Feeding and Nutrition :: New turtles not eating pellets!

[swegin]

Hello to all, I am a new RES owner and I love my two no guys that i got from petco a week ago. They are both about 4" in diameter. I am a little worried about their eating habits because they refuse to eat any pellets. I have even tried to soak the pellets in tuna fish water but they still do not want anything to do with them. The only thing that I can get them to eat is Tuna fish, and some times a worm or two. What do I do?

There is one in particular that has pretty much stopped eating all together. He barley eats the tuna when I put it in ( I know that tune should not be a staple, but when it is the only thing that they will eat, what should I do?) As I said I am a rookie to being an owner of an RES so any help would be awesome.

When I feed them I put them in a plastic container with about 6" of water and then return them to their tank afterwards. To avoid any questions about my setup here it is:

55 gallon tank
125 Gallon/hour filter
floating dock
75 watt heat lamp/UVA lamp
Florescent 20" UVB lamp
that water it on average 77 degrees

Thanks in advance for all of your help!!!!

[steve]

It sounds like they are still getting used to their new home. It's great that they are eating, but I would separate them when you're feeding them. Leave the one you want to feed in the tank and take the other one out. You can mix tuna with the pellets (what brand are they BTW?) and gradually increase the amounts.

You can also try these... the veggie jell-o treats (see link in this section), HBH turtle pellets (these are more colorful) and a veggie clip (never to early to try).

[swegin]

I am feeding them the reptomin pellets. I have also tried the zoo med all natural pellets as well, but they want nothing to do with them. It seems like the only eat things that sink to the bottom. Are they just still to scared to eat things on the surface? I'll give those other pellets a try. thanks! any other pointers would be awesome!!

[swegin]

ok I have tried the jello shots, and they want nothing to do with them.... they still will only eat tuna. they are two stubborn little dudes, any other ideas?

they are both about the same size (one is 4" and the other is 4.5") so i am not exactly sure how old that makes them. how old does that make them?

[TenCrackersExit]

Sometimes my turtle won't eat pellets so i throw in some meal worms that he gladly eats. He then gets a good appetite and starts eating a couple of pellets after sometime being left in his feeding tank.

You can always try a sneaky method of force feeding: http://reslider.free.fr/backup/force.html

please note that when you read the article, your Tuna Fish and Worms = (stimuli) and turtle pellets = (response).

[marisa]

Do you know what they were fed at Petco? If the food was different, it can take a bit before they accept a new brand.

To me, there's also too make changes that they have to cope with. They're getting used to a new tank, and in addition, when they're fed they're being put in yet another new environment to eat. You can eventually try to feed them in a separate container to help keep the water cleaner, but for now, I'd feed them in the tank. Either put some food on separate sides of the tank so they eat separately, or, if they compete for the food, take one out while you feed the other and then switch turtles.

[swegin]

OK I successfully have gotten one of my turtles to eat pellets, He loves them now. as soon as I drop them into the tank he comes running to gobble them up. However, my other turtle still wants nothing to do with them. Also he is still extremely scared when ever i come close to the tank or start putting pellets in. Since Birt (the other turtle that is eating the pellets) is now a pig and eats everything in sight. I have tried taking Birt out of the tank and leaving seamore (the one that won't eat the pellets) in the tank to eat. I have put Kale, carrots, and pellets in the tank with seamore but all he does is hide down on the bottom, or comes up to the surface and stares at me and if I move closer he shoots down to the bottom. After about an hour of leaving him alone he still won't touch anything. The only time I can get him to eat anything is when i put him in a shallow plastic container that has about 6" of water in is and dangle tuna in front of him...... what do I do to make him be not so scared and start eating healthier things?

by the way, I have tried the "force feeding" I mixed carrots and pellets in the tuna and he just picks through it and only eats the tuna!

[swegin]

Where is the love?

[steve]

Sounds like you need to continue to do what you're doing. Their personalities are different, so it's just taking Seamore longer. You can also try different things for him to eat, it just might require more patience than anything else.

[swegin]

UPDATE:
Both turtles are finally eating pellets. Burt is a total pig and is now pretty much eating anything a give to him. Seamore still really only eats pellets, but they have to be soaked in tuna water..... he is totally picky but at least he is eating the pellets now. Thanks for all of your help to all the responded!