Sick water turtle? I think. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

assilem · 07-06-2004, 09:30 PM

Does anyone know anything about Red Eared Sliders (water turtles commonly known as Red Sliders)? I have two females and a male in the same tank (80 gallons filled to a little over 60). The females are large and healthy. The male is younger and smaller by about 3 to 4 inches, he has been healthy but lately he has not been eating and Sliders love to eat. He sleeps a lot up on his basking platform. He is one horny bastard though and is always trying to mate with one of the females. Is he sick or just plum tuckered out? I have read a few sites on Sliders and Slider health but he does not seem to be showing any outward signs of disease (puffy eyes ect.). They have a great filter and water quality. If some one could help, please feel free to PM me or post. Thanks to you all in advance.

BadNick · 07-07-2004, 01:07 PM

I'm no expert on these critters but here's what our Franklin is/was doing.

My two boys and I bought a red eared slider from the local pet store about 4 years ago and now it's grown to about 4 times the original size, I'd say it's shell is now about 12" front to back. Like yours when OK, ours seems to be normal and healthy, quite aggressive and eats anything it sees. We feed it mostly packaged dried turtle food, green Tetra repto-sticks supplemented with some red cichlid sticks I had left over but it seems to especially love those too, plus an earthworm now and then and any other bugs the boys catch as long as they clear it with me first. It's getting tight and I'll be moving it to a 55gal tank soon, but this guy or gal I'm not sure which still lives in just a 20gal tank with 6" of water and a single layer bed of 1/4"dia pebbles along the bottom and a pile of rocks on one end with a thick slab of tree bark over the rocks on which it suns/heats himherself under the 60w lightbulb reflector. I have pretty aggressive filtration to make sure the water stays very clean so I use a large Eheim canister filter.

Back during this past Winter, I got worried since it started to act lethargic, sleep all the time, didn't eat for a couple of months, just didn't look good and I thought it was gonna die

However, I had a suspicion that it might just be doing its hybernation thing or whatever turtles do in nature during the winter months. Happily, it must have been that kind of thing for Franklin since it fully "recovered" by late Spring and is now even larger and eats more and is back to its old self

Since I see that you are from "Somewhere in the background" and if I recall the Winters there are longer and end later than here in Pennsylvania, maybe your turtle's bio-clock is a little off and it'll recover and move on with life.

I hope this isn't too off topic but it is turtle related: last weekend I had my boys at Haverford School pond to catch frogs and feed the ducks, we were also netting small fish and throwing back whatever we caught, we just like catching stuff and looking at them. We also caught a couple of red eared slider "type" turtles, but I think up here in PA they are not the same as the one we have at home and are called something else, in my Field Guide of Reptiles, Snakes and Amphibians it says that red eared sliders are more a southern variety and do not normally find habitat above the median latitudes of the U.S. Suddenly, as we are at the shore of the pond, my younger boy yells "whoaaa what's that!" and I look to see a snapper turtle over 3ft in diameter with a huge head and beak it looked nasty enough to take your leg off! Both my boys said it looked like a dinosaur. We lured it partly out to get a good look but it wouldn't take any chances and kept going back under. I bet that thing snags ducks and geese off the pond!

I hope you find out about your turtle and all is well. I'll check back in case a knowledgeable turtle type here says something we should both know. Good luck.

assilem · 07-07-2004, 01:50 PM

I'm in SoCal so the winter is very over. He just started acting this way a week or so ago. But nothing has changed in his environment or diet. I hope it's just a phase. But like I said he spends a huge amount of energy chasing the females around the tank. I might need to separate them or something. I will keep you all posted. And thanks for the advice and story BadNick. I have seen a few snappers to my trips back east. Nasty little fuckers.

Cycler · 07-08-2004, 11:50 AM

Yeah I hope everything turn out well for the turtle.<p>So my snapping turtle story is as follows. I driving through my neighborhood fairly busy street kids, cars, etc. I see this pile of dirt dragging itself across the road. Nearest body of water of any size 1/2 mile to mile away. I get out of my truck to take a look and it is a snapping turtle who is none to happy with the world. I ask the guy across the street if he had seen it and he asks if he should call animal control. Nah I say I'll take care of the bastard/bitch. So I go get my work gloves, fat lot of good they'll do me if it get ahold and go to pick it up. By this time the turtle knows something is up and is turning, jumping, and snapping trying to get at me. This turtle was about the size of a large dinner plate and could extend its neck 1.5 to 2 inches. I pick him up by the back of its shell the whole time its trying to take my hand off and put it in the back of my truck. I drive to the nearest access to water and get ready to take it out of the truck. Now on the ground I had the advantage I could move around a little more in the bed of the truck it can scurry and get better postion on me so after bout 10 minutes of switching sides I get hime turned around enough where I can pick him up and send him towards the water. Still didn't seem real grateful as he snapped and hissed as I let him go. <p>My friend's boyfriend who works with turtles reptiles etc. Said the common snappers are the more ill tempered than the Alligator Snappers who are a little more docile. Alligators have ridges along the top of their backs, common snappers are smooth.

BadNick · 07-12-2004, 10:18 AM

I must have an overly vivid imagination or something. Just for my own sanity and credibility, I'd like to correct the size numbers I posted above. Btw, my overestimates here in no way reflect any exaggeration when talking about how big my important limbs or organs might be

After looking at him when I got home, our red eared slider Franklin is not 12" long, he's about a damn healthy 7". And thinking about it again and talking to my boys, that snapper turtle we saw was over 2ft but not quite 3ft ...still quite large and nasty.

Anyway, good luck with your critter, I hope he gets back to normal soon.

07-06-2004, 09:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
assilem Insane Location: Eternity	Sick water turtle? I think. Does anyone know anything about Red Eared Sliders (water turtles commonly known as Red Sliders)? I have two females and a male in the same tank (80 gallons filled to a little over 60). The females are large and healthy. The male is younger and smaller by about 3 to 4 inches, he has been healthy but lately he has not been eating and Sliders love to eat. He sleeps a lot up on his basking platform. He is one horny bastard though and is always trying to mate with one of the females. Is he sick or just plum tuckered out? I have read a few sites on Sliders and Slider health but he does not seem to be showing any outward signs of disease (puffy eyes ect.). They have a great filter and water quality. If some one could help, please feel free to PM me or post. Thanks to you all in advance. __________________ The mother of mankind, what time his pride Had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host Of rebel Angels

07-07-2004, 01:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
assilem Insane Location: Eternity	I'm in SoCal so the winter is very over. He just started acting this way a week or so ago. But nothing has changed in his environment or diet. I hope it's just a phase. But like I said he spends a huge amount of energy chasing the females around the tank. I might need to separate them or something. I will keep you all posted. And thanks for the advice and story BadNick. I have seen a few snappers to my trips back east. Nasty little fuckers. __________________ The mother of mankind, what time his pride Had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host Of rebel Angels

07-08-2004, 11:50 AM	#4 (permalink)
Cycler Float on.... Alright Location: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plains, i.e. Oklahoma	Yeah I hope everything turn out well for the turtle.<p>So my snapping turtle story is as follows. I driving through my neighborhood fairly busy street kids, cars, etc. I see this pile of dirt dragging itself across the road. Nearest body of water of any size 1/2 mile to mile away. I get out of my truck to take a look and it is a snapping turtle who is none to happy with the world. I ask the guy across the street if he had seen it and he asks if he should call animal control. Nah I say I'll take care of the bastard/bitch. So I go get my work gloves, fat lot of good they'll do me if it get ahold and go to pick it up. By this time the turtle knows something is up and is turning, jumping, and snapping trying to get at me. This turtle was about the size of a large dinner plate and could extend its neck 1.5 to 2 inches. I pick him up by the back of its shell the whole time its trying to take my hand off and put it in the back of my truck. I drive to the nearest access to water and get ready to take it out of the truck. Now on the ground I had the advantage I could move around a little more in the bed of the truck it can scurry and get better postion on me so after bout 10 minutes of switching sides I get hime turned around enough where I can pick him up and send him towards the water. Still didn't seem real grateful as he snapped and hissed as I let him go. <p>My friend's boyfriend who works with turtles reptiles etc. Said the common snappers are the more ill tempered than the Alligator Snappers who are a little more docile. Alligators have ridges along the top of their backs, common snappers are smooth. __________________ "I'm not even supposed to be here today." "I assure you we're open."

07-07-2004, 01:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
BadNick Riding the Ocean Spray Location: S.E. PA in U Sofa	I'm no expert on these critters but here's what our Franklin is/was doing. My two boys and I bought a red eared slider from the local pet store about 4 years ago and now it's grown to about 4 times the original size, I'd say it's shell is now about 12" front to back. Like yours when OK, ours seems to be normal and healthy, quite aggressive and eats anything it sees. We feed it mostly packaged dried turtle food, green Tetra repto-sticks supplemented with some red cichlid sticks I had left over but it seems to especially love those too, plus an earthworm now and then and any other bugs the boys catch as long as they clear it with me first. It's getting tight and I'll be moving it to a 55gal tank soon, but this guy or gal I'm not sure which still lives in just a 20gal tank with 6" of water and a single layer bed of 1/4"dia pebbles along the bottom and a pile of rocks on one end with a thick slab of tree bark over the rocks on which it suns/heats himherself under the 60w lightbulb reflector. I have pretty aggressive filtration to make sure the water stays very clean so I use a large Eheim canister filter. Back during this past Winter, I got worried since it started to act lethargic, sleep all the time, didn't eat for a couple of months, just didn't look good and I thought it was gonna die However, I had a suspicion that it might just be doing its hybernation thing or whatever turtles do in nature during the winter months. Happily, it must have been that kind of thing for Franklin since it fully "recovered" by late Spring and is now even larger and eats more and is back to its old self Since I see that you are from "Somewhere in the background" and if I recall the Winters there are longer and end later than here in Pennsylvania, maybe your turtle's bio-clock is a little off and it'll recover and move on with life. I hope this isn't too off topic but it is turtle related: last weekend I had my boys at Haverford School pond to catch frogs and feed the ducks, we were also netting small fish and throwing back whatever we caught, we just like catching stuff and looking at them. We also caught a couple of red eared slider "type" turtles, but I think up here in PA they are not the same as the one we have at home and are called something else, in my Field Guide of Reptiles, Snakes and Amphibians it says that red eared sliders are more a southern variety and do not normally find habitat above the median latitudes of the U.S. Suddenly, as we are at the shore of the pond, my younger boy yells "whoaaa what's that!" and I look to see a snapper turtle over 3ft in diameter with a huge head and beak it looked nasty enough to take your leg off! Both my boys said it looked like a dinosaur. We lured it partly out to get a good look but it wouldn't take any chances and kept going back under. I bet that thing snags ducks and geese off the pond! I hope you find out about your turtle and all is well. I'll check back in case a knowledgeable turtle type here says something we should both know. Good luck.

07-12-2004, 10:18 AM	#5 (permalink)
BadNick Riding the Ocean Spray Location: S.E. PA in U Sofa	I must have an overly vivid imagination or something. Just for my own sanity and credibility, I'd like to correct the size numbers I posted above. Btw, my overestimates here in no way reflect any exaggeration when talking about how big my important limbs or organs might be After looking at him when I got home, our red eared slider Franklin is not 12" long, he's about a damn healthy 7". And thinking about it again and talking to my boys, that snapper turtle we saw was over 2ft but not quite 3ft ...still quite large and nasty. Anyway, good luck with your critter, I hope he gets back to normal soon.