Worried about my Red Eared Slider

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SebastianTheGirl

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I'm a new turtle mommy, I just got my baby (about 1 1/2 inch) red eared slider on Saturday. I got it a heat lamp, UVE lamp, heaters under the tank, a 12 gallon tank (I THINK, I got it used), some rocks at the bottom, two plants, a pot and a floaty thing for it to crawl onto and bask into the sun.
My problems here are my turtle is acting a bit weird, it isn't eating but I figured that was from the stress of a new home and is still adapting.
Theres also these suction cups that attach the floaty rock thing to the side of the tank, well my turtle keeps crawling on top of it and laying against the glass, sticking his head out. The water level is about 3 inches high, is that too high for it and is that why it keeps doing that? It's been in that spot for about 24 hours and I'm worried it wont be getting enough excercize.
On top of all of these things I was watching it today and while it's head was sticking out I started noticing its little neck pulsing (breathing) but it was pulsing kind of fast.
Can anyone help me with this and give me some tips and tricks? The turtle sort of fell into my lap and wasn't really planned so I'm terrified of being a bad turtle mommy. Please help
 

webskipper

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Welcome!

Are you using a Zoo Med Turtle Dock? They are a great product.

Is he lethargic and dried? Is he caught between the dock and glass? What does he do when you gently drop water on his neck?

What are your temperatures?

Air Temperature: mid 70's - 80's

Basking Temperature: High 80's to low 90's

Water Temperature: 76 to 80 degrees for hatchlings & smaller juveniles.

Has eaten anything? Reptomin, tubifex worms,dried krill, or an earthworm?

Any of the plants live? Duckweed, Anacharis, parrots feather? These are cheap fast growers. They'll over grow your little aquarium pretty quick. Good food source.

Little ones will bask for hours in the sun on a log or other in the wild.

Don't worry about water depth until his lungs and feet develop better. Too deep and littles ones stress out quick from struggling to the top.

Here's a great site for your RES:
http://www.redearslider.com/
 

nicoleandrocky

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Hope you figure out what it is and he's fine :) (i don't know much about red eared sliders, but there are a lot on here who do!)
 

ascott

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Welcome to the Forum :D and we LOVE PICS :p

I see that you show a heater under the tank....you may want to get an in tank heater that you can set for desired temp...if your baby is solely basking perhaps that would be an indicator that the water is chilly.....wait around and see what the others have to offer as well...:D
 

Jacqui

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webskipper said:
Welcome!

Are you using a Zoo Med Turtle Dock? They are a great product.

Is he lethargic and dried? Is he caught between the dock and glass? What does he do when you gently drop water on his neck?

What are your temperatures?

Air Temperature: mid 70's - 80's

Basking Temperature: High 80's to low 90's

Water Temperature: 76 to 80 degrees for hatchlings & smaller juveniles.

Has eaten anything? Reptomin, tubifex worms,dried krill, or an earthworm?

Any of the plants live? Duckweed, Anacharis, parrots feather? These are cheap fast growers. They'll over grow your little aquarium pretty quick. Good food source.

Little ones will bask for hours in the sun on a log or other in the wild.

Don't worry about water depth until his lungs and feet develop better. Too deep and littles ones stress out quick from struggling to the top.

Here's a great site for your RES:
http://www.redearslider.com/

A nice bunch of questions, we really need answers to in order to be of much help to you. :tort:
 

SebastianTheGirl

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webskipper said:
Welcome!

Are you using a Zoo Med Turtle Dock? They are a great product.

Is he lethargic and dried? Is he caught between the dock and glass? What does he do when you gently drop water on his neck?

What are your temperatures?

Air Temperature: mid 70's - 80's

Basking Temperature: High 80's to low 90's

Water Temperature: 76 to 80 degrees for hatchlings & smaller juveniles.

Has eaten anything? Reptomin, tubifex worms,dried krill, or an earthworm?

Any of the plants live? Duckweed, Anacharis, parrots feather? These are cheap fast growers. They'll over grow your little aquarium pretty quick. Good food source.

Little ones will bask for hours in the sun on a log or other in the wild.

Don't worry about water depth until his lungs and feet develop better. Too deep and littles ones stress out quick from struggling to the top.

Here's a great site for your RES:
http://www.redearslider.com/

1. yes
2. He's lethargic but not dry. No and nothing, when I get really close he pulls his head in.
3. The water is about 79, air is maybe about 85 and the basking is about 90
4. No so far he hasn't eaten anything but I just got him saturday so I figure hes stressed
5. No they're fake, do you recomend real ones instead?
 

Dagashi

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only from my experience with RES's, they bask a WHOLE lot.. and hardly move. So you don't have to worry about that. They'll get more active when they're older. Right now they are just.. stationary creatures. They love just sitting still and not doing anything at all and you can get worried that they've frozen solid. but they are not.

my RES was 100% fed on pellet diet (I didn't know any better then) They eat Nutrafin Basix since they were 1 inch in size.

Although RES are a bit haughty..especially when they eat.. I agreed with putting plants in there so they can have access to food anytime they want. but baby RES are a bit fragile. Do take care and talk to them alot. Although it sounds like a crazy "cat" lady.. RES love their owners and respond well (to food which they associate with their owners).

RES pulling their heads in are fine.. they're just not used to u. Mine gets like that when they are upset wtih us.. or they were scared of something.

btw what are you feeding him now? perhaps you can check wth the store you bought him from and ask them what they were feeding him before? he may just not be used to the food.
 

webskipper

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SebastianTheGirl said:
5. No they're fake, do you recomend real ones instead?

Let's put the horse before the cart for a moment.

Sounds like he's stressed. Give him his privacy for a day or two and watch him from a far.

Now and then dunk him up to his chin. We all hydrate from soaking.

Small tank sounds like he is in a classroom or a bedroom?

Yes. He can eat real plants. Let's wait till he's a stronger swimmer before he wrestles plants.
 

Dagashi

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p.s. turtles don't drown.. they can stay underwater for extended periods of time. and they have a knack for floating with thier noses on the tips of the water.. so u don't have to fret over putting in too much water. Just make sure you have a pump to filter the water or that you change the water frequently if it becomes cloudy. :D

Best of luck!
 

oscar

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Its been my experience that turtles can indeed drown. I have had two
painted turtles that were laying on the bottom of my 125 gallon tank not
responding while the others were fine basking and swimming around.
In both cases I got them out of the water and got a hold of there head and
pumped it in and out on one of them for over forty minutes luckily they both
ended up coming around and are still going.
I agree about the in tank heater, I have read that an under tank heater should
only be used on a tank that has no water in it the reason is it can crack
the glass.
 

dmmj

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Turtles can indeed drown, while they can last underwater a lot longer than a tortoise, they still can drown. My question would be where did the previous owner get this guy from (if there was one) and if there was a previous owner did it eat then?
 

Dagashi

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ahh.. then I must be very lucky that my turtles didn't drown. after they grew bigger I didn't provide them with a basking area. I guess they just adapted to being able to keep afloat and breathing even when they are right at the bottom of the tank.
 
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