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Am a new aquarist. Bought an RES 2 days back which is about 1.5 inch long & i think its a female. I don't know how old it is.

The thing is, its not eating anything. I've been trying to feed some staple food sticks which i was asked to feed my RES & even tried spinach. But it is'nt eating anything.

What should i do??

Have you tried earthworms? It takese RES a few days to adjust. You can also try feeding canned tuna. That has always worked for me.

Sad part is, i'm unable to find stores who sell worms. They say its off season for live worms to be found.

Try canned tuna.

ya sure. Thank you tammi.
Another question

Can we determine the age of an RES by its size? mine is less than 1.5 inch long.

& should i create a basking area for it in the aquarium itself, in which i've got some other fishes?

RES generally grow 3 inches in their first year if habitat and feeding have been proper. The growth slows down if not properly cared for.
So my guess would be less than a year old.

As for the basking area. Yes, it needs a basking area in the tank or above it. They need to be able to warm up and dry off.

Welcome to the forum and to RES care!

It can take RES several days to get used to their new surroundings and start eating. I would say keep offering pellets for now. It's a bit soon to be offering tuna, I'd say. If you start giving him tuna now, he'll just expect it and it'll be even harder to get him onto pellets and veggies.

After a few days, if he's still not eating, there are some methods to entice eating here:
http://www.redearslider.com/entice_eating.html

Spinach is not a good food for RES. It's high in oxylic acid, and too much can block calcium absorption.

Check out the nutrition section on the main site (http://www.redearslider.com/index_nutrition.html) and the stickies at the top of this forum for what to feed and what not to feed.

On age/size/gender: You can't tell a RES's age by size. They are usually 3.5-4" at 1 year old, and grow approximately .5" per year after that. Those are just guidelines though. Size is dependent on many factors including habitat, nutrition and genetics.
At 1.5", I'd hazard a guess and say your RES is 6months or younger. Also, at that size, it's impossible to tell gender. You usually can't tell a RES's gender until s/he is at least 4".

My turtle has been here since tuesday and just started eating yesterday morning. Today he's all about it though, I put in a few pellets which I saw him destroy one or two and then gave him some zucchini which he loved. I was amazed to see him eating the veggies this early, he too is less then an inch and a half. I think the trick with the zucchini was that I had cut it up small enough that it was sinking to the bottom and then hitting the bubble curtain and going back up where the filter output would hit it, so it was moving around a lot and he would chase it down, once he had tried it I think he realized that it was good so he ate all of the veggies and even left a few pellets uneaten.

hey thanks all for all your suggestions.

I've named my RES Leo

Today morning, the sticks which i have offered weren't seem to be found in the aquarium, i think Leo ate them. I'm Happy

I found Tuna in Olive oil thing, i've offered a small piece just now

neobetheone, have you got a Walmart near you? Every one I've been to sells life bait, and the trout worms they sell are really earthworms (30 or more in a container). I take them out of whatever medium they're in and put them in some good dirt (which I dig). You can keep them for a while that way and feed them as part of the diet.

well marisa, walmart has not opened any department stores in india yet.
& in by the way, the thing you have done is nice.
Its a rainy season for us now, but still there are no heavy rains to capture worms.
But a shop keeper has said he has got some dead worms baked or something into cake like shapes & he said it would be a good alternative for live worms. Is it???

Ah, sorry I missed that.

Dead, baked worms? What kind are they and what kind of animal eats them? Something live would be more attractive for eating.

What kind of food was he being fed wherever you bought him? If you're giving him the same food, perhaps s/he's just adjusting to a new environment.

Is tuna nutritional for them?

The shop keeper who has owned my Leo previously was feeding the staple sticks & he has asked me to do the same. 2 sticks per day. Leo is eating those sticks now, its like holding a stick in its mouth & jumping into the water & later eating em. Its really very cute to watch.

& about those dead baked worms, its a turtle & reptile food manufactured by TAIYO which does most of the manufacturing of food for aquarium beings.

About basking area, the shop keeper hasn't said a word

If he's starting to eat, that's good. Give him a varied diet.

Don't know what you mean about the shopkeeper and the basking area----your turtle does need to get out of the water to dry off and bask. He needs a basking area if he doesn't have one. And, he needs to be basking under a heat source and UVB light.

Tuna is protein rich, and can be given as an occasional treat or to encourage a reluctant turtle to eat.