My 2 turtles

Question
Hi I just bought 2 turtles that are Indian tent turtles and they wont eat anything i give them I have given them Spinach, Coriander(Cilantro), Peas, Special floating type fish food that has shrimp in it and some kind of worm I keep them in a large tub with normal water temperature i don't really know their age so what should i do i also don't know how to feed them.

Answer
Hi Shantanu,

It's really important to know exactly how to care for a pet before you get it, so you don't run into problems.  This is especially true for turtles, because they have to be set up correctly or they won't eat and may eventually become sick.

If you just have them in a tub with water, you need to change that.  They're river turtles, so do need water, of course, but you also have to provide them with a good filter (external canister filter--turtles create a lot of waste and must have clean water), a basking area with a source of basking heat, a UVB bulb (it will have to be a specialty reptile bulb, not just "full spectrum"), and a good varied diet.  They will eat both animal protein (worms, snails, guppies, shrimp, etc.) along with plant material (no peas, but greens such as collards, kale, mustard, dandelion, etc.).

You also need to make sure the tank or tub is big enough.  Turtles need a lot of room--the minimum is ten gallons of water per inch of turtle--and the water must be clean, so get a filter that is rated for higher than the tank capacity.  There isn't much care information available for this species, but a basking area of about 90 degrees should be sufficient (make sure you're measuring the temperature directly under the lamp, and not air temperature).     

Here are some links that may help you in setting up their enclosure, although you may not be able to find the same supplies in India (I'm afraid I can't help you with that since I'm in the US):

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/care.htm
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/waterquality.htm
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/housing.htm