Feeding and Nutrition :: no food for 4 days??

[dumbork14]

hello turtle talk!

we may be leaving for a weekend trip (friday to monday). unfortunately we can't bring dumbork with us. can turtles live with no food for 4 days?

here are the options:
1. ask a relative to drop in every morning and night to feed her in the tank.
disadvantages - they don't know anything about it. while my own family is supportive of it, most relatives that live near us don't even know how to handle dumbork. for sure they won't wait around to make sure dumbork pooped, and they won't meticulously pick up the uneaten food pieces and the poop itself.

2. bring dumbork to another relative that lives far away.
disadvantages - dumbork hates traveling. i know for a fact because we always transfer her from my permanent home to my temporary home before. she didn't eat for a day and keeps clawing and scratching me the whole time. also, the travel time will take 4 hours. another disadvantage, this relative had a baby so he may be busy for awhile.
advantage - this relative can take care of dumbork efficiently. he will know what to do.

3. ask help from my local turtle support group.
advantages - they know turtles of every kind. they know what to do.
disadvantages - i don't personally know all of them. i just knew about them thru facebook and emails three weeks ago, and i don't even know if somebody from the group lives near my area. i hate to put dumbork in a new environment, knowing that these turtle keepers have another turtle in the tank. i can't transfer the tank and filter to them, as my tank is still cycling.


what's your opinion? any comment is appreciated. thanks!

[Diamondbacks4Life]

Just feed him real good before you leave, and he should fine. Turtles can actually go a weeknir two without eating.

[dumbork14]

thanks for the comment. define real good? here's my usual feeding for both morning and evening:

1 head sized chunk of cuttlebone (given in small pieces)
1 reptomin pellet
4 hikari wheatgerm pellet (pinhead size)
1 leaf of romaine lettuce (length of a pen) - morning only.

another Q - am i underfeeding? the growth lines on her shell are kinda thick so i cut back from 4 pellets a day to 2 pellets a day.

[cutepanda86]

What size are those pellets? I give Sheldon at least 15 reptomins every other day. Of course they are mini-pellets.

[MEandYouPhoto]

I have one of the EHEIM Everyday Turtle Feeder that I got at petsmart for $40.00
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... ingsDetail
works great for just one turtle

[dumbork14]

the usual reptomin size (1cm+).

as for the feeder, that's not available in our country. shipping costs are expensive, and i could buy a new tank for the price.

[cutepanda86]

Doesn't sound like you're underfeeding if you're going twice a day. I only feed Sheldon every other day (with lettuce in the inbetween sometimes)

Also, I think he'll be ok if you leave him for 4 days, just like Diamondbacks said.

[dumbork14]

woohoo thanks! now i'm worried that she will be sad and lonely for four days

[dumbork14]

what about lights? I can't leave her basking lights on for more that 48 hours -- what shall I do? I'm still looking for a timer for electricity -- hopefully i'll find one before the trip comes.

[cutepanda86]

I use a power strip by Zilla.

http://www.amazon.com/Zilla-11573-Analo ... wer+center

[dumbork14]

thanks! will try to find that one here.

[cutepanda86]

good luck!

[dumbork14]

already found one. Unfortunately, the timers that i saw here are good for only 24 hours. thanks for the idea though. still won't give up searching.

[cutepanda86]

Not a week long timer huh? Bummer.

[steve]

Are you sure you looked at it correctly? The timer should be 24 hours and you select the on and off times. So it'll be the same for each day. I think there are digital ones that you can program for different times/days.