Feeding and Nutrition :: Found out overfeeding! Help a lot of questions.

[kmaldona1]

I found out through this site I have been overfeeding my RES. I think she has pyramiding. I was feeding her according to the pellet instructions (which by the way I think it ridiculous, they put such vague instructions on the can, and people think they are doing good and they can actually kill their turtle). any whoo, I stopped giving her the pellets, and I bought her two rosies to start with, she doesn't seem interested in them. and she is attacking her own front foot! should I give her something else since she isn't going after the fish or should I wait for her to get hungry enough to go after them? And is attacking her feet a sign she is really hungry because she is really going at them and I'm worried she will hurt herself.

P.S. I made her a ATBA, she has never had one before, and she still hasn't gone up there, it's going on day three and she hasn't basked since Friday morning. Should I be concerned. And could this be a reason she is not going after the fish, Could everything be too new for her.

[tammi]

I'd still feed her pellets as many as will fit in her head. Then start varing the diet. I do pellets one day, worms (earthworms,
bloodworms, meal worms, silk worms) the next, veggies the next (I always leave some water plants in the tank for grazing at will) then I go back to pellets
(I have 3 different types I use). I throw a few fish in and leave them even if he doesn't eat them they will enertain him. Hope this helps. Just remember a varied diet is very good for the turtle.

[BullDog]

Rosies aren't going to help with the pyramiding, and should only be considered a treat.
What you really need to start her on is veggies.

Check out the nutrition section of the site (http://www.redearslider.com/index_nutrition.html) and the stickies at the top of this forum for info on what sort of foods to feed and how often.

On the basking area, it can take turtles a week or more to get used to new things. What is the water temp and basking temp? A RES won't be enticed to bask if the water is too warm or the basking area isn't warm enough.

[kmaldona1]

Ok, I will still give her pellets, but how often? I bought the frozen Aquatic Turtle Diet by Healthy Herp, it's looks like little ice cubes. Is this that jello thing everyone keeps talking about? Has any one heard of this. It sounds really healthy for her, it has a lot of vegetables in it. If you have, can anyone suggest how much I should give her, because i don't trust the feeding directions on any thing anymore.

[kmaldona1]

The temp in her basking area is reading 90 deg. and her water temp is 78, is that good?

[tammi]

Rule is feed what will fit in her/his head 1 a day then adult turts everyother day

[theartbook35]

The feeding instructions on all brands of pet food, such as fish, cat, dog, bird, etc, are ALWAYS incorrect. "Veterinarian approved" my behind. My cat got fat because of those directions, and getting the fat off of her has been a nightmare. (Part of Jenny's problem is she is a stockier breed by nature, she's extremely muscular, super furry, and her personality just doesn't like to be active. Being 9 years old doesn't help much).

Anyways, here is my feeding schedule:

Sunday: Lettuce or tomato or carrots (just one on that day)
Monday: pellets only
Tuesday: lettuce
Wednesday: blueberries (or another type of fruit on the feeding list)
Thursday: pellets only
Friday: Lettuce or tomato or carrots (just one on that day)
Saturday: pellets only

They seem to feel much better and happier and healthier on this diet. The pellets I use are Rep-Cal, which are great, but very rich so they speed up growth easily, which isn't appropriate for turtles.

[BullDog]

For pellets, you can feed the amount that would fit in her head every second day. I think someone has brought up that frozen aquatic diet before, but I'm not sure if they were feeding it as a staple. I would assume that you would feed her the same amount of the frozen stuff as you would pellets (approx a headful every second day).
You can feed this in addition to pellets.

Basking and water temps are pretty good. Water is a bit on the warm side (I keep mine at 74-76), but it's not overly warm.

[octpusgirl8]

I give the frozen stuff to my boys now and then. It's pretty pricey so i can't afford it as a staple, but it's good stuff. Mine love it! It has a lot of veggies in it, it may be okay to feed more than a head's worth every other day. It should give some percentages on the package about how much protein it has; see if you can compare it to Reptomin.

[kmaldona1]

If I make the jello shots can I offer that as a staple, because no one here in my family eats veggies, so I would be buying them just for Hannah. and they will go bad. If i can give her the shots as a staple it would make it so much easier. and how long do they last in the freezer?

[theartbook35]

If I make the jello shots can I offer that as a staple, because no one here in my family eats veggies, so I would be buying them just for Hannah. and they will go bad. If i can give her the shots as a staple it would make it so much easier. and how long do they last in the freezer?

Fruit freezes well, but vegetables don't. Maybe try getting a small pot, and growing some turnips. After you cut off the leaves you can give the turnips to a neighbor if you don't want to eat them.

Some people also grow water plants, like water lettuce and duckweed, in separate containers, then break off small pieces and put them in the tank. Bulldog just put up a thread about a plant protector, it's kind of interesting. Turtles will respond to live plants better than lettuces or other vegetables.