Feeding and Nutrition :: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

Turtle diets and eating habits discussed here.

Post Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 2:28 am   5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

So I've decided to take care of my friend's Red eared sliders for the next two years since he has no space in his new apartment. They are living in a 50 gallon clear Rubbermaid tub with a piece of wood stretched over the surface as their basking area. the tub is outside and I'm not using a heater because there's no electricity outdoors. The first week went perfectly fine; both RES ate ReptoMin Floating Food Sticks daily until the week after they started spitting out the sticks. The water was super cold and I figured that's why they wouldn't eat. I then filled another tub with warm water and let the turtles hang in there for a bit. I fed them some floating sticks, but they ignored it. On some days I thought about bringing them in every night so they can sleep in the house with room temperature and not out there in the cold, but now I'm afraid that bringing them in and out would cause them to stress out. It's already the third week and no food digested. I don't know what's the problem? Just letting you guys know, I'm not an expert on keeping any terrapin. Thanks!
Attachments
IMG_1521.JPG
Their habitat outdoors. I know it's small for two turtles but I've no space for a pond. Just helping a friend out :)
Jimmy
User avatar
Turtlesarecoool
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Nov 17, 2015
Location: Garden Grove. CA
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 1:24 pm   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

Welcome to the site! I would guess its the temperatures/temp swings at this point. Unless these RES are in a place where they can brumate, they should have a constant water temperature range between 75-78

There are other aspects of how they are kept that need to be addressed, so you need to think if these are going to be long term pets.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 2:59 pm   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

The problem is I have a 100 gallon set up indoors but it houses two comets that are about medium size. I don't want the sliders to start chasing them like they're food. I've seen people who have kept them together but it's pretty risky. Is there anyway I can keep the temperature warm outdoors without a heater? I've tried adding heated water every night with floating heated water bottles but every morning it becomes ice cold. Some say wrap a blanket around the tub, but I don't think that helps... Other than that I can bring them indoors every night and bring them out in the morning but wouldn't that stress them out?
Jimmy
User avatar
Turtlesarecoool
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Nov 17, 2015
Location: Garden Grove. CA
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 6:56 pm   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

It's pretty difficult because you're going to have to do a lot of work, plus add some stress as you said. Are both confirmed males? How long is their shell?
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 7:54 pm   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

I'm not sure where you live or the temps. With that said you have 2 turtles than need a large tank with lots of water a heater and lights. Sounds to me like your 100 gallon indoor tank it exactly what they need. The not eating is due to changing seasons. I know your just looking after them but your friend needs to realize thats not even close to the proper setup for them.
1 Male Mississippi Map/Mississippi
1 Female RES/Slidy.
1 DBT White Concentric Female/ Lucky
1 DBT Male/ Spots
(Housed in the same tank)

300 gallon indoor stock tank, FX6 & FX5 filters. Mega-Ray 100w UVB bulb.
User avatar
Kansasslider
 
Posts: 3043
Joined: May 10, 2012
Location: Manhattan,Kansas.
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:55 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

steve wrote:It's pretty difficult because you're going to have to do a lot of work, plus add some stress as you said. Are both confirmed males? How long is their shell?


Yeah I know it's difficult, but I'm already getting used to doing the water changes since the tub's outdoors and it's easier than doing it indoors. They are both confirmed males! One has a 5 inch shell and the other has a 6 inch shell.
Jimmy
User avatar
Turtlesarecoool
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Nov 17, 2015
Location: Garden Grove. CA
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:59 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

Kansasslider wrote:I'm not sure where you live or the temps. With that said you have 2 turtles than need a large tank with lots of water a heater and lights. Sounds to me like your 100 gallon indoor tank it exactly what they need. The not eating is due to changing seasons. I know your just looking after them but your friend needs to realize thats not even close to the proper setup for them.

I live in Southern California, the temps are pretty low outdoors as winter's coming. It's been down to the low 50s to high 40s this week. Yes I know they need a large tank with all the necessities. Could the not eating be that they're going to be hibernating all winter? Well it's still fall but it will be winter in a month and I'm worried that they won't eat for two months! Is there any way that I can promote their survival outdoors without a heater?
Jimmy
User avatar
Turtlesarecoool
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Nov 17, 2015
Location: Garden Grove. CA
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 2:49 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

Anyway you can house them indoors dry docked in the evening? I'm in LA and it is pretty cold at night.
User avatar
devilduck
 
Posts: 957
Joined: May 11, 2012
Location: Chicago, IL.
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:02 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

devilduck wrote:Anyway you can house them indoors dry docked in the evening? I'm in LA and it is pretty cold at night.

I don't have a lot of space in the house. I live in a condo and the only thing I have space for is a small tub, smaller than the one that they're in. So housing them indoors dry docked..meaning they'll sleep on land all night right? I'm down in Santa Ana and it's really cold! Can I bring them back out in the mornings then?
Jimmy
User avatar
Turtlesarecoool
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Nov 17, 2015
Location: Garden Grove. CA
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 7:35 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

The colder turtles are the more lethargic they are and not eating goes along with that. Some people hibernate their turtles but I know nothing about the subject. I'm not sure how moving them from warm to cold to warm would affect them.
1 Male Mississippi Map/Mississippi
1 Female RES/Slidy.
1 DBT White Concentric Female/ Lucky
1 DBT Male/ Spots
(Housed in the same tank)

300 gallon indoor stock tank, FX6 & FX5 filters. Mega-Ray 100w UVB bulb.
User avatar
Kansasslider
 
Posts: 3043
Joined: May 10, 2012
Location: Manhattan,Kansas.
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:05 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

Yup, they called that the "death zone" if I recall.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:45 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

Kansasslider wrote:The colder turtles are the more lethargic they are and not eating goes along with that. Some people hibernate their turtles but I know nothing about the subject. I'm not sure how moving them from warm to cold to warm would affect them.

So if I bring the turtles in and have them stay indoors for the next two months..can I put them in separate tubs? Would they then begin eating again? The water would be in the right temps compared to outdoor's. I'm not sure about moving affecting them either.
Jimmy
User avatar
Turtlesarecoool
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Nov 17, 2015
Location: Garden Grove. CA
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:46 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

steve wrote:Yup, they called that the "death zone" if I recall.

What's the death zone?
Jimmy
User avatar
Turtlesarecoool
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Nov 17, 2015
Location: Garden Grove. CA
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 11:52 am   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

It's too cold for them to be actively normal and suppresses appetite, but not cold enough for proper brumation (hibernation).

I would look around the house and see what you can do and keep in mind that they will likely have to be separate. You just need to be a bit creative and go from there.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:03 pm   Re: 5 Year Old Male Red Eared Sliders Refuse to Eat?

steve wrote:It's too cold for them to be actively normal and suppresses appetite, but not cold enough for proper brumation (hibernation).

I would look around the house and see what you can do and keep in mind that they will likely have to be separate. You just need to be a bit creative and go from there.

I do have an idea in mind but I'm not sure what to use for a basking area. Would a rock do the job? Or it will damage their shells from underneath. Would one UVB work for them if their tubs were right next to each other?
Jimmy
User avatar
Turtlesarecoool
 
Posts: 15
Joined: Nov 17, 2015
Location: Garden Grove. CA
Gender: Male

Next

Return to Feeding and Nutrition

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests