Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I've been caring for herps for a long time now and have been a complete bookworm regarding their husbandry, but currently I am caring for 4 young (about 4 month-old) midland painted turtles. They were brought in and saved from a horrendously toxic pond that they were laid close to and I am caring for them until we can release them back into the wild this coming spring when they'll be strong and healthy, ready to take on the tough life of being a wild turtle. (I also believe that, because they will be larger, they will have a better chance of survival and will be much more cautious when it comes to predation) Anyway, let me get to my problem. I know that because they have an "internal clock" they know that at this time of year, they should be hibernating, or at least overwintering in their nest until spring arrives. As a result, they have slowed down in their activity and feeding behavior over the past few weeks. I understand that this is normal. But my problem is that when they were just hatchlings, they ate absolutely everything! They were eating machines, munching on specially formulated pellets, river shrimp, waxworms, mealworms, earthworms and crickets once in a while, but recently they have only been attracted to earthworms and river shrimp, ignoring any waxworms, mealworms, and especially pellets that I drop into their aquarium. They absolutely adore earthworms and river shrimp and eat them up whenever they are feeling a bit hungry. Is this normal? And why are they being so picky? I'm afraid that if they continue this behavior they will become so spoiled that when they are eventually released back into their native habitat, they will not be able to adapt and will ignore other sources of food that they come across. Can anyone help me or let me know why they are being so picky and what I can do about it? I really want to provide them with a wide and varied diet, but they're just not cooperating with me. I've also tried feeding them phoenix worms, which are naturally high in calcium, but they don't touch these either. The turtles just look at it wiggling, smell it, and move on. What's going on? I bought the phoenix worms specifically and especially for them because they are growing at a high rate when they're young, and I don't want them to develop any shell deformities when they mature because of their lack of proper calcium as juveniles. What can I do about this? How can I supplement aquatic turtles with a calcium-rich diet? I've tried powdered calcium, but that just dissolves in the water and a special cuttle (turtle) bone dissolves in the water as well. Plus, they don't even show the slightest bit of interest in it, other than thinking it's an additional floating basking platform (lol). If someone could help me with these problems, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Oh and by the way, Herps rule!!!

You did not mention the temps you are keeping them at but
I am assuming you are keeping them at summer like conditions.
I have 2 eastern painted turtles(A:10) 2 RES (A:7) and one baby yearling southern painted turtle. While I have been through
the picky eater times, it has been only with the Painted turtles. They go a period where they do not eat as much but
do eat and are a little more paticular. I just follow their
pattern and have never had a problem with anything. My sliders
are NEVER picky, they eat more variety and more of it.

As long as you keep a 85-90 degree basking area and keep
the water 74-76 degrees I wouldn't worry too much about it.
The problems arise if they stop eating when the temps are
too warm for true hibernation. Let them be picky and keep
trying the familiar foods.

Good luck
Linda

Thank you so much for your response and advice Linda. I really do appreciate help from other herpers and I will follow your advice and just allow their picky behavior to continue.

In response to your question, I have been keeping their water temperature at around 70-76 degrees Fahrenheit and their basking platfrom is between 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit. They just love sitting up on their special and easy to clean turtle ramp. They also absolutely adore the new log I have placed in their tank with artifical plants sprouting off of the surface. The plants that break the surface of the water are used to sleep on and they enjoy the security and camouflage benefits from all the vegetative cover in their aquarium.

As for the calcium related problem. I want to feed them calcium rich food sources but I can't seem to get any calcium into them. They won't touch the cuttle bone, the powdered calcium just breaks up and dissolves in the water and doesn't benefit them in any way, and they won't eat any phoenix worms. Is their a way for me to supply them with the calcium they need for healthy and normal shell/bone growth? If you could help me out with this and maybe offer some alternative means to give them calcium, it would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I noticed that other forum members and you included can post images of your turtles and other herps after your response to a question. How do you do that? I would really like to post my beautiful and absolutely gorgeous habitat that I've created for both baby painted turtles and an adult reeve's turtle. Can you help me out regarding this? As always, thanks for your response.

_Dennis

If you can get them to eat the pelleted food a couple times
a week, I wouldn't worry too much about calcium. I have
never supplemente4d and never had a problem.

As for posting pictures, click on Photo Gallery at the top
of the webpage. Kingsnake offers free space to download
pictures to their users. Then go to upload photos and click
there. I believe there is where you can open up a photo
acct. It has been so long ago I am hoping I am telling
you the correct steps. Just navigate through there. As
I recall it wasn't too difficult and I wasn't too computer
savy back then

Linda

Thanks so much Linda. I have uploaded a variety of photos of my young painted turtles and reeve's turtle. Thanks again for your advice and your help with uploading photos. Here is the habitat setup and some photos of the baby painteds. If you would like to see more, just look me up by typing "Herpwrangler17" in the photo gallery search engine. Talk to you later.

_Dennis

I enjoyed the photos. What is the pillar-like looking thing
in the aquarium? I haven't seen anything like this before.

Linda

Hey Linda, I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. As for your question, if you're referring to the reeve's turtle photographs and the accompanying picture of it's captive habitat, the pillar-like things in the aquarium are actually specially cut PVC pipes that I used in designing the habitat setup for the turtle. Because of her cumbersome weight, she needed a platform in which she could completely emerge out of the water and bask in the warm rays of an accompanying heat lamp, without breaking through the platform; it needed to be strong enough to support her weight, but reasonable enough in size so as to not make her feel cramped and stressed in her tank. So, as a result, with some collaboration, research and trial and error I have created a stable basking platform on which she can warm herself to her heart's content. The turtle dock, that can be bought at any pet store, was used as a transitional structure from the water onto the platform, which is made of a pane of glass siliconed along the edges and to the PVC pipes supporting it of course.

If this is not what you were wondering about, then I'm sorry for making you read all that. If it has to do with the midland painted turtle habitat setup, then let me know specifically what you're referring to so that I can answer your question the right way. Anyway, thanks for your help and keep checking back for more photos; I'm uploading new ones almost every day (or other day). Catch ya later.

_Dennis

Yes, that is what I was referring to. My sliders are very
heavy and it took some doing to keep their corkbark afloat.
I finally had to buy metal clothes hangers to keep it from
sinking. My sliders are heavy (3 lbs) and so far it is working.

Your set-up kinda reminds me of ruins with these pillars
you would see in movies. Too Cool!

Talk to you later and again...great set-ups!

Linda