Please I need help ASAP

[sana]

Please, everybody who owns a turtle or knows how to care for one, help me please! My father brought me a turtle, and I didn't know when he would come since a long time ago, I asked for one and its coming now and so I was not fully fully prepared. :confused: So, I need some help because I didn't know it would be this hard. This is a weird breed and he doesn't eat, I don't even know if its a he or a she. Where does it have to live, when does it eat and what would it eat? Please answer ASAP!!!!!!!:(:(:(:(:(
Thankx:):)

[Karen]

We need to know more. It is a turtle or a tortoise? Can you show us a picture of it? They have different needs depending on what kind of turtle it is.

[Asiel]

Maybe you could bring it to your nearest pet store and they could help you identify the kind of turtle you have, the sex and what kind of food it needs.

[sana]

This turtle has green dark green shell and yelllw spots on it. I will try sending a pic as soon as possible. I have no pet stores nearby. I live in a residential area.

[Karen]

Set up a place where he can swim, in a terrarium or tank, but also make sure it has a place to get out and sun itself, and dry out. A lamp for warmth is also a good thing. You can try bits of lettuce, or greens, or even bits of meat for now, but be prepared to take them out of the water if it doesn't get eaten, you don't want rotting food in the water. Don't panic, it can go a day without eating, and you can get turtle food at a store when you get a chance. Making sure it has clean water, a place to dry out and a place to hide if it is scared are most important right now.

Once we know what breed of turtle it is, and see a picture, we can help more!

[Marigold2]

There is tons of info on line. Best of luck. If it is a painter turtle you could call him Sherwin Williams.

[Karen]

There is tons of info on line. Best of luck. If it is a painter turtle you could call him Sherwin Williams.

She's all the way on the other side of the world, so I doubt it's a painted turtle, as those are only native to North America and Mexico.

[sana]

This turtle has a dark green shell and small yellow spots, know any breed like that? And he likes mud. My father made a muddy place for him and he goes in there are digs and keeps his head in there.

[sana]

I think this is a mud turtle or a sea turtle, it came from some sea so its a sea turtle right? Or I think this is a mud turtle because it loves camouflaging in mud. Once it made me worried like a mother who has lost her child because I went in my garden to peek what hes doing and I didn't see him. I was about to die and I told my cousin that he is gone he went away he's lost! and later I saw him camouflaged in the mud. He digs mud and hides inside.

[moosmom]

I house/dog/turtle sit for a wonderful lady, Carol. I can call her and see if she's willing to help you through some stuff. Mildred the turtle has the life of a queen. I love to sit in the basement where they have her own private spa set up. If I was a turtle, that's the one place I'd wanna be.

The water can't be more than 80 degrees and you'll need a thermostat (they have one, that's how I know). They have special green pellets they feed her every day.

Let me know if you want me to call her. She might be of some help.

[sana]

Please if you can ask her if she knows anything about mud turtle's diet.

[snakemama]

Is it a spotted turtle?

http://www.cortland.edu/herp/keys/images/turtles/cguttalg.jpg

[sana]

Hey will a fish shop have turtle's food, its about five minutes away from my house, and so do you think turtle food would be there. I am not sure if I can go without knowing if its even threr

[sana]

No its a weird spotted turtle, it has dark green shell with yellowish line and dots

[Karen]

A fish shop should have turtle food, yes.

I am sure it's not a sea turtle, as they need salt water, and it would have died.

[Husky_mom]

a picture would really help

[Husky_mom]

check this pics.. maybe one looks like yours

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.generalexotics.com/images/Kinosternon%2520baurii.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.generalexotics.com/turtles-aquatic-turtles-c-7_33/language/us&usg=__UUQ-1sevMnX-og9ixu8fVJwWTiA=&h=450&w=600&sz=145&hl=en&start=5&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Ew0ArRpPKvoiFM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmud%2Bturtle%2Bspotted%2Bline%26um%3D 1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1

or here.. they have all species

http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-species/turtles-and-tortoises_all_landing.aspx

[sana]

It came like two days ago so we couldn't take any pic I 'll try taking it tomorrow because he's asleep and its night time here.

[Karen]

Does he look like this?

http://www.asianturtle.org/images/species/Geoclemys_hamiltonii.jpg


If so, he's a Spotted Pond Turtle, and you can find more information here (http://www.asianturtle.org/htm/species_Geoclemys_hamiltoni.html) and here (http://www.tortoisereserve.org/captivehusbandry/spottedpond.html)

[sana]

Sorry, but he's different. I'll try taking his pic tomorrow and put it up. And I looked Mud Turtle in the wikipedia and I couldn't find his picture. I'll try Google images

[Karen]

Okay, knowing what kind of turtle he is will help, and get him some turtle food, I am sure any store that sells fish and fish food will also have turtle food!

[Husky_mom]

have u checked the links I posted?.. see some pics there

[sana]

He doesn't eat anything

[sana]

He looks a little bit like yellow bellied turtle

[sana]

Thankx for all you all have done. I have to go sleep and see you later. I'll send pics tomorrow:love::love::love: POTD ppl are really helpful! Love you all and again, thankx:love::love::love::love:

[Karen]

You're welcome, sleep tight, and hopefully you'll be able to get a picture for us tomorrow, and tell us the turtle's name, if you've decided!

[sana]

We're thinking about naming him Squirtle and I have taken the pictures. But how to send them

[sana]

How do I update pictures?

[king2005]

Something like this?
http://www.google.ca/images?q=Florida+Box+Turtles&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=Ae0aTMm5NoP_8Ab_oN2ECQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDMQsAQwAw

or this?
http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/

or this
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/reptiles/turtles/SpottedTurtle.php

these?
http://turtle_tails.tripod.com/turtle/turtlepage.htm

Is the body shape anything like this?
http://www.google.ca/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=softshell+turtle&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=


To add an image, click on "Manage Attachments". That option will show up when you make a new post.

[Karen]

You can put them up as attachments, or even make an album with them. Go to your User Profile, and create a new album, and upload your pictures, then you can easily post them in the thread, okay?

Looking forward to seeing him/her!

[king2005]

Any of these?

[sana]

king2005, thankx for sending the pictures but It is a different type of turtle, its pics are in the Album, My New Turtle

[king2005]

king2005, thankx for sending the pictures but It is a different type of turtle, its pics are in the Album, My New Turtle

I looked & couldn't find any album called "My New Turtle".. Did you make it public? I was able to see the one called "Chicks"

[sana]

I have made the album, My New turtle : Squirtle

[king2005]

That is a softshell Turtle.
not sure of the species as i need pictures of its whole body, clear head shot, shell shot...

i can sex it if you can get a clear shot of it's tail, showing its vent
(anus)

Some softshells get MASSIVE, to the point you can't keep them as pets. Most are also really aggressive, worse then snapping turtles... All require a LOT of swimming water & several inches of sand so they can hide.

Offer it some raw fish pieces. It'll also like little live fish to chase too. It'll more then likely eat romaine lettuce.

Once i can id it better I can be more specific on its needs.

I'm not sure if it is a fresh water species, or salt water, so don't give it too much water just yet.

they can also go a long time without eating so don't worry

[king2005]

from what I've read it might be hard to ID it until its larger as many baby Softshell species have different markings then the adults. I'm trying to find a site to ID the babies

[sana]

PEOPLE!!!!!! KAREN, ASIEL, MARIGOLD, MOOSMOM, KING2005, SNAKEMAMA, HUSKY MOM!!! EVERYBODY!!!, SQUIRTLE ATE RICE. My father put rice in an orange peel and he just looked at and later on, I came upstairs to see if he had ate anything and all I saw was muddy orange peel's inside and NO RICE!!! Crows don't come on that part and so it was only Squirtle who could have eaten it. I was thanking God that he ate something at least.

[king2005]

Their not suppose to eat rice :(

[Karen]

Next time try fish of some sort, he was obviously hungry. Any chance of getting to the shop that might have turtle food?

[sana]

Well, I didn't know that it doesn't have to eat rice. But, anyways, ay least something went in his stomach. My father told me that the fish store doesn't sell live food for turtles, there are other beans and stuff. My dad told me that Squirtle eats more vegetables than meat. He likes eating roots of plants and other little insects.

[king2005]

You need find out what species it is before feeding it too much of random human foods. You can/will make it sick, or poison it to death by not feeding it properly, so its really important to find out what it is.

Softshells are known to be carnivores (includes bugs) & might eat some vegetation.

here is some general information on a Softshell's diet... but its still not a proper diet until you find out what species it is.
http://www.ehow.com/way_5744255_soft-shell-turtle-diet.html

[Karen]

Sana, I went over to another forum, and show them Squirtle's picture, and they said
"Softshells tend to be somewhat more carnivorous than their hard-shelled counterparts. They will still need proper basking with a UVB bulb.

Food offering can include fish, shrimp, and worms (fresh or frozen or freeze dried) live insects (from bait and pet stores) etc."

Sp make sure he gets some meat, okay?