is my baby turtle sick

Question
QUESTION: My turtle is new to his tank and is of 6 months but only sits
in 1 corner of the tank and doesn't eat anything ?? what
should i do? please answer :-(

ANSWER: Hi Rishit,

I need more information to help you.  What species of turtle do you have, and how is the tank set up?  I need to know the tank size, the type of filtration, what kind of basking/UVB bulb(s) you're using, the basking and water temperatures, and what kind of diet you're feeding.  In general, aquatic turtles need plenty of swimming room, excellent filtration, adequate basking space with a temperature 10-15 degrees above water temperature, a good source of UVB, and a good varied diet.  I suspect that the pet shop where you got your turtle told you to keep it in a small tank and feed dried shimp or something along those lines, and this simply isn't adequate for a turtle.  If you can provide more information, I'll do what I can to help.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, they are of singaporist species are they but my tank is
set up near my T.V. we don't filter the water and i don't know
whats U.V.B. the water temprature is 26 celsius  and the tank
is medium in size

Answer
Hi,

Remember that I'm in the U.S., so "singaporist species" unfortunately doesn't mean anything to me--I need the scientific (Latin) name or if you can send me a link that identifies them I can be more specific in my advice.  Different species have different care needs.  It sounds like the problem with the turtle is inadequate care, and most likely the other turtle will start having problems at some point if some changes aren't made.  The tank should be *at least* one gallon for every inch of turtle, and twice that size would be better.  You will need to get a good filter (external canister), as water quality is very important.  Since I don't know what species it is, I can't advise on the water temperature specifically, but most likely the temperature you have is fine; they do need a basking area where the temperature is warmer than the water.  UVB rays come from the sun, and allow turtles and tortoises to metabolize calcium.  If the turtles aren't outside, you need to provide it artificially with a specialized bulb.  I don't know if you can get a UVB bulb from the pet store--you can ask, but my guess is they'll sell you the wrong thing or tell you something that's incorrect.  You may have to try to order one from the UK or somewhere in Europe if they're not available in India.  Again, if you can give me a scientific (Latin) name I can provide more information on diet and such.