank with
an aquatic turtle water filtration system, under water heater that
keeps the water at a steady 78.5 - 83.5 degrees and one of those floating
basking docks that slant down at the end. I have a spotlight aver the
basking area. I keep it on for 14 hours a day. but the turtles won't get
up on the basking area, they just kinda hold onto it and sit on the
part where it slants into the water under the light, they won't get up on
it. They are healthy. Hard shells, clear eayes and active. Is it bad
that they won't get up there and bask?

Also, one of the turtles
(Roxie, the one I got 5 days ago) won't eat. I fead them seperately
but roxie hasn't really eaten since I got her but the people I got her
from said that she ate just fine with them. I tried breaking the pellets
up even smaller, and I've tried lettuce, peaches, freaze dried shrimp
and freaze dried crickets. But I can't get her to eat. I also make sure
that the water she is in when she's eating is warm(as to stimulate the
appetite) but i'm at a loss. can you please help me? should i get those
soft red chunks that say "slider appetite stimulant"?????

[kikicool]

Rayzherup, how long have you had them? It can take a while for a little guy to feel comfortable enough to eat. Perhaps you can try putting her in her feeding area with food, and then leaving her alone for a while. See if her food is gone when you come home?

They are frustrating little things! One of my turtles basked the day I got him. The other? About two months--and she STILL jumps off at top sped if I so much as think about coming in the room. *sigh* Keep us posted!

Oh, I don't know about those soft red chunks. I'm sure someone with more experience will, though.

[SpotsMama]

Hi! You said you got one of the turtles just 5 days ago. How long have you had the other?

I'm going to assume you've only had both of them for a matter of a few days. If so, then it's perfectly normal for little turtles to be very shy at first and not bask or eat until they settle down and get used to their new home. It can take several days or even a week for this. While they're brand new, you should give them a lot of peace and quiet and privacy to help them settle. Don't pick them up unless you have to.

After you've had them for a week if them still won't bask, check the temperature on the basking area. It needs to be at least 10 degrees warmer on the basking spot to motivate turtles to get up and bask, so your basking area should be around 88 or 90 degrees. If it's too cool, they won't get up there. Also, if your water is as warm as 83 degrees, then it's somewhat too warm. Your target should be around 78 to 80 degrees for the water.


On eating, here are some tips to entice a turtle to eat. Why don't you give them a try:

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

make sure the water you're feeding them in isn't too warm - that could be a turn off too. It should be around 78 or 80 degrees just like their tank water.

Good luck with your new little turtles!