Took in a pair of RES today and you will never guess what they have been eating

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Len B

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A young lady came by this morning and ask if I would take 2 seven year old RES that belonged to her husband (he passed away in Oct from cancer). They lived in a 55 gal aquarium so I figured they were males. I don't need any more males(really don't need females either) but I said yes anyway. She and her daughter brought them by at about 5 pm, It was a pair, I thought kind of small for the age.I put them in a old roach bin without water, hoping they would poop so I could get a look at it,boy was I surprised when I checked on them a little later, BLUE POOP. the poor things have been eating gravel.nothing else passed but a terrible stink. I rinsed them off but left the gravel in to take a pic. I believe they will be fine in no time, RES are tough turtles. Len
 

Turtle Guru

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That's why I dont use substrate they will eat it. I hate to hear that sorry.
 

Yvonne G

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Red ear sliders seem to have a thing about eating small gravel. I've heard it said the the movement of the gravel in the turtle's stomach helps to break down fibrous material and aids in digestion. But personally, I think they do it because they are pigs and feel like they're always starving to death.
 

ascott

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LMAO Yvonne!!! Yes I agree 100%to on them little starving piggies.....I have two here....they started this new food begging thing and I have changed their names from the Judd sisters to shamu and Mamu ....they do such a show it is FANTASTIC...poor starving turtles...lol:D:D
 

seanang168

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I used to have small gravels about 1 to 2 cm long and smooth texture. I feed my red ear slider twice a day with pellets but I think he is still hungry and I always found his poop sticking to a piece of gravel. So he has this habit of swallowing gravel. I have since removed the gravels and he has no chance to swallow them anymore. My red ear's shell is about 22 cm long.

So I guess it was not deliberate that first owner never fed, it could be just that they are always hungry and ate the small gravels.

I did read in expert book before that red ear may eat small gravel to aid in his digestion!
 
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