New owner of baby red bellied slider?

Question

A few days ago i bought a baby turtle from a reptile store and so far all he does is hide. Radar hasnt eaten and he doesnt bask? Is that normal for a new turtle in new surroundings and also if so how long will it take for him to actually come out of hiding and eat? I have a heating lamp/uv light but thats it, the owner said that is all i needed, i didnt need a heather, is that true? Ive never owned a turtle so im a little freaked out about it but love the little guy and will post pictures once i can take some. i dont want to bother him, so im letting him relax and not be touched until he gets used to it.

Answer 1

Congratulations. Unlike the umpty-leven people who ask the same question, you are doing the right thing. Be patient for a couple of weeks. If your turtle still hasn't eaten, try tempting it with a live earthworm. Put the worm at the opposite end of the tank from the turtle and stand very still until the turtle notices the worm. That might be enough to get it eating. Basking will come once it feels more secure.

Answer 2

they are so afraid of humans  they se us as predators.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0...

The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle. Remember 10 gallons for every inch of turtle. I have used kiddy pools and plastic pond liners from most nurseries and worked great.

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA/UVB for 8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. 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.

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.

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 in a few days!

This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!

They sleep at the bottom of rivers, streams. lakes or ponds or your tank to avoid predators like coyotes,  foxes, owls, hawks, possums, raccoons and even some wide mouth bass.

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 worms, meal worms, crickets, flies, crayfish small frogs, dragon flies and  anything that moves only as a treat.

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.

email me if ya need help,K?

Answer 3

i think a lot of times they eat at ngiht when no one is watching them. My box turtle used to be shy but now she doesnt care who sees her eating. (Ive had her for about a year now). I have a teeny tiny little slider also and I dont see her eating very often, but she does because her food is gone the next morning when i check on her and she is still alive (ive had her for about 6 months). She stays hidden a lot also. Under plants or in her "pond". I think perhaps the lights bother them, because in the wild i assume they would stay in the forrest or under the mud. Of course they need the lights though to keep warm.

If i were you...put the foood in there in the evening and i bet in the morning it is gone, she is probably eating you just arent seeing her do it.

Also there is tons of info online about different animals, you should be able to easily find instructions for caring for her online. Then you could relax a bit. Good luck with her.....I love my turtles (MIldred & Sally):0)

Answer 4

Check out these two sites,    www.AustinsTurtlePage.com  and   exotic pets under reptiles