One of my baby red eared slider turtles isn't eating anything, please help me.?

Question

I've tried feeding him, turtle pellets, turtle flakes, carrots, fish, romane lettuce, and some seafood/vegtable aquatic turtle yummies. He's starting to get a soft shell and I'm concered for my little guy. I'm a college student and can't afford a vet bill for a baby turtle. Right now i'm trying to force feed him with an eyedropper but I'm having a hard time getting him to open his mouth. He is about 4-5cm so I would assume he's pretty young. I've had turtles before and have never had a problem feeding them. Any advice would help.

Answer 1

some things live for a long time and some things live for a short time. it is all in the luck of the draw or carma. i hope the small thing makes it but when all is said and done some life is better than no life at all. i do not pray but i wish your pet the best and understand not all things should go to the vet wheather you have the money or not. in life the strong survive. may you be the strong one. good luck with your pet.

Answer 2

He most likely has shell rot. Look here under "fungus/shell rot" for instructions on how to take care of it:

http://www.klsnet.com/sickturt.html

The instructions there are pretty involved. If you don't want to do all that, just buy a hot UV light (sold in pet stores as "basking lamps"), and put it over the land area in the enclosure so your turtle can bask. Or, take it out in the sun.

As for the feeding, it can be damned difficult to force feed a turtle, what with them being able to pull their head into the shell. My turtle, an adult box turtle, got sick and didn't eat for a month though. Reptiles can go a while without eating. If he makes it through the illness, he'll start eating again. If you can get some food in him though, it can't hurt.

Answer 3

1. Wrong food. Turtle flakes are not nutritious, neither are cheap pellets. Turtles do not thrive on lettuce or vegetables, and in fact baby Red-ears do not eat ANY vegetation in the wild (they start eating it as they get older and slower).

2. Softshell is a dietary issue involving the ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the food. Turtles need a ratio of close to 1:1, but Iceberg lettuce is about 3:1 (with almost no real nutrients), hamburger is 1:20 and too fatty for turtles, etc.

3. Force-feeding a reptile USUALLY means the thing is going to die- if the original problem does not kill it, the trauma of force feeding does.

Try this:

a. Review the care outlines in places like the sites below and ensure that the turtle is getting the right care. We can accidently overlook key issues, so it is always worth a solid review!

b. Fix any glitches discovered (common things are small tanks, cool temps, poor lighting, etc.)

c. Prepare for 'hospital tank' mode. for the next month, you will offer 'super care' to try to get the turtle's health back up.

For Hosptial mode:
- super clean tank and water
- minimal noise, vibration, handling, etc. Low stress!
- boost temps about 5 degrees
- boost vitamins and minerals with a turtle calcium block (with copper) in the water (or a home made equivilant) [Note- I usually do not recommend these, but it might help th shell.]
- keep in this mode for about a month

d. Go to a great diet. Spend a little and get the best pellets you can find, supplement it with bloodworms or small shrimp.

e. Once the hospital tank is in place, document things- daily temps, what you fed it, what it ate, how it is acting. If it improves after about a week, keep it up. If it does not, let us know or call a vet.

Answer 4

Make sure the water is warm. Our turtle would not eat because the water was not warm enough. Also, water turtles have an easier time eating in the water. Do not try to force feed the turtle while it is out of the water.

Answer 5

Soft shell:
get him uv lights or if u cant afford that, bring him outside for sometime each day. also buy a "calcium turtle" those are really cheap (a few dollars) and they're just turtle shaped pieces of calcium.
Appetite:
if you just got him its ok if he doesnt eat for a while- he's just getting accustomed to his new habitat. also, if his environment is right- right water temperature (27degrees celcius), clean water, proper cage with a basking are-dry spot for your turt to get UV or to rest, ...etc. ur turtle will probably eat again. maybe he's a picky eater(like mine). in that case, buy him some meat (ex. raffy I, the shimp) . hell probably eat that. besides, meat is mainly what baby turtles eat in the wild.
also, dont worry too much, turtles can survive without food for a long time, so,
good luck!
P.S. don't force feed, because thatll make him scared and if he really doesnt want to eat, u cant force him. :)

Answer 6

OMG! Do not release that turtle. People releasing their RES pets outside the natural range have been responsible for fouling up the habitat for the native turtles, some of which are threatened or endangered. I am afraid that someone already did that near you if there are babies wandering around loose. RES require at least 10 gallons of water per inch of shell and they grow rapidly. They feed in the water and the babies are carnivorous. Try earthworms, bait fishes, and liver -- no vegetables until they mature.

Answer 7

I have 2 baby red eared sliders too. When their shells get soft it means they aren't getting enough sunlight. Take them outside a lot or buy a UV lamp so they can bask. They should start eating if you do that too.

Answer 8

Hmm...that's a hard one but I would NOT recommend force feeding it. I would try asking around at a pet shop.

For once I DON'T recommend potatoes.

Answer 9

hes sick and needs to go to the vet. if u cant afford it then y do u have it? but ny way, u have to force feed it liquid turtle food and maybe some medicine that a person would use to feed another person

Answer 10

try a little canned cat food