Feeding and Nutrition :: 3 month old RES won't eat fish!

[Yellowjacket]

Hi I have a 3 month old RES that will not eat feeder fish!!! I give it pellets and it will take it several days to even eat it. I've also given it spinach but it only ate a bite or two and left it alone. I bought some feeder fish but it won't eat em they have been in his tank with him for about 1 week now. I even tried dangling 1 in front of it and he tucked his head away and jumped in the water. He doesn't even try to chase em while in the water. He has a basking area which is about 89 degrees and his water temp is about 74 degrees. He is in a 10 gallon tank. Any info would be great! Also one of the things he sometimes does is he seems to swallowing something even he didn't take a bite of anything and he kinda likes to hang around the corners of tank or by the filter.

[ljapa]

That may change. My son insisted on getting fish for the turtle tank. Not feeder fish, but fish to watch. Tobi was probably a bit older than three months and in a 20 gallon long tank. She never touched the black neon tetras I got. A few months later, I moved her to a 55 gallon and decided to get some neon tetras. Not long after that, they started disappearing at night.

There are now more black neon tetras with her and she's never touched them. I started raising cherry shrimp in another tank for prey. I figure they are more like what a turtle would eat in the wild, and they breed fast.

[steve]

Where is the tank? How long have you had the turtle? Perhaps it needs more privacy?

[Yellowjacket]

Hmmm maybe... it's in the corner of our living room. We got it illegally so we've had it since I guess almost baby. We have had it for those 3 months.

[steve]

Has he grown at all? What kind of thermometer are you using? Can you double check the water temperature?

[Yellowjacket]

It seems like he has grown a tiny bit. We didn't measure him when we first got em. I am using an infrared point and shoot thermometer. Just checked his water and it's a bit warmer at 81 and basking area at 91

[steve]

What kind of pellets are you using? How about some gammarus treats?

[Yellowjacket]

Using the reptomin pellets. I tried that other one before and didn't even bite once

[steve]

Has he grown at all? Are you sure he's eating the pellets? They normally get soaked and break apart after a few minutes.

[Yellowjacket]

I am not sure if he has grown, it looks like it. We never measured him when we first got him but it does look like he has a grown a tiny bit. Yeah I'm sure he eats some pellets once in a while. Just the other day I saw him eat the whole pellet while I was looking at him. I was thinking about getting earth worms and chopping them up, any ideas on that? Also tried giving him carrots and didn't bite them at all.

[Kansasslider]

I have 4 different breeds of turtles and let me tell you my feeding routine is a lot to handle. They are all picky to some extent. What will they all eat you ask. Well Omega one pellets. I just recently switched and they all love them. I no longer feed Reptomin. My res when she was younger would destroy a minnow but all turtles are different. I wouldn't worry about it. And I would try Omega one.Its full of fish!

[steve]

A worm is worth a try, not sure if you need to cut it up.

[Impulse Shopper]

A worm is worth a try, not sure if you need to cut it up.

I've been doing that. I've been home the last three days and it seems that George is refusing to eat in front of me. He was playing and frolicking a lot but now, day three, he's kind of mellow because he must be hungry!

[steve]

Has he been eating at all?

[Kansasslider]

If your turtle is still not eating you can put tuna or fresh shrimp in front of it. Anything stinky! I don't like hearing baby turtles won't eat. Not all breeders do a good job.