my red eared slider

Question
I have a baby red eared slider and he wont open his eyes i need help i think he is sick and i dont know what to do is there any thing i can do please help me

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

You didn't say how long you've had your turtle, but unfortunately they are usually raised under crowded conditions where they don't get individual attention, so often unhealthy hatchlings end up being sold.  If you've had him for a while, you should review how you're keeping him to make sure you're doing everything correctly.

For a hatchling, a 20 gallon tank is adequate, but RES grow quickly and need large tanks as adults (at least 50 gallons).  You need a good filter rated for higher than the tank capacity, since water quality is very important.  The water temperature should be between 75 and 78 degrees, and the basking temperature should be about 88 degrees.  A good UVB bulb is really important, especially for a hatchling.  A combination heat/UVB bulb like the ZooMed Powersun or the T-Rex Active UVheat is a good choice.  Hatchlings and juveniles are primarily carnivorous, but should be offered healthy greens (turnip, mustard, collards, kale, dandelion, etc.) along with a variety of animal protein (boiled chicken/egg/shrimp), worms, mealworms, crickets, and a good pelleted food.  Put a chunk of cuttlebone in the tank so the turtle can nibble on it for extra calcium.

Hatchlings are very tough, but they do need their conditions to be right.  If you don't have your turtle set up as above, you should make changes to improve his environment.  If you see any symptoms such as runny nose, wheezing, yawning/gaping, or stretching the neck out, he likely has a respiratory infection and needs to be treated by a vet.  Below are some websites with information that will give you further help on care:

www.redearslider.com
www.austinsturtlepage.com (read all the information under "Turtle Care" and the RES care sheet specifically)

Good luck!