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tiny res turtle not eating,not active and not growing

22 16:03:19

Question
i have had this tiny res for about 4 months. he hasn't been eating lately. he just stays or lays on the basking dock. i don't have the money right now for the filters and heater so i do my best at keeping it clean. i spend alot of time changing water and cleaning out the  tank. any advice will be greatly appreciated. are there places that could help me with the tank set up, filter, heater etc. please help.thank you/

Answer
Hi Patsy,

If he's not swimming and not eating, something is definitely wrong.  Hatchling turtles, if they come from healty parents, are usually pretty tough, but they do have basic needs.  Proper temperatures, good water quality, good UVB, and a proper diet are all vitally important, and you can't shortchange things.  Check your temperatures first--the water temperature needs to be about 78 degrees.  The basking temperature should be about 10 degrees warmer than the water.  If the water is too cold, the turtle won't swim, and if it's too warm, it won't bask.  Good UVB is also very important--do you have a UVB bulb?  A combination heat/UVB bulb gives off the best level of UVB, but they're not cheap.  

You really need to get a good quality filter.  RES can grow very large (females up to about 12") and an adult will require a large tank and very good filtration.  Doing frequent partial water changes can help, but aren't a substitute for good filtration.  Feeding in a separate area will also help to keep the tank cleaner.

You can check on craigslist for inexpensive setups, or even try on freecyle.  Also check to see if there is a reptile rescue or herp society in your area that may be able to help out.  Just don't wait too long to get him set up properly.  Good luck.

Here's a good website for RES that covers all the basics:  www.redearslider.com