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Hello, I recently decided to get a turtle from Petco. I have some questions regarding the turtle. First, it seems that the turtle is very timid. It won't go on the basking platform unless it is late at night and no one is around at all. Also it isn't wanting to eat anything besides shrimp. I tried putting in dark green leafy lettuce pieces and it wouldn't touch it. Also would not eat turtle treats or the turtle pellets. What can I do to make it eat them? When I put shrimp in the tank he eats them very fast. He also is not friendly at all when I try to hand feed or pick him up. He won't retract his head and is trying to bite me the entire time. How do I make him a little more friendly? I am wanting to make him a classroom pet eventually but first I am trying to take care of him and learn how to properly take care of him at my home. I do not want to take him to my classroom until he becomes a little more friendly that way he doesn't try to bite the kids all the time. He also seems to hang out near the heaters that I have in the tank a lot like he is napping or sleeping there? The water temp is 80 degrees and the basking temp on the platform is 90 degrees. I have a 40 gallon tank. I am not sure how old he is or how to tell. For that matter I am not even sure it is a male or female. Please help! I just want to make sure my turtle is healthy and is taken care of the right way. Also it may be important to note that when I got him at Petco the store employee said that he would be the best fit because he did not move off the basking rock as he is more comfortable with people. He has been in my home now for a week and a half and I just don't want him to have any issues. Thanks for your help.

Lots of great info on the main site. Here's the one on sexing them, which should be possible with a turtle at least 4" in size.

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

As to food: at the size of your turtle, it should be getting more vegetables than protein and shrimp should be a treat nota staple, but you probably know that.

I'd suggest providing lettuce in the morning and letting it stay there, even if uneaten throughout the day. One trick to encourage pellets is to soak them in the water drained from a can of tuna.

Another option for getting better protein than shrimp and vegetables is to make veggie shots:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=17486

That water temp is probably a bit high for an adult RES. and you may want a greater temp difference to encourage basking.

I can't speak to the handling issue, but one thing that may also adjust the reaction to handling is feeding in a separate, small water-filled container. That way he will come to associate handling with food and react more positively. RES have different personalities, though, and it's possible he will never like handling that much.

I think ljapa nailed it. It's good that he is willing to eat, you will find out that they are very good at begging. Do not give in since it is not healthy for them and I would probably withhold the shrimp and just keep with the pellets/veggies.

When they are in water, anything around their tank is a potential meal. It's instinctive for them to do that, so be extra careful when they are in water. The kids should not feed him, touch him or tap the glass. His tank should not be near direct sunlight and his tank should have a screen.

it will take time to adjust... that is normal.