Red Ear Slider problem

Question
Hello. I have a RES(about 4-5 inches long). I have him in a 20 gallon tank with 6-7 inches of water in it. I have a ramp for him to bask on, a heater, a heat lamp, and a UVB bulb. I just got him today from a friend. The problem with the turtle is that it won't swim. It just crawls at the bottom of the tank and when it wants to breathe, it just leans on the side of the tank and sticks its nose out. It also wont go on the ramp to bask. What is wrong?

Answer
Probably most stress from the move. Making a big change stresses a turtle out for about a week. Leave it alone as much as possible and only feed it lightly in the meantime.

A few other points to consider.

1. The tank you describe is too small. Sliders LOVE to swim, explore, hunt, etc. We usually suggest 10 gallons of actual water per inch of shell length. If yours is 5" long, it should be in 50 gallons of water, or a mostly filled 75 gallon tank.

2. You don't mention the temps you are aiming for. Water should be between 75-80F, basking sites about 90F.

3. You also don't mention filters. Get the biggest and best you can. The site mentioned later has a great article on this!

For more ideas, try http://www.austinsturtlepage.com or the forums at http://www.turtleforums.com

Good luck!