redearslider.com

I've had baby RES's since I was a kid, so I'm pretty familiar of their care. I bought 2 babies on 12/27. Trust me, I was so excited. I got the tank, spent over $150 to make sure everything was perfect. Last night, I take a picture of one of them sleeping on the 'dock' and send the photo to my friend in NY. (We bought 4 total and took 2 each). She reply's back--"did it die?" I walk to the tank, just because I am always watching them (and spoiling them), and I notice that he/she isn't moving much. I place him/her in the water and it looked like he/she had no energy. I figured it was because I woke him/her up. Trust me, up until yesterday afternoon both babies were happy, eating, basking, swimming, etc. Then I came home a couple hours later and found him dead. What happened? I'm sad for the other little guy/girl who's now alone. I don't have a clue as to what happened. I feed them the dried shrimp, (they refuse to eat tubifex worms and pellets, and teeny tiny pieces of carrot every couple of days. They have live plants in their 10 gallon tank, filter, UV light, heat lamp, and the apt. is never lower than 74 degrees. I'm sad that this happened. Both of them were energetic little turtles. Any ideas as to what happened?[/img]

I'm very sorry for your loss.

Where did you buy them? If you got them from some kind of market or a pet store that kept them in crowded, substandard conditions, one could have been ill when you bought them---symptoms sometimes don't show up until a turtle is really sick or worse. Their underdeveloped immune systems can make them more susceptible to illness and bacteria; the stress of shipping and conditions they were kept in even prior to wherever you bought them from could have contributed. Or, it could even have been something congenital. It's really hard to know what went wrong if the turtle was acting healthy and they had a good set-up like you say.

Don't feel sorry for the one turtle and be tempted to get a companion. The 10-gallon tank is actually better for one hatchling than two. And the turtle will not be lonely, especially if you give the attention you say you do. I would, however, do a good cleaning of the tank and objects in it just in case whatever the one had is contagious.

Regarding the diet---stop the shrimp, except for the very occasional treat (you must know it's really high in protein and as the staple makes for a very unbalanced diet). I don't know what you're using for pellets, but get some Reptomin Baby (made for smaller turtles and has a bit more calcium in it than most pellets). If your RES is so small that the pellet is difficult to eat, break it into smaller pieces. I'd skip tubifex worms---they're often unclean. As for carrots, I've found that turtles, especially smaller ones, are more tempted to nibble on them when they're offered as thin, small worm-like peels. Aside from the plants, try some pieces of red-leaf lettuce in the tank.

Sometimes they are already sick. I have one baby RES in a 20gallon tank, and he gets along fine. Add some fish for him to toy with and show him attention, and he'll be doing just fine.

-Spike

Aw i'm sorry to hear about your little turtle
I agree with the other posters that sometimes the turtle may already be sick. I know that was the case when I first got my turtle. I commend you because it seems like you are doing everything you can. Keep up the good work and remember, you still have one little guy who needs you

In terms of feeding, I agree with Marisa. Although as hatchlings a RES's diet tends to be higher in protein, it also must be balanced out. Reptomin Baby is what I feed my hatchling and basically gives them everything their diet requires. It's also great that you are introducing veggies early on! Remember, it may take your RES awhile to warm up to pellets. Just be patient and continue to offer them and in no time your RES will be begging for more

Good Luck!

So sorry to hear about your turtle I had 2 little baby RES turtles too, and one died a couple months after having them. I had both of them in a 10 gallon tank. George died because Bently (my current RES) bullied him. He always ate all the pellets and didn't allow George to have any. I soon realized this was happening and got George his own little pad. But it was too late. He was so weak, and he died a few weeks after. Now Bently lives alone, lonely in a huge, 90 gallon tank too big for him, because he's only 4 inches.

Sorry for rambling on there and telling the story of my beloved baby George. But, that could have happened to your turtle, and it makes sense too. There's always that stronger turtle, and for me, it was Bently. I agree what everyone else is telling you about the diet, etc.