All Turtles Message Board

kelleytidwell · Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 1:31 pm Post subject: Feeding and Size

I have a few questions I've been on this board oh so long but never feel sometimes that I get the right answer maybe dixiedee can step in on this one.

My turtle RES is about 2 years old in Febuary he is still very small about the size of a female fist. I have him unfortunatly in a 10 galon tank I want to move him up but we just moved to CA from FL and that was an expensive route. I got to find one with the whole set up for a decent price, then deal with the space it's going to take up. I am concerned about his size compaired to how old he is. I don't want to hurt him in any way. He's also picked up a nasty little habbit since getting to CA he's eatting his aquarium rocks. We feed him eveyr morning about 3 pellets a day. Sometimes 2. I'm worried about him eatting these rocks and dieing, but also his eatting could he be doing this because I am feeding him to little or as I well know RES are little piggies and love to eat. I recently got hime a Bone that floats that is supposed to help get rid of bitting and eatting etc.... It has calcium in it also so that it may help with his shell. Got any ideas is he too small for his age am I feeding him right... Any help to what might be going on is greatly appreciated.

Kelley Tidwell

Fred_and_George · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject:

im not dixiee but, turtles grow based on the amount of space they have to grow in and the amount of food they have available. so if he/she is in a 10 gallon tank, he probly grew till he ran out of room to do so. i would strongly suggest getting a bigger tank, at least 20 gallons. you seem to be feeding him enough. if you are worried about him being underweight, and not growing because of that. then pick him up. he should feel heavy, like he is full of water. if he doesnt feel that way, then he is probly underweight and you should up the food you give him. the aquarium rocks eating thing is very bad. when/if you get him a new tank. make sure any rocks you have are bigger than his head at least, he wont eat them then. the cuttle bone (i assume that is what you are talking about) is a great idea, though.