Feeding and Nutrition :: RES won't eat

[shonelum1]

Hello, my name is Nick and I am new to the whole turtle thing. I just got the whole turtle setup and a RES last Thursday. My turtle has only eaten once on Monday. Everytime I put the Tetra pellets in the tank she just ignores them and keeps swiming around or basking herself. The setup i have is about a 30 gallon tank halfway filled with water. There are some fake plants, a turtle dock and a log for her to sit on. I do have the UVB/UVA lamp and a basking lamp. I have a heater with the water set to 79 and a 125gph filter. Also I do have gravel in the bottom of the tank but I am thinking about taking the gravel out because of some posts that I am reading here. The gravel is about pea sized. She is constantly swiming and basking; very active. And her color, legs and head look good. She looks healthy as anything. I don't know if she is still getting adjusted or if she actually ate a piece of gravel. Any help would be greatly apppriciated. Thanks.

[marisa]

Welcome to the forum. Since you just got your RES last Thursday, s/he may not eat that well until she's more used to her environment. The fact that she ate on Monday is encouraging. You could try some different foods to get her more interested in eating. My RES has never turned down an earthworm. Do you give your turtle some privacy after you've put in the food? If not, leaving him alone for a bit might make him more comfortable to eat.

How big is your RES (shell length without the curve)?

What's the temp of the basking area (88-90F would be good)?

I'd try some different foods, give some privacy at eating time, but it still may take a bit of time for her to relax and realize she's hungry.

Taking the gravel out would be good---you'd have peace of mind that she's not eating it, and not having it will make it easier to keep the tank cleaner. Try some smooth river rocks that are larger than the head. You don't need to cover the bottom, just have some for your turtle to push around.

[shonelum1]

Wow, that was a quick response . She is about 4" long without the curve and the basking temp is about 90-95. I think I am going to take the Gravel out of the tank tomor. I need to drain the water anyway so I can put the tank on the stand I just built. Thanks for the input.

[shonelum1]

ok. So I took all the gravel out yesterday. I was watching her for a little while and she was searching around the bottom and it looked like she was eating a little bit of dirt or something. I think it could be like a little bit of sand left over from the gravel. I think I might have to drain the tank again and get rid of the dirt. I hope she is ok. When i put the food in she just looks at it and then goes around the bottom and searches for a bit.

[missibsu]

It may take up to a week for your turtle start eating. I wouldn't stress just yet. Make sure you keep offering fresh foods and eventually she will catch on. It took mine awhile too. You can also try soaking the food in tuna juice or mixing it with a little bit of canned cat food. The smell will help attract her. Live food is also inticing. Good luck, and keep us posted.

[shonelum1]

YAY!!! she's eating. and she's so happy . thanks for all your help.

[pumpkinsherbet]

i read that turtles like to hunt. so as a welcome gift, i suppose, i got them a couple of shrimp and some pet grass. they shunned the pellets no matter what i did.

about two hours ago i witnessed a rather amusing show about a turtle and a not so smart shrimp. aeryn chased it for a bit, snipped at the grass. john snipped at the grass. twenty minutes ago i saw what remained of one shrimp carcass. the thrill of the hunt, i guess.