Feeding and Nutrition :: Rescue not eating!!!

[SabrinaF]

Our rescue turtles are use to eating just minnows once a week. One is 6.5" the other is 4". If they get to hungry will they eat the lettuce and pellets I put in there? Or should I put some fish in there? We only got them friday and so far they bask all the time.

As of today I have gotten the bigger one to eat tuna. And she also keeps biting the cuttlebone. But the smaller one worries me. I haven't seen her eat at all and they are very thin. What can I feed her to get something in her tummy?

[gwennie]

Tuna is a great enticing food, as are canned shrimp (these should really only be fed as a treat or to entice sick turtles to eat, so don't feed them this normally in the future).

The smaller one may be still adjusting to the move, turtles don't take change very well.

If they are hungry they will definitely eat the lettuce and pellets you're putting in there.

I have some questions for you though:

Are these two turtles in the same tank? It could be that the bigger one is just hogging the food and the smaller one isn't comfortable eating when the bigger one is there. You might want to consider feeding them separately in a different container than the tank after they've settled in.

What's your set up for them currently?

[SabrinaF]

gwennie: These poor turtles were in a 20g tote with about 3" of water with big rocks taking up 75% of the space. They had been like that for months. They are set up in our dining room so I can see them. I haven't even seen the little guy get in the water since we put them in there. I have pics up on here: http://s948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/SabrinaF23/ I know that their tank is to small. We're only turtle sitting until the girl asks her mom if she wants them. If the mother says no, then they will be going to the college in our town.

The bigger one I just got to eat tuna. To me they look thin. If you lift them up to look at their undershell they sink to the bottom of their shell. The little one looks to have no energy. I'm so worried

[warnereg]

I dont know if you have lights or not, but they are very essential to the eating habbits of the turtles, in fact turtles are colorblind without uva light, and also need the uvb light + heat to properly process calcium.

[warnereg]

also if you increase the water level they will be able to get more exercise, maybe that could stimulate them to eat as well.

[SabrinaF]

Thanks Warner, we are just turtle sitting right now. What we have them in is much better than what they were in. They do have lights, heater, and filter. I have gotten both to eat now. The big one has eaten tuna, cuttlebone, and pumpkin The little one finally ate some lettuce today, almost made me cry

[warnereg]

Great to hear! sounds like they have everything they need, as well as a very suitable diet. Great job! The owners will be happy Im sure.