Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:56 pm Re: New Red Eared Slider isn't eating
First find a medium sized rubbermaid container, around 15-20 gallons. Fill it with cold tap water halfway. Find something to use as a basking area. Then head to the pet store and pick up a thermometer, a fully submersible water heater, some live feeder guppies (usually 10 for $1), canned mini-crickets and some Baby Reptomin. Get one of those small resin platforms (shaped like a trapezoid) if you didn't find a suitable basking area at home. You'll need a warm incandescent lamp to act as a basking lamp. It's placed over the basking area and should be about 85-90F. A filter would be great too, but it can wait a week or so and you can probably get one online for much cheaper while you decide on an appropriate first tank. You'll also need a UVB bulb which looks like an energy-efficient light bulb, but that can wait a little too.
Plug the heater in, wait for the water to warm about 78F and let your turtle swim in there. You can try feeding her in there too, though she's probably timid from all the changes. Try holding the minnow by the tail and let it wiggle in front of her face. Hopefully she'll take a bite and you can then move her to a more appropriate diet.
