Feeding and Nutrition :: Help RES refuses to eat :(

[Aliokona]

I tried posting this in the thread started by another turtle user, "my RES doesn't eat," but I don't know that anyone will check it since the thread is a few months old. So here's a new one.

Okay, so on Saturday, my baby RES stopped eating. He's hatchling, about a month or so old. He's in a ten gallon tank of water, with a temperature of about 80 degrees. He acts perfectly healthy - swims around a lot, doesn't walk or swim lopsided, basks regularly, no sneezing, yawning, or coughing - nothing irregular. Except his lack of appetite.

The only time that he tried taking a bite out of a pellet was when it rolled over his head about two days ago. Then he lost interest in it again. He just ignores his food.

I've tried soaking pellets in tuna water, that hasn't worked. I don't know what's wrong, or what else to try. I'm really worried. I just lost one hatchling to an RI (they were seperated) and I don't want to lose another one.

Help?

[grey goose]

I'm inclined to say he got a chill, but your water temps seem fine. If he's active and basking (not basking excessively, is he?) he may just need something different. Try a different pellet, or cut up earthworms, or dried krill. Once you put it in the tank, back away a little, he may be nervous with you watching. If he doesn't start eating soon, a trip to the vet may be necessary....

[SpotsMama]

Are you sure he's not eating when you're not around?

Pellets soaked in tuna water is good. Have you tried these other ideas?

http://www.redearslider.com/entice_eating.html

Was he eating before and now he's stopped? Or has he not eaten much of anything since you got him?

If he's only a month old, he's very young. How long have you had him? If he's brand new, he'll need some time to get used to the place - and you. It's ok if they don't eat for the first few days or even a week while they are getting acclimated. During this period of adjustment what they need most is peace and quiet and privacy. They need a place to hide in the tank to make them feel secure.

[Aliokona]

I leave him alone with food pellets in the water for about an hour, but they're still there when I come back. I don't want to leave the pellets in there for too long because I don't want to encourage bacteria growth or anything with the food pellet breaking apart and stuff.

Yes, he was eating before. At first I was feeding him turtle pellets that I guess are just general pellets? By that I mean, I switched to pellets meant for hatchlings, that were smaller and have a slightly-different-I'm-assuming-healthier-for-hatchlings composition. The first three days I used the he ate three to four small pellets a day. Then one day I noticed his appetite was very subdued - he only ate about two and a half, and was playing with the food more than eating it. Then stopped eating altogether.

I've tried switching back to the other pellets, doesn't work. He just.. doesn't find them interesting and worth his attention. Which is unfortunate. And it worries me.

As to his age - my turtle was a Christmas gift to me from my roommate (who while, well intending, did not realize how much of a responsibility a RES is, nor that Chinatown turtles are, in fact, illegal). When I got him, he still had the little tooth on his nose that turtles use to help them break out of his shell - I don't know what they're called. He lost it a day or so later. So I'm assuming he had just hatched. I've had him for almost four weeks now. He didn't eat the first few days I had him because he was getting used to the tank and his new surroundings and he had just hatched, but since then he's been fine (until Saturday anyway).

I think that's the full history of my turtle.

I'll check out the link and will try other methods of enticing him to eat and see if any of them work...

[SpotsMama]

See if some of those other methods will work.

If they don't work, if it were me and the little guy had been eating but stopped, I'd start looking for a herp vet. If he's getting sick it would be easier to deal with if it's caught early.

[marisa]

Try something that isn't a pellet--preferably something that moves. I'd get an earthworm and cut it into edible pieces. You also might try some frozen bloodworms.