Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys...please help me with this:
I just placed a baby soft shell turtle in the tank of my Red Ears Sliders...they immediately started biting the soft shell!. I put the soft shell in a separate container but my biggest concern is that the Spiny Soft Shell is not eating! I am giving him the same food as my red ears (pellets). Does anyone know what should I feed my Baby Soft Shell?

I really need your help!
Thanks!
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1.0 Red Tail Colombian Boa
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Russian Tortoise
Sulcata Tortoise
Red Ear Sliders Turtles
Spiny Soft Shells Turtle

Hi,
as you have already found out the hard way, NEVER place a softie in with other turtles! With that aside, did your softshell eat prior to you placing him/her in with the red ears? He/she may be stressed due to the whole ordeal (softies stress fairly easily.) Another factor could be that he's injured.Then again, it could be temperature related. Like any other reptile, they won't eat if they get too cold. What is the temps. of your water? It should be around 78-80. Aside from pellets, try feeder minnows, feeder guppies,or ghost shrimp. (stay away from goldfish, they are high in toxins) Hope that this helps. ~Christy~

...is that RES are extremely aggresive tutles (especially the males) and are the prime troublemakers in many community tanks ( I have had numerous variants of Trachemys scripta and I know this is true). One of the largest turtle keepers in the U.S. (with hundreds of species) refuses to keep any Trachemys for this reason. For your soft shell: purchase red orleaf worms from your nearest bait store and cut them into small, bloody segements. Once the turtle is eating, it will be easier to gradually shift it to more complete pelleted foods. If no worms, buy feeder guppies, crush them in the net and rip their stomachs open before offering them to the turtle (gross, but it works). The more odor , the better. I have nursed along finicky juvenille soft shells for many years with these techniques.