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FAQs About Red Ear Slider Turtle Behavior
Related Articles:
The Care and Keeping of the
Red Eared Slider,
Trachemys scripta elegans by
Darrel Barton, Red Ear
Sliders, Turtles,
Amphibians, Red Eared Slider Care, Shell
Rot in Turtles,
Related FAQs: Sliders 1,
Sliders 2,
Red Eared Slider Identification,
RES Compatibility,
RES Selection, RES
Systems, RES Feeding,
RES Disease, RES
Reproduction, Turtles in General:
Turtles, Turtle Identification,
Turtle Behavior,
Turtle Compatibility,
Turtle Selection,
Turtle Systems,
Turtle Feeding,
Turtle Disease,
Turtle Disease 2,
Shell Rot,
Turtle Reproduction,
Amphibians, Other
Reptiles,
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http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=32
http://www.turtletimes.com/Forums/default.asp
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RES beh... couple of new questions -- 11/16/2009
Hi Darrel,
<Hiya right back>
I have asked a couple of questions on here before with results.
<You're lucky -- Some days I'm so dumb, the people around me LOSE IQ
points>
I have a couple more. One is a really dumb question so I will ask it
first.
<If there's ONE THING the Internet has taught us it's that
THERE ARE NO DUMB QUESTIONS .....
--but--
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF STUPID ANSWERS!>
Can a turtle be right or left "handed?" My baby RES always turns left.
When she is in the floor, in the yard or in the water, she never turns
to the right.
<Is her name Zoolander, by any chance? Anyway .. they're not 'handed' as
in penmanship or anything like that. In fact, their penmanship looks
like chicken scratching. But they do have sides that they seem to
'favor' in swimming, walking etc.>
Next question deals with habitat. I talked to you before about her not
basking as much as she should. I have lowered her water temp. I keep her
out of the water as much as possible. I do put her back in her water
tank for the night. Why can't I just fix her up a total dry tank and
keep her in that all the time except when I feed her in her feeding
container and again before bedtime?
<If you read my link on caring for illnesses and the section on how to
isolate an ill or stressed turtle, that's exactly what I say to do. A
few minutes a day in a shallow bowl of water>
Also would let her dip in the water a little extra on the weekends when
I am not working and am at home to take her out of the water after maybe
a couple of hours. I know she is a "water" turtle however it seems she
looks better when she is not in the water 24/7.
<Until she recovers from or crawls out from under whatever stress she's
in, little Zoolander will do better if you keep up this routine.
Swimming is part of their natural habitat but it IS stressful on her and
she doesn't need any more stress right now>
My only concern is what is best for her. I have been thinking about a
shallow saucer in a dry tank so if she feels the need to get wet she
could but the depth of the water would be very small. Just a plate put
in the tank so she could get wet but not be able to flip on her back and
drown.
<excellent idea!>
Thanks for all you help!!!!!
<Yer welcome!>
TJ
Is my red eared slider's behavior normal? 11/13/09
Hi. I have a couple of questions about my turtles. I have three red
eared sliders. I am not exactly sure of how old they are, but I can tell
you that I got two of them in August of 2008 and they were about 1.5-2
inches.
<Less than a year old at that point.>
Today the female is a little over 6 inches (I call her "Big Mama") while
the male is a little less than 5 inches.
<See how fast they grow!>
I wanted to know if their growth rate is normal knowing that I've had
them for just a little over a year and they were both the same size when
I got them.
<Is indeed normal. Much better to view it as this: people
*underestimate* how fast these animals grow when they buy them, assuming
they stay small and cute.>
The third turtle was given to me in September/October of 2008 and she
was smaller than my two turtles. I'd say she was no more than 1.5
inches. Today she's about 5.5-6 inches.
<Again, good growth rate.>
I currently have a Fluval 405 Canister Filter and have a 20 gallon tank
(Yes I know, it's very small! I am going to be getting them a 100 gallon
reptile tank very very soon.)
<Small tank, yes, but I'm impressed with your choice of a super-sized
filter.>
I also have a dock, a basking lamp, and a water heater.
<All sounds wonderful. Does the lamp provide UV-B? That's a very useful,
arguably essential, addition to any turtle habitat. Indeed, it's
probably more useful than the water heater. There's a case to made for
letting the turtles warm up on land and cool down in the water. That's
what they'd do in the wild.>
I've been feeding them Zoo Med aquatic turtle food ever since I got
them.
<I'd add some plant material to this. In fact, you can feed turtles very
cheaply using all sorts of green foods you'd have left over from your
own cooking. Green and red lettuce, endive, peas, melon among other
things all work well.>
I have fed them live fish a couple of times, but, after reading some of
your answers regarding that, I'm probably not going to anymore.
<Good. It's cruel, it's unnecessary, and it's risky.>
Anyways, about a month and a half ago, one of my turtles (the one that
was given to me in October of 2008) started making (or at least that's
when I started noticing) this wheezing/squeaking/chirping sound
(especially at night). You can hear the wheezing for a couple of seconds
and then it stops for a bit before starting again. I researched it and
learned that there was a possibility of it being a respiratory
infection.
<Yes: this is certainly a possibility. Turtles can sneeze for no
particular reason, and if they're fat, they certainly do wheeze when
moving about. But if this is happening a lot, then yes, an RI is
definitely a possibility.>
Only problem is that, she doesn't have any other respiratory infection
symptoms. She eats, is active, swims normally, doesn't have mucous,
doesn't blow bubbles, doesn't keep her mouth open...
<All good things... but the safe approach would be to assume the worst,
and have a vet take a quick look. Much better a vet catches an RI early
on and cures it cheaply and easily. Best case, there's nothing wrong,
and the vet doesn't have to do anything.>
I was wondering if there could be any other reasons for her making these
noises with her nostrils, or is this still probably a Respiratory Tract
Infection?
<Occasionally turtles sneeze. Males may wheeze a bit when mating or
fighting. Fat turtles apparently do wheeze when moving about. But
otherwise no, like most reptiles, turtles are essentially silent.>
My third question is that this same turtle that has the wheezing problem
tends to act like a male. I'm pretty sure she's a female due to her
short claws, short tail, and big size (or am I wrong?).
<Size is neither here nor there. But males do usually have much longer
claws, though of course these can be abraded by rough rocks or might not
even grow properly if the diet is limited somehow. The tail is the 100%
reliable thing though. If the cloaca is nearer the shell than the tip of
the tail, it's a female; if the cloaca is closer to the tip of the tail
than the shell, it's a male.>
What she tends to do is compete with my male slider by wiggling her
claws in front of my biggest female slider ("Big Mama").
<That's a very male behaviour.>
I know male sliders do this to show off and mate, but why would a female
slider do that to another female slider?
<Likely just a hierarchical thing. These aren't social animals in the
wild, so to a degree, keeping them in groups is bound to throw up some
odd behaviours now and again.>
Thank you soo much for taking the time to read and answer my questions!
Jessica
<Happy to do so. Good luck, Neale.>
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Red Eared Slider Aggression – 10/9/09
Hi there,
<Hey there! Ho There!>
My roommate and I adopted a pair of young male red eared sliders just
yesterday from a rescue center. Their names are Timmy (6 inches, 2-5
years old) and Asim (4 inches, 0-2 years).
<I assume Asim's last name is not "Metrical"?>
Their home is a 90 gallon tank filled 2/3 with water, with a couple
large rocks piled on one end for basking, and some ornaments scattered
about.
There is a fake, hollow log at the other end which I think Asim slept in
last night (Timmy doesn't fit). I've attached a photo of the set up
(without the log).
<That's a nice setup. You're doing well. Now get rid of the log. It's a
sad fact that turtles often do get caught on things underwater & drown,
so nothing they can get caught under, over or around. Worst case
scenario is that Asim BARELY fits in when he goes to rest and barely
DOESN'T fit when trying to get out. Think like a turtle and check out
the space. >
<"NO CAPES!" -- Edna Mode>
<"NO LOGS!" -- Darrel>
When we put them in the tank they seemed to be getting along fine; Asim
followed Timmy everywhere he went. After a while, Timmy climbed up on
the basking rock, and Asim followed. Even though they have more than
enough room up there, Asim crawls onto Timmy's back and stands there
whenever they are on the rocks at the same time. Sometimes Timmy stays
put, and other times he jumps into the water, sending Asim flying. When
we feed them they each seem to be eating the same amount of food.
<So far, you're describing normal turtle relationships.>
Timmy has been eating the gravel incessantly, even though we have
provided him with more food than he can eat.
<Another easy fix. No Gravel Small Enough to Swallow. They can eat
enough that they get impacted and die. Change to small river stones from
your local building supply store.>
Today, we noticed that Timmy was acting strangely towards Asim. He
head-butted him once. On more than one occasion he put their heads
together and shook his front claws in front of Asim's face. I noticed
that someone reported this in an FAQ question already, but the response
was that it was a normal courtship behavior for females, and for males
it could signal an attack. Not soon after, Timmy bit Asim's neck and
refused to let go for some time.
<Ouch!>
I had to intervene out of fear that Asim would be seriously hurt.
<Wise move>
I held Timmy out of the tank until we could be sure that Asim was okay.
Since Timmy has been back in the tank, Asim has been frantically
swimming at the front of the glass. Timmy was acting normally, aside
from some lightly aggressive lunges toward Asim. We have taken Timmy out
of the tank to try and give him more food (thinking that hunger may have
been the problem) but neither turtle seems to like eating out of water.
<No, they don't. At best they grab food and drag in back in>
<I assume that we've ruled out that Timmy has the long front claws of a
male and that perhaps he's trying to mate with an immature female?>
Some advice on how to cope or fix the gravel-eating and aggression would
be greatly appreciated.
<What you've come across is just that particular set of parameters that
encourages aggression. It could easily be simply the mix of those two
turtles. Could be that Timmy is a whole new person around a turtle his
own size. Or not -- maybe Timmy is just a jerk (don't laugh, it
happens!)>
<What you should try first is just CHANGE things. Lower the basking
temperature a few degrees -or- lower the water temp (obviously harder to
do). Rearrange the entire tank (Basking rocks in Right Front as opposed
to Left Rear -- and remove all decorations. Or add some. Mix things up
and see what combinations you can change that make Asim less frantic
and/or Timmy less aggressive. Add a third closer to turtle Timmy's size
(a bit more dicey, but worth a try). Build a partition, add a second
basking platform and give Asim his own room, so to speak.>
<As you can guess, *I* am guessing. As keepers we run into this sort of
thing from time to time and there's no one cure for it. Do different
things until you find something that works!>
Thank you,
<No charge>
Michelle
<Darrel>
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Re: Sick Red Eared Slider 8/18/09
Hi!
<Hiya - Darrel here>
I am writing because I am concerned about Captain again and I just
searched the website, but don't see anything about what he is doing. He
has been swimming very quickly through his tank lately, like he is
trying to get out. Then, he will get up on his log and sit there, but it
seems like he is having muscle spasms. His right arm and leg both shoot
out of his shell and his head snaps to the side. It doesn't appear to be
a controlled motion. I can't tell if he is in pain. He is eating and
pooping and swimming, but this weird spasm thing has me pretty
concerned. Have you ever
heard of anything like this?
<The kind of things you describe aren't uncommon at all, but when I see
it it's almost always in younger turtles that are housed indoors -- in
other words not something I see in the wild or in a pond situation, so
without doing a blood workup, my mind wanders toward calcium and maybe
potassium deficiencies. Both those are easily treated with powdered
supplements that you can put in his food>
Should I take him to the vet immediately?
<Not if his only symptoms are spasms. Chop some small pieces of raw
liver, coat them in calcium and potassium powder(s) and feed him one
small piece a day for two weeks.>
Thanks!
My RES is Turning Orange! 8/18/09
Hi there!
<Hiya! - Darrel here>
I have a 6 year old female Red Eared Slider named Nostradamus (I wrongly
guessed at her gender when I named her... oops!).
<More interesting is the base name to begin with --- were you expecting
Nostradame (ne Nostradamus) to be making weird, almost indecipherable
predictions that someone in the far future would turn into infomercials
about food choppers?>
She has been very healthy throughout her life with an occasional
respiratory infection here and there (about every other year treated
with injectable Baytril). She also laid 17 eggs last winter!! My
question is, do you know why she is turning orange? I don't mean a pale
orange, I mean a bright, bright orange! It looks like a mask around her
face, on her nails, and her shell is now turning an orangish tint. The
"mask" on her face does not touch her nose and eyes, just the
surrounding skin. She is also more lethargic, sleeping more than usual,
and occasionally gapes her mouth and rubs her face.
<Changing color isn't a common symptom of any disease I'm familiar with,
Kathy.>
Nothing has changed in her tank, I do not use any sort of heating
equipment and the water is consistently around 75 degrees. She has never
been much of a basker, but she is eating well (Reptomin with RepCal
mixed in). I keep her in a 55 gallon tank with a Fluval 404 filter. I
took her to a new vet two days ago who seems very knowledgeable and he
said the orange could be a couple of different things. First, vitamin A
deficiency. Second, fungal infection.
<Vitamin A deficiency almost always presents with eye infections,
however nasal discharges are also common and your reference to
respiratory infections makes an interesting connection. A SEVERE
deficiency can lead to all kind of infections and skin infections often
show reddish or orange .. but that's a huge leap of logic at this point>
To be on the safe side, he drew a basic blood panel to send out (no
results back yet).
<That will tell us a lot>
He gave me a supplement called the Sunshine Factor, which is red palm
oil that can safely supplement vitamin A. I've been giving 1mL orally
per day... this involves making her so mad that she tries to bite me,
then quickly squirting in the supplement :-(.
<Small pieces of beef liver are also high in Vitamin A and turtles like
them. When the blood work comes back, injectibles are the way to go>
I haven't seen any change back to her normal color, however, and she is
still lethargic.
Does this diagnosis seem about right to you? I'm inclined to trust my
new vet, but I have never seen this before from her and I'm a very
concerned turtle mom!!
<Thank you for being concerned, Now I too am concerned. But just a
little. Regardless of trusting vets, I DO trust blood work, so let's see
what we get. In the mean time, please write back and tell me more about
her diet and about her basking & UV lighting>
Thank you so much,
Kathy :-)
Red Ear Slider dilemma 7/31/09
Hello WWM:
<Hello Diana,>
I have/had a red ear slider a hatchling, he /she was the size of a half
dollar, I put him on the grass outside and he burrowed under the grass,
I was sitting there watching and he disappeared, I didn't walk away or
anything I checked the grass over and over and nothing. I kept checking
and still checking for him to come out. I put water and food out for him
thinking he will come to the water since their is no water source
around.
What do you think happened? I feel like I'm crazy he disappeared so
quickly. Looking forward to some in site. thanks so much for your time
and have a great day.
<Well, he may still be the burrow, though to be honest, these animals
prefer to spend their time in or near water rather than underground.
More realistically, unless you were watching him all the time, he may
have walked off someplace. Another animal might have found/eaten him.
Really, there's a whole bunch of things. Hatchlings really aren't "safe"
outdoors, at least, not away from their natural habitat or some sort of
secure, managed enclosure. Not really sure what else to say!>
Diana
<Good luck with your hunt, Neale.>
Re: Red Ear Slider dilemma, beh. – 08/04/09
Hello
I sent the email below a few days ago, i deleted your response by
mistake.
but I just wanted to say thanks for the quick response and let you know
that I found Rocky my RES actually it's my nephews I'm glad I didn't
tell him I lost him.
<Glad to hear this.>
I'm glad he came home because I would have never cut my lawn until I
did.
Thanks again and have a great day
<You are most welcome.>
Diana
<Cheers, Neale.>
Red Ear Slider Sleeping 7/27/2009
Dear
<Hiya - Darrel here>
Hi I have two RES about 4 - 5 months old. One of them is constantly
sleeping, and kind of both of them have been avoiding the lamp they
don't go on the rocks that I have put in my aquarium anymore, and they
used to do that a lot, since I have changed the rocks positions (they
wanted to escape in the position the rocks where placed) they don't do
it anymore. The water from the summer heat gets really warm and from the
lamp, so periodically I put cold water to stabilize the temperature!
<If the heat lamp is heating up the water, then you need to redirect it
so that it hits ONLY the basking area, or move it further away from the
basking area. The rapid swings of temperature could be part of the
problem, so while I commend you playing so close attention and treating
the condition, we need to find a way to PREVENT the condition>
They eat normally but the fact of day sleeping almost every time I check
it its sleeping. Is this any sign of illness or it is normal?
<No, it's not normal. A turtle will choose between the heat of basking
(around 88-93 degrees) and the cool of the water (not heated, just room
temperature) as they need. A turtle that avoids the basking OR the water
and is not active is usually ill. The link below on treatment contains
the instructions for keeping them both out of the water (except for
daily baths) for a while to help their immune systems fight whatever
they are getting. But here's the thing: Without knowing more symptoms, I
can't help you decide what they have and therefore how to treat them, so
here's what I'd like you to do: I'm also sending a link on basic care
instructions. It explains what the need and why. Go down the list of
care items and prove to yourself that your care fits the needs. In other
words, start out by assuming you have the wrong heat and prove that you
do because it matches the care. Then assume you have the wrong UB and
again, prove that you do because it matches the care. Water, rocks, diet
... right down the list. If you're lucky, you'll find something that is
wrong ...
because by knowing what's wrong, we can figure out what to do to treat
them!>
<Best of luck with your detective work>
Any advice?
Thank you in forward,
Darsej
<Care: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
<treatment:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/treating%20RES%20Dis%20DarrelB.htm>
Re: Red Ear Slider Sleeping 7/31/09
Hello Again,
<Hiya - Darrel here>
I have checked out the conditions they were living in and found these
problems according to the links you have sent me:
- The water was over heated from the sunlight which was filtered by a
windows
<Right: the heat we don't want PLUS no UV - the worst of both worlds>
- RES are covered with something white probably bacterial infection or
something like that
<Visible whitish residue is more often fungal than bacterial -- and
easier to treat>
- The eyes of one of the RES are swallowed and it keeps them most of the
time closed by this avoiding the light from the basking area
<Probably a vitamin A & D deficiency. The good news is that proper UV
exposure is a systemic solution. Meaning it doesn't have to be on the
eye in order to begin to reverse the condition that causes the eye to
swell.
The only concern is that if the condition has progressed too far to heal
simply by treating the cause>
- I was feeding them every morning which resulted in a bad diet
<Too much food. Hopefully WHAT you feed them is also verified>
Steps that I have taken
1. Isolation - I have put them on a box and they got a lamp on top which
is 12 - 15 hours on
<Excellent>
2. I have isolated the sun light that was exposed to the aquarium and I
have checked the result and the water is cool just as the RES like it
<Perfect!>
3. I am exposing the RES to direct sunlight for 15 min (3 times a day)
<Great!>
Steps that I am planning to take according to the documents I've red.
1. Planning to feed them tomorrow with cows liver
2. Clean their shells with a toothbrush and vinegar to remove the white
stuff that's attached to their shell and their heads ( how will I do
that on their heads I still got no clue).
Is there anything I forgot or anything I am doing wrong?
<As long as the steps you take show signs of working ... and the turtles
show signs of activity and feeding, then by all means continue. The more
natural sunlight the better -- assuming that you have the time and that
you can given them more without overheating them.>
<Keep up the good work!>
Re: Red Ear Slider Sleeping 08/02/09
What happened so far ...
Day 1 of Isolation
RES were too frustrated, one of them had already closed eyes and the
other was on the same road.
Day 2 of Isolation
Both RES had closed eyes, no big activities and avoiding the sun
whenever tried to get them into direct sunlight
Day 3 of Isolation
Both RES showing huge improvement, swollen eyes are gone the white
fungal is gone (thanks to the vinegar and CANESTEN Cream - which is the
same as mentioned on the treatment page). And it is clearly visible how
the shields are getting pure cleaned up.
I just want to thank you guys for helping me out, you saved my RES.
<Glad to help, Dar -- Hearing your success is why we do this. Well,
that, and the free food!>
<Just remember to keep up the treatment for a good solid month after
they appear well and above all -- find the source of the original
problem and correct it!!>
<Darrel>
Red Ear Slider Behavior/Reproduction 7/27/09
Hello,
My name is Char.
<Hello Charlene,>
I have 2 red ear sliders that I got last December when they were about
the size of a quarter and was told they were about 2 months old. So, I
believe them now to be 8 months in age and one is 4'' long and 3.5''
wide and the other is 3.5'' long and 3.25'' wide. I noticed last night
that the smaller of the 2 was "fanning" himself and now today the other
has also done so.
My question being: in males does size or age play a role in their sexual
maturity?
<Appears to be both, with males needing to be a certain size and a
certain age. But, as with most animals, males are probably more
"flexible" in this regard than females. In any case, males will be at
least 2 years old before they are sexually mature, at which point they
should be a good 10 cm or so in shell length.>
I know that females need to be at least 6'', but I can't seem to be able
to find anything pertaining to males. I've started to wonder if the
smaller of the 2 is looking for a female companion as he also tried to
mount
himself onto the larger male.
<As with male animals generally, sexual behaviour tends to appear from
quite an early age, even if the male animal in question wouldn't be big
enough to attract (or fight for) a sexually mature female. Sex-play
behaviours will certainly be exhibited, as will aggression, long before
the male animal will be able to secure access to a mate, or, where
relevant, protect the nesting site or offspring. What your Red-ear
Slider is doing
falls comfortably into the range of normal behaviours exhibited by the
species. Nothing to worry about. Keeping two males won't cause any
problems if the habitat is big enough, though as you'd expect, sexually
mature males are aggression and will fight if overcrowded. Most people
find keeping singletons best. They certainly don't need "friends".>
Thanks!
<Cheers, Neale.>
Slider Ate A RAT? – 7/18/09
Dear WWM
<Hiya Mary - Darrel here>
I have a 9 year old Red Eared Slider, Myrtle. During warm summer months
she is in a child's wading pool (which I change the water every other
day).
<I assume she has a rock or branch to haul out & dry off, etc.?>
Yesterday when I came home from work, she was eating something in the
water.
<Myrtle clearly doesn't wait a half hour after eating to go swimming,
does she?>
At a closer look, it looked like a giant rat. I live in a wooded area
and I have NEVER seen a rat before in my life!
<If you live in a wooded area or a non wooded area or an urban area or
suburban area, rats are sharing the environment with you. They're about
the most adaptable animal on the planet.>
The head was gone and the only thing that remained was the hind quarters
and back feet. I'm pretty sure it was "rat" feet I was looking at.
<Probably. Or a mouse. But not an elephant or a moose or a 1963 Chevy
Impala at least>
I guess a hawk or eagle dropped it OR The poor thing was looking for a
drink and couldn't get back out and drown.
<If you have even the slightest concern about hawks, let's focus on
their ability to get at Myrtle!!! This would be a good time to ring the
pond in hardware cloth and then a light weight poultry netting (chicken
wire) over the top.>
Unless you may think that Myrtle killed it?
<Rats are pretty good jumpers and turtles are very bad ambush predators.
This scenario is not high on my list of probabilities. It would have to
be a HUGE turtle and a small rat. That it fell in is more likely.>
<My suggestion is that you give thought to whatever can get IN might be
a threat to Myrtle and don't worry about the other way around>
I'd like to know your opinion. Is a turtle capable of "murder"?
<Not really, but they ARE prone to financial crimes such as check fraud
and embezzlement, Mary. Never leave your check book lying around ANY
turtle or tortoise. Turtles, especially will steal your PIN numbers and
go online
to buy all sorts of things. I mean, I'd 'get it' if a turtle ordered 100
pounds of frozen fish ... but what in the heck does a 7 year old Red
Belly turtle need with a trampoline???? First it gets here and no one
know why .. then my insurance company finds out and DOUBLES my
homeowners' insurance and to add insult to injury the turtle has NEVER
used the darned thing!>
<I better get out of here before they trace the line!>
Turtle scratching her neck 6/27/2009
Hi,
<Hiya -- Darrel here>
I have read just about everything on your site.
<Wow! We wrote it and probably haven't read THAT much of it!>
Very informative and I learned things I did not know about Red Eared
Sliders.
<Thank You for saying so. That's what we're here for Mary. That .. and
the free food>
I have a 9 year old female who is truly a part of the family.
<I'm happy to hear that, too. A lot of people don't like reptiles --
they think that they're mean, slimy and creepy... yet that describes my
brother-in-law completely and HE is part of the family.>
A week or two ago I noticed Myrtle scratching her neck with her front
arms.
I thought maybe she had mites or something. I had to literally wrap her
in a towel so I could take a good look at her neck. She seems to be
rubbing the area raw. Once after scratching she started to bite at the
arm that she was using to scratch with. Is this a fungus or dry skin or
mites.
I'm at a loss. Today I took the day off to go to "That fish store" to
try to find an answer. I hope nothing is seriously wrong. The neck area
is rubbed to a brownish scab like color. Can you give me some advise?
<Without an examination it's hard to say from way over here, Mary, but
the treatment options are similar>
<First, take Myrtle out of the water and make her a temporary home that
is warm & dry. Here's an excerpt from an article I'm writing:>
< Recognize immediately that the very environment preferred by the
turtle, warm and wet ... is also the optimal environment for the growth
of fungus and bacteria -- and even if neither are the primary illness,
you can be assured that if you leave a sick turtle in a warm, wet
environment long enough, fungal AND bacterial will seize the opportunity
to take hold and take over. For this reason, the single most immediate
treatment for any illness in a turtle is to remove them from their tank,
pond or enclosure and place them somewhere warm and dry. Remember that,
in the wild, water turtles occupy the habitat AROUND the water as much,
if not more than IN the water. Moreover, a turtle in good health can
survive months out of water and a sick turtle really needs the rest. A
temporary shelter can be anything from an empty aquarium to a plastic
bin or trash can or even just a cardboard box with high sides (keep in
mind a determined turtle is an incredible climber). Add a heat source,
which can be a regular electric heating pad (if you're lucky enough to
be able to find one without the annoying 'automatic off' feature) to a
light bulb suspended over head. Ideally you want to achieve a constant
temperature of between 85-87 degrees. Since we are deliberately taking
away the turtle's choice to move from cool to warm, we have to pick a
constant that fits both needs. NOT having to move between temperature
zones and not having to swim or climb is the first step on giving the
turtle the ability to direct his attention more toward healing. You must
also provide UV-A and UV-B light sources, which perhaps can be moved
from his original enclosure or -- in the alternative, a minimum of 10
minutes of direct (NOT filtered through any kind of glass or screen)
three times a day. Assuming he is healthy enough to be moving, the
regimen will be to place him in a shallow container of luke warm (room
temp) tap water every day for 5 minutes in order for him to drink, poop
and possibly eat. Shallow means no more than half his shell under water
when you place him in it -- and really only enough to cover his tail and
cloaca. Assuming that he is being treated for his actual condition and
improving, he can go YEARS in this condition without ill effects.>
<Now that she's out of what is basically an incubator for bacteria,
fungus, mites, worms and insurance salesmen we'll start a basic
treatment. After her daily bath, let her dry completely and then clean
the affected area(s) with hydrogen peroxide on a cotton swab, then soak
or dribble some Povidone (any kind of iodine) on the affected area. Do
this for a week and note the healing. The scab may turn to a scar, but
you'll still see the signs of healing. If NOT, then stop this procedure
and treat the areas with a topical anti-fungal cream sold for athlete's
foot and that contains miconazole or tolnaftate and give that two
weeks.>
<Chances are that you'll see progress in a few weeks and Myrtle will be
ready to return to her regular environment in a month. MEANWHILE this is
a perfect time to completely clean and disinfect her normal home.>
Also, Thanks for your site.
<Once again, Yer welcome! We enjoy doing it.>
I will be coming back again and again and reading other peoples turtle
problems and solutions. Very interesting.
Thanks again
Mary D.
[Editor's note: <sigh> The views of this particular crew member, while
usually accurate in a bizarre alternate-reality sort of way, do not
reflect the views of Wet Web Media, so .... Once again ......
On behalf of Wet Web Media, we'd like to apologize to brothers-in-law,
mothers-in-law, insurance salesmen and in fact all kinds of salesman
(except door-to-door salesmen who wear cuff links). ]
RES Issues – 6/14/09
Hi!
<Hiya, Darrel here>
I have a Red Eared Slider that is about 5 inches long and he/she hasn't
expelled any fecal matter in about 4 days. He/she still eats very well
he/she just doesn't go to the bathroom. I also noticed that the area
around
his/her tail is hard and round and it protrudes from the shell.
<Sounds like the Cloaca is a bit impacted... think constipation. What
I'd do is try a warm water bath for 15 minutes twice a day. See if
simply warming the water that naturally seeps into the opening will
help.>
One more thing, I saw him/her trying to eat a Doctor Turtle medicated
block about 2 weeks ago.
<I doubt that's related. The calcium in those blocks readily breaks down
in their digestive system. That said, those blocks don't do much good,
either.>
<Good luck>
-Herp_girl
I followed all your steps but
still need turtle help. – 4/29/09
Dear WWM Crew,
<Hiya! Darrel here today>
I have followed the steps you suggested before resorting to sending this
e-mail, but after much reading and searching have not really found an
answer to my situation on your website or others.
<On behalf of all of us, we really appreciate your searching first and
asking second! Thanks for trying!>
Background information: 11 months ago my fiancé and I got 2 baby red
eared sliders. They are currently residing in a 10 gallon tank (we are
in the process of up grading to a larger one now) with heat lamp/UV
etc., water heater, proper food and filtration etc. When we first got
them their shell size was about 1.5 inches, and the slightly larger one
was not always very nice to the slightly smaller one but they eventually
got along well as they now do. The large one is a little over 4.5 inches
and the smaller one is about 4 inches. About three weeks ago we noticed
them doing the fanning with their claws- the little one to the big one-
which we now know is their courtship.
<Again, thanks for researching!>
Then we noticed the little one attempting to mount the big one- again we
now know they are trying to mate. I know that the males are usually
smaller than the females and grow more slowly- which is consistent with
our turtles up until now.
<Males don't exactly grow more slowly. As turtles mature, their rate of
growth slows and since males mature sooner than females it can just SEEM
that they grow slower. That isn't YOUR case, however.>
<Let's read on>
The problem: The cloaca on the bigger one is not very close to it’s
shell at all making me think that “she” may be a “he”, the big one is
also now approaching the small one and fans “him” with “her” claws, they
both have the same size claws; so I am really confused about their sex.
<The important thing here is that THEY aren't confused about their sex>
While the smaller one is behind the big one and they are doing their
mating stuff the big one who is on the bottom is pushing its "stuff" out
under its own belly and stroking it. Everything I have read says that
the males will push their penis out and do this….
<yes>
The questions: If the big one is a female than why is she pushing her
stuff out?
<She's not female - that's why>
It is possible for females to push their stuff out?
<Not and ever get it back, no. Besides, once a female turtle puts her
stuff out, she gets a bad reputation>
It does not seem to hurt or cause any stress at all. Does this mean that
the big one- who pushes its stuff out- is a male?
<Yep!>
If the big one is a male than why is the small one trying to be the
male? Does that mean they are both male?
<yes>
If so why is the big one pushing its stuff out but going to the bottom
position and letting the little one get up behind it before putting its
stuff out? Is it bad for him to push his stuff out without mating?
<It's just what they do, Nicole. Don't worry about it. Many animals will
exhibit this behavior in a single sex environment and, while it's goofy,
it's nothing to concern yourself with,>
Is there anything I can do to stop it? Anything I can do to discourage
mating if they are a boy and girl? I don’t want babies or stressed/sick
turtles, please help.
<The fact that they're both males pretty much takes care of the
eggs/babies aspect and as far as sick and diseased, that's not really an
issue, so again ... don't stress YOURSELF over it>
Thank you so much for reading all that, I am sorry it is so long but I
don’t know what information is important for you.
<It wasn't long at all Nicole -- you have NO IDEA how much some people
can write and yet still manage to not give us enough information for
help. You did well -- and once AGAIN ... thank you for doing the
research before writing. It makes our job easier!>
Thank you again.
<No charge!>
Sincerely,
Nicole L.
I have few question about my Sliders
4/28/09
Hi! I'm Roxel from the Philippines.
<Hiya! Darrel here from Southern California>
I got questions for my turtles. I have two (2) Red-Eared Sliders (Grub
and Schnitzel) both 4 and a half inch long. Grub is the eating machine
and Schnitzel is the stubborn one.
<But Schnitzel DOES eat, correct? Just not as much as Grub? Sometimes,
when one animal is particularly dominant, the other just doesn't thrive
... or at least, not as well. If you suspect Schnitzel isn't eating - or
not
eating ENOUGH -- take him out of the tank and place him into a private
container of water 1 inch deep once a week. Give him an hour to
acclimate and them give him a private feeding. See if, after a couple
weeks, his appetite improves.>
One day, I'm cleaning their tank. I put them in a pail for a while. The
water is deep for them and as I observe them, Grub can float and swim
but Schnitzel stayed at the bottom of the pail and comes up to get some
air. I thought there was something wrong with the two. I made Grub sink
to the water but still he still floats up. I made Schnitzel come up but
he or she(still can't identify the two) sank YET comes up to inhale some
air.
<That's not AS strange as you might think, but worth checking into>
This is my question: Which one of my turtle is unhealthy/sick?
<Not necessarily, Roxel. Both turtles SHOULD be able to float AND sink
as they desire and as long as this behavior is voluntary it's not an
issue.>
What are the ways (if there are) to make them heal?
<Several things. First, make some longer-term observations of them. Do
they both swim at times? Both bask at other times? Then spy on them.
For example, sit in the corner of their room, out of the way, and read a
book. Glance up every so often and note their positions. Does Grub
ALWAYS float? Schnitzel ALWAYS sink to the bottom? Read three more
chapters and check again. Etc. Try again tomorrow. Make sure you have
enough samples to really know what you're seeing. If you conclude that
they really do both have some sort of problem, the next thing to do is
remove them to a place that is warm and dry (I use a cardboard box with
high sides and a heating pad on "LOW" in the bottom) and leave them
there for a week ... placing them in a container with 1 inch of water
each day --separately-- for 15 minutes each, so they can drink, poop and
eat. This "drying out" will often help if they have an air pocket or
even some fungal gas pockets under the skin ... and the one that is
always at the bottom can benefit from drying out as well. Then place
them back in their tank and observe again and note what, if anything,
changed>
<Check your standard of care against the link below, correct anything
that's wrong, but remember this: If their active... if they swim and
bask and eat with enthusiasm, chances are they'll be fine!>
I'll be looking forward for your reply. Thank You!
<Yer welcome!!!!!>
<
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
How To Differentiate Shedding Of Skin And Fungus Infection?
RES beh., hlth. 4/12/09
Dear Crew
<Hiya, Darrel here>
Recently, I noticed that the water in the tank of my two Red Eared
Sliders was full of transparent pieces of things which I do not
recognize.
<hmmm. So far, a bit vague>
Then I noticed that the sliders on their some parts of their body
seems to be shedding their skins. But I do not know whether that is
just normal shedding of skin or fungus infection. May I know what is
that?
<Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference, since healthy shedding
results in pieces of dead skin falling off and fungal infections
cause the death of skin which then falls off, but generally
speaking, a healthy shed is a
continual process where very small amounts pieces come off all the
time.
These pieces are so small that they're rarely if ever noticed.>
<If you have visible pieces or strips of skin that seem to be
trailing off and you have so many of them that they are free
floating in the water, you should assume that you have or are
building up a skin condition that
requires treatment.>
<Skin fungus is harder to treat than shell fungus, yet it's easier
to cure>
<This is my standard first-line treatment for fungus in water
turtles:>
<The first thing to understand is that a water turtle's normal
environment is warm and wet -- and as any scientist will tell you --
the best way to grow fungus or bacteria is to keep the germs warm
and wet! To treat the turtles we need to remove them from their
environment and keep them warm and DRY. I use a cardboard box with
high sides and a regular old electric heating pad on it's lowest
settings for this. The trick here is to buy the 'economy' type
heating pad that does not have an Auto-Off feature. I wrap it in a
cloth towel and place it in the bottom of the box and cover that
with a layer of newspaper. Then just place the turtles in it. After
they've been in for about 24 hours, place them is a shallow bowl of
room temperature water for around 5 minutes. This is to give them
time to drink and poop. You can put a few food pellets in there and
they may or may not eat, don't worry about that now. After 5 minutes
or so, take them out and
let them dry off for an hour or so.>
<Now we'll treat the fungus>
<For shell fungus, apply a topical anti-fungal cream from the drug
store to the affected area. Look for any of the brands that contain
Miconazole (or any that end in -azole) or Tolnaftate -- brand name
is unimportant.
Remember to run thoroughly in order to press it into the area, but
don't waste the cream -- only the bottom-most layer makes contact
with the shell - thicker is not better. Repeat this process for 14
days. You should
start to see results in the affected areas after 5-7 days, but treat
for the full 14>
<For skin fungus, if the fungus is localized, apply household
vinegar to the affected area with a cotton swab and rub lightly. If
the area is accessible you can even scrub (lightly) with an old
toothbrush. If the fungus is around the head or neck or affecting
the entire turtle, the treatment is a bit harder. I alternate
between a salt water bath and a vinegar dip. The salt water bath is
a tablespoon of salt (aquarium salt is great, table sale will do)
per cup of luke-warm water -- as much as you need to over the whole
turtle. Place him in the bath for 2 to 3 minutes and them remove him
to dry off for a hour, then rinse him in fresh tap water). The
vinegar "dip" is usually more like trying to dribble the vinegar
over his whole body including the neck and face, yet without getting
it into his eyes or nose. It's basically impossible to avoid getting
into the eyes or nose, but I try. If the animal gets an
uncomfortable amount and continually tries to wipe his face with his
front
claws, then give him a quick rinse in tap water. Otherwise, just as
with the salt bath, let it dry on him for an hour and then give him
a rinse.>
<Meanwhile -- and this is the most critical part -- environmental
conditions allowed the fungus to get a foothold. The water is not
clean enough, the filter not strong enough, the water is too warm,
the basking
area is not warm enough, the UV is not present or not functioning
properly.
Take the opportunity while the animals are being treated to break
down their habitat, clean and sterilize everything (including the
canister filter AND the tubing) so that everything is pristine and
ready when the
turtles come home.>
RES abundant skin shedding 4/9/09
We (husband & I) have 3 RES, of varying ages, in a 110gal aquarium. The
largest is approx. 6" from head to tail; the smallest, 3".
They feed on a diet primarily of aquatic turtle pellets.
<Ah, do change this; except when very young, these turtles are mostly
herbivores, and without fresh greens they aren't going to be getting the
right balance of vitamins and fibre they need. Cheap aquarium plants,
such
as Elodea, works great as a staple, and you can reserve the pellets for
use once or twice a week, alongside green curly lettuce, small pieces of
white fish or mussel, and live foods like earthworms.>
There are 3 docks in the aquarium, each with its own 75watt UV bulb for
basking.
<Great!>
We use a canister filtration system, and the water stays around 75
degrees F.
<All good.>
They all feed and seem (from what I can tell) content.
<Like most herbivores, their appetites are large because they "expect"
to eat a lot of low-energy food, i.e., greens. When we give them
super-concentrated high-energy food, such as pellets, they don't feel
full
despite getting the energy (if not the vitamins and fibre) they need.>
Now, for the question:
Is it remotely normal that they shed their skin, a lot?
<Yes; the more mechanical filtration you have, the less it's a problem
though, and if the water is filled with floating skin, either up the
water changes, or double the turnover rate of the filtration system.
Realistically, you want 8-10 times the volume of the tank in turnover
per hour for adults.>
I have examined them out of the water (up close & personal), and they
seem to have healthy skin (ie: no inflammation, no discoloration).
<Likely they're fine, though vitamin issues may make their skin less
healthy than it might be, just as humans have better skin when they eat
a healthier diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.>
They just constantly have shedding skin coming off of them. Should I be
concerned?
<Not really, beyond by comments above.>
How can I help them (if they in fact need help)?
Thank-you,
Heather
<Happy to help.>
p.s. Please accept my most humble and sincere apology if this is a
ridiculous question you have previously addressed in your forum; also if
l have offended you horribly with any abuses of the English language.
<Ah, it seems the wrong people worry about our occasional outbursts on
the issues of spelling and grammar! Cheers, Neale.>
Turtle beh.
3/15/09
When I put my fingers to the glass of the aquarium, my turtle swims over
to them and flutters his front claws rapidly against the glass and even
follows the movement of the fingers and repeats this. Is this an act of
aggression or just playful interest? Does this show how he would act
with other turtles?
<Quite normal. Depending on the species and the sex, it may well be some
type of aggression. Reptiles don't play. Cheers, Neale.>
Lethargic Red Eared Slider 2/11/09
Hello,
<Hiya, Darrel here tonight>
I recently bought a baby red ear
slider about a week ago.
<Congratulations!>
Shell length
is about 1 and ½ inches. He has the proper set up. UVB lamp and
heating as well. 2 dry spots and a filter. His water temps are
typically 75 F but now that he is sick, I bumped it up to 80. He
hasn't eaten since I bought him 1.27.09 and I assumed he was
adapting to his environment when he just recently started
rubbing his eyes and tearing up.
<Not a good sign>
I
assumed it was the waters chlorine levels and change the water
to fresh water.
<Turtles are fine in normal tap water>
Then his eyes were swollen shut and he's been sleeping all day.
I purchased zoo med Repti eye drops and that opened his eyes
then he closed them again. I have been using them for the past 3
days now. He hasn't been active at all and just sleeps all the
time and I'm curious as to what illness does that lead to.
<Reptiles and Fish are very stoic animals, Marlie. That means
that they don't show most signs of illness until they are so
weak they can no longer hide it.>
<My guess is that his
feeding and climate have not ALWAYS been as right as you have
them and now it's mostly a long-term debilitation.>
He hasn't
been swimming lopsided nor coughs, sneezes, or has mucus
secretions but he hardly wakes up. Can you please tell me what
is wrong exactly is his body fighting a respiratory infection or
just en eye infection?
<Take him out of the aquatic
environment and place him somewhere warm and dry. I'd like his
air temp to be around 88 to 90 degrees constantly. Raising his
metabolism will help him a little bit in fighting off whatever
is getting to him. At least 10 minutes of direct sunlight each
day as well. We want to expose his skin to unfiltered sunlight
(not thru glass or even screen) for a few minutes, but not so
much as to cook him (turtles can overheat)>
As far as the
cause, mostly likely a vitamin deficiency and the sunlight will
help a bit. The big problem is that if you can't perk him up
enough to eat, he'll have to be force-fed and that's not
something for the novice. Warm him up as described, place him in
a shallow bowl of luke warm water once a day for 5 minutes at
which time you can offer him a few koi pellets, ReptoMin food
sticks or maybe even an earthworm (pets stores carry Night
Crawlers -- one for him and the rest in your garden)>
How can
I make him eat, be active and healthy?
<I appreciate the
desire and effort, Marlie, we all feel the same. Hopefully he'll
respond and start to eat and we can get enough nutrition into
him to help him recover.>
Please help I don't want him to
die.
<Nor do we, Marlie. Warm, dry, sunlight and food and
we'll all root for you!>
Turtle twitching/shaking head rapidly
1/7/08
I have a red eared slider that was kind of dumped on me by a friend who was
neglecting it, but since then I have taken very good care of him. He is about a
year old, maybe a little younger. He has a large tank with a water heater, a
swimming area and a dry area with a proper basking lamp, and the temperatures
are fine and the water is clean and his diet his healthy.
(I've done a lot
of research since I first got him). Yesterday I noticed the he was acting VERY
strangely.
<Oh?>
He is basking much more then usual and when he is on his
log he seems very agitated. He flicks his arms and legs out quickly and shakes
his head back and forth rapidly.
<Hmm... not typical for solitary turtles.>
It almost looks like he is trying to scratch his face, but he does flick his
back legs a lot also. It is very bizarre to watch and it has me really worried!
I love the little guy :( He also constantly turns around on the log in between
the twitching, and he will often jump into the water only to quickly come back
out.
<Agree its odd, but unless there are reasons to suspect disease or
vitamin deficiency, I'm not sure its indicative of anything (at least, not to
me).
Let's assume your turtle has access to UV-B light (do check this: not
all basking lamps are UV-B, some are UV-A, and some just plain regular light).
Let's further assume that it's getting a balanced diet rich in greens and
not too rich in anything containing thiaminase (for example, shrimp or fish).
The issue here is that thiaminase and lack of UV-B cause vitamin deficiencies,
and among the possible problems are damage to the nerves, and this can indeed
manifest itself as odd movements such as convulsions.
Although not
particularly common in turtles because most species are more or less
herbivorous, this is a serious problems for things like garter snakes often
given a fish-based diet.>
When he is in the water he seems fine, and his eyes
are as bright and alert as always. He is a very active turtle but I've never
seen him do this. It's almost like he is having a seizure.
<At least some of
these behaviours might be social, for example threat behaviours aimed at you.
But I don't really know, and haven't heard of these sorts of problems in turtles
that are otherwise healthy and receiving the correct diet.>
I would love any
advice. I live in a very small town and the vet wasn't much help.
Thanks
Sam
<For now, would observe, taking specific care to notice appetite and any
signs of things like eye or respiratory tract infections. Odd swimming behaviour
is one sign of respiratory tract infections as fluid in the lungs causes
problems with buoyancy, but this won't be apparent on land. (On the other hand,
wheezing and mucous production are good signs of an RTI, so be on the alert for
them.) If the turtle is female and above a certain size/age, say 10 cm/3 years,
then egg binding can cause female turtles to behave erratically. Uncorrected,
this can lead to major problems, so do sex your turtle, and be prepared for egg
laying if "he" turns out to be a "she". There's a great run down of "odd
behaviours" over at the excellent Red Ear Slider web site, here:
http://redearslider.com/unusual_behavior.html
Do have a look over them, and
see if anything sounds familiar. Cheers,
Neale.>
Red Ear Slider -bottom heavy 9/21/08
We have 3 turtles. The one in ? is seven months old, 5"x3.5 (approx). The
king/queen of the tank. This evening at feeding (pellets) the turtle was
lagging. As though bottom heavy, have difficulty getting up on the larger out of
water level rocks. We have had pea size gravel in tank - now removed. The turtle
is still interested in food. Back legs seem to work labored, signs of difficulty
holding stance to put face above water. The smaller turtles seem to be helping -
boost up - (if you will) their mate. What can be causing this??? The shell looks
fine, and all looks good as far as I can see - But TurTy is still running bottom
heavy??? What can I do??? Will this pass if he ate stones???
Thanks for your time and attention.
<Greetings. Swallowing stones is not normally a problem. But if she has done
this, and can't pass them, then you will need to see a vet. A simple x-ray will
confirm the problem. However, I do wonder if this particular terrapin is a
female, which is easily checked. Males have much longer FRONT claws than the
females. If the claws are smaller than the flipper, it's a girl; if the claws
are longer than the flipper, it's a boy. Furthermore, females have smaller tails
than males, and the cloaca (the combined anal-genital opening) is much closer to
the shell than the tip of the tail. There are some nice pictures here:
http://www.redearslider.com/determining_sex.html
Now, the reason I'm concentrating on sex is because females are prone to
becoming egg-bound if they have the wrong diet and/or no place to lay their
eggs. That would account of her heaviness and clumsiness. This is a fatal
condition, and MUST be fixed quickly. If you suspect this to be the case, your
terrapin is in much pain and distress, and needs help. Egg-bound females begin
by frantically trying to get out of the tank: they're looking for somewhere
sandy to put the eggs. A shallow dish of sand will do the trick, but if you miss
the window of opportunity, the eggs can get stuck, and a vet will need to fix
the problem, either surgically or by administering a hormone. Either way, YOU
CAN'T FIX THIS YOURSELF.
http://www.redearslider.com/reproduction.html
It's a very common problem with terrapins kept indoors, and likely accounts for
much (gruesome) mortality. In any case, a trip to the vet is in order, sooner
rather than later. Cheers, Neale.>
RES turtle question...
beh./repro. mostly, plus keen insight into the human cond.
8/18/08
Hi - I hope you can answer my questions, as I don't know how to do it on
your website.
<Quite simple. Start on the Freshwater page, go to Livestock, and then
browse the Turtle articles and FAQs. Failing that, there's a Google search
box.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlvstkind2.htm
>
I have two sliders, about 11 years old, probably from the same "litter" (is
that the correct word?) and very, very friendly. They are great pets, very
responsive, eat out of our hands and we love watching them. They live in a
10 gal. turtle tank,
<Whoa... 10 gallons? That's WAY too small for them. At 11 years old, these
things should be the size of dinner plates. Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm
>
have a nice big floating rock on one end, and love to stand up on their hind
legs on the rock and hang on the sticks that support the rock with their
front legs. They both learned this trick on their own.
<Hmm... suspect they learned this more from necessity than any sense of fun.
This habitat is just too small for them.>
They get along really well, and the only time there's competition is when
they eat. One is bigger and dominant, but they never fight.
<OK.>
Last year they started this fluttering thing, and reading your website I see
it's courtship behavior. It seems to be mutual, no one turtle chasing the
other, and both seem to have the same length of nails. My husband wonders if
they are gay -- well, OK, maybe, but maybe they are of different genders and
I can't tell.
<Trachemys scripta elegans is easy to sex. Males have much longer claws on
their front flippers than females. Males also have longer, thicker tails
with the cloaca (the combined anal/genital opening) near the tip rather than
close to the shell.>
So, if they aren't the same sex, what should I do? There is no sand in the
tank (it's a water tank, so sand never occurred to me). Should I try sand,
and what kind of sand?
<Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turtlereprofaqs.htm
>
I see no evidence of sex organs or even mating behavior. The fluttering is
lovely to watch -- so gentle and sweet. We feel it's communication on a
level we can't quite understand, and are not meant to understand. Sometimes
they do it twice or three times a day, and sometimes not at all. Today and
yesterday I saw it again.
<Glad it's providing entertainment! Yes, it is quite a strange thing to
see...>
However, if I should be doing something for them, can you let me know?
<If nothing else, a bigger habitat.>
Their names are Yin and Yang and I have them since they were very very
small.
It's interesting how you can get to really like turtles -- never thought it
would be possible, but they really have fun personalities!
<It is certainly possible to become fond of any pet animal, even one with
such limited intelligence as a terrapin. I always thought they have very
pretty faces, especially eyes.>
Thanks for any advice you can give --
Susan
<Hope this helps, Neale.>
Red Eared Slider behavior – 07/14/08
Hi,
<Hiya, Darrel here>
I have a few questions for you, I hope you can help me care better for my
son Pauli:
<I'm going to read on before I make any leaps of logic here>
1. I bought a RES, her eyes were swollen shut and were draining pus. I went
to the Pet Shop and got drops and other medicines, the tank has UV lights,
the water temp was fine, and I left her in the sun for 30mins a day, but
after a week she died, I just want to know what more I could have done as I
am scared to buy another one, I got too attached and then got sick when she
died.
<On behalf of Bob Fenner and the entire crew, we're sorry for your loss,
Chantell. Buying an animal that is already showing signs of illness will
almost never have a happy ending. The predators of fish and reptiles usually
go for the weak and injured animals first, so if you're a fish or a turtle
it pays NOT to be sick or injured, but even if you are sick or injured -- it
pays to not APPEAR to be sick or injured. For this reason fish and reptiles
are very stoic animals - they often will appear to be just FINE until
suddenly they appear REALLY sick and this is often just hours before they
die. Most fish or reptiles have had a debilitating disease for weeks --
sometimes even months -- without any signs that you would see unless you
were looking closely and knew just what to look for>
<You did the right things -- Vitamin A (injections are best but drops
usually work), massive antibiotic injections and sunlight are three of the
four things needed, but by the time the eyes are weeping pus, the fourth
item you needed was a small miracle. Again, our sympathies.>
2. Also I have a male Red Eared Slider named Pauli that I have had for about
8 months now. He is healthy and beautiful. Last night I was talking to him
and he started to make funny sounds, like he was "talking" back to me. I
called my husband as I thought I was imagining it but he did the same. He
swims to the top of the water with just his head out and then makes the
sounds. Is it normal?
<Is he telling you to kill your landlord or buy stocks in an Internet
Startup? I know that sounds crazy, Chantell, but take it from me -- I breed
turtles ... and turtles don't know ANYTHING about the stock market!>
<Seriously, the can make a sort of clicking sound with their jaws and
something resembling a hiss/growl as they breathe. The thing to do is make
SURE that it's not the bubbly/raspy sound of breathing through an upper
respiratory infection. Look closely for bubbles coming from the nose as he
breathes.>
3. Pauli eats anything meaty and leafy, but he refuses to eat the pellets we
give him. I have tried to mix it with meaty things but he is too clever, he
eats the meat and leaves the pellets, when he does occasionally bit into one
he spits it right back out. Do you have any suggestions how to get him to
eat it?
<Yes I do, but you're not going to like it. After you verify that Pauli is
otherwise healthy you stop giving him food of any kind except Tetra brand
Repto-Min and you offer THAT only once a week for no longer than 10 minutes
& then you remove it and try again next week. Week after week. Into next
month and maybe the month after. Until Pauli gets hungry enough to eat. It's
a contest of wills, Chantell. I once went .... brace yourself .... in fact
sit down .... I once went THREE AND A HALF YEARS with a Box turtle named
Clara that had fixated on strawberries and wouldn't eat anything else. Every
week, every month, every year .... nothing. I was convinced she was trying
to out-live me until one day she turned a corner and ate the earthworm I'd
offered. After that, everything was fine except for her incessant chatter
about investing in some company named goodell or goober or Google or
something like that!>
<Make sure that water temp is not too warm -- and that basking temp IS nice
and warm. Available temperature choices are a major factor in eating
habits.>
4. Last question, Pauli sometimes has the habit of swimming around and then
doing a 180degree turn in the water when visitors come over, is he playing?
<We're not sure if turtles have that level of sentient awareness, Chantell,
but they sure do entertaining things!>
Thank you,
<You're welcome!>
Chantell
P.S We don't have vets in the UAE specializing in reptiles, so a friend
suggested this sight. Keep up the great work, I learned a few things from
the site.
<Keep the kudos coming! We're vain & shallow & respond well to praise!!!!!!>
What is she doing? RES beh. 7/6/08
hello,
<Hiya Mom -- Darrel here>
My son and I have a female Red Eared Slider and she has been doing some odd
things;
<I have a son and HE is doing some odd things -- but he's 15 so I just
ignore it>
First she will often (if you put your finger pad against the glass) put her
head down and tuck it in a bit then she will frame her face with her claws and
vibrate them.
<Interesting, that sounds like a male courting behavior. You haven't said
how big the turtle is (turtles reach sexual maturity with SIZE, not age) or how
we know it's a female. Is the shell about 3 inches long or more? Are the front
claws elongated? (See Figure 1 in the link below) If so, you have a male not a
female>
The second odd thing she has done is (when I had her outside yesterday in
the sun) that as I held her she peed 2 times and then looked like she was about
to poop but then something black with a yellow center came out of her poop hole
instead, she pushed it out and pulled it back in 2 times.
<The evidence is piling up .....>
When I took her back inside she did not do it again. I am concerned- is this
normal or was that her bowels?
<That was his .. um .... reproductive organ and as long as he can pull it
back in, then it's normal -- although I'd caution your son that it's ok normal
for a TURTLE to do that, not for a human (boy was THAT ever an expensive
lesson!!!!!>
or was that her womb that she was thinking needed to be out to be
fertilized?
<Not really, everything is fine>
What do these two behaviors mean?
<They mean that your little turtle has grown up. There's nothing you have to
do about it, either. Sliders are colonial animals, which is to say that in the
wild they tend to congregate, but they don't seem to suffer at all being housed
singularly.>
thanks
<Hope that helps!>
mama T
<
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
RES with weird behaviors,
hlth. issues, reading – 03/18/08
Hi WWM Crew,
<Doris>
This is my first time writing to a webpage with a question so I'm not quite sure
if I'm doing it right or not. I have 4 RES. One RES is older by two years. About
45-50 days ago I purchased 3 baby RES. I've recently changed the 20 gallon tank
to a 40 gallon tank, with a floating island and a basking light. When I came
home I noticed that one of my turtles weren't moving in the water. I took
him/her out to see if anything is wrong, it seems that the right eye isn't fully
opened kind of like a lazy eye. I placed it on land and realized it stretched
out its neck and opened its mouth like it's trying to take in oxygen. After
taking oxygen the RES "lazy eye" opened like before. Is my RES not ready to be
in such a big tank with that much water?
<Reads like it is having troubles... with both breathing and its eyes...>
Or could it be lack of oxygen? Is my RES sick?
<The latter>
I hope you have an answer to my questions. By the way this is a great site.
Thanks for having this site for people who have questions like me.
Sincerely,
Doris.
<Please make use of it. Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlvstkind2.htm
toward the bottom... on Turtle Diseases. Bob Fenner>
|
Weird behavior, RES
2/13/08
greetings...
<Hiya Viki -- Darrel here>
I have 2 young Red Eared Sliders about 2 ". Boris is perky but doesn't eat
pellets...likes chicken and crickets...
<Would you eat what's good for you if you could eat snack food instead? Those
foods as a staple diet will lead to malnutrition, starting with vitamin
deficiency. If you can't get them on Reptomin or koi pellets (same food, just
cheaper) then feed them night crawlers (earthworms). Start feeding the worms
three times a week - to build up their diet .... then after a month, reduce to
once a week while offering pellets the other two times. The idea is that once
they're healthier we let them get hungry enough to finally accept the pellets.>
Natasha doesn't do much except some BIZARRE neck stretching and opening her
mouth and making a sort of clicking noise. She doesn't eat, doesn't really swim
<If she does that frequently it is usually a sign of metabolic bone debilitation
(probably brought on by the bad diet) but it can be easily and quickly treated.
She needs vitamins and calcium and hopefully she'll get both in the worms and
eventually the pellets if you can get her to eat. Raise the temperature of her
environment a few degrees and see if that helps get her appetite back. Also,
short (5 minute) soaks in 85 degree water can also help stimulate the appetite,
Failing that, you'd need to see a veterinarian about vitamin and calcium
injections>
I got a new light to intensify the basking scene...
<Basking & warmth is good, but are they getting UVA/UBV as well?>
any other suggestions?
<FIRST, WE SET TRAP FOR MOOSE AND SQUIRREL!
[psst! Did y'all know that Rocky (Rocket J Squirrel) was a girl squirrel?]>
She seems sort of , I dunno, handicapped.
<Not handicapped ... debilitated -- on her way to becoming ill. But hopefully we
caught it in time and can get her back on track in a hurry>
thanks for your help.
<Yer welcome -- read this link for a quick refresher course>
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
Re: weird behavior...
Chelonian f's 2-14-08
Oy sad to say that Natasha expired this evening. very sad. it got to be that
every time she stretched her neck tonight she would tip over.
oy oy oy.
OF course she was debilitated, she never ate from the moment she arrived
here...We're working on Boris' diet. earthworms for breakfast. thanks for your
time and help.
V
<Dear Viki,
On behalf of Bob Fenner and the entire crew we're truly sorry for your loss.
Please keep us updated on Boris and don't hesitate to let us know if we can be
of further help>
<Kind Regards, Darrel>
Re: weird behavior... Boris
the chelonian 2/27/08
Hi Darrel...Boris is doing really well. He always seems hungry now - he eats
pellets and earthworms greedily. How often do you think they should eat when
they're this little?
<Less than we eat, Viki -- I feed mine every other day in the summer and every
three to four days in winter. As long as WHAT they eat is healthy for them, then
our next big problem is obesity. Believe it or not, more of our pets die of over
feeding and the complications that brings than pass from insufficient diet. Glad
everything is working out!>
|
Young Slider with shell color
changes 2/13/08
Hi WWM,
<Hiya SB!>
Thanks for being here and having such a great site.
<Thank you, too. We like being here!>
I couldn't quite find what I was looking for with the search engine because I'm
not too familiar with the terminology and the structure of turtle's shells. I
have a very young Red Eared Slider turtle (slightly bigger than a 50 cent
piece). I've been taking care of it since November and things have been going
pretty good. I have a 20 gallon tank, a hang-on filter (I know they're not very
good, but I can't afford a canister right now)
<Actually, hold up there. It's just fine for a tank that size, it's easier to
clean than a canister and for that reason you'll do it more often -- if it's
working for you, don't change it!>
A UVB/UVA bulb directly overhead, an ample basking area, and I feed the turtle a
diet of ReptoMin pellets and occasionally a krill as a treat (maybe three times
a week). I also completely clean out the tank every Friday unless I'm especially
busy.
<Sounds good so far. Better than good. Great actually.>
Lately I've been noticing the colors of his shell changing. The area between the
sections (I suppose they're called scutes?)
<They are called scutes and the area between the scutes are called margins ...
but mainly called ..... The Area Between Scutes>
of the carapace has been becoming darker and darker, until now it's almost
black. Although the turtle is still acting normally and very energetic
(constantly tries to bite me during feeding), this has me very worried. What are
the possible causes of this and what should I do?
<That's normal as the grow, SB. As he/she ages they bright green is replaced by
a duller green and then a darker color that helps them blend in to their
surroundings and the margins become dark & then black. SO ...... IN OTHER WORDS
... the cause for this is that your Slider is growing and thriving because
you're being such a good care giver!!!>
Thanks in advance for your help.
<Once again, you do the work ..... and I take the thanks. I LOVE THIS
JOB!!!!!!!! -- Darrel>
Strange fanning behaviour on
red eared sliders 1-22-08
Hello,
I have read through your behaviour answers and have learned that the fanning of
the front feet signify an attempt to attract the attention of a female.
<Correct. They also do it when they're mating. I had two terrapins of different
species, and yet the male would "mount" the female (hardly the correct word, but
you get the drift) and it would seem like he was scratching her eyes out.>
All good. However, I have to sliders, one is about 2" and one about 2.5" large
(I can't tell if they are male or female because they are too small still.) They
are the same age. The larger one is swimming up to the smaller one and starts
fanning the front arms then the smaller ones sits and does it back. Are my
turtles just confused or is it also an aggressive show of dominance? Is there
something I should be worried about here?
<Quite normal, and nothing to worry about. It may be pre-mating display, or a
dominance display, or merely some sort of reptilian chit-chat. Provided the
terrapins don't start biting each other, they're fine.>
Thank you very much
Suzy
<Cheers, Neale.>
Red Eared Slider Question,
shell colour 1/1/08
Hi,
I have had an unusual occurrence with one of my red eared sliders. We have
raised them from hatchlings and they are currently in a 30 gallon tank (they are
three). They have uv light, heat lamps and a basking area. The water and filter
are changed regularly. They both seem healthy and energetic, but the larger
one's scales have taken on a reddish tint. This is both on the top of his shell
and the bottom. His skin appears normal in color, and their are no soft spots or
fungus growth. Any idea what we might be dealing with?
Thanks so much!
Lori
<Hmm... difficult to say without seeing them, but do bear in mind that old
scales (or scutes, to be more precise) at the top of the shell eventually flake
off the shell. Before that happens they tend to become semi-transparent and more
horny-looking rather than the green/brown they normally are. In addition, as the
Sliders grow, their overall colour becomes less bright green and more
green/brown. Provided your Slider is otherwise healthy and shows no sign of
infection, then I'd not be too alarmed just yet. Cheers, Neale.>
Is an over-active Slider too
hot? – 11/16/07
Hey Crew!
<Hiya Jamie!>
I read through your Faq's and I really enjoyed the site. Thank you for the great
info!
Well onto my questions...
My first question is about my female RES that I bought about 6 months ago, she's
been very healthy and always active and friendly. We keep her in long 20 gallon
tank, with a heater/filter, heat kept around 78 degrees, basking platform that
she can easy climb on, and a UVA/UVB lamp. She's about 4 inches now, maybe
slightly bigger.
1) First problem encountered with her was that she refuses to eat any kind of
pellets, we tried 3 different kinds and even soaked tem in tuna to entice her.
She dislikes them so much, she even acts like they aren't there. After many
tries, we finally decided to try to keep a balanced diet (as best as we can)
with veggies and extra stuff (usually feeder fish, crickets, krill..etc.) Any
suggestions on how to keep a good stable diet?
<The first problem is that the water is too hot. Water temp should be around
65-73 and the dry land/basking temp between 85-93 -- She needs to have a choice
as to be warm & dry or wet & cool and so far you've taken that choice away from
her. -- I'll address the feeding concerns a little later on>
2) For some reason lately she has become extremely active and loves to climb
onto her basking platform and then attempts to climb out of her tank, sometimes
getting too close for comfort. She even ends up back flipping into the water and
one time got stuck. Any explanation as to why she is doing this and how we can
prevent it?
<My guess is that she's active because she's a bit over heated and her behavior
will change when you provide her the proper temperature gradients. Also, you'll
find that the water stays a bit cleaner and clearer at the lower temperatures>
<Now, as far as diet and diet fixations go ... Sliders are not usually very
picky. If she's otherwise healthy and after about 3 months of correcting her
temperature situation ... you can just stop offering her any other kind of foods
.... and offer the Koi pellets once a week, scooping them out if she hasn't
eaten in 15 minutes, and after about three weeks, she'll wake up & smell the
writing on the wall (to mix metaphors) and start eating the pellets. If she's
otherwise healthy, 3-6 weeks in nothing to HER ... but you'll be beside yourself
with needless worry. Just for comparison, I've had a box turtle so fixated on
strawberries that she refused any and all other food. When I finally started
offering her a proper diet or nothing at all ... she went for TWO YEARS and
three months!!!! It was a real test of wills with an animal that will likely
outlive me.>
<Start by correcting her environmental issues and read the link below -- check
all your husbandry against the guidelines and then ... when it's all perfect.
Just out-wait her ... and she'll come along.>
Thank you again, and I hope to hear from you soon.
-Jamie in Chico, Cali.
<Nice town, Jamie -- my son went to college there! -- Darrel>
<
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm >
Hatchling Slider with odd
behavior 10/21/07
I wrote you recently about a hatchling Red Eared Slider that was exhibiting
some strange behavior; spinning in circles as it swims, flipping on it's back
and stretching it's neck up and back over it's shell. It has a great appetite,
basks regularly and spends equal time in the water. I keep the water temp around
80 deg. and the air temp in the aquarium basking area at 90. The turtle cannot
swim below the surface. It spins in circles as it swims because it is trying to
get to the bottom and cannot. When it wants to go to the bottom it clings to
objects in the aquarium and descends them holding on with its claws. The
flipping on it's back is also a result of it's struggle to get to and explore
the bottom. I have even held the turtle to the bottom for a sec. or two and then
let go and it quickly rises to the top like a fishing bobber submerged and then
released. The Slider's' appearance is healthy and maintains a good appetite. It
is fed a balanced diet 3 times a week. Could the turtle have underdeveloped
lungs, one working lung, or some sort of equilibrium imbalance?
<Those are all possibilities, Lorie. In addition to those sometimes a pocket of
gas can be generated from an internal infection and I've actually seen turtles
act this way temporarily because they simply had ... gas!>
<At the moment, your best course of action and treatment is to pay SCRUPULOUS
attention to detail regarding habitat, water quality and hygiene. Read and
re-read the article here:
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm) and compare your
keeping to the suggestions. First off, I'd lower the water temp to something
around 72 degrees (That's around 22.5 for those of you living in the developed
world) and give him a wider "choice" for his thermoregulation pleasure. Next I'd
make sure that he's getting unfiltered UV lighting when he is basking.>
It seems to have poor judgment skills; when it eats, it attacks the food but
often misjudges and misses them. <One of the endearing traits of turtles is
their often comical behavior -- but let's stay away from terms like "Poor
Judgment" unless you catch him ordering products from late night TV infomercials
or sending money to a Nigerian lawyer.>
I'm searching for answers about its condition have been unsuccessful.
<It's difficult TO answer because what you're describing is a consequence of
some condition -- much like seeing someone with a limp and trying to guess how
he got it>
I wonder if it is a permanent condition, or will it grow out of it.....or worse,
die?
<Once again, yes -- it could be any of those things. GENERALLY speaking ... if
an animal is thriving, which is to say "active, alert, feeding and growing" then
they will either grow out of or learn to compensate for any handicaps they may
have. Once in a while an animal can exhibit every trait of thriving and
compensating and then one day, suddenly and unexpectedly, succumb to a condition
or disease that they've been carrying almost since birth. Technically, a trip to
an experienced Herp Veterinarian and the resulting $698.20 medical bill would
yield a guess from an expert ... but still only a guess ... with the likely
result being that you're told to pay attention to habitat, water quality and
hygiene until a more clear-up symptom appeared. When the responsible pet keeper
does his or her part in providing a superior habitat, Red Eared Sliders can be
amazingly hardy.>
<regards -- Darrel>
Odd behavior, RES – 9/29/07
To Anyone Who Can Answer:
<Whew! As long as you didn't clarify that to an HELPFUL answer, I'm IN!>
I have two male red-eared sliders who have been together since they were just
babies. They are about three years old. Both are healthy and in a clean
environment. One is a bit smaller then the other, but not by much. They have a
set of bricks to lay on and I have a basking light on all night and also a UV
lamp on all day. The rest of the environment ( an old toy box cut down) is
water.
<Sounds good so far>
There is plenty of room for both to swim and to bask. I have observed the
flipping of the claws that the males do for some time. It never amounts to much
and they have never bitten each other. They do tend to follow each other around
the tank at times and seem aggressive, but nothing much has ever come of it.
<So far all is normal>
Just recently on several occasions we have found the two stuck together. The
smaller one has his head and part of his shell caught in-between the larger ones
top and bottom shell. His head is completely out of sight. We thought at first
the smaller one was biting the larger one, but they seem actually stuck. We have
pulled them apart several times, but last night I heard a splashing and a lot of
noise coming from their tank and went to investigate. I found them stuck once
again. I placed them both on the bricks and was trying to remove the rack that
the light sits on so I could pull them apart when they somehow got themselves
unstuck.
<Sounds a bit comical, doesn't it?>
There was a loud like suction noise when they parted.
<Complete with sound effects!>
I am afraid that the smaller one will drown if he can not get unstuck from the
larger one while they are in the water. I think the brick gave them traction to
get apart from one another. They can't get on the bricks while they are stuck
together and they don't seem to be able to get unstuck in the water. Have you
ever heard of something like this and do you think the little one can unstick
himself if he wants too, or is he really stuck and likely to drown?
<I've never honestly witnessed to turtles STUCK like that. I've seen positions
and behaviors that are similar, but never exactly THAT -- and it's not covered
in the literature, either. My guess is that little Bobby can get himself out of
any place he gets himself into, but I wouldn't take that chance, either.>
I hate the thought of separating them as they really have never gotten that
aggressive with each other and finding space for another set up would be a real
headache, not to mention a big expense. What should I do?
< I'd separate them. As much as turtles seem to "enjoy" being together, they do
fine individually as well. I wouldn't look to a whole new setup, just possibly
rearranging the existing enclosure so that you could put a clear plastic divider
between the two running right down the center of the basking brick. A few months
apart and you could reintroduce them again and expect to find their behaviors
have changed, hopefully including this "edge play" (everyone get it??? Edge
play? As in the EDGES of the shell??? Bwahahahaha). Like I said, I doubt this is
a serious problem for THEM, but I agree it's a serious worry for US, so let's
make the effort.>
Thanks, Laura
<Welcome, Darrel> <<Great... RMF>>
Red Eared Slider help 7/21/07
Hello guys,
<Hiya Christopher -- Darrel here with you tonight>
I wanted to know how to take care of an Red Eared Slider in the winter.
For example, how much should I feed him, how often should I change the
water and should I still give it sunlight or UVB lighting.
<These are very good questions, but the answers are a bit muddy & not
very concrete.>
<Let's keep it simple. Sliders will respond to the TEMPERATURE CHANGES
of winter much more strongly than the subtleties of altered photoperiods
(shorter days) and all that science-type stuff. So as long as the
Temperature holds, it's not really "winter" as far as the turtle is
concerned. If your turtle is inside the house in an aquarium and there
is a normal basking light (there should not be a water heater) then for
your turtle, it's just another day in the swamp ... No winter to speak
of. If it's outside, in a pond .... it's way too small to BE in a pond
... so set up a tank indoors like I described above and -- presto -- no
winter. Now ... if it gets a LITTLE bit chilly where you have her, then
cut back the feeding just to be sure. It never hurts for them to be just
a little bit hungry.>
My turtle is 2 inches and is a female.
<A bit of a disagreement here, Chris. If it's only two inches and
assuming you haven't probed it, she's too small to determine the sex
yet. Notice I didn't say too "young" because for turtles, like most
reptiles, sexual maturity (and with that the visual differences between
the boys & girls) comes with SIZE, not age.>
Also, do you know the average growth rate of an RES. Just the
approximate average.
<That is SO totally dependant of heat, food and environment that
anything I say could be wrong (and at the same time right for someone
else) -- 3/4 to an inch each year for the first year to year & a half
and then slower after that .... but if it's warm enough and she's fed
enough, it could almost be double that>
Last, do turtles in fact hibernate or not?
<Sliders do, depending on where they are. In some Northern states wild
sliders have been known to over-winter at the bottom of a pond that's
frozen solid at the top. Now ... to anyone reading this who has sliders
that can be subject to winter conditions ... PLEASE keep in mind that
while they do hibernate and CAN survive a cold winter .... MANY wild
turtles do not survive. Some perish outright and many are so damaged
that they barely survive the next year. Mother Nature sees that 1,000
hatch so that ONE can live to lay another set of eggs. The odds do NOT
favor a turtle wild ... so please don't try it -- as responsible pet
keepers it's our job to improve Nature's odds, not duplicate them.>
Thanks for all your help.
<No charge!>
Turtle's basking habits– 09/17/07
Hey,
<Hiya>
I have a question about my Red Eared Slider. I have a female and doesn't really
bask a lot.
<Some will bask less than others, but it's good and healthy for her to bask and
there's always a concern that it's a sign of sickness or distress. Check your
water temperature and make sure it's not too warm (room temperature is fine)
since the primary reason for basking is to warm her body. If the basking area is
available and warm -- and she's otherwise healthy and active and it seems that
it's just her CHOICE not to bask, then don't worry about it.>
Also, she will only eat pellet foods. I have tried feeding it insects,
vegetables and fruits but it will only eat the pellet foods I give her. Is this
normal for an slider?
<Again, not really normal - They're omnivorous and usually will eat or at least
sample anything and everything offered. But with that said, a quality brand
pellet food, especially commercially available Koi pellets are a perfectly
balanced diet for a slider and there's not really any reason to feed them
anything else.>
Any additional information would be helpful.
<then here ya go: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
Thanks,
A concerned owner.
<Your welcome -- Darrel>
Re: Turtle's Basking Habits– 09/17/07
Thanks again for your reply. So just to clarify everything, if I feed my RES
koi pellets I don't need to feed it anything else or is it best to give her
different types of food along with the koi pellets. Thanks again.
<No, koi pellets alone aren't enough. You need to feed red-eared sliders a mix
of foods; it is generally recommended that adults receive about 75% of their
diet from plant foods. Clover, alfalfa, dandelion leaves, green lettuce (not
iceberg!), Sushi Nori, ripe tomatoes, plums, etc. all work well. They will also
happily eat cheap aquatic plants such as Elodea, often sold as "oxygenators" for
ponds and goldfish aquaria. Cheers, Neale.>
Can a turtle outgrow it's shell? 9/13/07
Hello again
<And a hearty hello, howdy & Hiya right back!>
So we've both established my Red Eared Slider turtle is growing too fast. :( I'm
trying to only feed 2 times a week now, adding more leafy veggies and less
pellets/dried prawns/bloodworms. Does that sound ok?
<The ONLY thing I feed mine are Koi pellets ... it's a vegetarian-based healthy
& balanced food>
I'm now wondering if Its possible for a Slider to outgrow it's shell?
I keep reading conflicting information online.
<Funny how the Internet has allowed any dufus with a web site the ability to
give advice, isn't it? Um .. wait a second .... that doesn't sound right ....
forget I said that, OK?>
His front legs and neck seem to be puffing out of his shell, and he never fully
retracts his legs or neck anymore. Perhaps this is because he is comfortable
with me and feels no need to protect himself???
<From the sound of it, he probably is relaxing a bit but fundamentally he sounds
obese! Keep on the diet and remember, they have VERY little to worry about or
run from in captivity -- they don't need very much to eat.>
If he is too big now, will his shell ever catch up to the body, even with more
restricted/varied diet ....
<In time, yes. The shell grows through a much slower process than the skin and
other organs ... it will take a LOT of time ... so please be patient>
... and more exercise? ...
<I want to make a point about this ... EVERY YEAR ... hundreds if not thousands
of people buy tiny little TurtleGym 1000's for their sliders based on
infomercials from Chuck Tortoise and ALL of them end up folded up & shoved under
a little corner of their hot rock gathering dust.>
<Ahem. OK .. I'm having one of those days. Or perhaps an "episode"><<Darrel
you're really out/in there today! RMF>>
<Pay attention to habitat, diet and temperature gradients and try not to
over-stress yourself or your little turtle.>
Thanks for all your help!
<Write back & send pics of him!>
<Regards, Darrel>
PS: Here's a link about the simple yet effective care for Sliders -- it was
written by a charming man who is outstanding in his field.>
<out ...>
<Standing is his field!>
<rimshot!>
<
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
Red Eared Slider Question,
beh. 8/13/07
I have been successfully raising our female turtle Barney for 5 years, from
pond to tank and now have a new baby named Ruby, but got stumped by a question
from my grandson: How long can Red Eared Sliders stay under the water without
coming up for air? I have been searching the web for an hour and have come up
with zip. Can you help?
<Yes we can. A healthy Slider can stay underwater longer than you've been
searching for that answer! In any case, 15-20 minutes. I've seen active sliders
submerge and sit on the bottom for an hour before surfacing, but my adult
sliders are submerged all night while they sleep. It all depends on their
temperature, metabolism and amount of activity.>
Thanks,
Jane
<welcome, Darrel>
Re: Red Ear Slider Turtle Question – 07/26/07
Hi Neale,
<Hello Ryan,>
I will get a picture tomorrow night of their shell and, hopefully, the Growth
Rings.
<Cool.>
I have noticed one new thing with my Babies. They seem to be eating a lot! they
never ate this much before. one would wait for you to leave the room before it
ate. Now it comes out and eats like there is no tomorrow.
<Normal. These are greedy animals. But the problem is likely a lack of fibre in
the diet. If "filled" with green foods containing lots of fibre, they feel
satiated more quickly. Just like humans really: we might crave fatty and sugary
foods but neither "fills us up". Besides, green foods are where some of the
essential vitamins are, like vitamins B and C, so take advantage of their
seemingly endless hunger to give them some greens.>
Is it possible to feed them too much?
<Not really, but water quality obviously suffers.>
All I have been feeding them lately is their baby floating pellets but if You
put 20 or 30 in the tank between the 2 of them they are gone in a matter of
minutes! Is this too much?
<If they eat them, then its fine. But I'd only use pellets only once or twice a
week; go raid the kitchen for green and invertebrate foods for the rest of their
diet. Blanched lettuce, tinned or frozen peas, courgette, soft fruit like melon
(with the rinds) and so on. Really, just try anything not obviously risky (chili
peppers and onions would perhaps be unwise!). Once these reptiles become adults,
their diet needs to be nearly 100% vegetarian if you want them to have good
health. In terms of meaty foods, once or twice a week offer frozen prawns,
mussels, and other bits of seafood. Don't use meat from warm blooded animals:
the fats congeal in cold blooded animals, causing problems.>
I heard it is possible for them to grow too fast for their shell.
<Garbage. When these terrapins show things like shell deformities, they are
either genetic or down to poor care, specifically a lack of UV light and not
enough of the right vitamins and minerals (especially calcium).>
Thanks Again!,
Ryan
<Cheers, Neale>
Re: Red Ear Slider Turtle Question 7/28/07
Hi Neale, I got those pictures of the turtles shells, Notice the
brown in between the plates that was never like that it was either black or
green. Any feedback on this is appreciated. I'm going to pick them up some Peas
and lettuce tomorrow, are blood worms good for them? I have been throwing them
in there too. Thanks again for all your helpful information! Thanks Again, Ryan
<Hello Ryan. I'm afraid those photos are too small/blurry to really pick
out anything useful. If you can try again, zooming in on the brown stuff that
would help. At first glance, the image with the terrapin over the red/black
gravel looks as if it has been painted! The brown stuff seems to be metallic,
like gold paint. This isn't a silly idea on my part: it used to be quite common
to see terrapins and tortoises sold with simple paintings and patterns on their
shells. Anyway, since you said this brown stuff has recently appeared, it can't
be paint. So what I'm interested in is whether the stuff is smooth or textured.
Fungal infections can happen on terrapin shells, and is revealed by a furry or
fluffy texture. Since the shell grows from the insides outwards, the each
"plate" on the shell is a stack of modified keratin scales, with the oldest ones
at the top. If your turtle is suffering from [a] malnutrition or [b] lack of UVB
light then the scales lower down the stack will be deformed. So it would be
interesting to see if the brown stuff is actually a sign of deformed scales. It
is extremely common for these terrapins to be kept without sufficient UVB light,
or with the light but no space for them to bask underneath it. So remind me
again what lighting system you are using. It's also worth mentioning that as the
terrapins grow they lose their green colour and turn a muddy greeny brown. The
bright green plates at the top of each stack eventually fall off, and you're
left with a terrapin much less brightly coloured than it was on purchase.
Cheers, Neale> |
|
.JPG) |
Re: Red Ear
Slider Turtle Question 7/29/07
Hi Neale, It is a 75 Watt Halogen UVA Light, do I also need a UVB
light or maybe? The discoloration in the shell feels just like a shell
and it is metallic. Here are some better pictures for You, also are the
blood worms good for the turtles? Thanks Again, Ryan
<Hello Ryan, The terrapins in your pictures look fine to me. The dark
bands between the green scutes are the new, duller, scutes underneath
them. As we discussed earlier, these terrapins change colour as they
mature. I think that's what you're seeing here. There are no obvious
signs of malnutrition or disease as far as I can tell. Now, I'm not sure
why you have a UVA light. To synthesize the vitamins they need, these
reptiles must have access to UVB lighting. So if you can, swap the bulbs
in the fixture, or else add a UVB light to the system over their basking
spot. Bloodworms are a fine treat for your terrapins, but don't get them
hooked on them -- remember, a healthy slider is a (largely) vegetarian
slider. Just like people, these beasties may prefer the "meat" even
though its the "vegetables" are actually good for them! Take a read of
this: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm . Hope
this helps, Neale> |
|
Red Eared Pond Sliders Male Attacking Female
7/25/07
Dear Crew,
<Hiya! Darrel here>
We have had the male for 5 years and the Female for 3 years. The male had been
abused by his previous owner who allowed his dog to use him as a play toy, he
was completely white when we got him and he is healthy now. The problem is that
when we put him in with the female outside he attacks her. He has almost
completely removed her tail, today I had to physically separate them. If we put
them in the bath tub together he doesn't do this, it is only when they are in
the pond outside. Can you please help us they are wonderful pets and we would
hate to have to part with one of them but I am very scared that he is going to
do a lot more damage or maybe even kill her.
<That's a real possibility, Tammi. It sounds like you have a naturally
aggressive animal there.>
<When you take them out of their natural element and place them somewhere new,
their natural instincts for survival (combined with stress) override their
natural aggressive and territorial instincts. In the wild she'd have virtually
unlimited space to simply get away from him, so if your pond isn't big enough
for her to get away and stay away, you can either fence them off from each other
or find another home for him.>
Thanks Putzakitty
<I've been called MANY things, Tammi, but never Putzakitty. I'll have to think
about if I like it.>
Tammi
Red Ear Slider Turtle Question, beh.
7/22/07
Hello There,
<Ave.>
I have 2 Red Ear Slider babies Barbosa and Moe, One of them is about 1 inch and
a half (Barbosa) the other is right around 1 inch (Moe). The bigger one does not
seem to have a problem with people around the smaller one though will hide
behind the filter while You are in the room with it. The bigger one will
occasionally swim behind there as if to scope it out but little Moe looks like
He is gonna swim through the glass. Usually when You walk in the room they will
both be on the rock sunning underneath the UVA Lamp, they will take off into the
water and hide which I can understand.
<Completely normal. In the wild, baby terrapins are food for just about
everything, from bullfrogs to alligators. This is typical for the Chelonia
generally, which are pretty well predator-proof as adults, but their infant
mortality (for want of a better description) is staggeringly high.>
But Barbosa will come swim around while Your around, Moe will come out maybe 8
inches from the filter max and swim back like He is doing laps. I hate to say
but the skittish one was dropped from probably 3 feet onto concrete and My
Girlfriend and I are thinking this could be the cause of his fears of us.
<Possible. Animals do learn because they have to. If they didn't, they'd never
avoid danger.>
He does seem to be ok it happened 5 days ago, He swims fine and does eat. Moe
will not eat with people around but the bigger one Barbosa does not have a
problem eating in front of You. Is it just a personality difference?
<Likely, yes. Give it time. Train the animal to associate you with good things,
like (small) tasty treats. Habituation is also important. Animals love routines.
Ever noticed why sheep and cows walk away from a stranger but ignore the
thundering noise of high speed trains zipping past their fields? Anything that
happens regularly without causing danger is eventually accepted as "part of the
background" and stops being scary. What animals don't like is novelty. So if you
can locate the vivarium close by where you spend significant amounts of time,
you'll see a big difference in their behaviour. I have a Panaque catfish in a
tank next to my workspace. Panaque are generally described as nocturnal and very
shy. But mine swims about all day at the front of the tank. It does this because
it is used to me being in the same place day in, day out at the same time doing
the same things. As far as the catfish is concerned, I'm just scenery. So, see
if you can put the terrapins by the table where you eat or the sofa where you
watch TV or whatever. Someplace they can habituate to you.>
They seem to get along fine always sticking close.
<They're sociable animals when young. The more the merrier.>
I vary there diet I have the baby floating pellets I give them also give them
Blood Worms, Yet to get some freeze dried crickets also gonna throw some lettuce
in there to mix it up.
<Sounds good. Remember the key thing to keeping red-ears: the older they get,
the more plant food they should be eating. Adults are more or less herbivorous
in the wild except for the occasional day they luck out at find a dead fish or
some insect larvae. There are some good articles here at WWM about red-ear
diet.>
Can You also give Me some feedback on the setup we have? We have a 35 gallon
tank for the guys or gals about 1/4 to a 1/3 full, a 75 watt Halogen UVA Lamp
the water is filtered with a Ph around 7 or 8. Water Temp is about 72-76 Degrees
the basking area is 82 to 90 degrees.
<Given their size now, everything sounds fine. Obviously they'll need a bigger
tank once they mature, something around the 55 gallon size upwards. I found
siliconing glass plates close to the surface to create steps leading to flat
basking area worked better than building piles or rocks at one end because you
kept more swimming room. So do a little research on what their adult quarters
should look like, because there's a bit of art involves. The other thing is the
heater. When I kept terrapins I learned the hard way adult terrapins and glass
heaters do not mix. They smash them. So invest in some undertank heating if you
can, or at least a heater with a plastic guard or better yet a filter with a
built-in heater.>
They will be separated eventually when the time comes.
<Mine never needed separating. Males might squabble, but since they're easy to
sex (longer claws on the male) it's easy enough to pre-empt this once they reach
maturity.>
Thank You for all the helpful information Your website has, also any feedback is
greatly appreciated!
Thank You!,
Ryan
Re: Red Ear Slider Turtle Question, beh.
7/26/07
Hello Again,
<Hello Ryan,>
I had Emailed before regarding My 2 Red Ear Slider Babies, Your information was
very helpful and I have another question. Both Turtles seem to have brown in the
lines in-between there Shell Plates where is was once black or green. Is this a
sign of growth? I find it for both turtles to have it at the same time kind of
odd.
Thanks Again,
Ryan
<Hmm, not precisely sure what you mean, but all turtles develop obvious "growth
rings" on the shell plates as they grow. That's probably what you're seeing. If
you want to send a photo, we can double-check. Cheers, Neale.>
Turtle shell... shedding? – 6/19/07
Dear Crew
<Hi. Darrel here>
I have a baby turtle.
<Just guessing a Red Eared Slider?>
A tiny part of its shell looks like it shed a little bit.
There's just a tiny light brown spot now... is this from the turtle growing...
its shell expanding?
<As the shell grows, the outside edges of the individual scales (they're called
scutes) can turn a dirty sort of brownish/translucent -- like a dirty
fingernail. Is that what you mean?>
It's just a total guess...I'm just curious.
<It's hard for me to visualize what you're describing without more detail. I'd
be pleased if you write back with a more detailed description of what you're
seeing. Also ... is his shell hard? Is he eating and active?>
Thank you.
<You're welcome>
<Good Night, Irene>
Turtle growth – 06/13/07
How you guys doing over there?
<We guys and girls are doing just fine over here, David, thanks for asking>
As for me and my Read Eared Sliders, we are doing great! I was wondering
does it depend on how often I feed them, that's why my turtles shed or is it
that they grow that fast?
<What you feed them, how much you feed them and their normal temperature are
all conditions that affect growth, David. When they shed a semi-transparent
shell-like scute, that's a sign of normal growth as long as the shell
underneath looks healthy and normal>
My Turtles are about 3 inch from head to tail. The turtle shell is about 2
and a quarter inch. Is this a normal size for them going on about 3-4
months?
<That's actually pretty large for that age, David, I'd bet they are a bit
older than you thought - maybe even a year or even a year and a half old --
but they sound healthy, so you're being a good Turtle Dad. Just remember
that over feeding makes health problems for them, so when in doubt, just
feed less>
Thank You,
David
<You're welcome - Darrel>
Emergency! Turtle lost in pond
6/5/07
Hello,
<Hi>
I purchased 2 red-ear slider turtles, Their shell was about 6 inches. We put
them in our pond in backyard. They seemed to be fine for the first week.
They looked healthy and would bask on the rocks. Then after a week one was
missing. I searched my yard and couldn't find him. Then one late afternoon I
saw the turtle floating in the water. He was dead. Now the other turtle is
missing too. My question is, could he be trying to hibernate too early.
<I'm very sorry for your loss :( I doubt he's trying to hibernate, but it is
most likely too cold for him at this stage.>
I live in Long island, New York and the weather at night had been about 54
degrees for 3 nights. Before this disappearance, I noticed he wasn't going
in the water. He was always on the rock. I don't think he got loose. After
doing research, I'm beginning to think my pond was too cold for him.
<I agree, Sliders don't normally live that far north but they can survive
winters cold enough that the water freezes -- but there are two important
things: 1) Their instinct to hibernate comes on slowly with the season
changes and they have MONTHS of preparation in putting on fat stores, they
stop eating so that there's no undigested food in their stomach, etc. all in
preparation for winter -- this is quite different than an animal that's been
in pet store conditions and suddenly put into an outdoor situation. 2) And
this one is important for any future turtles you have .. not all Sliders
survive their winter hibernation.>
Maybe he thought it was hibernation time? The temperature in pond was about
68- 70 degrees most of the time.
<There could be many reasons, Annie. The lower temperatures would cause his
metabolism to slow down and slow or even stop his digestion. If he had food
in his stomach it can start to rot and become toxic to him. He could have
been sick right from the store. Is the pond 100% safe as far as them getting
caught in filters, pumps or under rocks until they suffocate? What about
wild animals like skunks or raccoons that got a hold of your little guy?>
Please respond soon- My pond is dark in water color so I can't see if he's
in there. If he is in hibernation would it be alright to wake him? Or is he
going to die, like I think the other one did.
<My suggestion is that you do whatever you can to find him, drag the bottom
of the pond with a net, search at night with flashlights and look for the
outline of his shell ... whatever you can ... and then bring him indoors
where it's easier to control with environment and easier to observe him.
Here is a link of quick care instructions:
http://www.xupstart.com/wwm/quickturtleguide/index.html
this document is just a start but it will get you and your turtle going.>
I feel so bad cause we should of did the research first. Today is second
day, that I haven't seen him.
<Our best wishes are with you and your Turtle, Annie>
Thank you for any help soon.
-Annie
Reservations about a Slider's travel? 5/23/07
I have searched your Q & A section and have not seen this question. We built
two small ponds last July and just recently noticed a very large RES has taken
up residence in them. She is about 11" to 12" long.
<wow, how neat is that?? And that is a respectable size for a slider, too.>
Our ponds are rubber lined, each about 400 gallons. She is living among our
small Koi quite nicely even though she does, seem to like nibbling on some of
our plants.
<Turtles with koi can be O.K. especially if the turtle is well fed. With time
she should be happy to feed on the same koi food as the fish get unless she's
already performing a service for you by eating worms and snails. And even in
the best case their ability to chase a fish is limited and they're almost
comical to watch. But with that said, wild things are wild things and a turtle
taking a nip out of a sick or weakened fish isn't unheard of.>
My question is how far do these turtles normally travel? We can't figure out
how she traveled so far. The nearest large pond is 1/3 of a mile from our house
through, wood fences, baseball fields and streets.
<they can travel great distances in search of a perfect pond and as often as
I've seen it, I've never learned what makes one pond better than another. But,
is it possible that someone saw your beautiful ponds and decided to make a late
night contribution?>
She is fun to watch sunning on the rocks. It seems she travels from one pond to
the other during the night, they are about 10' from each other. If she causes
to much damage to our plants we will have to relocate her. Do you think she
will return if we have to move her?
<probably not. They explore a lot but rarely show a homing instinct so if you
relocate her and she decided to leave that place, she'll as likely as not move
off in a new direction. But please .. if you DO decide to relocate her, please
take the time to make sure that the new location is suitable.>
Thanks, Lisa
<you are MOST welcome!>
My red ear sliders are shedding 5/20/07
I read somewhere if I over feed them that can lead to skin and shell
shedding is that true?
<Not exactly, David. Shell shedding is what naturally happens as the
turtle grows, but over feeding leads to obesity just like with people and
with that comes looking fat & pudgy and a whole host of internal health
problems.>
I notice that they can consume a good 10 pellets, this is for two turtles.
What is considered overfeeding them?
<David, this is a really good question. Over feeding & Over eating are the
among the top health problems in captive reptiles. Without having exact
size and weight on each animal we can't say that any arbitrary number of
pellets is good or bad. The rule of thumb I use is "all they can eat in
five minutes, three times a week." A rule of good health for turtles and
people is "leave them a little hungry." In the summer when it's hot, every
other day.>
.. Because what ever I throw in the tank whether its lettuce, pellets,
treats and even slice cooked meat they will eat it.
<yes, but lettuce and cooked meats aren't healthy for them. Many people
feel that lettuce is exactly like candy to humans -- very good tasting but
no nutrition at all. My advice is to stick to the koi pellets and limit the
amount they eat.>
Re: Red Eared Sliders shedding? 5/23/07
My Read Eared Sliders are still shedding I was wondering how long it takes them
to fully shed it all off cause that stuff looks nasty just hanging from their
neck
<David, Sliders don't shed very much skin and it usually comes off in very small
pieces that are hardly noticeable. If what you're seeing is a gray
mucky-looking stuff that hangs on for a long time, that may be dead skin mixed
with a bit of fungus. Make sure they're getting enough natural sunlight (not
filtered through any glass, clean water and a good diet. If it lingers for
another week I'd mix a tablespoon of salt into an inch of water in the bottom of
a 5 gallon bucket and place them in it, one at a time, for 15 minutes.>
Re: Red-Ear Slider Follow-up 5/23/07
Hello!
<Howdy!>
Thank you so much!
The Tetra feeding sticks worked beautifully!
<See? You caught me on a good day.>
Should I feed them once or twice daily?
<once daily -- actually about 6 times per week,. Remember, they have very
little to do except relax and eat, so they don't need a whole lot of
food. Overfeeding is a health problem for them>
Also you said to watch for bubbles around their nose, do you mean to make sure
they are breathing or something else
<It's a sign of respiratory problems and a fairly easy one to spot. Just
something to look for -- not worry about>
Thank you again
Samantha
<Back atcha>
Shedding Turtle Gets Brighter Colored Shell – 5/5/07
I just got a RES about a month ago I am sure he is an adult b/c of his size
about 4 1/2-5 in.
<If he is a male then this would be getting close. A female can get up
to 12 inches.>
Well he eats every 2 days. I read you were only suppose to feed adults
every few days.
< Too much food that is high in protein will create a very thick hard
shell that is difficult for a turtle to expand as it grows.>
He also gets out of the water and basks during the day.
<This is what he is suppose to do to remain healthy.>
When I am not home and at night while I sleep I think he is shy :)
< As time goes on he will learn to recognize you and not be so
skittish.>
Anyhow, I would like to know if there shell changing color is normal? He
is shedding as well his shell around the edge and some places on the top
are turning lite green
yellowish is this normal? Amanda
<When turtles shed the scutes on their shell, the old faded scute
is pretty dull and colorless. The new scute that is revealed is usually
a brighter color. Over time this will get dull until he sheds
again.-Chuck>
Shedding Red Eared Slider – 04/29/07
Hey, I have a question about my red eared slider.
He seems to be constantly shedding his skin and am not sure if its
because he's constantly growing or if he's sick he has a place to get
out of the water and warm himself and get dry and he does if you have
any advice it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You
< Young turtles grow rapidly under good conditions and shed often. As
turtles age their diet changes from a meaty diet to one with more
vegetable matter. This slows down the growth rate a little bit but
allows the shell to develop normally. Your turtle may be getting too
much protein, so vary the diet with some vegetable matter.-Chuck>
Turtle Age 4/23/07
Hey there. A coworker found a RES at work. I think it is a male
turtle. We are curious as to how old he is. His shell measures
about 4" in length. Also, his back legs seem to be shedding or
peeling. Is this normal, or could he have some type of skin
condition? Thanks for a response. Pam
< RES's are normally found wild in many parts of the country. Assuming
that the turtle you found is wild and is a male it could be from three
to five years old. Turtles in the north grow slower than turtles in the
south because the have a shorter warm season to eat and grow.-Chuck>
Smallest Turtle In The Group With Problems 4/10/07
Hello. I have three RES turtles. I'm not sure of their ages, but I have had
them for about two years now. I would guess that they are about five years old.
Two of them love to bask. They bask all day long, only leaving their rock at
meal times and when the basking lamp is off. The other RES hardly ever basks. It
will lay its head up on the rock and sleep sometimes, but I rarely see it
actually fully out of the water. The other two seem to neglect it. They aren't
mean to it; however, the other two swim together and play together while the
little one is off by itself. Should I be concerned with their behaviors?
<I would separate the third turtle for awhile and see if he gets more active. If
he does then he is clearly not happy in the existing situation.>
When I first got the turtles, one was twice the size of the other two.
The other two were relatively the same size. They have been very healthy since I
got them and have been growing wonderfully. In the past three weeks, one of the
smaller turtles (the one who does bask) has been growing rapidly.
It is now the same size as my larger turtle. It is beginning the shedding
process and its shell looks as if it is caving in in sections. Is this normal?
< The turtles shell should be round and smooth. Irregularities in the shell are
usually caused by diet. As turtles grow they need more vegetable matter in their
diet and less protein. I would recommend an adult pelleted commercial turtle
food as a staple, supplemented with veggies such as kale and spinach.>
Also, today, I noticed a small brownish- red spot under its neck. It seems fine,
but the spot is a little abnormal, so I am concerned. Also, my smallest turtle
doesn't seem to be growing at all. It's half the size of the other two. Could
this be because it rarely basks? It eats normal, just as the other two. How
quickly should they grow? Thank you for all of your help,
Denise
< Turtles can grow at different rates depending on their sex. Male turtles don't
get as big as female turtles. If the smaller turtle is eating fine and seems
active then this may be the case. If it acts shy, doesn't eat, doesn't bask,
then I think you have a problem and the turtle needs his own set up for awhile.
Turtles should grow a couple inches a year in the first couple of years and then
start to slow down to about an inch a year. -Chuck>
Turtles always acting hungry/begging 3/29/07
Hi there!
Thanks so much for your incredibly informative website! It has really helped me
learn how to properly care for my two Red Ear Slider turtles. I've had them
about a year and a half and they are 3.5 inches long and 3 inches wide (they
were silver dollar size when I got them) they are now growing fast and shedding
skin. They are active swimmers and like to bask under the heat and UVA/UVB
lamps.
<Sounds like you have a great set up!>
I have a couple of questions though...
<Fire away.>
My turtles constantly want food!
<Normal for most people and animals.>
They are always begging when I come by the tank, swimming up to me and poking
their heads out of the water. I currently feed them once a day, a rounded
teaspoonful (approx. 50-60 pieces) of Nutrafin Max Turtle Gammarus medium
pellets which I pre-hydrate before feeding in a little water mixed with ReptoCal
supplement and they eat them up SO FAST!
<Sounds good, but be sure and augment the pellets with other foods, perhaps
alternating each day to get variety. Pellets one day, veggies the next,
earthworms the third, and so on. Besides being more fun for the turtles (or
terrapins as we call them here in the UK) variation prevents animals become
either addicted to just one food or else turned off by it all of a sudden.>
If I give them more, they eat more - no food ever goes uneaten.
<Suggesting their appetites are good, always a positive sign with reptiles.>
They gobble up earthworm and mealworm treats and try to swallow them whole as
snakes do.
<That's how reptiles eat -- they can't chew.>
I usually cut up the worms because I'm afraid the turtles will choke.
<Most animals can't choke; humans choke largely because of where the larynx is,
an evolutionary adaptation that provides a benefit (speech) at the cost of
greater risk of choking. But I digress...>
I've read on your site that overfeeding is bad and can lead to the turtles
growing faster than their shells.
<I'm not sure they grow faster than their shells, but it is certainly possible
for turtles to get insufficient calcium in their diet (or insufficient UV light)
and therefore develop improperly formed shells as they grow. Provided the diet
is rich in calcium as well as the other nutrients, I wouldn't worry too much.>
I don't want to feed too much or too little, so how much food and how often
should I be feeding?
<Tricky question because it depends on the nutritional value of the food being
used. The pellets should state on the packaging what amount to give per day.
Vegetables can be really be give at liberty, because they can't really
overindulge in them, since most of the plant material is water and indigestible
cellulose. What matters in the plants are vitamins and minerals. Meaty foods are
more serious. But I'd not give a turtle a bigger food item at one time than was
the size of its head. Not very scientific, but at least easy to estimate! It is
actually much easier to overfeed a turtle than underfeed it (just as with fish,
or for that matter humans).>
Also, I've read that older turtles need veggies such as spinach and kale in
their diets - but exactly how old is an "older turtle"? When should I introduce
the veggies? I would appreciate your advice.
<Indeed correct, as red-ears mature they become more herbivorous in the wild.
Presumably their size and bulk makes it less easy for them to catch prey.
Anyway, there's no harm in feeding some greens straightaway. If nothing else,
you'll be training your young turtles to accept a variety of foods. Greens also
provide essential vitamins as well as roughage, which prevents constipation, a
common problem with captive turtles. Be sure and use a variety of plants.
Dandelion leaves and round (not iceberg) lettuce are particularly good.
Obviously, thoroughly clean anything used to avoid pesticide residues. As
mentioned earlier, these can (perhaps should) be available 24/7 so that the
turtles can graze when they're feeling peckish.>
Thank you,
Gina
<Cheers, Neale>
Sitting Turtle - 03/20/07
I have 4 sliders in one tank and recently my oldest one is no longer
active and just sits on the bottom of the tank. Also has a white spot on
his nose, other than that appears to be in good health. I don't know
what to do, my other turtles show no sign of illness but don't seem to
be eating as much as they do normally. I changed the water and filter
with new and also checked the water temp. enclosed is a picture of my
sick turtle. Thanks, Robert
< A turtle's activity is somewhat based on the surrounding temperatures.
Increase the temp. of the basking site and see if it makes any
difference.-Chuck.> |
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Turtles Acting Strange - 03/20/07
OK, I think I got some good info from you guys but still feel like I need to
be sure here.
I have two RES. We found them in our driveway about two days after a big rain
about a year ago. They were so small, about the size of a quarter.
They are growing well and doing fine together but recently they started what I
read as some sort of mating thing. Tucking their heads in a bit and extending
their front legs out, flapping them at each other's face. Both of them are
doing it and they have been swimming all over, like they were racing or
something. I cooled the water some but it still continues and has been for
about four days now. If they are trying to mate now what do I do?
< Sounds like you have a couple of young males that are trying to express their
dominance. Probably still too young to mate and just going through the motions.>
And when do they actually start doing this?
< The actual mating is usually reserved until they get up to about 4 inches.
They must be well cared for and feel like they have gotten "spring
fever".-Chuck>
I mean, they are only about a year old, maybe 14 months.
Thanks ahead of time for your help because I am completely lost here.
Female Turtle Biting Off Male Turtle's Nails – 2/25/07
Hi! I have 2 RES who are 3.5 yrs old and have always lived together
happily. One is a male with .5 inch long nails and considerably smaller then
the other one. Recently I noticed that the little guys was missing a nail and
his hand looked a little pink. Tonight i noticed another missing from the other
hand so I decided to take a good look at him. During his mating dance the
female took a snap at him and took off another nail! My little guy doesn't seem
to be in any pain and there is no blood etc. My questions are:
1. Is this normal?
2. Is there anything I should be doing to treat the missing nail.
Your help is much appreciated!
< These are just a few of the problems people have when they keep more than one
turtle together. The male wants to mate and his showing off to the female. In
nature she would just swim away. Unfortunately in an enclosed space like an
aquarium she has nowhere to go so she tries to discourage him by biting at him.
The nails may grow back. Keep the water clean so they don't get infected. Add a
Dr. Turtle Sulpha Block by ZooMed to inhibit any bacterial grow.-Chuck>
Aggressive Female RES – 2/25/07
For the past several years I've owned two red-eared sliders. I believe
from what I've read one is female and one is male. In the past, the female
tended to be a bully, but on the whole they coexisted nicely in the same 50
gallon tank for years until now. I just noticed what I thought to be a sore on
the foot of the male. I attempted to brush it, thinking it was fungus or such,
however it started to bleed and I realized that it was a healing wound. When I
returned them to their tank I watched for a while and noticed the female
attacking the male, particularly the healing wound area and the other foot.
She was actually attacking the foot of the male. Why all of a sudden?
< Could be pregnant.>
Is she suffering from PMS?
< It is getting to be spring in some parts of the country. A pregnant female
turtle doesn't want anyone around when she lays her eggs.>
Do I have to keep them separated all of a sudden? Which will be a problem
due to space limitations. Thank you. Trish
<Get a tank divider but supply a basking site for the male too. Try putting them
back together in a couple of months. Sometimes the female like her space and
will continue to harass the other turtle.-Chuck>
Turtle Not Acting Normal - 02/11/2007
Hello all, I've been reading your site for a few hours now and I still can't
find what I'm looking for.
< Thanks for trying.>
My Red Eared Slider, Manny, was 'rescued' from Chinatown, NY on Christmas about
a month and a half ago. Everything was going fine, he was eating well (not too
much, a few pellets and some freeze dried shrimp once a day), and basking a good
deal. Things changed, however. Manny stopped eating about a week ago. He
stopped basking about 4 days ago. I have a 5 gallon tank for now (I plan to get
another temporary 30 gallon tank when he grows a little more and becomes a
stronger swimmer). I keep his water at between 80 and 85 degrees and his
basking site between 85 and 90 degrees. I clean his tank once every 1 or two
weeks. I forced him to bask (placed him in a container with no water under the
basking light) for a few hours yesterday. Today I took him to the vet today and
he gave him a shot of vitamins but he's still not eating or basking. I read
somewhere on your site when they are sick to turn the water temp down to 70,
which I did, but now he's still staying in that 70 degree water and not coming
out to bask and I feel bad chilling the poor guy. I only noticed yesterday that
he was breathing with his mouth opened when I went to feed him (I feed in a
separate tank). He's mouth breathing today too. There is no discharge or
anything seeming wrong with his nose. The vet said he looked healthy-a good
color and there was no chipping cracking or peeling on his shell. I was just
wondering if there's anything you could add to clarify poor Manny's situation.
Thanks so much for your time and help, -Jill
<This is a difficult situation. None of the symptoms you have mentioned really
stand out as anything in particular but lets cover the basics. The tank set up
sounds good. I recommend that the tanks water temp always be set at 70 F. The
temp change between the basking site and the cooler water make it difficult for
pathogens to survive. The open mouth breathing could be a respiratory infection
but that usually is seen with a nasal discharge and the turtle's inability to
sink while swimming. Many times these rescue turtle are starved nearly to death.
The rescuer tries to put weight back on the poor turtle and they get over fed.
The food rots in their gut and the gas and bloat expand the digestive system and
starts to displace the other vital organs like the lungs. Turtles are trapped in
a shell and cannot expand their waistband when they eat too much. Turtles die
from being overfed. I think you have done all you can for now. Keep the water
clean and don't try to feed him again until he gets more active and acts like he
is hungry.-Chuck>
Turtle Wants In The Water 2/2/07
Hi. I read thru the FAQ but didn't see an answer to my concern. We got a
red slider (slagmar) for Christmas for our pond...it has a basking rock that we
are pretty sure he can get on and it has a beach area that we are certain he can
get to. We are in AZ and was told that he would be fine in the pond but the
temp dropped recently (30 at night / 60 in the day). Well, slagmar seemed to
stay under water forever in one spot and when we put him on the basking rock he
jumps right back into the water. We have also placed him on the beach area
(tail facing water) and he goes as fast as he can right back into the water. We
broke down and brought Slagmar indoors into our 10 gallon tank (threw the little
goldfish into the pond) and he is now swimming around and as happy as can
be. We would like to put him back into the pond when it warms up, hopefully in
a week or two but are concerned that Slagmar will go back to just sitting in one
area at the bottom of the pond. Do you think he will be fine once the weather
warms up or should we just break down and purchase a larger tank and keep him
indoors? Thanks for your help! Kathy
< Winter is a poor time of year to start a turtle outdoors. Keep him indoors for
a few months and when the weather warms up he can be placed outdoors and kept
year round.-Chuck>
Little Turtles Not Moving 1/23/07
Hello, I was wondering if you could answer my questions. I believe that my
baby red ear sliders are either sick or malnourished. I have had them for about
a month now and they have been pretty active, and now all they do is sit under
that basking lamp all day. They are in a ten gallon aquarium with two pumps and
a basking area with a UVA bulb that gets about 90 or so degrees. I have gravel
and some big stones so they can relax in the water. There basking area is
completely out of the water it’s like a turtle tree house. I also have a heater
and change the water at least once every two weeks with a nice rinse of each
filter. I also bought them bait fish. I take them outside at least for 2 hours a
day if not more and they just are not staying active. I have not seen them eat
in about 4 days and all the fish are still there. They refuse to dive and one
sleeps upside down in the water belly up. Their shells are also really soft and
when you put a little pressure on the outside
of the shell it will bend. It is almost like bending leather yet it is still
supportive. They are only babies so I was wondering if there was something
wrong. They both also have a brown spot on their head, it’s like a discoloration
or it could be normal I’m not sure. I use a sulfa block in the water and the
brown spot was not there when I got the turtles. Thank you so much! Kyle
<Your little turtles are overfed on the wrong food. Little turtles need a varied
diet of insects, fish, worms and vegetable matter. You have let them stuff
themselves on bait fish. Bait fish have almost no nutritional value. These fish
are barely maintained to stay alive. When you let the turtles eat the fish at
will, they overate, and now the fish in their gut has started to rot causing gas
and all kinds of intestinal problems. Stop feeding the turtles. Remove all food
items from the tank. Allow them to bask and heat themselves up. Turtles die from
being overfed. Hopefully the heat can generate enough digestive enzymes to move
the rotting food through the turtles digestive tract. If your turtle do survive
and act hungry, feed them three times a week. Feed them pellets made especially
for baby turtles. Watch them eat. When they start to slow down they are getting
full and should not be fed any more and the remaining food removed from the
tank.-Chuck>
Unhappy Turtle 1/19/07
Hello,
<Hi Michelle, Pufferpunk here>
I just got a RES and spent numerous hours researching to make sure I provide him
a proper environment. I have noticed that he seems to spend much of the day
rapidly swimming against the edges of the tank. Is this normal, is he just
following a reflection or is he in distress??? Thank you for your time and any
response would be greatly appreciated!!
<It could be a few things: Tank is too small. Toxins in the water (are you using
dechlorinator?). Water too cold/hot. Does it have any land to rest/bask
on? Could just be adjusting to his new surroundings... Check out this site for
more turtle info:
http://www.turtletimes.com/ ~PP>
~~~Michelle E. Olson~~~
Weird Turtle Dance - 1/18/07
Okay so I have a Red Eared Slider and he is about 6 years old. I adopted
him about two years ago, he was living in really poor conditions with his
previous owner and now he is doing extremely better with the exception of his
shell being turned up, damage he will never recover from.
< Over time he shell may eventually flatten out during molts.>
I recently took him to the vet just for a check up because he was constantly on
basking spot, seemed very lethargic and was not really eating, but it was
chalked up to being the season for this sort of behaviour. It was a week ago
that he went to the vet and now he has done a complete 180 and is so obnoxious
wanting attention all the time and never going on his dry spot except to dive
off and splash. I let him out to roam around a lot, he seems to enjoy it but
the last week when ever I do he tends to gravitate to our hardwood floor area
and he does this l call it "weird" dance. The best way to describe it is he
has his back legs sprawled out so he would be balancing on his knee area and
completely raises his front off the ground and goes into a trance mode and
wiggles around. You can't distract him from it and it's almost automatic for
him to go to that same area and start doing that same little dance whenever he
is out. Any ideas as to what is going on? Steph*
< On land, turtles tend to gravitate toward the safety of the water. I suspect
that your hardwood floors are very shiny and the turtle may be confused that the
shiny floor may be the reflection of water. Once on the floor I have no idea
what is going on and can only guess. The floor may be very cold and he is trying
to suspend his body off the cold substrate so he will not lose any body
heat.-Chuck>
Little Turtle Sunning Himself All The Time
Hi, I have had a res since about October. He used to be energetic and swim
and run off his log where he suns when someone would come into the room. Now he
won't eat, just suns himself all the time, he also has diarrhea, and I have
noticed the bottom of his shell is soft but the top is fine. He doesn't want to
swim or do anything he just stays up and suns him. I know his water is warm
because we put in a heater at about 78 degrees and he lives in a 10 gallon tank.
We feed him ReptoMin with vitamin and calcium in it and romaine lettuce. We
don't know what's wrong or what we should do. Thanks
AO
<Check the temperature of the basking site . It should be at least 85 F. Stop
feeding him. If he is not eating then the food is just polluting his tank. When
he does start to move you should only feed him three times per week. Watch him
eat and stop feeding him when his eating slows down. He is full and does not
need to be stuffed. Your turtle may already be "Too" full and needs time and
heat to digest his food. Especially if he is not warm enough. Many little
turtles die from being overfed. The food rots in their gut causing some of the
problems you are describing.-Chuck>
Turtle Won't Bask
Hello, I have a very important question. My red ear slider turtle is about 4
months old I guess (shell is about 5 inches long, maybe that helps for age
determination)
<He is much older than 4 months.>
, Since I have had him, he never wanted to bask. I have a 55 gallon long tank,
usually filled about half way, with a landing pad from pet
smart (can be seen here :http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/products/detail/standard/March04/5974_36757.jpg).
The only times he has gone up there is when I lured him up there with some food.
But then he took the food and dove back in the water.
He never wants to sit up there. What can I do? Thanks in advance.-Joe Garite II
< Basking helps the turtle develop vitamins needed for good growth. The heat
from the lamp helps him digest his food. Check the temperature of the basking
spot with a thermometer. It should be at least 85 F. If it is too cold then get
a bigger light or move the existing one closer.-Chuck>
Turtle Getting Lighter
Hola...I have 2 baby RES... I got them about a month and a half ago.
They're in a 10 gallon tank with a filter, heater and basking spot.
One of them seems to have been getting lighter and lighter in color as
the weeks go by. They were both originally the same color. I could
barely tell them apart at first besides looking at their size and shell
pattern. As the weeks have gone by, one seems to be getting lighter in
the shell and on its skin.
He is healthy as far as behavior goes He goes out to bask in the sun
often, he is the more aggressive turtle and very social with people.
These are my first turtles so I don't know if it's because of shedding,
rot or if it's just normal. Help pleeeeease.
< If it was something your were doing or environmental factors then I
think it would be affecting both of them. At this point I would just
assume that it is genetics unless you observe anything abnormal.-Chuck>
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Female Turtle Very Active - 09/13/06
Hi there, I have two red eared slider turtles, a male and a
female. Lately the female (the larger of the two) has been acting strange
and, every time I walk into the room that the tank is in, she starts
splashing around with her legs really aggressively and make water go
everywhere. I thought the problem might be because she's hungry and excited
that I'm there too feed her, but even when I've fed her heaps she'll do it
continually, so I'm out of ideas and I was wondering if you could help me
out, thanks!
< A number of things could be going on here and we will address them
one at a time. Older turtles need more vegetable matter in their diet. Try
adding some greens like spinach and kale. The additional fiber will make her
fuller, longer and she will not seem as hungry. As fall approaches the days
are shorter and winter will not be too far behind. Many turtles use this
time to fatten up before hibernation so they can survive a long winter on
stored fat. Lastly, she could be pregnant and wants out or a dry sandy spot
so she can lay her eggs.-Chuck>
Was: Female Turtle Very Active, Now: Pregnant RES Turtle -
09/14/06
Hi there. Thanks for replying so quickly! My turtle is only 3
years old so she probably is pregnant due to the circumstances (she also has
vitamins and things in her food) and I was wondering if you knew of any
other characteristics and signs turtles show when they are pregnant and if
she is pregnant how do I set up the tank?? thanks again!!
< We got a couple of questions similar to yours this week. I
consulted with a real turtle expert and he seems to think that the females
may be gravid with eggs and are indeed looking for a place to lay them.
Turtles lay their eggs in soft sand. The female excavates a shallow 4-6 inch
hole and lays her eggs. They are then covered up and the female has nothing
more to so with them. You will find a few websites with very detailed
information on setting up and hatching turtle eggs.-Chuck>
Turtle May Be Wanting to Lay Eggs 9/9/06
I have two Red Ear Sliders. One male and one female. They are in a 40
gallon tank with 20 gallons of water. There is a platform for basking with
a heat lamp. The last few days the female has been trying to climb out of
the tank. I feel that there is plenty of room for both turtles. Do you
think she is trying to find a sandy area to lay eggs??
< The male could be harassing her wanting to breed or she could be looking
for a place to lay eggs. Usually they lay their eggs in the late spring, but
they are known to lay eggs during almost any month it is warm. After a while
she will lay her eggs in the water and the turtles will eat them. If you
really want to breed them then you will need to provide a sandy are for her
to lay her eggs. Then incubate them for a few months .-Chuck>
Turtle Growth Rates 8/8/06
I have read various articles on the internet about red ear sliders (RES) and
I know that they grow quickly, but I haven't been able to find out how
quickly. I understand that it depends somewhat on their care. I am looking
into getting a RES for the first time and I would like to know how quickly I
should expect them to grow. I am looking at getting a 40 or 60 gal. aquarium to
start, but I would like some idea about how long those tanks
will be big enough. I am looking to start with a turtle that is about 4 inches.
Thanks, Troy
< Turtle growth rates as you know depend on a few factors. Males stay smaller
than females. A very large old female may get up to 12 inches over many years.
Males may get up to 8 inches but that would be pretty rare. When turtles are
small they eat a lot of meat. This protein promotes an very quick growth rate.
Older turtles like yours actually change their diet to a more vegetarian one.
Vegetables have less protein than meat so they don't grow as fast. Turtles kept
outside in the southern portion of the U.S. are growing year round while others
kept outside in the north hibernates in the winter and don't grow at all during
that time. A 40 to 60 gallon tank would probably keep your turtle going until
it got to be about 8 inches. Under normal conditions this would probably take
another 5 to 10 years if it is a female.-Chuck>
Turtles Getting Older 7/28/06
Hello. I like your site.
<Thanks>
A family I knew was a typical "turtles are cute let's get turtles" family
and they ended up giving their pair of red-eared sliders to me. Well I
wanted to be responsible so I read up on care, bought a bigger tank (twice
now), and have tried to give them a reasonably good home. They seem happy,
except for the occasional bullying. They act like they are well acclimated
to my home, I've never noticed any health issues (spots, mucus, etc that
would be obvious concerns). They swim around a lot, they bask, they shed,
they are growing so much every time I have guests they say they are huge. I
think they are about 3 or 4 now. One is about 6 inches long and the other is
about 4. Both lower shells are flat and I see no difference in tails or
claws, so I figure they must be the same sex, aside from the whole size
thing.
I had thought they were both female until suddenly the big one had a wound
on the neck so I separated them. Since I only have one light and one filter,
I put the other one back in under supervision so he can not be too deprived
and they both started fluttering their front claws at each other (so now
they are both males?). Is there any chance that a female will do the dance
as well or because I saw both of them doing it at the same time, is that
proof-positive that they are both males?
< This fluttering is usually associated with males but I guess females could
do this too.>
I don't want to see either of them get hurt or have a bad home. I live alone
so I enjoy having the company. They beg for food when I come home from work,
which is fun at first but they will do it for hours (I put a blanket up in
front of the tank if it bothers me). They like to watch TV and they have
distinct personalities. I've seen the big one trying to bite the tank wall
before (presumably trying to attack his own reflection) but he gives up
after a short time and it seems no harm is done. It's amusing to say the
least. He also learned to eat from my hand and now won't leave my hands
alone whenever I have to put my hands into the tank to do maintenance on the
filter (also amusing - I know it's my fault for playing around with teaching
them to eat out of my hands, so I don't blame him for it).
Any way, I doubt I can keep up two separate tanks for the next 40 years, any
tips on how someone who lives in a very rural area can find a good home for
a turtle?
< Give to a pet shop, place an add in the paper, county animal rescue or
even a school.>
I think the littler one lost the battle for dominance and is now afflicted
with a sort of "short man's syndrome" and has become more aggressive. The
big one is bolder but gentle with humans and likes to explore but the
littler one will bite people, although not hard enough to hurt anyone, I
worry about children and won't let them touch him, much to their
disappointment (and no worries, I insist on thorough hand washing if any
kids do get near the turtles).
Another question, is it important to feed them a varied diet? It's not very
easy to get specialized pet food in my area because mostly we just have your
typical cats, dogs, birds, goldfish, and farm animals. They've had a diet of
Wardley reptile premium sticks since I got them. I tried feeding them some
kind of lettuce-like green early on after I got them, but they acted like
they couldn't tell that it was edible. This year I fed them some cherries
that I tore into little pieces and they were noticeably more enthusiastic
for them than they are for their normal food, so I am thinking I'll do that
again. I'm not sure if I can do worms and bugs, though. If I don't vary
their diet am I going to have to find homes for both of them instead of just
one?
< Try earthworms, insects , kale and spinach. They will try them and
eventually learn to eat them.-Chuck>
Sorry for the length and thanks for your enthusiasm for water-loving
creatures. Heather
Found A New Turtle 7/28/06
Hi there! I stumbled on this site today & it’s GREAT!
My teen daughter found a small RES (about 2-2.5”) this afternoon in the
middle of our street. There’s no water in the immediate area, so I’m
thinking he was abandoned by a neighborhood kid.
First – he seems very scared of people – normal at such a young age? How
much handling should he be getting?
< Small turtles are very wary of everything that may potentially eat them.
Small turtles can inflict a painful bite and may carry diseases. I would
recommend that if you plan on keeping him that you let him get use to his
new home before you begin to handle him. wash your hands every time you pick
him up.>
Second – I set up a temporary home using a large Tupperware container (about
a foot high) with a large baking dish full of water sunk down in a few
inches of dirt / pebbles. There is a large rock that allows him to climb
easily in / out of the water & he likes the cave created underwater. This
arrangement seems to work for now because of his size, but I cannot afford a
filter for the water for a little while. I do plan on changing the water
daily (I used bottled water and make sure the temp is right) – will the lack
of a filter / aeration device cause a problem for a few weeks if the water
is kept clean?
< Daily water changes will be fine. feed him first and this will make him
defecate . Then clean the tank.>
I live in central FL & plan on keeping this habitat in the shade on the
front porch - moving it a bit to receive partial direct sun for a bit each
late afternoon – but I’m not sure how hot a hatchling can tolerate. It gets
in the mid 90’s lately. Do I just make sure the water temp stays cool (75 –
80)?Appreciate all your help – this site has already helped greatly! T.
< Put a board over some of the tank to prevent full exposure to the sun for
extended periods. They can handle water in the mid 80's for awhile but they
really need to cool down too.-Chuck>
Is my red eared slider lonely ... Nope . Is your English bunk? Yep 7/27/06
I had two red eared sliders, we got them when they were little and they
been together for about 4 years, recently my other turtle wondered
<And wandered?>
off when she/he was in the yard and I haven't been able to find it, I need to
no
<Doctor?>
if it would be a good idea to get another slider because my other turtle is not
eating like he use to and he spends most of his time in the corner of his tank.
Would a Western Painted turtle and a Red Eared slider turtle get along in the
same tank
<Mmm, about as well as a conspecific>
and if so if one is bigger or smaller then the other would that be a problem.
<... about the same size is a good match. Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/rescompfaqs.htm
and the linked files above.>
BobF>
RES After New RES's 6/26/06
We have had our Red-eared Slider for about 4 months and she has grown quite
nicely. We had hoped to add another RES to our family but never got around to it
until now. We went ahead and purchased a much larger custom made tank with
plenty of basking space, and hiding spots for them to explore. Our new arrivals
(the g.f. decided to get 3 new additions instead of the one we had planned) have
come before the new tank is ready for use. So we decided to add the new babies
to the existing tank for the time being. The problem we are seeing is that our
existing RES is bullying the much smaller new kids on the block. Her behaviour
includes putting her front legs together and vibrating or fluttering them very
quickly at the tail end of the newbies, chasing after them from behind,(the
newbies do not even know they are being followed and do not pay any attention to
their stalker) and even pulling them off the floating basking dock when they
attempt to climb aboard. We have even witnessed the old lady attempt to take a
bite out of one of the newbies but was surprised when the newbie snapped at her
1st. Do we have any need to fear that the existing turtle will kill, or severely
injure any of our new additions, and do RES become cannibalistic? The existing
RES is well fed, actually spoiled, and very much larger than her new tank mates.
Any answers would be of great help.
< If you read any of the past FAQ's about turtles you will find that I always
recommend only one turtle per container. Turtles view other turtles as
competition. The only time they want nother turtle around is for mating. The
front claw fluttering is usually associated with male turtles attempting to get
the attention of a female. Hopefully things will settle down over time and the
new turtles won't have any bites taken out of them. In the meantime I would
prepare to separate the turtles before it is too late. Your older bigger turtle
will kill and eat a smaller turtle. RES's are actually very aggressive
turtles.-Chuck.
Turtles Shedding 6/25/06 -
Hi Crew - I can read your questions and answers for hours. Great
information! I have three red-eared sliders. Two males (Phantom and
Tucker) I adopted about a year ago, both of which are blind. One of them,
Phantom, is now shedding his scutes but they are taking there time about
falling off. When he is under water I can see they are transparent and
almost iridescent. When he is out of the water I can push on the top
layer and see there is water underneath. He does not have shell rot and his
shell is smooth and hard. Should I be concerned?
<To get a clean shed it is important that there is a big difference in
temperatures. Very hot from basking to very cool in the water is the kind of
temps that cause the explanation and contraction of the scutes and helps
them shed. Since they are blind they may not be basking as much as they
should. give them a little time to get rid of them.>
Or is there anything I can do to expedite the process? Or should I want
to?...
<Check that the basking site is at least up to 85 F and keep the water clean
to prevent any infections.>
Now that Phantom is more comfortable in his surroundings he is eating
better. He has a great deal of shedding skin that occasionally falls off and
floats
in the water. Any suggestions as to how I can get rid of this skin shedding?
< This is normal for a growing turtle.>
Or at least help him loose it faster? I'm not sure if it bothers him but
looking at it is driving ME crazy.
< Once again, elevated basking temperatures makes everything go a little
faster with turtles.>
My third adopted RES, Francesca, is a large female. I only have her a few
months.
She has a mild form of MBD where her carapace turns upward over her head and
tail - the sides are normal and her plastron is flat but her
entire carapace is very rough so that you can see each and every scute ring.
I am hoping the proper diet she is on now will help. Last week I
discovered two spots of shell rot. One on her plastron and one on her
carapace. I removed the necrotic tissue and cleaned the area with
povidone-iodine for a week. Now, every other day I apply gentian violet to
the areas. Any advice?
< Keep the water clean and add a Dr Turtle Sulpha Block by Zoo Med to
prevent any additional bacterial infections.>
All three of them are in separate tanks. Each tank has two large canister
filters/a large "turtle dock"/ and UV spotlights. They are all eating well
and bask regularly. I vary their
diet which includes: fresh greens and vegetables/freeze dried krill/freeze
dried Tubifex worms/Spirulina disks/shrimp pellets/premium reptile
sticks/TetraMin Tablets "The Rich Mix"/gut-loaded crickets/snails/slugs/red
wriggler earthworms/vegetarian tropical fish pellets/ carnivore
pellets/chicken or beef cat treats/high-end low protein cat kibble/Reptivite
powder/liquid vitamins (I add to the water since they are fed in their
respective containers - outside their tanks). The water is clean -
parameters stable/filters maintained regularly/regular water changes. I
can't understand why Francesca would get shell rot and Phantom is shedding
so much skin. I appreciate any thoughts you may have and thanks in advance -
both for your site and
response. Regards, Thomas (Phantom, Tucker and Francesca)
< Mature turtles need more vegetable matter in their diet. I would reduce
some of the animal protein with more vegetation.-Chuck>
Turtle Not Moving, Too Cold 6/11/06
Hi I just got a baby RES turtle, she's a girl, and I went to check on her
awhile ago and she was all tucked inside her shell and when I picked her up
she wouldn't come out!! After about 10 minutes she had moved from where I
had put her but I am concerned that I am doing something wrong! I am buying
a thermometer and heater for her tank tomorrow because I am afraid she is
too cold but I am not sure!! I hope that u can answer my questions!
Signed, a concerned parent.
< The basking site should be at least 85 F. Check that you have the proper
lighting and that the basking site is warm enough. Turtles need to go
between hot and cold to stay healthy. Too hot or too cold is not
good.-Chuck>
|
Turtle Outgrowing Shell 5/31/06
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have a very small (~1.5" diameter CL) red eared slider.
<Wow, that is tiny. Sounds cute!>
He was given to me one month ago. I have been feeding him ReptoMin baby
mini floating food sticks. Water temp is 78 degrees F (filtered). The
basking area is the same temperature but I have never seen him use
it. After being gone for a few days (someone came to feed him daily,
missed one day) I noticed that his shell has become discolored. It is
whitish and focused at the outside of his plates. His water was dirty
when I got back and is now being changed. I have included a picture of
his shell before (1) and after (2) the discoloration.
<Thanks for the pics. Very helpful!>
I have read a lot of entries about shell rot, funguses and shedding but
didn't see pictures to identify which problem was the case in each
instance. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
<Yes, your turtle is outgrowing it's shell & getting ready to shed. You
will see the scutes popping off & nice bright green ones underneath. At
your turtle's young age, this will happen a lot. I'd add a shell
conditioner (containing calcium), to be sure the shell remains
healthy. You can also vary the diet with krill, pieces of fish, shrimp
or whatever you see for sale in the fish dept of your grocery
store. It's good to soak in vitamins 1st. The also love crickets &
worms too. ~PP> |
|
  |
Aggressive RES - 05/29/06
Hi, I have one RES and one painted turtle living together. The RES is much
bigger than the painted and seems to bite and claw at it. My painted turtle
also seems scared of the RES and has sores where its nails should be. I think
the RES is biting the Painted turtle's nails. The RES is very aggressive toward
the painted and I don't know what to do. Please help me. Thank You
< As far as turtles go the RES is a very aggressive turtle and is not likely to
change anytime soon. They are even this way with each other. Many times people
think they get lonely and need the company of another turtle. They actually view
each other as competition and need to be separated for good.-Chuck>
Turtle Can't Sink - 5/18/2006
Hi, I'm hoping you can help me. I have two little red eared sliders that my
brother won at a street fair last summer. We have them 9 months, in a 20
gal long tank. Plenty of swimming and diving room in warm water, nice
basking area and good filtration. We take them out to feed them ( feeders,
tuna, cooked meat), they would not eat the Reptomin so my husband blended it
with some grapes and lettuce and they nibble on it now.
The problem is one has stopped eating. It's been several weeks now. At
first it would nibble on the food, not it's usual eating manners, then it
looked like it was grabbing food and spitting it out. Now, it won't eat
anything and is getting very thin. It's lethargic, doesn't swim ( just
floats on the water or lays on land, doesn't look like it can dive). I took
it to the vet on Monday, it doesn't have any of the typical sickness
signs. She thought it might have a blockage and gave it some baby oil as a
laxative, it discharge a little mushy, yellow poop but that's it. What can
I do? The poor thing looks like it is starving to death. Help! Thank you,
Rosemary
< When a turtle has trouble sinking it is usually a respiratory infection
and the lungs fill up with fluid. Check the temperature of the basking site.
It should be up around 85 to 90 F. If not, move the source closer to the
site or get a bigger light. Have you vet check with another veterinarian
that is familiar with turtle diseases. Go to Kingsnake.com to try and find a
vet that is experienced in reptiles.-Chuck>
Turtle Toys - 05/17/2006
I was wondering if you guys have any ideas for turtle toys. Our 2 turtles (
Tank and Diesel) get bored. I was wondering if there were any toys made for
turtles or any thing that could be turned into a toy. Thanks, Lisa
< Turtles are always interested in food. I would recommend that you vary
their diet with live earthworms, crickets, mealworms and kingworms. If they
are somewhat larger you could add vegetable matter like spinach and kale.
Zoo Med has recently come out with a floating turtle log. It is a hollow
floating log that turtles can climb out on as well as go inside to feed. I
am confident they will love it.-Chuck>
RES Hibernating - 05/17/2006
My sister has had a RES for years. She keeps hers in a tank. I
just got one and put it in my pond. She keeps worrying about it going into
hibernation. She says it will die if it does. Is this true? The coldest
that it would get in the pond in the winter is the low 50s.
< Hibernation is a normal process for many "Cold Blooded" animals to
survive the winter. If you turtle is put out now it will slowly acclimate to
being outside. As the fall comes and the air begins to chill your turtle
will start to rely more on body fat than on actually eating. If your turtle
has not accumulated enough body fat, then it will not make it through the
winter. This year was a very difficult year for turtles being kept outside.
Sporadic heat waves brought turtles out of hibernation. When the cold
settled back in , many turtles could not find enough food to eat and got
sick with respiratory infections and weak from hunger. Many turtle keepers
resorted to bringing their turtles indoors until the outside air temps
remained consistently warm.-Chuck>
RES is Not Growing - 5/17/2006
Hi! My sister brought me two red eared sliders from Florida over spring
break. They were roughly the same size (1.5-2 in) and both seemed to do okay
when I gave them a heat lamp, UV lamp and filter. I feed them in a separate
tank, but together. Recently I have noticed that one has gotten much bigger
and darkened tremendously in colour. He eats like crazy and is very healthy.
The other turtle has not grown at all, and hides a lot, wedging himself
under rocks. He wasn't eating, so I started separating them to eat. He seems
to be eating a little more, but mostly just the baby shrimp by ReptoMin and
not his pellet food. He is also growing an extra scute that looks like it
has wedged itself in-between two of his regular ones. This scute and the one
above seem to be lifting in the lower left corner. Is he going to be okay?
Carrie
<Usually when two little turtles are placed together in the same tank, one
becomes dominant and other becomes very stressed. The dominant one grows
like crazy, gets all the good food and the best basking spot. Over time the
dominant one continues to get bigger and smaller one gets worse and worse.
Many people think that turtles need companionship so they get two and end up
in the same situation. I recommend that you separate them. Hard to say what
may be causing the abnormal growth on the shell. The constant wedging may
have damaged the shell and caused the abnormal growth. Separate the turtles
and see if the shell starts to go back to a normal shape.-Chuck>
Mean RES 5/14/06
Okay I have two red eared sliders. Both of them are the same age. I
recently got another red eared slider the same age because it came from the
same nest. My friend gave it to me. The two turtles I have are real nice
but, the third one I got is always trying to bite the other two. I have them
separated now, but what should I do. They are in a 35 gallon aquarium. Help
Please!!!! Thank you
< RES's are actually pretty aggressive turtles. The newer one is trying to
establish a pecking order. Keep them separated or get a bigger tank in which
the others can get away. Older turtles seem to get worse as time goes
by.-Chuck
One Turtle Does Not Grow - 04/24/2006
Hi, I got two baby red-eared sliders last November. One has grown
considerably
to about 4 inches in length but the other has not grown at all -- he's still
about an inch and one-half long. I feed him Reptomin pellets for babies and
he tries to eat them though he has to eat a bit at a time because a whole
one
is too big for him. Is it normal for a turtle to be so slow in growing? Is
there anything I can do to help him grow? Thanks, Theresa
< One turtle could be a runt with a genetic deformity that will not allow it
to grow. A more likely situation is the largest turtle is more dominant and
eats all the food and gets the best basking site. Separate the two turtles
and see if the smaller one starts to grow when he gets his own set
up.-Chuck>
Keeping Turtles Together - 04/19/2006
I had a slider named Titus who turned out to be female when she was 25.
After she started laying eggs she got more wild. One day in June
when I was cleaning my house she ran out the door & went to live in the pond
next door. Even though it was mating season, I used to think
she was lonely sometimes because she was alone with no one else in the house
a lot. I got her a male, Trajan, about 12, who didn't seem
to think the pond was his thing last year, but this year made a bee line for
it on the first warm day. That was why I thought 2 turtles,
either 2 females or a male & female might work better. Due to Titus' size I
have an extra large kiddy pond (maybe 600 gallons) with a ramp
so they can run around the house if they want to. What is the problem with
more than 1 turtle? Thanks, Stephanie
< Many times pet owners give human traits to animals. Turtles really don't
require the companionship of fellow turtles unless they are ready to mate.
As you have found out that the turtle's drive to mate can be very strong,
but over a few weeks the drive will subside and the turtles will look at
each other as competition. Over 90% of the turtle questions we get are
dealing with younger turtles in a small aquarium condition. In this
instance I still recommend a single turtle per container.-Chuck>
Turtle Got Away - 04/19/06
Hello, We have lost our turtle and need help! We have had a pet RES for 8
years. She is about 12" long and we have never had any health problems. She
lived
in our bath tub (easier to keep clean!). However, we had company and needed
to have an empty bathtub for them to bathe in. We (my son) put our turtle
in a plastic pre-formed, variable depth pond in our yard, propped up by wood
to keep it from tipping over. We put the rock she basks on in the upper
ledge. We did this in December and had no problems. This time we set her
out on Thursday night. We last saw her approximately 10:00 a.m. on
Saturday. At 4:30 PM we
discovered her missing from the 'pond'. My children are devastated and
blaming themselves (and me, for having company)- they forgot to feed her
since she was outside, and my husband asked our son at 10:00 a.m. whether
the rock was too close to the edge and could the turtle get out? My son
said no. We figure one of two things happened:
1) she climbed out to search for food (basically it would not be hard- she
would just have to edge over a big on the far side of the rock, then fall
out- approximately 18-24" down. We had a service person at the house that
morning at 11:00 a.m. who said he heard rustling in the underbrush by the
road (~250' from the makeshift pond) and said it was something 'big', bigger
than a snake. We live in Central Florida and there are 3 ponds close by our
property (the service truck was about 125' away from them). RES have lived
in them before, however I haven't noticed any lately. Currently there are
several soft shelled turtles living in one of them.
2) a raccoon got her. We have had a youngish raccoon hanging around a lot,
quite frequently walking our property in the day. Has walked up our side
porch steps to get the cat food on occasion. I saw the raccoon on Saturday
walking in our front yard (the turtle pond was in the back) sometime- I
don't recall when. My son doesn't think the raccoon could get the turtle
without tipping over the pond or falling in. Our turtle was very reactive
when approached suddenly and would always dive off her rock.
We went to two of the ponds to see if we saw her, but two are very large and
hard to scope out entirely. We also put floating turtle pellets to see if
she would come up- no luck in the short time we observed.
Can you give me a realistic assessment of what happened/will happen to our
turtle? I am not looking for the sugar coated version. If there is
something positive to glean that I can share with my children, great.
However if the prognosis is not good, then we need to accept that.
Thank-you for any guidance you can provide us, Jennifer
< As the spring temperatures warm up, herps become much more active. Spring
fever gets them going and they are capable of things they were never able to
do before. Start at the plastic pond and start walking in a circle and
slowly expand the circle. Along the way check out every bush, board, stone
or object that she could be hiding under. If you encounter another body of
water then look for tracks in the mud along the edges. Go as far as you can.
If the turtle was eaten by a predator then there should be some remains to
be found like a shell. Turtles need to bask. Set a board in the water so
some of it extends out and the turtle could climb out and bask. Eventually
you will get some idea if the turtle is in one of the natural ponds.-Chuck>
Fat RES Turtle - 04/10/2006
Hi, thanks for taking my question. My Red Eared Slider seems to be quite
swollen all over his body. I bought him approximately 5 years ago from a
retailer without any previous issues. I've searched multiple other forums
with no other mentions of the issue. I found the attached picture on
another site, but with no explanation of the
cause. My Red Eared Slider's affliction is no where near as bad as the one
pictured, but I hoped it would give you an idea. Is he just overweight for
his shell or could it be something more serious like constipation? His
appetite hasn't changed and his behavior normal, I'm just a bit concerned.
Thanks much, Rob
< If the condition happen rather suddenly then I would think it was a
disease and consult a vet. It is has happened gradually then I think it is a
dietary issue and change over to a diet with additional vegetable matter and
less protein and see if that helps.-Chuck>
Turtle Scared Of Human Contact 4/8/06
Hi, I have two RES that I got about a year ago. I bought one of them
when it was a baby, about the size of a quarter. I got the other
one shortly after
from a relative of mine that didn't want to keep it anymore. At first I
was afraid to put them together because mine was just a baby and the new
one
seemed to be an adult, the baby was about the size of the big
ones head. To my surprise they have been living together now for a year
and are very friendly
towards each other. The small one is about half the size of the big one
now.
The tank I have is about 70 gallons, I have a large rock on one side and a
heat light above it for them to bask. Since the little one grew up with me
it is very friendly and even eats out of my hand. The big one on the other
hand is afraid of me and any other human it sees, always in the water. The
only time I see it basking under the lamp is when I spy on them and they
cant see me. He doesn't even eat unless I walk away from the tank and watch
from a
distance. Sometimes I come home and as soon as I walk in it leaps from the
rock into the water like it was going to get a heart attack. At first I
thought
it was because it was a new environment for it and just needed getting used
to, but its been over a year and no progress. Do you think he will ever
change or is he always going to be this way. Thanks in advance.
< This is a normal reaction to a turtle that does not see humans too often.
In order to get him to change you need to convince him that you are no
threat and get him use to the activity outside the tank. Move the tank to a
room that you will be in most of the time when you are home. Your typical
movements in the room will probably scare him at first but his need to bask
and feed will become stronger. At feeding time place the food in the tank
and stay there for an hour and then remove any left over food. Over time the
turtle will associate you with food and get over the fear or starve. Be
careful, after they become trained they will beg for food for hours while
you are in the room.-Chuck>
Turtle Shedding Its Skin 4/4/06
Hello, I purchased a RES about a month or two ago (4-5 inches) and I
have noticed that his skin is peeling. I have set up a 30 gallon
tank, provided
plenty of basking and swimming room-for now. I was told by the pet shop to
clean out the tank and use Mr. Turtle, so I did. However, the peeling has
not
stopped. I also use a water conditioner. I have a 75W heat lamp and a 15 W
(25%)/UVB (2%) light. I have both lights set up for 12 hours a day, I was
told to
leave the heat lamp on, is this true? What else can I do about his skin
peeling, is this normal? I don't see any type of infection and he is
very active
(healthy looking, besides the peeling). Please advise and thank you, Karen
< Shedding is a normal process for a growing turtle. Turn the heat lamp off
at night and allow the tank to cool down. These major changes in temperature
keep the turtle healthy.-Chuck>
Red Ear Slider/Green Feces
- 04/02/06
Hi, My one and a half year old red ear slider turtle had green in his feces
last night. It was a small tiny green clump,
looking almost like gum. I was wondering if this was a reflection of what he
is eating. Currently all we have fed
him is Wardley Reptile Premium sticks. They have a minimum of 40% crude
protein, min 6%crude fat, min 2%calcium, max
2.5% calcium, min 1%phosphorus, max 5% crude fiber, and 10% max moisture.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Stu Lyons
Canada
< Most fecal matter represents the diet. Could be plants or some algae fiber
accumulation. Older turtles require more plant matter in their diet than
younger turtles.-Chuck>
Red Eared Sliders Left Out In The Cold 4/1/06
We have owned a RES for 7 years. Since 2002, after moving from Texas to
Washington State, the turtle has been in an outdoor pond and has hibernated
in the mud. Here in Washington State, the winter temperatures are very cold
but the turtle has seemed to thrive in the natural habitat. About 2 weeks
ago, we found the turtle on the grass. It seemed completely limp but very
“hydrated.” We put it back in the pond and put some water around it by
hose, until the permanent pond water is turned on for the season.
Just yesterday, we saw the turtle floating in the water and pulled the
turtle out to check on its condition. Its head, legs and tail are all out;
however they are 100% limp – but not stiff. His eyes are closed and it
doesn’t move but it is not shriveled or degraded in any way other than
slight shell peeling. We put it back at the edge of the pond, slightly in
the water with a hose lying around it so it wouldn’t float out. Four to six
hours later, we found it about 6 feet up on the shore of the pond but again
– 100% limp with its eyes closed. Is the turtle sick – hibernating – or
dead? Our weather this spring has fluctuated from cold to warm quite a bit.
The temperature here right now is 55 degrees and will probably reach 60’s
throughout the day!?! HELP!!! We love our turtle… :-)
< With all the strange weather going across the country, the outdoor
turtles are really taking it hard. After a few warm days the turtles come
out of hibernation only to get hit by a long cold spell that leaves them
vulnerable to the elements. Your turtle has a respiratory problem and needs
to be taken to a vet for antibiotics. In the meantime , bring him inside and
set him up with a basking site that will get to at least 85 F. The fluid in
his lungs prevents him from swimming.-Chuck>
RES Looking For LOVE. - 03/05/06
I read that when RES males perform their "mating dance" with females they
extend their front claws and they vibrate while facing the turtle. Even
though you said that males might simply "dance" with other male turtles, my
RES does this dance with a black and blue striped African Cichlid fish. He
even follows the fish around the tank vibrating like that. Is my turtle
just being weird or is this normal? Thanks for the help!!
< Normally they perform for a female RES. When a female is not present they
have been known to perform for rocks filters and other fish. It will go away
after awhile.-Chuck>
Turtle Is Left Home Alone - 02/27/06
Hello, I am an owner of a 4 year old RES that I've raised since he was a
baby. I have gone away to college but had to leave my turtle at home. He
has a 20 gallon tank and a nice set up, the only problem is that he is in my
room and is alone all day. I had him pretty tame and he was always swimming
around and showing off, but now when I come home (about once every 3 months)
he seems almost sad and doesn't do much but sit on his rock or in the water.
Can turtles get depressed?
< Turtles get conditioned to respond and almost beg at feeding time.
Apparently he has lost that incentive because he doesn't see anybody often
enough.>
Also, I've notice the skin on his head has taken on a blue-green tint. My
mother tries to clean the tank good while I'm gone, but there is usually
some algae on the rocks and I have to give it a good cleaning when I get
back. Does he have algae or something wrong with his skin?
Please e-mail me back as soon as possible. April. Thank you very much!
< If you are not going to be home much and you parents really don't have
time for your turtle , then I suggest giving him away or invest in a larger
set up with lots of filtration and lighting that is on a timer. Add a Dr.
Turtle Sulfa Block by Zoo Med to prevent any infection, but as you tank gets
dirty while you are gone the infections may come back and get worse.-Chuck>
Turtles Biting Each Other - 2/21/2006
I have 2 turtles baby red eared sliders I had one for almost a year now and
my GF recently gave me hers which is the same age since we bought them at
the same time. I put them together and the first few days they were together
my GF's turtle was biting mine and hers was slightly bigger, but after a
couple of days they got along fine and they were swimming with each other. I
was wondering if this was ok?
< Red Eared Sliders are actually pretty aggressive as far as turtles go.
When putting them together they are establishing a pecking order food and
turf.>
My other question is that my turtle is about 1.5 inches and my girlfriend's
turtle is about 2 inches bigger and as I said they were bought at the same
time. Do you know why my turtle is much more smaller than my girlfriend's
turtle?
< It could be she kept hers warmer and it had a higher metabolism or it
could be a female. They get bigger then the males.-Chuck>
answers will be greatly appreciated thanks in advance!
Little Turtle Staying Little 2/6/06
Hi, I have 1 RES and he is only 2". I have read that they grow like 2 or 3
inches in a year. But anyway I've had my RES for 2 yrs now and I was wondering
if at 2" long that's the right length for being 2 to 3 yrs old? I have 2 baby
YBS coming in 3 or 4 days so I want at least get a good start with these 2
little 1s (I had my RES in a 10 gallon tank and then just recently upgraded to a
20 gal with filter heater etc. . I am going to put the 2 babies in with her).
Does tank size matter to how big they get or is it in how u feed
them?? Please help me I really need. Thank you!
< Typically a turtle that old should be bigger. Get some ZooMed Aquatic Turtle
Food and feed him three to four times a week as much as he will eat at one
sitting. Siphon out any uneaten food so it will not pollute the tank. In between
the big feedings you can give him some washed earthworms, mealworms, crickets
and king worms. Older turtles require less protein and want more vegetable
matter in their diet. As they grow you can increase the tanks size to
accommodate them. I would not recommend mixing turtles of different
sizes.-Chuck>
Shedding Turtles 1/16/06
Hello, I have three red eared sliders. I think I have 2-females and
1-male. I think one of my females is pregnant but I don't know how to tell if
it is. Could you tell me how you can tell? I wanted to know how to tell if I
have males or females, too.
< Females are larger than the males. Males have very long front claws. It is
difficult to tell if a turtle is pregnant. The first sign is usually she is
digging a pit in the dirt to lay her eggs.>
My two bigger turtles shells look foggy or kind of like they have
chalky. (whitish) on different spots of the shell. It also looks like they may
be shedding. Is this normal or could this just be my water? I have really hard
country well water.
< Hard water is water with lots of minerals in it. As the water evaporates the
minerals are left behind. The minerals would resemble a whitish chalky
appearance on the shell or around the perimeter of the tank. If they are getting
ready to shed then the scutes on the shell would get cloudy just before they
fall off.-Chuck>
Turtle Domination 1/7/06
I have a question about my red eared sliders. I realize through reading
your FAQ's that a 30 gallon tank is far too small for 2 turtles. But is
there any reason why my female is hiding in the corner a lot? The water temp is
73 and they have plenty of food to eat. They definitely have enough
space to bask in. I just don't know what the problem may be other than the tank
is too small. Thanks!
< Usually with two turtles in a small tank you get one dominating the other. The
results are one hides because the other picks on it. It is stressed, stops
eating and gets sick. Separate the turtles and give each its own space and see
if things get better.-Chuck>
Red Eared Slider Acting Weird - 01/03/2006
I bought 2 RES's in Chinatown in October, that are under 4 inches. I
now know that they are illegal to sell if they are that small! They have been
healthy since, not growing that much though. In the past few days one of them
has a really puffy neck. It looks enlarged. And I don't know why. It also
"yawns" a lot, And puts his head and neck down on its rock, which I've never
seen
him do before. The other RES is fine. Do you have any ideas why he would be
like that?
< If it has swallowed something then it may have an obstruction and may be
trying to clear it. If it is an infection it may need antibiotics. Most turtle
problems can be treated with heat. Check the temperature of the basking spot ,
it should be up around 85 F. If it is till eating then try and get some reptile
vitamins in case it is a deficiency. To be sure take it to a vet to be sure of
your turtles condition.-Chuck>
Slider behavior 12/17/05
I had a question about my Red Eared Slider and I am hoping you can answer it
because I am definitely puzzled. I've had him now for about 4 months and he is
in a 10 gallon aquarium with a filter and all...and has been very active and in
the water with minimal sunning throughout the day. Now all of the sudden, all he
wants to do is sit on the turtle dock and bask, and rarely does he go down in
the water. He still eats and everything so I would assume nothing is wrong, just
wanted to check. If you have any ideas or anything could you please let me know?
I'd appreciate it a lot.
Thanks,
Alex
<Mmm, don't see a mention of a heater... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redearsliders.htm
and the linked files above, particularly re turtle systems, behavior. Bob
Fenner>
Red Eared Slider Age
Hi I was wondering how to tell how old my red eared slider is, roughly how
to tell.
Thank You Jeanne
<Hi Jeanne. I am not really sure how to tell how old a Red Eared Slider is, or
any chelonian for that matter. They can live for approximately 20 years, as
they age their colors will be more drab and less defined. Size can help to
factor in the age, unless the turtles growth was stunted at some point in its
life. They can reach adulthood at anywhere from 5-12 inches. Hope this helps a
little. I am sure your turtle has many happy years ahead of it. Best Regards,
Gage>
Red Eared Slider
My turtle has been acting up lately. When I let her out of the tank she goes
to a rug and seems to be enjoying herself. Is it possible she is masturbating?
Her tank has become real sudsy also? Please help!
<Hmm, I am not familiar with this behavior in turtles, you might post your
question on some of the turtle discussion forums to see if anyone else has
experienced something similar. Best Regards, Gage
http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=32
http://www.turtletimes.com/Forums/default.asp
>
Turtle Behavior
I have a red-eared slider, I've had him for a few years. But whenever
someone enters the room he gets scared and runs into the water. and if someone
touches him, he hides in his shell. he also seems depressed. what's a good way
to make him happier? Would getting another turtle work? Or what?
<This is really just their natural behavior, I am not sure if there is a way to
train it out of them, you could start hand feeding some yummy treats like night
crawlers, after a while it will probably beg for food every time it sees you,
which can get annoying. My old slider would splash in her tank to wake me up to
feed her. I would not add another turtle unless your system can handle
it. Gage>
Riddle Me This - Red Eared Slider Questions
To who can answer these questions,
I have three questions to ask about Red Eared Slider turtles:
1) how do you know if, a Red Eared Slider turtle is dead or alive?
2) < You should see some movement after a few hours after the turtle has been
warmed up. If it is not breathing that is usually a pretty good sign it is not
alive.> How do you know if, a Red Eared Slider turtle is in hibernation?
3) < Hibernation is a pretty complicated process in which the turtle would bury
itself into some soil and emerge after a few months when things have warmed up.>
Could a Red eared slider turtle put it self in some sort of comma, to help it
heal a problem it might have? < No, sounds like your turtle has died.
Sorry-Chuck>
Shedding Turtle 12/1/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have looked on the Web for about 45 minutes and can not find the information
that I am looking for. I have two red eared sliders in a 20 gallon tank with
fluorescent, basking lamp, and heater. I have had them almost a year and they
seem to be doing well until a couple of days ago. One is much larger than the
other and is shedding it's skin. I haven't seen this before - is it normal for
a turtle to shed?
<Yes, that's how they grow. They will also shed pieces of their shell. Are you
aware they will need a much bigger tank within a year or so? ~PP>
Thank you, Danielle Kerr
Gay Turtles? 11/29/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have 2 male red ear slider turtles in a 75 gallon aquarium. One is about 5
inches long the other slightly smaller. Every once in a while they stroke each
other with their front claws. But lately the smaller one has been trying to bite
bigger one. They sit together on basking platform eat well like to float on
weeds together but the little one seems more aggressive. The bigger one does not
seemed to concerned about the little one. However I thought he might be getting
stressed out with this little turtle bugging him all the time so I separated
them. Well the big one started swimming back and forth along wall would not
bask. Then after a week I put them together again. The big one stopped pacing
wall and basked again. They got along fine then 2 weeks later I noticed little
one being obnoxious to big one again. What should I do? They miss each
other when gone but bite each other when together. They are both males they have
the long front claws. Thanks
<As far as I know, the claws are not how turtles are sexed. It is by their
tail. The males have short, stubby tails & the females have long, fat
tails. It doesn't seem that they are hurting each other. It seems more
stressful to keep them separated, as the larger one stopped basking, when the
smaller one was gone. There has also many instances of homosexuality in the
animal world. ~PP>
Green Turtle Turning Yellow? 12/13/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
My Red Eared Slider's shell is starting to turn yellow and has very little green
left. He is fed properly and has the correct tank set up. He doesn't act sick
and he still eats well. We have had to deal with soft shell before and it looks
similar but I'm much more educated now on lighting and diet so I don't think
that's what's causing his shell to turn yellow. Is there another disorder that
could cause this? I have been to every web-site I can find but can't find
anything describing this. Please let me know.
<I would be interested to see a detailed description of habitat set-up, lighting
types (right down to wattages, brands, bulb ages, height of fixtures above
basking area), diet, temperatures....and photos of the 'ailing' terrapin in
question. The herp expert I am collaborating with on this question usually works
with all the data he can collect, then go with a process of elimination. There
are a couple of possibilities that could be linked to diet and/or lighting on
this one. ~PP>
Amy
Female Turtle Bit Off Male's Claws? 1/9/04
Hello,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
We recently came back from vacation and while cleaning the 150 gallon tank that
holds our two red eared sliders (6 inch male and 10 inch heavy female)
<What a nice sized tank for 2 turtles! So many folks don't give them enough
room to live.>
We realized that the male's long beautiful claws had been replaced with some
awful wounds. There may be one or two claws left but they look like stumps now.
<What leads you to believe the female caused this? I've never heard of turtles
attacking each other's claws like that. Maybe his foot got caught in between
some rocks?>
They seem to be healing fine (not much red left on them). Is there anything I
should do to shorten the healing process (like antibiotics, extra vitamins, or
separating them)?
<You could try adding Melafix (sold in the fish dept.) to the water.>
He harasses her constantly and always seems to be fluttering her face. I have
not seen him do this since we've gotten home but he is still continuously trying
to get it on. I even saw "it" out
today. It is the middle of winter and I am wondering why he is still trying to
mate.
<Sorry to say, that is the male of most species' behaviour!>
The temps in the water are about 69-71 degrees. Should I change
the water temps. I have yet to turn the heater on because I thought they still
have yet to calm down for the winter but can do so if recommended. (They have
had eggs in past and once we incubated them and about 40% hatched but are not
hoping to do this again at least until the house is warmer -spring/summer if not
until next year 2006).
<My opinion is that if you are not planning on seriously hibernating them for at
a least a 6 week period, I'd keep them warmer.>
They eat well - lots of goldfish, pellet food, and snacks like worms, crickets,
etc. with extra reptile powder vitamin on some of their food. They seem to get
along fine except when he's incredibly horny. What can we do to give him the
equivalent of a cold shower when he's getting out of hand? OR is it possible the
wounds
are something else?
<Sorry, I don't know any way to "cool" him off. There is a possibility that his
nails just got too long & shed naturally, or got caught on something. I try to
trim mine when they get overgrown.>
His eyes look clear and he seems to be fine with
exception to his swimming skills decline do to the actual wounds. Can you
recommend a good book that would cover these topics - I may need to learn more
even though we've had her for 9 years and him for 7.
<It sounds like you are taking great care of your turtles--even breeding
them! I like this site to search for info:
http://www.turtletimes.com/>
On a side note, we've always wanted to get a pastel and are wondering if another
male or female would be safest to introduce?
We will be sure to wait until it is large enough to go in their tank and disease
free but what would get along best (a female we guess would be better)?
<Actually, getting another female would probably take the "heat" off the other
one.>
How often are you supposed to feed them - we are sometimes erratic with a
feeding schedule and while we are writing in were curious if this is bad for
them.
<Binge & purge feeding is most natural. Feed well every 3-4 days. You could
save some $$$ by buying the cheapest fish you can find at the produce market. I
cut up into bite sized strips & freeze, then thaw in warm vitamin water, as
needed.>
Thanks, Sara Yule
Producer Wiggle Puppy Productions
<What are Wiggle Puppy Productions? I really love my new JRT, Kalvin the
Krazydog! ~PP>
My Red Eared Sliders
Hi,
I bought two RES for my son for Christmas one of them is doing fine and seems
to be growing normally. The other my favorite is not growing he is still the
same size as he was when I got him and today I noticed that he seems to be off
balance he keeps flipping backwards and swimming in circles I have looked him
over for injuries and have found none, his eyes look fine the only thing I have
done different is I got them some krill said it was high protein. If you could
give some advice I would appreciate it. I know of no reptile vets in my area.
Thanks Sandra
< You don't want to give them a diet too high in protein or else they grow
faster than their shell. This leads to a distorted shell that never really looks
the same. I would isolate the smaller turtle into his own tank. Makes sure. If
he still has a good appetite then I would give him some live food such as
mealworms, earthworms and crickets. Make sure to give him a warm dry area to
bask. A heat lamp with a full spectrum bulb is recommended. Usually high heat
will take care of most of the parasites that affect turtles. Make sure to keep
up on the maintenance and keep their tank clean.-Chuck>
Turtle Q's
Hello
<How goes it?>
I have a slider which I have had for about two months now and everything was
going good, but lately he has not been so active. He has been sleeping all day,
even after I got him a heater, his shell has spots the people at the pet store
told
me he's shedding.
<Hmm.. can you get a picture? Does the turtle have an area to get out of the
water, and a lamp (that provides UVB rays) in which to bask?>
When he is in the tank he has white stuff around his mouth
<Can you be more descriptive\get a picture?>
He really doesn't get out of his water; I have to take him out of the tank.
<See above question regarding a heat lamp>
His eating habits are very good and he is still very strong but I'm still really
worried. I did every thing I was told to do, but I'm afraid he's not ok.
<Have you been feeding him a variety of food, and bring him outside for a half
hour or so of sunshine every other day? Turtles NEED UVB radiation to properly
absorb calcium, and the spots on the shell may be decalcified areas. Get him a
heat lamp with a UVB incandescent heat bulb, and make certain to take him
outside for a half hour of sun each day. Also, obtain a reptile vitamin
supplement and add it to his food>
Is it time to take him to the vet
or am I being overprotective?
<Nothing wrong with a checkup from a vet, they know a ton about animals>
Please help I don't want him to die.
<See above :) From now on please use proper capitalization\punctuation, as these
letters are archived for future reading>
Thanks
<You're welcome, good luck!>
Turtle Fun
Yata-HEY! I read a lot and gain very good info from here. Much appreciated.
Here is one to make you smile.
My Red Eared Slider was a road-rescue, Friend of mine found it several months
ago on a neighborhood street and knowing I'd kept turtles brought it to me. She
was the size of a silver dollar and has doubled in 7 months.
At any rate. I'd tried not necessarily to tame her but I didn't want her afraid
of me either. She hides in her shell and sits and stares when I take her out
of her tank but she 'chases' me thru the glass. Paddling furiously over to the
glass and following anything I might be doing outside the tank. Just found out
she has no inhibitions playing in her element as she followed my hand around the
inside of the tank as I was pulling moss from the filter intake. She let's me
grab her by her tail or leg and drag her gently thru the water and will boost
herself on my hand to get air.
Also noticed she loves the heck out of the little waterfall and bubbles coming
from the filter and will park herself under it at the surface and take a Jacuzzi
break, ;)
Satanta the WhiteBear
< These little turtles have a personality you just gotta love.-Chuck>
Red Eared Turtles
How long can a red ear slider survive outside of water?
< They don't need to be wet all the time. They can survive a couple of days in a
cool damp environment, like when they are being shipped. They re-hydrate rather
quickly. In warm weather I would not let them go more than a day without letting
them soak in water for awhile.-Chuck>
New Red Eared Slider
Hello, I just got a slider a week ago. Someone left him in a house once they
got evicted, so I really don't know anything about him. I believe he is old and
might be sick. I am taking him to the vet in two days. He eats a lot and is
pretty active, but I am a little scared when I pick him up. I heard they can
bite. I really like him and want to take care of him. Do you have any suggestion
on picking him up. I have to take him to his doctors appt. Should I be scared?
Thank you Tammie
<Red eared sliders can inflict a nasty bite when they are picked up. I would
recommend that you hold him from the back side away from his mouth so he can't
bite you. After holding your turtle you need to carefully wash you hands with
warm soapy water to prevent you from getting sick. Your vet can get you set up
on the right track. They are pretty easy to keep as long as a few requirements
are being met.-Chuck>
Hiding Turtles
I have a big pond and water fall. It is 15 feet by 16 feet 4.5 feet
deep. A friend gave me two slider turtles for the pond one is a baby. Then I
bought one. For the first day or so I could see them swimming on the top of the
water. But when I open my sliding glass door to get a better view they went to
the bottom. I have not seen any of them for a few days. How long can they hold
their breath?
< Up to a couple of hours depending on the water temp and their activity level.
During the summer months it is up to about 20 minutes.>
I have a bunch of feeder fish in there too. I have a UV sterilizer that I just
add and it is clearing up the water. I still can't see them. I have rocks and
gravel at the bottom of the pond. Do they dig in to hide?
< They do some digging but not to the extent you are suggesting.>
Do the walk away for the pond?
< It is totally possible for your turtles top walk away.>
It's in my back yard and there is really no where for them to go. My pond has
not a lot of shade I am waiting for the trees to grow. How do I get them to
come out if they are still there?
< When turtles get hungry they leave the pond to find food. I would put one of
the turtles in a small kiddy wadding pool with some water, a brick to create a
basking spot and some cover over the pool for shade. Leave the turtle in there
for a few days. Walk up once a day and throw a turtle food stick in right in
front of his face. After awhile your turtle will not be afraid and will learn
that you are the source of food and actually come out to see you and be fed.
Once one turtle does it then the others catch on pretty quick and they will all
be out wanting food.-Chuck>
Little Turtle Getting Bigger 10/21/05
I am concerned about a hatchling red eared slider that was given to me
almost two weeks ago. (S)he appeared fine and healthy when (s)he arrived,
but in the last three days has developed some kind of discoloration on or
beneath several of (her) his scutes. I've been pouring over all the
information I could find, and nothing seems to describe this condition. It
almost looks as if water is getting under the scutes or something because
when (s)he basks, the light patches fade, but reappear again when the turtle
goes back into the water. They do not appear to be shiny when viewed under
the water, are not white or furry and are not oozing; they are just paler
green than the rest of the shell, and the normal shell markings fade like a
letter that has been smudged with water. The little turtle measures about an
inch and a quarter from the tip of his shell behind his head to the back by
his tail, and this seems too small for shedding if that is what's happening.
The shell is uniformly firm, with a little "give" as I understand is normal
for a hatchling. The light areas seem to begin between the scutes, and some
are totally light while on others the light areas only go about a 16th of an
inch into the scute -at this point almost half the shell seems to be
affected to some extent. The turtle is very active and strong, eating
greedily once a day. I usually offer a few hatchling micropellets, small
bits of gut loaded cricket, a quarter of a small mealworm, and shredded
carrots or dandelions -- not all of this gets eaten, but is offered. Also I
keep a bit of a calcium block and duckweed in the tank at all times. Today
(s)he even ate a baby Ramshorn snail. Also the turtle basks regularly at
some length and has regular and normal looking bowel movements usually about
a half hour to an hour after eating. The eyes are clear and do not appear to
be puffy or swollen, and the turtle does not seem to be distressed at all.
The water temperature is usually 78 to 82 degrees depending on the time of
day, and the temp on the basking rock ranges from 85 to 95 degrees because I
try vary the intensity during the day to mimic the natural progression of
daylight. I do not have a UVB light source at this time, but try to take the
turtle out into the sun with plenty of water and a spot to bask for half an
hour to an hour 4 times a week. Please take a look at the attached pictures
and tell me what you think is going on with this little turtle because I am
very concerned! Thanks so much for your help!
< Sounds like a simple case of the little guy getting ready to shed some of the
scutes. The scutes turn opaque as they start to lift off the shell. Eventually
they will come off in the water. The start to separate at the intersection of
the scutes. Your photos were not included with your email but I am certain this
is probably what is happening, especially the way it is eating and
acting.-Chuck>
High-N-Dry Turtle 10/25/05
Thank you for the quick response. I have another question, how long can RES
stay out of water? Thanks
< This depends on the conditions. Out in the hot summer sun not long. Buried in
hibernation, for months. During transport I would try and hydrate them at least
once every 24 hours and then keep them in a cool damp enclosure.-Chuck>
Red Eared Slider Shell Shedding 11/4/05
I have a red slider that is app 2.5" in dia. I have had him since he walked
up my driveway when he was a baby. I leave him outside when the weather is nice
in a tub of water. There is a large rock which he uses to sun himself. Recently
I have seen what looks like his shell peeling. Is this normal, and if not what
is wrong. Thanks Karen Normand
< Sounds like a turtle shedding pieces of the shell. Underneath there should be
a new fresh shell.-Chuck>
Turtle Hides 12/03/05
I have a RES about 3 inches in diameter. It is December now and he is kept
in a medium sized tank about 75*F. I bought it a row of fake plants and he is
using it to cover himself. He dug a hole beneath a large rock I provided and
dragged my mini aquarium heater into it. He hides himself beneath the rock with
the heater on top of him so he is out of sight. Is this "normal" or should I be
worried?
< You turtle should spend a certain amount of time basking under a heat lamp and
some time foraging for food. At night it would be OK to rest out of sight but
not all the time.-Chuck>
Two Turtles One Problem 12/5/05
I purchased 2 red ear sliders in July. Both were approximately 1.5 inch in
diameter and looked identical. The photo attached is of the turtles. The
question is that one is doing very well, and has grown larger while the
other has not grown at all. I have not observed it feeding, its eyes seem to
be closed most of the time, It remains on the rocks, is very inactive, and
when put in the water, it swims franticly to get back out of the water.
Could there be something wrong with the turtle? I've been waiting to see if
something would change, but since over 4 months have passed, I'm guessing
the turtle will not recover. Any suggestions. Thanks, Jason
< The bigger turtle is dominating the tank. The smaller turtle is getting
less food, fewer vitamins and is intimidated by the larger turtle to a point
in which it is stressed and probably sick. I would put the smaller turtle in
his own set up. Make sure the basking spot gets up to at least 85 F. Give it
vitamin drops and place some Repti Turtle eye Drops by ZooMed in his eyes to
get him seeing and eating again.-Chuck> |
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Both turtles here are exactly the same age.
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