I've had the albino at home for a few weeks now. I thought she was eating, maybe the first day or 2 she was but she hasn't eaten since. Per Gerards advice (who she came from) I bought the exact pellet he was feeding her and am only offering that. She still weighs the same 81grams and has for over a month. Her legs and body look like a tiny skeleton in baggy skin. Her limbs remind me of a foster farms chicken wing to be honest.
I was putting her in a small tub of shallow water everyday with food for about an hour but she wouldn't eat. I finally resorted to just tossing food into the pond daily and hoping she'd eat in there as she was more comfortable. Cleaning out lots of un eaten food and no weight gain leads me to believe she hasn't been eating in the pond either.
I put a bunch of water hyacinth into the pond. I am pretty sure she enjoyed hiding in the roots. I never really saw her but checked for her a few times here and there. Unfortunately ALL of it died. Turned brown, soggy and nasty. I had 6 petunias planted around the edge of the pond. That died, too. The geranium was eaten by caterpillars and so I just pulled the grasses and put them in the Russian pen.
Right now the pond has no plants in it or around it and I have the RES inside a tank in my house while I "re do" the pond.
BTW the pond has morning shade, Sun from about noon to 3:30 and is shade the rest of the day.
Here are my questions:
Any tips on pretty/safe plants I can put around the pond that will be ok with only hot afternoon sun?
What plants can be in the pond that the turtle will like for cover and wont die on me? Also, the roots of the hyacinth were constantly clogging up my filter. Maybe some type of potted water plant??
At what point do I determine if I need to heat the pond? In the morning 8-9am I temp the pond at 65-70 degrees. Once the sun hits it the temps increase. I'm going to chart the temps over these next couple of days so I have a better idea of how the water temps fluctuate.
Should I just keep hoping she eats or is there anything more I can do?
Just to share:
The first pond set up (pic taken with the hardware cloth cover off)
With the hyacinth before it died..
Now it is just dirt, and the water tub until I decorate it again.
I tried to get some close up pics of the turtle and how skinny she is but I didn't get any good ones. I'll try again.
I was putting her in a small tub of shallow water everyday with food for about an hour but she wouldn't eat. I finally resorted to just tossing food into the pond daily and hoping she'd eat in there as she was more comfortable. Cleaning out lots of un eaten food and no weight gain leads me to believe she hasn't been eating in the pond either.
I put a bunch of water hyacinth into the pond. I am pretty sure she enjoyed hiding in the roots. I never really saw her but checked for her a few times here and there. Unfortunately ALL of it died. Turned brown, soggy and nasty. I had 6 petunias planted around the edge of the pond. That died, too. The geranium was eaten by caterpillars and so I just pulled the grasses and put them in the Russian pen.
Right now the pond has no plants in it or around it and I have the RES inside a tank in my house while I "re do" the pond.
BTW the pond has morning shade, Sun from about noon to 3:30 and is shade the rest of the day.
Here are my questions:
Any tips on pretty/safe plants I can put around the pond that will be ok with only hot afternoon sun?
What plants can be in the pond that the turtle will like for cover and wont die on me? Also, the roots of the hyacinth were constantly clogging up my filter. Maybe some type of potted water plant??
At what point do I determine if I need to heat the pond? In the morning 8-9am I temp the pond at 65-70 degrees. Once the sun hits it the temps increase. I'm going to chart the temps over these next couple of days so I have a better idea of how the water temps fluctuate.
Should I just keep hoping she eats or is there anything more I can do?
Just to share:
The first pond set up (pic taken with the hardware cloth cover off)
With the hyacinth before it died..
Now it is just dirt, and the water tub until I decorate it again.
I tried to get some close up pics of the turtle and how skinny she is but I didn't get any good ones. I'll try again.