General Care Discussion :: wild turtle! behavior problems

[shiruba-tenshi]

Well, my friend left me her turtle, Wonton, to take care of for 2 months. He/she is possibly wild (my friend's friend found him in a parking lot) and doesn't eat what we give him/her. He/she also spends most of his/her time trying to get out of his tank, and if we put Wonton outside of the tank he will sit for a bit, then tries to run away as fast as he can. I was wondering if I could get some info on his behavior and how to placate him. He's always so unhappy! By the way, i have no experience with reptiles at all. My friend just told me to feed him a few pellets a day, and to change the tank once in a while.

[imderanged]

Was the turtle eating for your friend? What are you trying to feed the turtle?

[mzkitty23]

also, what is his habitat like?

[SpotsMama]

How long had your friend had this turtle?

[Turtlebiz]

is there a water heater in the tank? if the water is too cold they won't eat.

[shiruba-tenshi]

Was the turtle eating for your friend? What are you trying to feed the turtle?

Sorry, i'm not sure what you mean by "Was the turtle eating for your friend?" so I can't answer that. I try to give Wonton these turtle pellets, and I've also tried carrots. My grandma attempted to give him basil and plum (though that didn't sound like a good idea to me).

[shiruba-tenshi]

also, what is his habitat like?

He has a bunch of small rocks in his tank plus a large...um....gray plastic thing that's supposed to be like a rock. It looks like a little bridge, with little steps for Wonton to go up (he sits on the top of it sometimes) then go down the other sides. Kinda like this:
__
/ \

[shiruba-tenshi]

How long had your friend had this turtle?

for a few months. I guess Wonton eats when he/she's with my friend.

[shiruba-tenshi]

is there a water heater in the tank? if the water is too cold they won't eat.

No, I don't think there's a heater. There's a little light, though. The thing is, my friend's had Wonton awhile and Wonton must've eaten when he/she was with my friend. Maybe my house is colder......

[mikee]

Any time you take an adult turtle out of the wild it is a big change and adapting will take a while. I did not hear anything about a filter, basking light and the proper temp. He may have been healthier in the wild. If you want him/her to eat you will have to do environmental changes and make it easier on his system.

[zoologist]

check the main part of this website for the habitat link and try to set up the tank that way the best you can...

best of luck to you!

[steve]

Was the turtle eating for your friend? What are you trying to feed the turtle?

Sorry, i'm not sure what you mean by "Was the turtle eating for your friend?" so I can't answer that. I try to give Wonton these turtle pellets, and I've also tried carrots. My grandma attempted to give him basil and plum (though that didn't sound like a good idea to me).

She means, was the turtle eating while under your friend's care?

It does seem like there is a lot going on, perhaps you need to give the turtle more time to adjust? Avoid handling him and offer him some privacy. Though make sure water/basking temps are good first.

[mzkitty23]

yeah, definitely check out the main site then maybe everyone can fill in the gaps for you. it sounds like you need to get a thermometer to check the water temp first and foremost, as they need warm water in order to be healthy and functional. glad u're here, the site will help you a lot!

[shiruba-tenshi]

thanks for the help everybody! I have another question........do you think I should release him? There is a pond near where I live, and I spotted another red eared slider there. I saw some small crawdads (i think that's what they're called) and there's a whole ton of duckweed plus some native plants.

[octpusgirl8]

Where do you live? If RES aren't native to the area, you shouldn't release him and add to the invasive population. If they are native to the area, and you're sure he was a wild turtle to begin with, he may be happier in the wild. He may also just be unhappy because his current habitat isn't providing everything he needs. Giving him a proper set-up or giving him to someone who can would be the best option.