redearslider.com

My RES is less than a year old. We're not sure of the sex yet.

We moved back in January, and he didn't eat for three weeks. Now he's (we refer to the turtle as a 'he', so I'll go with that.) eating and acting almost normal. The temperature is fine, and he's eating two times a day. I've noticed that he doesn't bask on his rock anymore. I was wondering if that's common, and they don't bask certain times of the year? Or maybe he's still adjusting to the new water/environment? His lamp/water/rock is hot enough. I was thinking that maybe he's pouting because he's lower to the ground now. How can I get him to bask? Is it something to be concerned about?

Also, we've noticed that he swims frantically sometimes when he sees us walk by. We assumed it was his hunger dance (if he hasn't had anything to eat in hours) but now he doesn't always eat his food after he's gotten our attention. And he seems to be aggressive - we'll come home from work to find his plants uprooted.

Are anything of these things reasons for concern? Thank you in advance

About how many days? It's not unusual for them to be moody once in awhile, more so in the winter. Him begging is normal, so is his aggressive tendencies.

He's been frantically swimming for two or three days. He hasn't basked on his rock since we moved the end of January. Any need to worry?

How big is he? Was he a hatchling when you got him?

Yes, we got him as a hatchling.

He's a little bigger than the pic above, about 2 inches. It's too soon to tell the sex?

What a beautiful turtle.. she/he has the most gorgeous markings underneath.. I didn't realize Res were so pretty on their plastrons as well as their carapaces..

Thank you! We were really worried but noticed that Little Dude was basking when we weren't paying attention yesterday.

Yes he or she wll bask when they feel that they need to dry out. When I first started reading this thread carefully, I was thinking of three areas possibly : (1) Was the bulbs starting to go bad? Meaning UVB and or UVA or both? Or (2) Was the water temperature somehow warmer than the basking area with possible lights going bad ? Was there any light changes or temperature changes to normal activity in the turtle room our outside the home, not enclosure.

My first thoughts resulted in thinking that maybe if there was bulbs going bad, water temps being warmer than the outside temps this would result possibly with the turtle in general seeking to keep warmer being a cold blooded animal. Any light changes that are not normal occurring in the room may of disturbed the turtle natural behaviors with the turtle possibly thinking what time of day it is. Look at Sea turtles for example. The babies hatch out late at night or early morning hours way before day light . When they hatch, they follow in the direction of the moon to get to the water. It was proven that if someone has a flash light or something bright, that the babies in some cases followed the flashlight instead confusing them.

Maybe as well, that with what ever the turtle was sensing , it is causing this issue, to the turtle it may be fearing something in temperature readings and or disturbed by other sources, To me that can result in the turtles swimming frantically. Reptiles in general can also sense temperature outside the home as well as high and low barometric measures. I known this when I bred snakes. The outside temperatures and barometric pressure assisted me in successful introduction and copulation's of my breeders and resulted successfully in my animals being gravid. In boa constrictors also, female boas will give live birth proven fact when they feel that there is a low barometric pressure drop that usually is followed by rain showers. It is theorized by many that the mother boas do this for rain to wash away the scent of the births to reduce the chance of predators eating the babies. Mother boas are one of few proven to protect their babies for a short time after birth.

But what I do not get is you said the heating and lighting is fine. If the turtle does it again, I would double and triple check everything and see what the different can possibly be. By keeping a log book where you keep say a daily , weekly and monthly report and checklist , you can make small entry's to compare what changes has transpired. This is just a recommendation that I started already doing.

Besides the things I mentioned, My sliders will get in the water and follow my body movements outside their large tank frantically if they think it is feeding time as well as you referred to as the turtles " hunger dance " if I walk by anytime. In general this behavior is adorable with the turtles recognizing their owners or activity around them.

Your turtle has some very nice patterns and colors. If red ear normal sliders were legal here, I would seek myself red ears with similar markings and colors to yours. It is adorable in all regards.

That's crazy that you basically figured out my problem -- I didn't mention that the bulb died the other day, and my boyfriend put in a new bulb. It seems like it was instantaneous... New bulb = basking proudly like a pro, haha. Thank you for all of your input!

It's still odd to me how he would always bask no matter what in our old place. Now it seems like he only does it when no one is looking. We feed him twice a day, and some people have said that was too often, but it seems like all he does is beg, and he does eat it. (We feed him the hatchling pellets and we'll give him shrimp as a treat sometimes but that's rare.)

nancyclaire wrote:That's crazy that you basically figured out my problem -- I didn't mention that the bulb died the other day, and my boyfriend put in a new bulb. It seems like it was instantaneous... New bulb = basking proudly like a pro, haha. Thank you for all of your input!

It's still odd to me how he would always bask no matter what in our old place. Now it seems like he only does it when no one is looking. We feed him twice a day, and some people have said that was too often, but it seems like all he does is beg, and he does eat it. (We feed him the hatchling pellets and we'll give him shrimp as a treat sometimes but that's rare.)

You are more than welcome and it is great that he is doing much better. Though I have been around reptiles all of my life, I to learn new things about them several times a year as I pointed out to the Admin Steve on my first post on these forums seeking answers. The first post I made was on incompatible red ear slider genetics in which both Steve and I never heard before and for the very first time. This is why I reached out for answers here like you did.

lolol on him basking like a pro, that is cute !

I missed something huge here... He's illegal in... America? We 'adopted' him from my friend who wasn't taking care of him properly (he spent two weeks in a Tupperware container.) she got him in Philly in the Italian market... Not the most... Reputable place.

nancyclaire wrote:I missed something huge here... He's illegal in... America? We 'adopted' him from my friend who wasn't taking care of him properly (he spent two weeks in a Tupperware container.) she got him in Philly in the Italian market... Not the most... Reputable place.

They have a thread here that mentioned what States red ear sliders are legal and what States red ear sliders are illegal. It is only a few States that made red ear sliders illegal to be sold in.

I don't think yours is one of them. I know of Virgina, Florida and I think one more but I can be wrong. If they sell Red Ears in your local pet shop to local customers, that will tell you they are legal but also check your wildlife laws to be sure.

In Florida, unless Red Ear sliders were grandfathered in prior to the law here, a person may keep those but can not breed and it is illegal to sell them here. The only Red Ear Sliders here in Florida that are legal is certain morphs such as Albinos, hypos hybinos lubinos and I think Pastels are allowed. Therefor for the people now in Florida who wants to own one and or residents in Virginia need to pay for a red ear slider that cost several hundred dollars to be legal. Certain pets shops in Florida can be seen selling online but they have a special permit and the only way they can sell them is to customers residing in other States. Here is my children aka turtles below in the photo.

Your children are so cute!! They look like they get along great

nancyclaire wrote:Your children are so cute!! They look like they get along great

Your turtle is so cute as well. I love your turtles pasterns and coloration. Yes my three children get along wonderful now yet it took me a few days for the albinos to meet the hybino were they were not pushing it around with the albinos being more curious than anything. They get along really nice with no nipping going along as other people reported.