Turtle talk (2)?

Question

i need some help with my 3 baby red eared sliders.
1. I feed them raffy i and raffy p.(the shrimp and the pellets. i noe they need fresh veggies but ive tried chopped carrots, lettuce, cabbage, and cantalope and they never eat any.
2. one of my turtles has a skinlike film peeling from its eyes down to its neck(now its hanging loosely at the end of its neck at the opening of the shell) What do i do? the same turtle also has puffy eyes but they open just like the others and it can see very well
3.some people say that you dont need uv lights if you bring them into the sun every day, is that true?
4.my turtles spend 95% of their time out of water on the rocks i provided them or on each other. is that ok?
If u could help me on any of these questions it would be a great help. thanks! :)

Answer 1

1. Baby Red-ear sliders (RES) need almost NO vegetables or plants their first year or so. Good quality turtle pellets are fine as the main diet (cheap brands use cheap ingredients), and you can supplement them with small aquatic foods like worms, crickets, and so on.

2. Turtles shed in peels. If the skin underneath looks good, it is not a big deal. The puffy eyes, however, signals an eye infection! See Note A.

3. Turtles should have exposure to UV-B daily. Sunlight or lightbulb are equally good... but moving turtles back and forth a lot is stressful to it. Minimal handling is far better. An outdoor pond is a GREAT home for turtles.

4. This probably means your water is too cool or dirty although a lot of time basking and sleeping is normal for all reptiles.


Note A:
Eye infections worry me. They can be caused by a couple things, most commonly dietary problems and/or dirty water. Whenever I hear about an eye infection, I usually find that there are some problems with the basic cares.

Please go to a good site, like http://www.redearslider.com and review their suggestions and see how it compares to your cares.

For example...
- Does your cage offer about 10 gallons of swimming space per inch of turtle? With 3 babys, you'd need at least 30 gallons fo water- which would mean a partially filled 50 gallon tank or a nice big tub. Space is a key element in raising healthy, happy turtles.
- Is the water heated to about 75-80?
- Is the basking site heated to about 90?
- Are the temperatures monitored with thermometers?
- Is the water sparklingly clean, no 'turtle tank' odor?
- Does the lighting simulate daylight in intensity, duration, and in offering UV light? (There are many ways to accomplish this!)
- Are they each getting their fair share of food, no fighting, stealing, or bullying?
- Are they fed daily an amount about the size of their head with extra food removed after about 30 minutes?
- Is the food a well-balanced aquatic turtle food with a calcium/phosphorus ratio about 1 to 1, and offers several vitamins and minerals, including B13?

I would IMMEDIATELY isolate the turtle(s) with puffy eyes in a hospital tank (each one in a seperate tank if necessary). Hospital tanks...
- Are at least 10 gallons per inch of turtle
- Offer all the lighting, heating, and cleanliness abilities of the regular tank
- Are kept about 5-10 degrees warmer than usual, adjusting the temps based on behaviors.
- The best food I can provide, slightly overfed.
- Are kept as clean as possible without overly disturbing the turtle. I avoid any gravel, etc., and use 3 good filters in a 40 gallon plastic tub for my 'hospital'.
- Are as low-stress as possible- no noise or vibration, minimal bright lights, no giants staring at them, as little handling or disturbance as possible.
- Once in a hospital tank, I always plan for at least a month-long stay. Monitor the turtle daily, making good notes about the condition. If things worsen, I go to the vet.

Eye infections often start to clear up when the cause is taken care of. but if that does not help, try the turtle eye drops for a few days. If it still does not help, see a vet.

Answer 2

I'm not familiar with those pellets, but any food made specifically for omnivorous turtles should be balanced and include the essential nutrients and elements found in their normal diet.

A certain amount of sloughing is normal. If the same areas are sloughing constantly or any sores or rashes are evident under the slough, probably have a problem.

You could have a water issue. If not changing enough, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate could build up to levels where they are affecting the skin and the eyes. If overchanging or your city has very high levels of chlorine/chloramine in the water, that could affect skin and eyes (think of the over-chlorinated pools you've been in).

Hope this helps

Answer 3

UVB lighting is essential for the growth of all turtles and tortoises. Without it they can easily get a disease called MBD which is basically a calcium deficantcy and can end up dieing. If they live outside then obviously they dont need a light but if they live inside even part time then yes a uv light is defiantly recommended

Answer 4

turtles will only eat what is in the water,i feed my turtle pellets.turtles shed there skin, that might be what that is.turtles need the UV light regardles of what people say,and your water is probably to cold so they like the heat.

Answer 5

turtles will go in the water when they need too
i never use light for mine had no problems with them
if your unsure about there skin consult your local pet store
but you need to keep water clean an wash hands every time you handle them good luck