what should you do if your turtles doesnt eat their food???

Question

help please!!! my turtle wont eat its food. i dont want it to die.

Answer 1

EDIT**** If you have a semi-aquatic (water) turtle, THEY MUST BE FED IN THE WATER!*****


* Is the turtle kept warm enough? If turtles get too cool, they will stop eating.

* Does the turtle like the food you offer? Try out different foods. Some turtles can be very finicky eaters, especially in the beginning. And they have definite likes and dislikes. Most turtles will eventually take small earthworms that are wiggling in front of their nose. Start feeding favorite foods, then slowly introduce other items.

* Is your turtle exposed to too much stress? This is often a cause in new animals. Stress can be caused by handling, traveling, tank mates. New turtles will often not eat properly for several weeks. Be patient and keep trying.

* Is your turtle healthy? Not eating can be a symptom of other problems. If your turtle has been eating well and suddenly stops, a health problem is a likely reason. Take a fecal sample to your veterinarian. (Fecal samples need to be no older than 4 hours, and you need to store them in water in the refrigerator.)

* Don't panic! A turtle can go without food for weeks, even months, and when it feels well again, it will eat again. See a veterinarian, if you think you are doing everything right, and the animal does not eat for more than 2 weeks.

This was found here.
http://www.petstation.com/waturtl

Answer 2

Try different kinds of food. Look up that particular kind of turtle on the Internet and see what the professionals say you should feed it. It's possible that if the food you're giving it is too big, it may not be able to swallow it (and turtles aren't good at chewing). Also, don't try to watch it eat, it may be scared of you and not eat when you're around it. In fact, put the food in using some kind of utensil rather than your bare fingers; some animals will refuse to eat food that smells like humans, because they're not used to the smell. Basically, keep trying things until something works.

Answer 3

Perhaps your pet turtle just is sick of the food you give it. I don't have turtles, but I have goldfish, and I have to vary their diet constantly to make sure they eat. Give it something that he will be attracted to, like red or orange colored food. Also, you may want to do a web search (just like what somebody else said) on what type of turtle your pet is, as obviously there are many different types of turtles. Your web search may tell you what your turtle likes and doesn't like to eat. You may also want to try asking the pet store that you got it from, such as Petco or Petsmart. But if you caught it, try asking the vet or looking it up on the internet. Another thing is that turtles can be "shy." I also have crayfish, and when we go up to it, it likes to back up. Maybe you should just give it its food and then go awway so that it eats. I ALSO (I'm an animal person) had a hermit crab that died but when it was alive, we had to give it food and then walk off or it would not eat or pretend to be asleep. Turtles also are not chewing-food experts, so you may wish to keep that in mind. Oh, and also, your pet turtle may be sick. Try taking it to the vet, seriously! I hope this helps!

Answer 4

Make sure you are doing things right. Whenever things are going wrong, we need to review our cares and diet.

The most common reasons turtles don't eat include:

1.) Too cold. Aim for tank temps of 75-80 and a basking area around 90.
2.) Small, dirty tank. Aim for the largest tank possible (10 gal. of swimming space per inch of turtle is a good start) with strong filtration.
3.) Too much stress. Noises, lights, movements, handling, etc.
4.) Wrong diet. High quality pellets for your species is a good start. Learn what other foods you can offer.

Try the sites below for more info.

Answer 5

turtles go thru periods of not eating sometimes. You do not say how old your turtle is or what kind. But all turtles need calcium for their bodies to grow properly. Remember their back bone is their shell.

Sometimes they do not like certain foods. I feed mine a cooked shrimp when he gets finicky. Also Tetramin turtle sticks are the best food I have found for complete nutrition. And there are times when my turtle just wants attention and wants to be fed one stick at a time, or one leaf of greens at a time.
You can also try the dried shrimp to stimulate his appetitie and ***** be sure he can get under water to eat, he needs water to chew his food like you need saliva.*****

Answer 6

Try different kinds of food. If it's an older box turtle try apples, romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, cucumbers, or any other vegetables or fruits. If it's a young box turtle then try different meats. If it's a red eared slider try cooked chicken. Hope it helps your turtle eat more!

Answer 7

What kind of turtle? What is native habitat? If water turtle, make sure temp is correct! If too cold, turtle will slow metabolism and stop eating.

My red-eared slider wouldn't eat unless the temp was around 83.

Answer 8

Take him to a vet that specializes in reptiles. You didn't say if it was a land or water turtle. If he is not getting enough vitamin B feed him strawberries the red color will catch his eye. It could be he is getting ready to hibernate. It is best to have him checked. So you know for sure.

Answer 9

Try feeding something else that turtle eat.

Answer 10

Maybe the turtle depress, try to move the place