I hatched one a few years ago & if I remember correctly it ate within a week. I fed it leaf lettuce & small worms. It would only eat in the water so it never received any vitamins. It grew extremly fast but died in 4 months! My female lays eggs frequently but the fertilization rate is extremly low. I would keep it warm with proper lights & make sure it has a shallow pan to eat in. Good luck they're awesome turles.