Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently found a florida soft shell turtle in my backyard. There is not really any good water source nearby that I can release him to, besides the ditch from which he came (drainage ditch...yuck). SO for now I have him in a 30 gallon tall aquarium, and am thinking of putting him in a 55 gallon. I got some soft sand on the bottom and bought a filtering system, a UV bulb, and some guppies. I also constructed a rock for him to bask on and a little cave underneath it where he can hide. Ive had him for 4 days and he is sitting partially under the ledge with his head out the water. He is quite shy of me and when he sees me comming he pulls his head down or swims away. My question is, when will he start eating? I havent noticed any decline in the guppy population and they swim right in front of his nose often. I have also bought some of this cricket stuff and dropped it in the water and he hasnt at all interested...the guppies ate it up. Will he start eating soon? Or am I doing something wrong... IM getting really worry about this guy, I really am clueless on how to coax him into eating.

Hmmm could be the new environment ... have u tried turtle pellets?

I have also bought some of this cricket stuff and dropped it in the water and he hasnt at all interested...the guppies ate it up.

Don't know what 'Cricket stuff' is but I would try live crix. That and loads of privacy.
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Sonya

Umm, its some dead crickets in a can, I just chopped up some escarole and put some of it in the water and on his rock...hopefully he is a vegan...heh

firstly a 30 gallon is way too small. even a fifty five isn't realy enough space for a male florida. if its afemal you will eventually need a pond.

they are very shy. I would darken two or three sidesof the tank with paint or with paper or an aquarium backround. then get at least 4 inches of clean sand for the bottom.
get rid of the rock
rocks softshells = cuts which leads to infections
use a plastic container top or cork bark for a basking site

keep the water warm and shallow
not more than 6 inches above the height of the sand
reduce the pH to near 6.5

try to keep him out of the way of noises and prodding handshe will likely not eat unless he feels he can hide. a deep layer of sand and a dark place under the baking spot will help.

try live foods such as earthworms and bigger fish (minnows) they will likely ignore guppies unless they are tiny. pieces of boiled chicken and store bought fish seem to go over well alsokeep the water very very clean...plan on frequent changes.
in a 55 i kept a 5 inche softshell with an aquaclear 500 running and a five inch soil layer and 5 inches of water above that. the water needed to be changed about 70 every week.
in a thirty i would change it daily. (of course this will freak him out so the bottom line is, he needs more space)

as soon as you can get a bigger tank
you might consider a stock tank, feed trough or kiddie pool

He may like these more. another idea is if you can get them is glass shrimp at your LFS.
later
andro