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how much food...

PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:41 am
by blackforces get you
how long can it survive not eating?

im not starving them or anything i just want to know. a month? a week?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:45 am
by untsmurf
It depends on the size of the turtle. Bigger turtles can last longer than smaller ones obviously as they don't need as much nutrients as they are no longer growing. I would think it would take between 1.5-3 months to starve a hatchling to death. Whereas an adult might be able to last maybe up to 6, but probably not. I think they would resort to eating everything in the tank before they died though.

If you reduced their temperature a lot, they could last longer though.

Of course all of this would do great harm to any turtle.

PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:51 am
by blackforces get you
but if its only about once or twice it isn't bad right?

PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 4:18 am
by untsmurf
Like if you miss one or two feedings? No that's not a big deal. But if you're not feeding them for weeks at a time, multiple times you could be stunting their growth, especially if your turtle hasn't reached 4'' yet.

PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 1:50 pm
by blackforces get you
ooh okay thats fine then. because most likely ill be vacationing next year and both of my turtles have past 4 and i wanted to make sure. thank youu :D

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:41 am
by nelo
Can RES be fed only once a week? i'm a new RES owner. Learning everything even the most basics. =)

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:24 pm
by BSC
nelo wrote:Can RES be fed only once a week? i'm a new RES owner. Learning everything even the most basics. =)


I would get the opinion of someone else but if your turtle is a hatchling you would probably want to feed him a nice balanced and varied diet, and feed him once a day.

A turtle above 4" wouldn't need as much food, but they do need a stable varied diet. I'm not the best to ask about diets, because I don't know that much about them to be honest, well not enough to advise someone else..

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 12:27 pm
by nelo
BSC wrote:
nelo wrote:Can RES be fed only once a week? i'm a new RES owner. Learning everything even the most basics. =)


I would get the opinion of someone else but if your turtle is a hatchling you would probably want to feed him a nice balanced and varied diet, and feed him once a day.

A turtle above 4" wouldn't need as much food, but they do need a stable varied diet. I'm not the best to ask about diets, because I don't know that much about them to be honest, well not enough to advise someone else..


thanks for replying though, ive read through the webside on the basics and stuffs. my turtle is about 6months old.. around 2" i guess? i usually feed him once a day, and sometimes once every two days.. just making sure i dun starve my little res. :)

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 1:47 pm
by jozzep
nelo wrote:
BSC wrote:
nelo wrote:Can RES be fed only once a week? i'm a new RES owner. Learning everything even the most basics. =)


I would get the opinion of someone else but if your turtle is a hatchling you would probably want to feed him a nice balanced and varied diet, and feed him once a day.

A turtle above 4" wouldn't need as much food, but they do need a stable varied diet. I'm not the best to ask about diets, because I don't know that much about them to be honest, well not enough to advise someone else..


thanks for replying though, ive read through the webside on the basics and stuffs. my turtle is about 6months old.. around 2" i guess? i usually feed him once a day, and sometimes once every two days.. just making sure i dun starve my little res. :)

You can feed him once every other day. Offer him an amount of pellets that equals the size of his head, and his diet should be mostly protein at this time (pellets, krill, feeder fish, worms).
After he reaches 4" offer him veggies on the day you don't feed (carrots,lettuce,sweet potato,water lettuce, duckweed)

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:52 pm
by SabrinaF
What happens to turtles not being fed right? My mother-in-law does foster care and one of her daughters showed up with her pet turtles. One is well over 4" but the other my guess could be 2 to 3". They get fed every wednesday and its just feeder fish. They are getting green on their shells like around the line on the edge. I have asked her if we could have the smaller because he would fit ok in our tank with our turtle But she refuses. They are in a toy tub that you could buy at Walmart. No light barely any water and hard rocks. I feel sorry for them

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:06 pm
by freshprince2146
couple years back my res got out his tank.Found him 2 weeks later alive and healthy he was about 4 inches.were he lived or what he ate i do not know..

PostPosted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:10 pm
by SabrinaF
Oh and the turtles are outside in a unheated well shed. We live in Minnesota. Past 2 days has been 50ish during the day. And a lot colder at night

PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:54 am
by res08
turtles that are living in less than ideal conditions are surviving, not thriving.

PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:03 pm
by SabrinaF
:( I feel bad for them. But the girl swears her mom is going to take them. I worry about them. I can't take the bigger one it has to be around 6 to 8". But the smaller we can fit in our tank. Poor little guys :(

PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:44 pm
by joeybsmooth
Show her this information, and tell her all the she need to do to make the turtle healthy.

Say something like I no it seems like I am begging you but this is very important, and if you can even offer to help with some of the things she need to get.