My new red eared slider keeps bumping and scraping the glass.?

Question

Ok, I got him yesterday, and he seemed fine. Then I went to the pet store today and got some more rocks because there wasn't enough for him to climb on his floating basking log. I also got some fake plastic plants, and 10 tiny guppies for a snack. I added the rocks, plants, and guppies. Since then he has been constantly bumping against the glass and scraping it with his claws, as if he's trying to get out. Did I do something wrong? Is he afraid of the guppies? He kept digging up the fake plants, and did not seem to like them, so I took them out. I have to leave him alone all weekend, so I'm very worried. I can tell that he is stressed and not happy. I feel awful. PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

maby the gupies had a parasite or was sick when you gave it to the slider, it is possible that these tranfered onto the slider when it ate the fish or through the water... and now it is sick.    i hope not, but its all that i can think of...   good luck!

Answer 2

It usually takes about a week for a turtle to settle into a new home. Relax, and let it dig and explore. The plastic plants are not a big deal- although I prefer real ones.

Take the next week to do some research. I recommend http://www.redearslider.com for a starting point, an http://www.austinsturtlepage.com for more advanced stuff.

Answer 3

Sweetie, did you research your turtle before you got him?  So many things can make them upset if the habitat isn't set up correctly.  How large is the tank?  How big is he?

He needs a warm basking area with UVB light, and the water needs to be about 10 degrees F. cooler.  Load this link for general care and the temperatures you need to set his tank areas to:

http://www.redearslider.com/index_habita...

Plastic plants with small leaves aren't a good idea.  He could eat them and become impacted.  If you use a plastic plant, make sure it is rugged/thick, and he can't pull or bite pieces off of it.

The guppies are good for him, especially if you're leaving for the weekend.  He needs to eat.  But 10 might not be enough for several days (I don't know how big he is!).

Please go back to your additional section and tell us a bit more about the size of the tank, the size of the turtle, and what kind of set up you have (for light, and heating his water, etc.) then we will be better able to help you.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Answer 4

Your a good Mom..looks like you did everything right.

He is freakin out cause you both don't know each other yet. They do not trust humans at all. They look at us like predators. In the wild they sleep under water at night to avoid coyotes,possums, raccoons an owls etc etc..So he is trying to escape. Remember that they are good climbers and fast. He will calm down once you leave the room. He just has to get use to all that is new now to him. The plants are nice but in the wild they go looking in the water for bugs and worms and dig up plants hoping to find something to eat.  He will eat the guppies thats for sure. I stock my pond with 125 goldfish and 75 minnows once a month. Plus a couple heads of Romaine lettuce a few times a week.

On land they  eat small frogs, crayfish,crickets,bugs anything that walks past their mouth.

I have had my 2 slider  girls for 36 yrs. Plus an 8 and 5 yr old and now a 2 yr old adopted from this site.. Been in a pond for almost 7 yrs now. And they all scatter when they see me coming even my 36 yr old girls. Maybe 25% of the time they will bask as I clean their pond. But the others they watch from a far.

Its probably good that you will be gone he will eat and bask and look around your room and see where he is at and get more comfortable. But know the minute you walk in your room for being gone for a few days he will zip into the water. I bet the fish will be gone when you get back !

The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle.

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA for 8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. Get a timer when you go on vacation so he can bask.

So that means getting a turtle dock also.

Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always.

Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they p**p allot.

You need a good filter system! Gravel larger than they can swallow.

You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear! This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!

TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium. it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!

They can have garden worm, meal worms, crickets, flies, crayfish and  anything that moves!

They need leafy greens Romaine, Butter lettuce. (Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any other leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.

You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, blowing bubbles from their nose, Swollen cloudy eyes means lacking in Vitamin A. Which we all need for good eyes. Google ‘vegetables with Vitamin A.

I wish you luck.

Total Body length: 5-8" average, up to 12 inches max. Life span: 15-25+ years

Males have the longer front nails and are used in mating. And are considered mature at about 5 yrs old. You can’t start sexing till about  3” across.

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