Turtle is still alive??

Question

I have this small, green and yellow stripped turtle (which I found out is illegal AFTER buying him at a flea market) and it's been about 2 months since I got him. I have a neat little aquarium for him including rocks, water, and little plastic climb-on rocks.

ANYWAY! When we first got him I tried to hand feed him so he'd get the idea of what to eat. I tried greens, carrots, turtle feed, nothing worked. I still put turtle pellets in there everyday, and as far as I know... he doesn't eat. They are still there when I get home, tey're just a little soggy. How is he still alive? He just sits on various rocks all day and seems as if he is sleeping. He moves around a lot, just not when i'm watching most of the time.

What is going on?! Could he be eating something else??

Answer 1

reptiles are cold-blooded........which means they get energy from heat.......so if you have a lamp on the aquarium thats probably keeping him alive........

this doesnt mean they dont have to eat........it just means they can survive longer on single, large meals..........

also, most turtles i know of hibernate during the winter.......they just sleep all day..........expend very little energy and therefore may not need to eat until spring.......

Answer 2

He is slowly dying of malnutrition. Sadly, these poor things can go several months with no food.

Also sadly, the care information you have is not quite the right care for this turtle.

Housing should be at least 10 gallons of water (rule of thumb is 10 gallons of swimming space per inch of turtle). The water should be heated to about 75-80 and filtered about 2-3 times stronger than a fish tank.

You need to provide a basking surface it can climb out of the water on. A log or pile of rocks or ramp will work. It needs to be heated to about 90.

You need to offer it good fake subnshine since light coming thorugh the windows won't work. The lighting needs to include UV-B rays. Special reptile lights are the best.

The diet for these guys is usually something like a few good quality (or expensive) pellets and some live food, like blood worms. They won't eat if the temps are too low, though.

I know this sounds like a lot of trouble for a cheap pet. We often find it takes about $100+ to set up a good turtle habitat- which seems out of whack when the turtle costs under $10.

Once you get the habitat set up, though, that's about it. A little weekly cleaning, a regular feeding schedule, and you are pretty much set!

The reality is that many turtles are easy to care for- ONCE the habitat is right!

Try some of the links below for more ideas and help.

Answer 3

roacks arent good for your turtles, like gravel on the bottom they can eat it and die. river rocks are fine, just make sure they are bigger than your turtles head. also you cant hand feed them unless your doing it under water. water turtles need to eat in the water. you need a heater the water temp should be 72-76 degrees. you also need a basking area, like a turtle dock or something that is completely out of water, over that you should have a heat lamp, which makes the basking area around 90 degress. you also need a UVB/UVA lamp. if you dont keep the heat up or have the UVB lamp your turtles most likely wont eat. Try the zoomed turtle pellets there small and round, try some romain lettuce, blood worms, krill, dried shrimp, or feeder guppies and rosies. good luck

Answer 4

Your turtle is cold....you need to purchase an underwater heater. Once the water is warm enough it will eat. Turtles do not produce saliva so they eat underwater to help them swallow. If the water is too cold the will be slow and listless and they will not eat. Warm the temp of the water between 80 & 85 degrees. Also make sure you have a basking area (above the water) with a basking lamp this helps the turtle digest the food it eats.

Answer 5

im not sure if all turtles are alike. i have 2 little turtles that only eats during the summer/spring time. winter time they dont eat..so maybe its the same? i had the turtles for about 2-3 yrs now.

Answer 6

To determin the proper care of the turtle you need to know the breed of turtle. What kind of turtle is it? :)

Answer 7

try feeding red worms or small fish like minnows. if its live food they generaly cant resist to chase it and eat it.

Answer 8

yea it is possible dat ur turtle is eating sumtin else.....u try to give it seaweed if possible coz dats wat turtles eat in d wild.