Urgent Care :: my turtle hasn't eatin' for 2 weeks now

This is not a substitute for qualified and relevant veterinarian care.
Read this before you post a new topic here.

Post Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:45 pm   my turtle hasn't eatin' for 2 weeks now

i bought this turtle at a swap meet 2 sundays ago. first thing i notice was he wasn't very active like the rest of the turtles that were kept in a half gallon tank (yeah i know very small). he just layed as low as he could get, to submerge his entire body under the water. i brought him home in a sandwich bag that was filled half way with water (that was how they gift wraped him for me). poor turtles if i could i would buy them all.

it's been two weeks and 2 days since i've had him and he hasn't eatin at all. for all i know he was probably handled poorly and is stressed out before i got to him. he's just a baby. he's probably 1 1/2 inch long. the first day i had him, i let him roam around my little garden outside while i was out getting him his tank, light, food etc.... when i came back he was still in the same place i left him. i would take him out of his tank and let him roam around my apartment but he just doesn't move. in his tank he'll just swim back and forth just like pacing. he hasn't tried out his basking dock. he'll poke out his head occasionally at the light and go back pacing. or sometimes he'll just lay between a plant or decorative rocks. i have his light on the dock so i don't know what the problem is. i tried mixing his sticks with sardine, shrimp, tuna. he just doesn't want to eat at all. i tried having the water warmer but that didn't help. his water now is 77 or 78 it's close to 80. so....i don't know what's wrong. i give a day or two before i take him to see a vet. does anyone know what to do to help. thank you.

oh i also forgot.....i bought 4 teeny tiny guppies and they're still in there swimming around. and crikets. it's still hopping on his dock. and peices of worms.
Mizadmirer
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 26, 2005

Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 1:38 am   

there are a few threads on getting baby res to eat. i would try foods that are smelly, dipping food in water from a tuna can is often suggested. mine love raw and dried shrimp... but keep trying, he needs to get some nutrition asap.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:06 am   

thanks steve

it's 12 am and i just saw my baby eating the fake plants. what should i do? i know to take it out so he doesn't eat it. should i go buy the real plants so he can nibble on those?
Mizadmirer
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 26, 2005

Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:58 am   

i went out to the grocery store and just got back with some cooked frozen shrimp and set it on top of the decorative plant that he was eating earlier and my baby is eating it. yea!!!!! i'm so happy. :D
Mizadmirer
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 26, 2005

Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:12 am   

Unfortunately it sounds like your RES is ill and should be treated IMMEDIATELY. I was in the same situation before and because I took no action (first time) he 'flew to heaven'.

Also if the following symptoms occur I'm pretty sure it is an illness: puffy eyes, open-mouthed breathing, constant basking
chris 7
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Jul 26, 2005

Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:29 am   

if he is not sick and has started eating GR8. keep an eye on him and introduce other foods-dont want him getting hooked on only shrimp. keeping live water plants and floating romain lettuce is a good idea to have in the tank at all times and float cuttle bone. it took my turt 3 weeks to taste one of the 12 roseys in the tank but after that ate 6 in 2 days lol. shy babies will not eat if u are in the room I put mine in a seperate container for feeding helps keep a cleaner tank. will not even look at the food till I go away. also a shy turtle may be basking behind ur back, they are fast, quite, and smart."sliding" in the water before ur eyes ever saw him? look in the forum under nutrition for some do's and don'ts as far as foods turts will eat and need oh and welcome!
Don't put a question mark (?) where God has already put a period (.)!
lydia_lady_fla
 
Posts: 274
Joined: May 4, 2005
Location: florida

Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:53 pm   

WELL I CAN EASLY HELP YOU!!I just got my turtle from a swap meet too
in Florida and well he hadn't eaton nothing for the last month amazingly to say I fed him pellets and everything and he still wouldnt eat.Then someone suggested Tuna and Bam a few minutes ago he just ate so try it.
buddys_my_turtle
 
Posts: 229
Joined: Jul 26, 2005

Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:46 pm   

for me, shrimp is a treat, raw shrimp is a last resort. get him to eat pellets, feeder fish and crickets and offer some veggies (listed on the Feeding Sticky).
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:55 pm   

No Bam/Ham. Smelly foods like tuna in water are are good for tempting your turtle to eat/get him eating, but once he is eating, switch him back to more nutritious food like his pellets and vary with other foods.
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
marisa
Retired Mod
 
Posts: 12993
Joined: Apr 21, 2005
Location: CT, USA


Return to Urgent Care

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests