i've had him for maybe a week, a little hatchling baby, heat is good, basking area has both UVA and UVB lamps at approx 87 to 90 degrees depending on time of day, and the water is about 85 degrees. he doesnt eat much, water PH is perfect, i have a filter and heater. i dont know what else to do. he doest really eat a lot, i'll put a pellet in and later i'll see it at the bottom of the tank. should i just put some plants in there and let him feed off of them? also, can i put plants in a fish tank with no substrate, i've never dealt with live plants, even though i kept tropical fish in a 55 gallon tank for 5 or so years i never got around to putting real plants in it. wow i talk a lot. thanks for everyone's help! :)
2007-04-28 15:51:26 · 4 answers · asked by Steven F 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
That water is pretty warm. Turn the heater down. 70-72 is ideal. The lamp is fine. They 'thermoregulate' which is fancy for goes under the bulb when he's cold, and go into the water when he's hot. Plants are good decor, but I would'nt stop feeding him pellets or brine or even small crickets. I've dealt with baby turtles for years, and you'll find out many ways in which people claim are best, but the above has worked wonderful for me. My main concern is to lower the water temp, sliders are hearty turtles. Also, most plants will require something to anchor to, but you should be able to find some that float too. Go you an animal plant store, not the local garden, they'll set you up with the right stuff.
2007-04-28 16:00:45 · answer #1 · answered by Stephen J 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very young, new turtles often go on stress-related hunger strikes for a week or two. Very common.
The water may be a bit warm- we usually aim for 75-80F.
Live plants are fine- they act as food and hiding spaces.
What is the behavior? Hiding in a warm place? Drop temps. Hiding in a cool place? Boost them a bit. Avoiding the light? Dim it a little, etc.
For more help, try http://www.austinsturtlepage.com
2007-04-28 16:32:28 · answer #2 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi...believe it or not, it can take from 3-6 weeks for him to get comfy with his new home. Water turtles are not usually "hands on" pets, but rather pets to look at. Sometimes they like to have their heads or shell scratched. They like aquatic plants, but please make sure to go to a pet store to buy these plants....they can only eat certain kinds. They like feeder fish, but those are treats only. Just give him time to adjust..it takes quite a while, but it does happen. It sounds like your set up is good. Do you have a little dock for him to get up on? They need to have a dock that you can buy or make out of rocks or bricks. Make sure the dock is flat enough for him to stand on and bask under the heat light.
2007-04-28 16:12:11 · answer #3 · answered by Andrea M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Its a reptile. forget the pellets and get the turt some real food. Go into the backyard or to a bait shop and buy a container of very small earth worms, SMALL earth worms. Tease the turt by dropping the worms directly in front of the turt w/o beeing too intrusive. Just continue till he/she eats. Then once the turt starts to eat you can vary what you drop in front of the turt.
2007-04-29 00:49:12 · answer #4 · answered by fununtilitsover 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋