Question:
I have a baby turtle and he won't eat. He is only the size of a quarter, is there anything I should try?
kateemlady
2006-02-17 10:16:55 UTC
I am in Spain right now so I can't really go to the local Vet. I got him on Tuesday, Feb. 14th. I have tried the food I was given and I also tried fruits and stuff like that. I really don't want him to die!
Eight answers:
?
2006-02-17 10:18:54 UTC
Go see a vet a soon as possible with it, or if you can't go to the shop where you got it or an other vetshop, they can maybe help you or advice you.
TimeWastersInc
2006-02-17 18:26:59 UTC
have you tried turtle sticks? what are you trying to feed him first off.. a few tips

Baby turtles must be kept warm. This greatly increases their chance at survival.

The water should be 85F, and the basking spot should be 85F too. Usually, the

incandescent lamp used to heat the basking spot will heat the water, too,

especially if you use a rock for basking. Otherwise, using a heating pad under

part of the tank is the best way to heat a tank with little water. Use an

aquarium thermometer and adjust the temperature until correct.

Baby turtles are mostly carnivorous; however, they should have vegetabels available,

and they will nibble on them.



Butter lettuce. I keep it floating in there for them to nibble on between meals.

Carrot slivers. All the foods listed in the water turtle care sheet, chopped small.

Freeze dried or frozen bloodworms. Available at fish stores. High in protein, don't

feed all the time.

Fish Gum Drops or other frozen veggie cubes for fish. These cubes contain a variety

of vegetables chopped to a good size for baby turtles. Thaw them, then feed the

one cube to the turtle. You can get veggie cubes at fish stores. Net or filter

leftovers after a few hours.



Redworms, chopped up into small pieces. This is a good food for baby turtles.

You can also chop up earthworms and pick small snails in the yard.

Tadpoles,if available, also make a good baby turtle food.



Reptomin turtle pellets. I know a number of people who have raised baby turtles

successfully on Reptomin. Make sure you don't overfeed!



Baby turtles should be fed 1-2 times daily, small amounts. I feed once a day and

keep veggies floating in the tank for them to nibble on. Do not overfeed. If the

turtles grow too fast, their shells will deform.



Fresh food should be part of the diet if at all possible. This also prevents too much

protein/fat, which can lead to shell deformities.

Illness:

Mortalitly in baby turtles is extremely high in the wild. About 99%. While in

captivity this can be reduced dramatically, do not expect all of your baby

turtles to survive. Most baby turtles that you get from other people have been

kept under poor conditions; they are stressed, and often they are already sick.

It is very difficult to treat a tiny baby turtle. Disease usually progresses

fast and the turtles dies before you can take steps. If you are getting baby turtles,

get more than one, unless you can absolutely not have more than one turtle, should

all of them survive.

Most commonly, a baby turtle will simply stop to eat, get lethargic, lay around,

and then it will die. Unfortunately, there is little that I can recommend, other

than keeping the turtle warm, quiet, and hope.

If a baby turtle gets injured, then the same care as for adults applies.

Don't handle your baby turtles often, especially not in the first few weeks.

Wash your hands before and after handling.
Madkins007
2006-02-18 23:37:48 UTC
Baby tortoise: Chopped salad- pretty much any combination ofgreens, fruits, veggies. Strawberries and bananas are especially good to get a tortoise to start eating.



Baby pond turtle (Painted turtle, European Pond turtle, etc.): small worms, small crickets, high-quality turtle food (not the stuff that is ant or fly parts)



Other turtles can easily have different requirements- try the listed website for more info.
elizabeth_ashley44
2006-02-19 03:29:43 UTC
Acidic fruits aren't good for many types of turtles. I think most turtles are way more finicky about lettuce than they should be. Make sure your setup is up to par like someone else suggested. If your turtle is sick, he might not eat. My red-eared slider didn't eat for a month. It turned out she had septicemia. As soon as she was treated, she started eating again. Try live food like ghost shrimp. That gets their attention way more than sticks. The most important thing to remember is not to over or underfeed your little guy. Good luck!
2006-02-17 18:30:21 UTC
Turtles like fish, worms, just about any kind of meat. Turtles can go a long time without eating so he might be ok. You can also buy pond food where they sell pet supplies.
Frodrick Fronkenstien
2006-02-18 01:57:37 UTC
I would only add that you didn't say what kind of turtle it is. Land turtles are more interested in vegetarian diet than water turtles and are particularly fond (why I don't know) of red fruits and veggies. Tomato, watermelon etc. And I think warming him up should be your first move.
boboKaleb
2006-02-17 22:45:58 UTC
I had a baby turtle one time the size of a quarter to.For a moth or two it won't eat,but after that it started eating. :)
cirkit
2006-02-17 18:19:09 UTC
im not sure but its probably sick


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