Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have just recently gotten a hatchling RES. I believe he is about 1 month old. The people I purchased from have been out of contact when I had questions. I was told that hatchlings are born with food gullets that feed them for up to 3 months without them eating. He hasn't eaten one thing since I got him 3 weeks ago. I'm beginning to get worried. Is there a sickness or is this normal?? If you know anything about this please help asap! Thanks

A hatchling RES can i believe live off their egg sac for about 2 weeks after hatching. The guy that told you it can go without food for three months is an idiot to put it nicely. What are your tank settings like, heat and lighting, size, etc...? Also u might try pin head crickets and chopped worms, or even freeze dried shrimp to get her eating, after you get them eating they generally adapt well to whatever you feed them.

Yes I agree. Try to feed them some "real" food as opposed to pellets right off the bat. I fed mine those shredded shrimps that come in a container. Mine turtles didn't eat right away because when I brought them back from NYC I didn't put a heater in the tank (didn't know what to do until I baught a booK). So the next day I put it in and the turtles became more active I put some food in and they ate it right away.. I'm not sure how old they are since i baught them from NY's China Town without thinking.. but they were very tiny.

So if you haven't already, get a heater in the tank and put it to maybe 75 degrees since their newborns then try to feed them

Thanks. So can you tell me where I can find that food and exactly what kind?? And also, do they have a good help book in just regular pet stores or where can I find one? Thank you-

Thanks for your response. He's in a pretty good size tank in a window with great light coming in the day. He gets up on his rocks and basks and loves the light. That's the reason why this is weird to me because he acts completely normal. He swims all the time and digs in the rocks. He just won't eat. I have tried the complete diet pellet food, and different kinds of cooked meat. Do you think he is sick?? Thank you for your help.

Unfortunately "window light" that comes in throught the glass is no adequate. The UV light is filtered out by the glass of your window and the glass of your tank. Go to your local petstore and by a stiplight and a UV Bulb(Reptisun 5.0 or so). This lighting stimulates the turtles appetite and also is a major factor in the turtles growth. Hope this helps.

Thanks. I knew that I was going to need to purchase a heat lamp or light of some sort, I just didn't know what kind. So...how long do you think it will take him after receiving the proper lighting to start eating again? It's just that I tend to doubt he is sick because of how active he is, but I don't know. Could there be an illness with just the sympton of not eating?

Make sure there is no plastic or other material between the
UVB bulb (Reptisun 5.0) and the turtle. Also, I assume you
are using a regular bulb for heat. You want the basking area
about 85 degrees. Put both of these light over the basking
area so that you have a heat gradiant throughout the tank.
Use a thermometer to check your temps, don't ever guess at it!

Try some canned dog food. I had great luck with that!

Linda

i fed mine the shrimp cubes that you buy at a petstore in the freezer. you just drop it in and he'll eat it up.
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0.0.1 Red Eared Slider

When we recieved our baby RES, about 2 months ago, it too would not eat. We tried what seemed like everything and were afraid it would starve to death. Someone suggested offering it small pieces of canned salmon or tuna. The first time or two we offered it the turtle just pushed it around. After about the 3rd time it started eating the canned fish. Once it was eating, we introduced new foods (shrimp, worms, veggies). We would first soaked the new food in some "juice" from a can of tuna or salmon for a couple of minutes. Now he will eat most anything. Good luck!

Yay! He finally ate today. I had been trying to feed him in a different container to keep him from making a mess in his tank as had been recommended to me. Today, I decided to feed him in his tank with his water about 87 degrees. All of a sudden he was pushing himself up to the surface to get the food so fast. I'm assuming it was the very warm water and him being in his own habitat. Thank you for all of of your comments and help Hopefully he will eat the same tomorrow.

This water temp is not good for long term. It should not
go over 76-78 degrees. He will become dehydrated at these
temps long term. Please bring the temp down. If he has
begun to eat he should continue with the water cooler.

Linda

I agree. Folks too often keep the temps a little too high for sliders (even some of the caresheets out there list temps that are up there a bit). Sliders function well in cooler temps. Water temps in the mid to upper 70's are fine and even basking temps of 83 or a bit higher are fine for them. LOL!! Mine are out in my pond right now (from 2.5 inch babies to 11 inch adults) basking in an air temp of 62 degrees and have a water temp that is actually ten degrees colder.

NOTE: They are conditioned to living outside and hibernating during the Winter. At this point they are starting to refuse food and their digestive tract is cleaning out in preparation for the long Winter hibernation underwater (as soon as the temperatures dip into the 40's.)

I am not suggesting to anyone that these are temperatures that sliders living indoors should be kept at. At these temperatures long term indoors they would most certainly become ill or even starve to death because they would most likely give up eating. --I know that did not need to be said BUT I just thought I would mention it to any newbies slider owners.

Steve