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I need advice on how to care for this little baby. I've got him in a 10 gal tank with a place to swim and a dry area (cedar mulch). I've got a warming lamp on him, and I filled the swimming "pool" with warm water. I've offered him finely chopped meat, grated carrots, and finely chopped strawberries, in addition to Aquatic Turtle "pellets" from the pet store.

While my son and I were walking at the lake yesterday, we rescued the little guy from children who had been carrying him around with them for I don't know how long. He hasn't eaten (that I've been able to tell, anyway). He frequently burrows down into the cedar mulch. Is this okay/normal?

I need advice on how to care for the little guy...I'm not sure he's gonna make it.

Read all the Stickys under Feeding-Nutrition and Habitat-Indoor. Let us know how it goes.

What kind of turtle is it??, can you post a picture?

he could also be suffering from trauma. leave plentiful food available and try to stay out of site. let him adjust and calm down... hopefully he'll have a bite to eat.

Okay, I left him alone all day, with plenty of food. However, when I checked on him a little while ago, he was still sitting on the "log", in the same place where he was 7 hours ago. He doesn't open his eyes either. I am certain that he is a RES, and I am attaching pictures. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.





(i fixed the image links - steve)

yes, he's a RES. if he's inactive, he could be weak from not eating and that is not a good sign. i'm not sure if having him in a full tank of water would help him, but getting him to eat is a priority.

read my post here:
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34

... and i would have to say your situation is more serious.

also, for my two RES there are 3 things they always eat at any time (none of which are very healthy)

wardley's dried shimp
thawed raw shrimp
live guppies/minnows

good luck

Thanks, Steve, I appreciate your advice. I'll offer shrimp and get the dried shrimp when the store opens tomorrow. I am very concerned that he hasn't opened his eyes. Is it possible that he's such a new hatchling that his eyes haven't opened yet, or is this a serious problem? What, too, about the burrowing in the cedar mulch? Is burrowing a common practice amongst RES'?

his eyes look swollen shut. eye infection! herp vet! very soon!

Just one thought, cedar shavings are kinda smelly, it could be that the turtle can't smell the food over the smell of the cedar, try putting it in something like an old salad bowl that can hold water and feed him/her in there, I am almost-halfway-semi-kinda sure he/she will eat, just give it some privacy, once it senses that there is no danger it might start eating.

Thanks...I will try the salad bowl. Any thoughts about the burrowing...anyone?

If it is an RES it is a semiaquatic turtle, meaning that it spends most of its time in the water coming out to bask, it should be in a tank with water almost to the top, they are very good swimmers so they won't drown that easily, Here is what my setup looks like:

Are you taking him to a vet? He needs one asap

Thanks y'all. I think he's starting to eat a little. I'll give him 2 more days, and if he makes it, I'll invest in the revamping of his tank. You've got a cool one, Stray. He's not real interested in swimming right now, as he spends almost all of his time on his little rock. I think he may be too weak. Hopefully he'll continue to eat and regain some strength.

So you're not taking him to a vet? They don't very often get better on their own.