My red eared slider - Seeking husbandry advice.

buttertart88 · 04-11-11, 09:57 PM

i got a red eared slider whom i have named toothless he is not eating that i am aware of i drop in turtle pellets and today i bout some tiny feeder crickets i have a rock formation i made with rocks from my back yard that i boiled for 2 days lol. i have read alot of pages that say not to feed certin things such as crickets meal worms etc and others that say to feed crickets feeder gold fish when he gets bigger along with the pellets i read about the fruits and vegatbles and am curious how i go about feeding him those he is still very young he doesnt seem to use the basking area and i know it is important for his shell i am currently using a 100watt normal light atm i am going out to buy a sun bulb but am not sure if i should buy that or a uvb bulb instead any and all tips will be greatly appriciated.

buttertart88 · 04-11-11, 10:14 PM

i am wondering what my young red eared sliders diet should consist of many pages i have read say dont feed this i.e crickets and meal worms. Other sites say it is fine to do as well as feeding him fruits and vegatables such as romain lettuce and carrot tops and fruit like strawberrys for the strawberrys do i feed him the tops or the actual berry i would like some help and tips currently he has some feeder goldfish as company and food when he gets bigger lol. but for some reason he isnt eating at all that i know of and am getting a lil worried i have a water heater that works for up to 30gal and a basking area that consists of rocks from my yard that i boiled for a few days i would like some help plz and ty guys i have studied up on his diet for like 2days and figured that a herp forum would be the best place to get the advice and tips i need

infernalis · 04-11-11, 10:26 PM

Please don't post your private email...

Have you tried earthworms yet?

RES are omnivores, have you tried fruit?

buttertart88 · 04-11-11, 10:43 PM

sorry bout the email my bad i havent tried fruit am not sure what fruit to try or use as for earthworms i have yet to find some where that carries them i live in a small city so our earthworms come from a varity store or a vending machine i gave him a couple pellets a cricket and a couple peices of q cumber

infernalis · 04-11-11, 11:23 PM

I feed the night crawlers from Wal Mart to my garter snakes & Savannah Monitor without a problem, so I'm sure they would be OK for your turtle.

buttertart88 · 04-11-11, 11:34 PM

alright ahhh what about the fruit and vegatables i know as a youngling it is a mostly protien diet and will become more vegatarian as he gets older so for lets say romaine lettuce do i just drop part of a leaf in the tank and let it be or like strawberrys do i cut up the berry and put it in or what

infernalis · 04-11-11, 11:39 PM

I'd cut the berry up, it gives off a stronger scent cut up.

TeaNinja · 04-12-11, 03:58 AM

my friend used to have a red eared slider for a while (chief redfeather) and he just ate those repti-sticks for aquatic turtles you buy at pet stores. he also LOVED worms.
other then that i have no idea :x

and for future referance, theres no need to make multiple posts about the same relative thing

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/gener...ed-slider.html

stephanbakir · 04-12-11, 08:01 AM

I fed mine the repti-sticks and as a treat i would toss in live tadpoles, he would chase em down and eat em all.

buttertart88 · 04-12-11, 11:39 AM

ty guys i am feeding the repi sticks turtle food and small crickets atm i tried some q cumber yesterday its still there i dont know if he is eating or not he doesnt seem to be eating last time i seen him eat was like 2days ago and he ate 1 pellet i am getting worried obviously and am not sure if it is cuz he isnt use to his new habitat or if he is to cold the water is at 75 degrees ferinhiet and i just bought a 75 watt basking spot light bulb today i toss in like 4 pellets 2xs a day hoping that toothless will eat and its not them darn feeder fish eating them lol

buttertart88 · 04-12-11, 11:50 AM

i am looking to upgrade to a 30 gal tank for my turtle who is very small still. i am currently using 3 smooth flat rocks out of my back yard for a basking area and will be getting a turtle dock when i get the dock i will add a lot more water to the encloser obviously but am worried that my turtle will not know to swim to the top to get air instead of just sticking his head out of the water the water well covers his shell so he wont drown if he ends upside down on his shell yes i know the swimming part sounds dumb but i am just concerened lol

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alright same with the worms or just drop them in and let him have at it? but what about the not eating any ideas he does seem to like any of the 4 corners of the tank lol and am not sure why also when it comes to him sleeping should he be sleeping while in the water or on the basking rocks?

infernalis · 04-12-11, 12:07 PM

Trust nature.. Your turtle lives in ponds and streams out in the world, your little guy will be fine, their brains are hard wired with natural instincts..

About the only way to drown a turtle would be to intentionally pin it underwater for a very very long time.

Those webs between his toes are for swimming.

I know a turtle guy, Let me talk to him.

we will get you up and going one way or another.

buttertart88 · 04-12-11, 12:16 PM

ty very much guess as a new owner and dad to a turtle i am worried lol i see my pets as my children and ya i could and would never pin him down under the water intenionally not a chance would i

buttertart88 · 04-12-11, 12:18 PM

again ty so much infernalis you have been a huge help

infernalis · 04-12-11, 12:31 PM

Already like the attitude, you sincerely want what's best for your new friend.

That's admirable.