Another Turtle....

**areias** · 10-28-2005, 05:27 PM

I'm about to start slamming my head against the wall.

My mom got my brother one of those hatchling dimestore turtles for his birthday, about the beginning of October..it still had it's egg sack on it

. So she's complaining that it won't eat or anything (it was in one of those turtle lagoons

) so I take it home with me. I noticed it looked funny and asked if it ever opens its eyes. She said oh yeah, well, sometimes. So I finally get it to open its eyes and it has a mucous buildup in both of them..eye infection, probably from a lack of vitamin A. But of course the thing is, he's not eating so...? I've read things that says to force feed it, but I can't get its mouth open. The best thing would be for me to take it to the vet and get vit A shots and everything, but I don't know if I'm willing to invest that much into him.

Everyday I wake up I expect him to have passed away. I got him to eat just a tiny bit of cat food, but that was it, since Wed. I was planning on getting another turtle, but not one of these hatchlings. -sigh- I really don't know what to do. He's been basking all the time, and if he's not basking he's on top of the water heater.

**Jessika** · 10-28-2005, 05:32 PM

Ugh those turtles SHOULD NOT be kept as pets for the inexperienced!!

I'm assuming its a Red Eared Slider turtle, correct??

I REALLY hope they have it in at least a 25 gallon tank. They CAN NOT be kept in small fish bowls. They need room to swim, a basking light, a place to rest out of water, a hiding spot, a water heater, UVB light.....

And as hatchlings they are mostly carnivorous, so they can eat meat... try feeding him some meat if he isn't eating?? Also if you don't already get a UVB light, proper lighting helps them digest properly so if you don't have it that could be a problem too (if I recall correctly, its been over a year since I had mine)

I have a fanlisting here: http://dont-stay.com/res it also has information on RES about housing and nutrition

I hope the little guy is ok!!

edit: as a sidenote its ILLEGAL to purchase them under four inches in the United States unless its for research or educational purposes.. so that leads me to believe your mom got it from a very shady person who probably bred and sold them illegally!

**areias** · 10-28-2005, 06:04 PM

I have him in my 10 gallon for now..and yes he's a RES. He has a basking lamp, UV light, etc. I'm not sure if he's too far gone. I tried cat food, and like I said he ate just a little bit and hasn't eaten since. He has plants and such. And yes I know it's illegal to sell them-the mall in our area has a kiosk and is selling them, with those death lagoons. That's what she had it in. I've written several letters to the mall and they haven't responded.

Right now he's completely stretched out under the basking lamp, and the water temp is about 81 degrees. I'm going and getting some eye stuff for him in a few minutes. Poor baby

I wish I could do more, but vet bills are not what I need right now, especially if he's not going to pull through. In reality, I took the turtle so it wouldn't die in front of my brother. I'm hoping to help him but I really don't know.

**Jessika** · 10-28-2005, 06:06 PM

Try feeding some raw hamburger and see if he takes to that! As I said they are carnivorous and cat food may be healthy (well I've never heard of feeding them that before, personally...) the smell of meat might entice him to eat. Also try some bloodworms or ghost shrimp.

I made the mistake of keeping my RES in a 10 gallon when I first got them... one got pretty sick. But I had more than one of course in it. I suggest upgrading to a 20 gallon breeder/long to see if that would help at all??

**areias** · 10-28-2005, 06:08 PM

Here's a link to what she had it in.
Turtle Lagoon

**areias** · 10-28-2005, 06:10 PM

Hmm I'll have to try the hamburg. I have tried blood worms too. Well I'm off to the petstore to see what I can come up with.

**Jessika** · 10-28-2005, 06:12 PM

Ugh that disgusts me, it really does. I hope that mall closes that shop down when they realize its ILLEGAL to be selling them under four inches at PETS!! Especially in such a small confinement!! I'm sure there has to be SOME RES group you can contact to get more information about getting that shop reported to the local authorities or something. It makes me absolutely SICK to think that others are out there purchasing these turtles and not properly taking care of them!!! Not all are as fortunate as the one you have to have an owner that actually does proper research to care for it the way they should!

**areias** · 10-28-2005, 06:33 PM

I know, it disgusts me too. I had gone into petsmart shortly after she got it and talked to someone there, and I was the 4th person that had come in that day about the hatchlings.

The only thing I don't have is a filter. I know I need one, I'm just kind of debating on the kind of funds and space I'll have for a bigger tank and what kind of filter I can get now. I only have the water filled about 6 inches...