My red eared slider, everytime I see him, is laying under his little island. And when I move the island he freaks out and goes to the next place to hide.When I first got him he used to swim a lot, now I never even see him. The other day I took him out of his cage to let him roam cause he really loves to roam around the living room (dont worry, I watch him cause he's still tiny) but he didnt even come out of his shell. So after a few mins just put him back in his little home. He's been like that for about 2 weeks. Then all of a sudden today I took him out and at first he didnt come out of his shell, then he came out and was runnin all over the place! It was crazy. When I put him back I fed him and for the first time I saw him eat, and he ate A LOT! is this common??
Also the back of his shell is a little soft, what do I do about that???
2007-01-25 18:54:37 · 4 answers · asked by suthrn_sunshine_lsu 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Turtles need a few basics to be healthy and happy.
1. Space- aim for at least 10 gallons of swimming space per inch of shell length. Small tanks really stress'em out.
2. Heat & light- heat the water to about 75-80F, and heat the basking site to about 90F. This usually means a tank heater and a good lighting system that offers both heat and UVB light.
3. Varied diet- you can start with good pellets, then add other foods as you learn more.
4. Cleanliness- use a good filter about 2-3 times bigger than a fish tank would need to keep the water clean.
It takes a little effort to set up a good turtle habitat, but once it is up, they are pretty easy to care for pets!
2007-01-26 14:47:10 · answer #1 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Red eared sliders, especially the tiny 'baby' ones you seem to be describing are quite frequently 'ill' ... they really require a lot of 'good care' such as knowing the proper temperature the need to be kept in, making sure they have both water and sand, and providing them with 'a good place to hide' because their 'shells' are not enough ... and the back of his shell getting 'a little soft' could be just because he's growing, or it could mean that he is 'desperately ill' ... so if I were you, I would find a good 'turtle vet' and take him to see that vet ... which you really should do whether he's sick or not, simply because you 'love your pet' and should take the 'best care possible' for him.
2007-01-25 19:04:30 · answer #2 · answered by Kris L 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Soft shell means he is not getting the proper lighting or nutritional supplements. He needs calcium supplements and a basking lamp as well as a lamp that emits UVA and UVB rays. Otherwise he will not live for much longer. Also, make sure your water temperature is not too cold, as this can make turtles inactive and can also decrease their immune system and even make them go into shock. Check out my turtle page for more info and good luck. www.geocities.com/radiofemme/turtles
2007-01-26 11:57:59 · answer #3 · answered by Amanda 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if he's scared of you, try hand-feed him. this way he knows you are the food lady. everytime my little turtle sees me coming, he will swim towards me, he's so excited and he would wave his little hands and legs like he's dancing in the water (very cute!!!)..... also, its normal for baby turtle to have soft shell, as they grow their shell will harden. give him sunlight (i use a table lamp) can harden his shell too...
2007-01-26 00:30:35 · answer #4 · answered by Emma 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋