Am i overfeeding my turtle RED slider 7 months ?

Question

I feed her to to pellets three times a day I feed about 5 to6 at a time. And i have searched for blood worms , and many other food i am not geeting in any shop What to do. And she is not touching Veg items.?What to do.

Answer 1

i would do about once a day,that same amount.if she looks at you and snaps her jaws slighlty,then she wants more.try to mix her favorite foods with vegetables in such a way that she must eat vegetables to eat her favorites.gradually decrease her favorite and increase vegetables,then shell eat them with gusto:)

as for other foods,try earthworms,crickets,and those little packets of dried shriimps(make sure they have no added flavor!)hope this helps:)

Answer 2

i bellive you are because i feed my turtle every other day and only ones if you are going to change her habits do it slowy because if not she will get despraed and get sick

Answer 3

I have had 2 sliders for 36 yrs now plus a 7 yr old and a 5 yr old. This is how I have taken care of them for 36 yrs. Great pets.

I have had them in a stand alone 150gal pond from sears..for about 6 yrs now..

Here is some important and a lot of info. If he or she is small get feeder guppies or small feeder goldfish, frozen brown worms ..or live brown worms from a fish store. petco and or petsmart do not carry live worms..

Red-eared sliders, Gender especially juveniles, can be difficult to s*x. Gender in adults is determined by external physical characteristics and behavior. In Comparison to females, males have longer fore claws (which are use in courtship), a longer tail length, a longer distance from the body to the vent opening, a tail that is thicker at the base and generally a smaller body size and shell length. Turtles are considered juveniles till after 5 yrs old.

Their Home

The minimum enclosure size for hatchling re-eared slider should be a 20-gallon aquarium. As a general rule, the water depth should be at least 2 times the turtle's length, with several extra inches of air space between the surface of the water to the top edge of the tank to prevent escapes. For 4 to 5 inch long sliders, the recommended minimum enclosure surface area is 50 gal plus tank with an extra square foot for each additional turtle.

What to Feed

In the wild, re-eared sliders eat both animal and plant sources of food. However, juveniles are mainly meat eaters but still love the greens.

In captivity, the diet for juveniles should consist primarily of a commercial aquatic turtle pellet. Hatchlings and juveniles should be fed on a daily basis; however, they should be offered no more than they will consume during a single session to minimize water contamination. The diet can be supplemented with live fish of an appropriate size (guppies, goldfish),  tubiflex worms and earthworms. Plant matter, in the form of chapped leafy greens or finely chapped mixed vegetables, can be offered once weekly but may not be readily accepted until they grow older. Fill tank with approx 20 feeder guppies and or 10 to 15 small goldfish. you’ll know when to replenish the live food supply. just count what’s left

For adults, 20% of the diet may consist of commercial turtle pellets. Plus 80% of their diet is fresh alive fish to catch in their water which also gives them exercise when trying to catch to eat. Adults should be fed greens kale, romaine, red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, dandelion, watercress, parsley. Swiss chard, shredded carrots, shredded squash, thawed frozen mixed vegetables and miscellaneous fruits. Adults can be fed every two to three days. NO iceberg or cabbage!!

Vital Statistics

Total Body length: 5-8" average, up to 12 inches max.

Life span: 15-25+ years

Males have the longer foreclaws..

Water quality and Filtration

Sliders are voracious feeders and tend to foul the water quickly with their messy eating habits and frequent defecation. Therefore, a system needs to be in place for good water quality. Partial to full water changes can be performed. Many different filter systems are available ..

Common Health Problems

If you take proper care of your red-eared slider by providing excellent housing, nutrition, lighting, and heating, it is unlikely to ever become ill or injured. However, it’s still important to familiarize yourself with ailments common to sliders so that you can quickly identify them in your own slider, should it become ill. The following are some of the most common medical problems among red-eared sliders.

Fungal Infections

“Fungal infections are fairly common among red-eared sliders, especially younger ones. If you notice what looks like a light layer of cotton on your slider’s shell or eyes or in its mouth, this is most likely some form of fungal infection. Although their appearance can be alarming, most infections in their early stages are fully treatable at home. If a fungal infection remains untreated, however, it can spread across the entire body and cause serious harm to your turtle.

To treat a mild fungal infection, immerse your red-eared slider in a warm saltwater bath for about half an hour each day, using a soft sponge to gently scrub the infected regions. You can also treat patches of fungus with topical applications of a mild antiseptic, such as povidone-iodine. As long as the problem isn’t severe, you should notice signs of recovery within a day or two, and a full recovery in about 10–14 days.

If your turtle has a persistent fungal infection that home treatment isn’t curing, take it to the vet for treatment. Several medications are available that can address a fungal infection if it hasn’t spread too far.”

Respiratory Infections

“Slider turtles and other aquatic species are susceptible to respiratory infections. Most respiratory infections that can affect sliders are mild and easily treatable in their early stages, but there are also some particularly virulent infections that can kill a turtle very quickly without veterinary attention. Sliders usually develop respiratory infections when their tank is too cold.

Symptoms of an infection include a runny nose, wheezing, lopsided swimming (an ailing lung changes the turtle’s buoyancy), lethargy, and a refusal to eat. If you identify the illness in its early stages, you may be able to treat it by removing the sick slider from its quarters into a new, clean tank (especially if you keep multiple sliders, since the majority of respiratory infections are contagious) and keeping it a few degrees warmer than normal. Warmth is the most crucial factor in treating respiratory infections in the home. If the condition persists for more than a few days or worsens, bring your slider to your veterinarian, who will treat the infection with antibiotics.”

Contact the “herpetologicalsocieties.com“.

Good luck

Answer 4

yes, pellets are high in protien, excessive amount of protein causes accelerated growth, premature sexuality, shell disfigurements (pyramiding), and even organ failure. Most experts say most experienced keepers calls for the amount of pellets to be in proportion to the size of their heads (excluding their necks). I would olny feed pellets once a day. Most Pet shops sell crickets, feeder fish and frozen fish food(like brine shrimp or bloodworms). You can order frozen bloodworms and brine shimp online from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pe... I would recommend the Hikari brand because it seems to be the best qualty. Also you can order crickets form http://www.ghann.com/

Answer 5

younger reds need a diet consisting of more meat than vegetable. it balances with age until they need more veg than meat. personally, i avoid pellets all together. i have a 12 yr old who lives off crawdads, feeders, snails,slugs, worms, grubs, and river clams with the occasional strawberry. id quit the pellets and not worry too much about the veggies.

as far as overfeeding, you are in my opinion. mature turtles can go months without eating, but this is a growing baby. just feed her an earthworm or slug maybe once or twice a day and don't sweat it if you forget a day.

if you are hellbent on veggies, its been my experience to go for more vibrant colors like strawberries and black berries. don't forget about giving her appropriate space either, they grow fast at that age and need lots of space.

*mine will even go for a tortilla now and then.

Answer 6

Red eared sliders need a diet that is a mixture of animal and plant material. However, young red eared sliders eat more animal protein so babies are started off on a diet that is more on the carnivorous side. It is still a good idea to offer vegetation to young turtles although they may not really start eating it until they get older (offering it early on at least makes it less likely they will shy away from trying it as they age). For adult red eared sliders, vegetation should make up a significant part of the diet.