All Turtles Message Board

kyturtle · Level 1 Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 9

My father-in-law gave my kids a very small striped mud turtle about 3 weeks ago. I don't know how they are usually measured, but it is about 1.125" from front to back of shell at the longest point. To my knowledge, this turtle hasn't eaten a bite since we got him. I have been trying to get it to eat the Reptomin floating food sticks as well as dried mini shrimp and krill. It is swimming and basking and seems to rather enjoy its environment, but it just doesn't eat. I know that I have to add a UV light, but other than that, I am pretty well set up (tank w/several inches of water, filter, floating dock with basking light). I don't know squat about turtles, but I have become rather interested in this little fellow and want to try to make sure it makes it. Any help would be appreciated.

dixieee · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 4:01 am Post subject:

welcome to the board Smile

what are the temps in there? t\turtles can't swallow food if its too cold. if the temps are ok, it might be normal since he's a new baby and feels scared and unsecured in the new environment. try tuna fish with him, it always works Smile

good luck

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Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:31 am Post subject:

Welcome to the board, well, first things first, check this link out:
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/kinosternidaecare.htm

It is the caresheet for mud turtles, it will tell you what the setup should be like (not very similar to RES setups) and what they eat, I would try some crickets to see if it will eat. After you check that link out, let us know if there is something we can try to clear up for you Very Happy

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kyturtle · Level 1 Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 9

The water temp is about 75 degree. The guy at PetSmart told us that we shouldn't put much in the tank and recommended only a floating dock and a filter, so that is all we have. Last night I actually saw it try to take a bite of the Tetramin pellet. It bit it and a little piece broke off and that was all that happened. I put some tuna in there on the suggestion of some of the other posts that I read, but it disregarded that entirely.

The little dude is very active; it swims and walks around and basks. One of its favorite things to do is to go under the discharge for the filter and let the falling water push it to the bottom of the tank. I have never seen the turtle, however, dive on its own. It sticks its head under the basking rock and paddles like heck, but doesn't get anywhere.

I have had dogs, cats and horses all my life, so a turtle is a bit foreign to me.

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 10:27 am Post subject:

deesygirl · Moderator Joined: 12 Sep 2002 Posts: 1227

Your turtle sounds like a happy little guy. They love to play in the water currents in the wild so he is improvising. Here is something else he might like. I bought a large plastic plant, the type they use to put on the walls in an iguana tank, removed the base piece and float it on the top of the water. Turtles love to hide in it, climb on it and play in it. It resembles their natural habitat areas.
The water temp is fine as long as you make sure it does not get any cooler than that. What is his basking area temp? He should have an area where he can warm up and boost his immune system and stimulate his appetite back up. This should be in the mid to high 80's.
Because the muds are so carnivorous how about just getting some worms. I am not sure where you live. Maybe I missed that in your post but here you can buy a tub of them at the gas stations or even Wal-Mart in the sporting department. They only cost $1. Drop one in. It will wriggle around the bottom of the tank and really get the turtles attention.