New turtle won't eat... PLEASE HELP

[Fábio97]

Hello I'M nem here and I have some questions ... My girlfriend got me This turtle and I found Out that it is a Pseudemys concinna (river cooter/ hieroglyphic turtle) . I think he or she is quite Young because it is Very small .... I got it for 2 days now and she/ he won't eat the turtle food (pellets or pallets... I don't Know how to pronounce it lol) and i went to the pet store and asked if it was normal, the man said This could last for a week or so because she is getting used to the changes . So should i be worried? And what should I trie? I have some more questions.... I live in azores (Portugal) and here the weather is Very humid ... And quite warm because of the humidity , should I get one of thoose uvb lights I read about? If you want I can attach pictures of the turtle and the food etc ... PLEASE HELP ME !!!!

 

[Fábio97]

Ps: sorry if my english is bad lol

 

[Yvonne G]

He needs a landing dock where he can get out of the water and sit under a warming light. Also, they can't swallow food unless they're in the water. The water should be about 70F or so, and he should be able to warm up to 80-85F on the landing dock.

Offer him some worms or crickets, or something that wiggles. You can also offer a bit of lettuce or water plants, a piece of squash or fruit.

 

[Fábio97]

He needs a landing dock where he can get out of the water and sit under a warming light. Also, they can't swallow food unless they're in the water. The water should be about 70F or so, and he should be able to warm up to 80-85F on the landing dock.

Offer him some worms or crickets, or something that wiggles. You can also offer a bit of lettuce or water plants, a piece of squash or fruit.

But I think she is too little too eat worms or crickets... The aquarium has a dock but i don't have a was to warm um the watter and I have no light but I think there is no problem because the temperature here is quite warm ... She is almost all the time in the watter ... I cachted here only two times on the dock! Ps: thanks for the fast reply!

 

[Yvonne G]

If you'll think about nature, turtles come out of the water and sit in the sun. This warms up their inner core and helps them to digest their food. If they can't get warmer than the water, then they won't eat. So they need to be able to either sit in the sun or under a light. Just the room temperature doesn't warm them enough.

 

[Fábio97]

If you'll think about nature, turtles come out of the water and sit in the sun. This warms up their inner core and helps them to digest their food. If they can't get warmer than the water, then they won't eat. So they need to be able to either sit in the sun or under a light. Just the room temperature doesn't warm them enough.

I Know , thanks ... She is almost all day getting sunlight (window open) but I'M upgrading her aquarium ... Thanks! And what about the food? I think she is too small for worms or crickets

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Your English is fine, Fabio.
You need to increase her body temperature to enable her to want to eat and be able to digest her food properly, so you will need a heat lamp of some sort.
Offer a wide variety of foods from the turtle feeding lists (I don't keep them myself).
But i think they start taking live food when they are very young.

 

[Fábio97]

Your English is fine, Fabio.
You need to increase her body temperature to enable her to want to eat and be able to digest her food properly, so you will need a heat lamp of some sort.
Offer a wide variety of foods from the turtle feeding lists (I don't keep them myself).
But i think they start taking live food when they are very young.

I will tell you what i told the others in my introduction post in case you didn't see it ... I only got her for 3 days now so I did't had the chance to buy specific lights or some kind of heating and a proper aquarium ... The temperature here in my island can get pretty warm because of the humidity like today was a cold day (17 Celsius) ... I don't Know her water temperature but when I'M at home I Bring her to my desk where she can get natural sunlight and during most of the day she is right under a fluorescent light ... i'll attach some pictures including her food ! I think she ate 2 of the four pellets i left in the water and that white thing in the pictures is a vitamin block ... It's basically calcium.

 

[ascott]

I will tell you what i told the others in my introduccion post in case you didn't see it ... I only got her for 3 days now so I did't had the chance to buy specific lights or some kind of heating and a proper aquarium ... The temperature here in my island can get pretty warm because of the humidity like today was a cold day (17 Celsius) ... I don't Know her watter temperature but when I'M at home I Bring her to my desk where she can get natural sunlight and during most of the day she is right under a flourescent light ... i'll attach some pictures including her food ! I think she ate 2 of the four pellets i left in the watter and that white thing in the pictures is a vitamin block ... It's basically calcium.

The plastic container is a horrible way to keep the turtle...the turtle already has swollen eyes. If you do not make the l proper changes as described, the turtle will die, period.

You need the minimum items to properly care for;

Aquarium, deep enough to allow free flowing swimming
Water heater, to keep proper temp for water, your room temp is not enough.
A place the turtle can climb out of the water to dry off under a basking light, they must be able to dry out their shell and body or they will grow slime and bacteria which willmstink and cause infection and death..also if they do not have a basking spot they will not get warm enough to eat nor to digest any food they may eat and the undigested food will rot inside of them resulting in death.

Turtle also do not like to be moved about a lot..so moving back and forth to your desk is a stressful event.

Please be courteous to the turtle and do right for them.

 

[Fábio97]

The plastic container is a horrible way to keep the turtle...the turtle already has swollen eyes. If you do not make the l proper changes as described, the turtle will die, period.

You need the minimum items to properly care for;

Aquarium, deep enough to allow free flowing swimming
Water heater, to keep proper temp for water, your room temp is not enough.
A place the turtle can climb out of the water to dry off under a basking light, they must be able to dry out their shell and body or they will grow slime and bacteria which willmstink and cause infection and death..also if they do not have a basking spot they will not get warm enough to eat nor to digest any food they may eat and the undigested food will rot inside of them resulting in death.

Turtle also do not like to be moved about a lot..so moving back and forth to your desk is a stressful event.

Please be courteous to the turtle and do right for them.

as i said on the other post ... "From what I read here and other sites I guessed it was not ideal fOr my turtle ... But as I said , It's my first turtle and it was a grift from my girlfriend and i just have it for 3 days ... I'M really into This now and can't wait to get a new tank for him/her I've got some ideas for her new home already and as I live near the sea It's easy for me to get some flat rocks to the tank ! And of course i will boil them first before using them"
and about the moving .. i will stopp doing that ... and what size of thank do you reccomend ? someone told me that a 10 gallon would be "o.k" but i think it is too much dont you ?

 

[ascott]

as i said on the other post ... "From what I read here and other sites I guessed it was not ideal fOr my turtle ... But as I said , It's my first turtle and it was a grift from my girlfriend and i just have it for 3 days ... I'M really into This now and can't wait to get a new tank for him/her I've got some ideas for her new home already and as I live near the sea It's easy for me to get some flat rocks to the tank ! And of course i will boil them first before using them"
and about the moving .. i will stopp doing that ... and what size of thank do you reccomend ? someone told me that a 10 gallon would be "o.k" but i think it is too much dont you ?

I would suggest a tank that is at least 20 gallons. You will be surprised how quickly space is used up when you add a basking spot a heater a nd such.

 

[Fábio97]

@ascott is the heater a must have thing or the light will do the work for now? I don't work yet .. I'M a student full time so my parents finance me... Thoose things all together can add up ($$$) and i don't want to ask my parents such expensive things ... And as we dont get that much products here , things can get pretty expensive... Like 2x more expensive than in USA

 

[Fábio97]

@ascott and about the tank size ... Isn't that too big ? I would like to have a not too big tank for now ... And she is really small like 2-3 inch ... Isn't that too big? Ps: don't forget the Message before This one

 

[ascott]

@ascott is the heater a must have thing or the light will do the work for now? I don't work yet .. I'M a student full time so my parents finance me... Thoose things all together can add up ($$$) and i don't want to ask my parents such expensive things ... And as we dont get that much products here , things can get pretty expensive... Like 2x more expensive than in USA

The heater is important..it allows the water to remain a steady temp. I suppose you could get by with a 10 gallon tank for awhile if that is required..the docking dry out spot is important along with the basking light..you will also need to keep the water clean, so if you do use a 10 gallon tank then a filter for that size of tank would be less expensive. I understand you are young, however, the turtle has minimum requirements that really need to be met..you know what I mean.

 

[Fábio97]

@ascott I can get the tank , the dock( I can make it with flat rocks since I live near the sea ) and the light all with no problem ... My main concerns are the filter and the heater. But with time i'll get the whole Set-up