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I recently acquired an eastern painted turtle from a friend who moved away to college and couldn't keep him/her? I put him in a tank by himself for a good amount of time to make sure he was healthy and got him checked by the vet who gave him a clean bill of health. The person who i got him from only ever fed his turtle feeder guppies and plants I recently put him in the tank with my smaller RES (both are under 2 inches and in a 40breeder) and have noticed that he does not eat very much. I know this forum is for RES but i have heard that these turtles are very much alike. It has been almost 6 days now and he has only eaten once - - (when he was in his own tank by himself he only ate a few times and it was mostly from the plants) I called the vet who said that sometimes around this time if the turtle was not in very good care before could have started going into "hibernation" and will not eat as much and it may take him some time to readjust - - I am also concerned that he does not know to eat the pellets (although he has observed my other turtle eating them). I have offered leafy greens among other things as well that he has completely ignored. I have tried feeding him in the tank with my RES and out of the tank in a separate container with no luck at all... Any suggestions?

As for his other behavior it is normal - - he spends his day 50/50 in and out of the water and looks healthy and is very active

Water Temp: 77
Basking Temp: 85-90
Filter: Fluval 450
Tank: 40 gal breeder
Pellets: Reptomin

-No gravel just large river Rocks-

Pictures are just in links because they always upload too big and i dont want to have to fool around with resizing them
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn58 ... ure119.jpg
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn58 ... ure124.jpg
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn58 ... ure127.jpg
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn58 ... ure131.jpg
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn58 ... ure132.jpg

How large is the tank? A 40 gallon tank is already pushing it on the size limit for your two existing turtles, let alone another turtle in there too. I would worry that the lack of resources may cause the RES to become aggressive, and then you'll have to separate all three of them.

As for his behavior, I think it's pretty normal. Have you tried a few feeder guppies? Often what we recommend is a tough love approach, where you just keep on feeding him pellets until he gives in. If, after a good week or so, he hasn't eaten, you can give in and feed him anything he'll eat. But try some lettuce (since he was eating plants) and just keep on trying. It's hard, but eventually he'll give in. Good luck! You can also try a different pellet brand, such as HBH turtle bites or Mazuri. Sometimes turtles just don't like a particular pellet brand.

I think it'll help if you try and feed him in a separate tank. The RES might not be allowing him to eat in the tank.

there are not three turtles - - with the Painted in the tank there are only two - -

The Painted and my baby RES are the same size (both under 2 in)
2 turtles... not 3
(my third -much larger - turtle is in his own tank)

I have tried feeding both in the same tank as well as in seperate tanks

When i take the Painted out of the tank and put him in his own container i ususally put 3 reptomin baby 3 reptomin adult and 3 of this other brand - - and even some times shrimp...

all he does is sit there or he tries to swim at the sides
(i left him in the container with the food for over an hour once and still he ate nothing) *the container was in a warm spot where he would not get cold*

What kind of bowl was it and did you get the water from the tank or new water?

The water was from the tank and it is a large rubbermaid container big enough for my turtles to swim a bit and turn around in - - i put about 5-6 inches of water in it

(this is how i feed my other turtles their pellets without any problem)

:0)

Well, then all I can think of is that he still needs to settle in.

I'd take the RES out and feed your new painted in the the tank (feed the RES in a separate container). If he's eating plants, that's good. Try feeding him a small earthworm and see if he's interested in that.

He will not go into hibernation at that water temp. I think the pellets are something he will eventually get used to, although I would not put him on a steady diet of pellets.

This may sound funny but what kind of earthworm? Are the night crawlers from my compost pile ok?

I think thats a good idea to feed him in the tank and just take the RES out

Thanks! :0)

Raise the water temp too. It should be 78-80 with hatchlings.

I figured I would keep it slightly lower because it's warm enough for the RES but cool enough for the painted because they are used to cooler water I def. Understand keeping it warmer because they are younger

as long as there hasn't been anything potentialy harmful in your compost pile they should be ok to use. Rolo's favorite snack are worms!

Just make sure there hasn't been any poisons or fertilizers have been sprayed on it.

Just as an update - - I gave him half a worm and let it float around in the water surrounded by pieces of pellet - - and TADA i think it finally clicked that it was all edible because he devoured what i gave him (it may actually be a SHE)

YAYYYYY

You better hope its not a she, that means eggs wether there is a male around or not.