juvenile red ear slider turtle

Question
Hi,
 I have had my pet turtle for about 3 years.  It is in a plastic tutle fish tank. It is in tab water with  fish tank decorative color small rocks.  It has a bump on its neck and it is not eating at all.  What can I do?

Answer
Hi Ana,

It sounds like you have your turtle set up wrong.  RES need roomy tanks with good filtration, water heated to about 78 degrees, and a basking area heated to 88-92 degrees with a source of UVB.  They also need a good, varied diet consisting of both plant and animal material (not just pellets).  Poor water conditions, lack of heat, lack of UVB, and poor diet can all contribute to health problems.  It's possible the bump on your turtle's neck to due to poor water quality if you haven't been using a filter.  I would suggest getting your turtle into a proper setup and then see how he does.  If there's no improvement, he needs to see a good herp vet.  Here's a couple of websites that will give you information on caring for your turtle:

www.redearslider.com
www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm