I just caught a baby lizard. I don't know what it is. It has a blue throat and brown skin with black mini stripes. Do you know what it is and how to care for it?
Answers:
Let the poor thing go. Wild animals are NOT PETS!! If you want a pet lizard, DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST, and once you actually know what you're doing, go and buy a lizard that was bred and raised in captivity, not some poor creature you ripped from its natural habitat.
LET IT GO FREE!!
how bout you just let it go?? anything you catch should be released back where ytou found it. and it might not be a baby just a small lizard
give it to the humane society
You should let the poor thing go. It will be so stressed out living in an enclosed place. It is a wild animal.
Why would you catch it? Just let it go back into the wild where it belongs.
dont play with it if you dont know what it is. it could harm u.
Go to the library and get a few books on lizards. For starters, buy an enclosure and put a water bowl in it, a heat pad, and put a cricket or two inside of the enclosure. You can get them from the pet shop, too. Otherwise, let it go. Just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling.
lol its a blue belly lizard also called a Western Fence Lizard , scientific name Sceloporus occidentalis
they eat other insects.but the baby you can feed it meal worms
i recomend going to library but you should also let it go
ok 1. you can not have a wild pet inless you have a permit.
2.if its ok with your parants.
Wild animals can carry all kinds of bacteria and disease. You should just let him go.
Also, the smaller the animal, the less room for error. If you do make a mistake with caring for it, it could cost the animal its life. It's a wild animal, just let him back outside where he can live out his life.
probably a common brown anole.
I suggest you let it go unless you want to stress it to death.
Check these websites and see if any match it and tell me which one and i'll tell ya more about it! message me which one ya think it is at mruniverse16@yahoo.com.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h.
you should take it to a pet doctor if you want to save it if have any more questions than go to shcrissony@yahoo.com
here's a good idea.let it go back to where you found it, the poor little thing must be so scared.besides you don't know how to care for it, so if you ask me letting it go is the best idea.
Monday, May 24, 2010
I need help! My baby turtles' eyes look weird.?
He can't open his eyes they look swollen or something. What do you think it could be?
Answers:
You shoud take him to the vet he sounds like he has a respiratory infection. If not treated it ill progress and he will die. To find a herp vet in your area check these links, http://www.nytts.org/nytts/helpnet.htm.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vets_for_h.
For more info on RI, respiratory infection read this,
Respiratory infection: Symptoms include difficulty breathing, breathing with the mouth open, discharge or mucus in the nose (bubbles appear in nostrils), frequent sneezing, lethargy, and lack of appetite. Preliminary treatment of these symptoms should be to increase the temperature of the enclosure to at least 85 degrees and eliminate any cold drafts from the room. If this is an aquatic turtle, make sure the water isn't too cold. Check your pet often to see if the symptoms improve over the next couple of days. If they do, continue treatment until the turtle is 100%. If the symptoms do not go away, or get worse, see a vet immediately. Respiratory infections can accelerate to pneumonia quickly, and will usually be fatal.
I agree with Madgins, you should review your care, but since this is a baby, I am sorry to say, he was probably sick when purchased. If you need more help, do not hesitate to email me. Also check out a forum I am a member of. Lots of great people who are always happy to help! http://www.turtleexchange.com/forum/inde.
He probably has some kind of eye infection. Call your zoo or the pet store and see if they can advise you.
The vet is always and option but if this can't be done you may want to try a very very small amount of anit-biotic cream in one eye to see if it helps.
Get the clear cream or ask the pharmacist to suggest something.
it sounds like and infection. from the water hes in maybe? there is something in the reptile section at petstores to treat this. there is a number of causes that can make these symptoms(bacteria,fungus,poiso.
For a good article on this, try: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/care/me.
There are three major reasons for this:
1.) Injury- not likely if both eyes are swollen.
2.) Vitamin A deficiency (common with many 'junk food' diets many keepers are told to use)
3.) Water quality. If the tank is clean and has ZERO odor, it might have too much chlorine or other chemicals in it.
General 'hospital mode' care:
A- Review the care and diet of your turtle at a site like http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. Identify any problems or glitches you might have and correct them. (Sadly, many keepers are following totally wrong info goven to them by well-meaning but uniformed people)
B- Clean the tank totally, or replace it if it is too small. Aim for 10 gallons of water per inch of turtle. If your water is chemically or nasty, use any cheap bottled water.
C- Boost tank temps a little. Instead of the usualy 75-80, try 80-85 in the water and 95 on the basking sites.
D- Minimize stress- noises, vibrations, movement near the tank, handling, being stared at by giants, etc.
E- Offer a high-quality turtle pellet food- go with the best you can afford for a month, then you can combine a more reasonable food and supplement it with live fish fods like worms and feeder fish.
F- Monitor things for a week or two. If they are getting worse, see a vet. If getting better, great. if the same, wait another week.
G- After about a month of hospital care, shift back to regular mode, but be sure to continue providing good care.
see awnsers above.
Let the turtle heal on its own , my turtles got that a few time and they are doing fine
Take it to an exotic animal vet soon.
Answers:
You shoud take him to the vet he sounds like he has a respiratory infection. If not treated it ill progress and he will die. To find a herp vet in your area check these links, http://www.nytts.org/nytts/helpnet.htm.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vets_for_h.
For more info on RI, respiratory infection read this,
Respiratory infection: Symptoms include difficulty breathing, breathing with the mouth open, discharge or mucus in the nose (bubbles appear in nostrils), frequent sneezing, lethargy, and lack of appetite. Preliminary treatment of these symptoms should be to increase the temperature of the enclosure to at least 85 degrees and eliminate any cold drafts from the room. If this is an aquatic turtle, make sure the water isn't too cold. Check your pet often to see if the symptoms improve over the next couple of days. If they do, continue treatment until the turtle is 100%. If the symptoms do not go away, or get worse, see a vet immediately. Respiratory infections can accelerate to pneumonia quickly, and will usually be fatal.
I agree with Madgins, you should review your care, but since this is a baby, I am sorry to say, he was probably sick when purchased. If you need more help, do not hesitate to email me. Also check out a forum I am a member of. Lots of great people who are always happy to help! http://www.turtleexchange.com/forum/inde.
He probably has some kind of eye infection. Call your zoo or the pet store and see if they can advise you.
The vet is always and option but if this can't be done you may want to try a very very small amount of anit-biotic cream in one eye to see if it helps.
Get the clear cream or ask the pharmacist to suggest something.
it sounds like and infection. from the water hes in maybe? there is something in the reptile section at petstores to treat this. there is a number of causes that can make these symptoms(bacteria,fungus,poiso.
For a good article on this, try: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/care/me.
There are three major reasons for this:
1.) Injury- not likely if both eyes are swollen.
2.) Vitamin A deficiency (common with many 'junk food' diets many keepers are told to use)
3.) Water quality. If the tank is clean and has ZERO odor, it might have too much chlorine or other chemicals in it.
General 'hospital mode' care:
A- Review the care and diet of your turtle at a site like http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. Identify any problems or glitches you might have and correct them. (Sadly, many keepers are following totally wrong info goven to them by well-meaning but uniformed people)
B- Clean the tank totally, or replace it if it is too small. Aim for 10 gallons of water per inch of turtle. If your water is chemically or nasty, use any cheap bottled water.
C- Boost tank temps a little. Instead of the usualy 75-80, try 80-85 in the water and 95 on the basking sites.
D- Minimize stress- noises, vibrations, movement near the tank, handling, being stared at by giants, etc.
E- Offer a high-quality turtle pellet food- go with the best you can afford for a month, then you can combine a more reasonable food and supplement it with live fish fods like worms and feeder fish.
F- Monitor things for a week or two. If they are getting worse, see a vet. If getting better, great. if the same, wait another week.
G- After about a month of hospital care, shift back to regular mode, but be sure to continue providing good care.
see awnsers above.
Let the turtle heal on its own , my turtles got that a few time and they are doing fine
Take it to an exotic animal vet soon.
I need help with my turtle?
Well I have had him for two years ive tried to feed him but he wont eat what i feed him last summer i had him outside and i thought i lost him the whole winter went by and my cat found him outside under a bunch of leaves this summer. He was still alive now i bring him in the house at night but i leave him in my backyard during the day he loves the rain i guess he eats outside cause he poops in my house but now that its about to be winter again i want to bring him in the house but i dont know how to take care of him being that he's been fending for hisself i dont even know what kind of turtle he is can anyone help please
Answers:
Trying to psychically determine the species with absolutely no description in the question. hmmm.. nothing so far.
OK, I'm going to guess you have a box turtle, possibly an Eastern/Carolinian based on the 'likes rain' bit.
Check out http://www.boxturtlesite.org and http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. for help with identifying your turtle and how to care for it. (I like Austin's better for care, but it can sometimes be awkward to find stuff there- lots of info!)
You may want to consider just keeping it a 'garden pet' if it has done OK for two years! It will over-winter in a spot that is decently drained, keeps a reasonably steady temp of near freezing but not too much lower, has a little moisture, etc. You CAN duplicate these conditions indoors, but it is hard. Make another big leaf pile (toss some branches on top to hold it together) and let it find a spot it likes.
Most turtles will do far better in a mediocre outdoor habitat than they will in even a good indoor pen- especially box turtles if you are in their natural range!
(By the way- an earlier answer on this thread was mistaken on two points- 'turtles are meat eaters' is mostly wrong. Most turtles eat a mixture of meat and vegetation, depending on species and age. Some turtles truly do only eat meat- but others eat almost totally plants. The next problem is the 'hamburger' recommendation. NO turtle will be healthy eating hamburger- it is too rich, too fatty, and has a terrible nutrient mix for turtles. Fish or chicken is more common for the meat eaters.)
Turtles are meat eaters. There is also turtle food at pet stores. Raw hamburg is a favorite of many turtles. The bathroom would be an ideal climate to keep him in.
You first need to figure out what kind of turtle it is, so you know what its ideal diet is. Pet stores carry food specifically for turtles, and you can also buy live food (grasshoppers, etc) there. Set up a tank for him for an enclosure, and make sure that you have appropriate sater supplies and a heat source. Any good pet store can help you figure out what all you need.
well i have 6 turtles 1 wood and he is orange 3 red eared sliders and they have a red line on each side of there face and to easteren paitnted and they have red poka dots feed it worms and fruit they love that
you probably have a box turtle, it would probably be best to leave it outside and let it hibernate for the winter
to feed it - cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, squash, collards chopped up, chicken based canned dog food, most fruits and vegetables, you just have to try them to see what he likes
most turtles like red foods
turtles like meat when they are younger, but prefer fruits and vegetables as they age. try cutting things like apples and pears in little chunks for him, you haven't said how big he (or she) is. i have three different breeds and they all love apples and pears, small mealworms and earthworms, i have a wood turtle that will not eat any type of store bought food. you can go to turtles.com and help identify your type of turtle. good luck!
Answers:
Trying to psychically determine the species with absolutely no description in the question. hmmm.. nothing so far.
OK, I'm going to guess you have a box turtle, possibly an Eastern/Carolinian based on the 'likes rain' bit.
Check out http://www.boxturtlesite.org and http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. for help with identifying your turtle and how to care for it. (I like Austin's better for care, but it can sometimes be awkward to find stuff there- lots of info!)
You may want to consider just keeping it a 'garden pet' if it has done OK for two years! It will over-winter in a spot that is decently drained, keeps a reasonably steady temp of near freezing but not too much lower, has a little moisture, etc. You CAN duplicate these conditions indoors, but it is hard. Make another big leaf pile (toss some branches on top to hold it together) and let it find a spot it likes.
Most turtles will do far better in a mediocre outdoor habitat than they will in even a good indoor pen- especially box turtles if you are in their natural range!
(By the way- an earlier answer on this thread was mistaken on two points- 'turtles are meat eaters' is mostly wrong. Most turtles eat a mixture of meat and vegetation, depending on species and age. Some turtles truly do only eat meat- but others eat almost totally plants. The next problem is the 'hamburger' recommendation. NO turtle will be healthy eating hamburger- it is too rich, too fatty, and has a terrible nutrient mix for turtles. Fish or chicken is more common for the meat eaters.)
Turtles are meat eaters. There is also turtle food at pet stores. Raw hamburg is a favorite of many turtles. The bathroom would be an ideal climate to keep him in.
You first need to figure out what kind of turtle it is, so you know what its ideal diet is. Pet stores carry food specifically for turtles, and you can also buy live food (grasshoppers, etc) there. Set up a tank for him for an enclosure, and make sure that you have appropriate sater supplies and a heat source. Any good pet store can help you figure out what all you need.
well i have 6 turtles 1 wood and he is orange 3 red eared sliders and they have a red line on each side of there face and to easteren paitnted and they have red poka dots feed it worms and fruit they love that
you probably have a box turtle, it would probably be best to leave it outside and let it hibernate for the winter
to feed it - cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, squash, collards chopped up, chicken based canned dog food, most fruits and vegetables, you just have to try them to see what he likes
most turtles like red foods
turtles like meat when they are younger, but prefer fruits and vegetables as they age. try cutting things like apples and pears in little chunks for him, you haven't said how big he (or she) is. i have three different breeds and they all love apples and pears, small mealworms and earthworms, i have a wood turtle that will not eat any type of store bought food. you can go to turtles.com and help identify your type of turtle. good luck!
I need help with a chinese water dragon!?
He keeps jumping at the top of the cage sometimes hanging upside down. I am going to get a taller one for him in the future but I need a quick fix for now because I do not have the money for it. I have put in things for him to climb on but he ignores them. Also he shed about a week ago and now his skin has a kind of ashy look near his back legs and around his head. He is really worrying me I don't know if he is dry or if he is about to shed again but it seems to soon to be doing that. I try to keep the humidity dry, have a big pool of water for him and have a hot/cold area so I dont really know what i am doing wrong here
Answers:
Your dragon sounds all right to me.
An adult Chinese water dragon (over 2 years) needs a cage 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. I made my own cage for mine. Some of them rub their snouts raw on glass, so I ended up using a half-inch fencing mesh for the sides, which they didn't rub on. I used a wooden framework. Then I had some shelves and climbing structures. There were some areas in the cage heated and others not, so they could choose where they wanted to be. Most of the time the adults stayed in unheated areas at room temperature, but they were able to warm up as needed, especially for digestion. I really enjoyed my water dragons.
it's just look like I think
Asian water dragons like to jump and do often ignore climbing things, some use them and some don't so I think this is normal, when you do have the extra money you may want to get him a larger tank. The ashey look may just be the areas that haven't shed yet.Another way for great info is just type in Asian Water Dragon care in the search bar and there are a ton of sites that can help.
Don't worry about the him jumping at the top of he screen I've watched a wild caught panther chameleon basically climb there glass for two days straight because there was a fake plant on the outside of his tank and he had and enormous enclosure lol as for the shedding problem give him a quick luke warm bath or a spray to get the skin off hope this helps.
Answers:
Your dragon sounds all right to me.
An adult Chinese water dragon (over 2 years) needs a cage 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. I made my own cage for mine. Some of them rub their snouts raw on glass, so I ended up using a half-inch fencing mesh for the sides, which they didn't rub on. I used a wooden framework. Then I had some shelves and climbing structures. There were some areas in the cage heated and others not, so they could choose where they wanted to be. Most of the time the adults stayed in unheated areas at room temperature, but they were able to warm up as needed, especially for digestion. I really enjoyed my water dragons.
it's just look like I think
Asian water dragons like to jump and do often ignore climbing things, some use them and some don't so I think this is normal, when you do have the extra money you may want to get him a larger tank. The ashey look may just be the areas that haven't shed yet.Another way for great info is just type in Asian Water Dragon care in the search bar and there are a ton of sites that can help.
Don't worry about the him jumping at the top of he screen I've watched a wild caught panther chameleon basically climb there glass for two days straight because there was a fake plant on the outside of his tank and he had and enormous enclosure lol as for the shedding problem give him a quick luke warm bath or a spray to get the skin off hope this helps.
I need help with 3 week old baby turtles?
I have 2 turtles and i never see them eat. i got them the floating pellets from walmart. i don't know if they are eating and i'm not seeing it or what.. they were a gift to me and i'm trying to learn more about how to proper take care of them.also since they are just babies do they need less water in their tank i have just an inch of water now becuase when i put more water in they stay on the rock that put in there and they won't get in the water unless its shallow. also what wattage of the UV lamp do i need to have for them.since they are only babies and do i need to be giving them vitatmins or something i read somewhere about a calcium thing you put in the water and it disolves but i'm lost.please help me they are adorable but i want to do this right.oh and how do i keep down the risk of me gettin salmonela besides washing my hands after I handle them.thank you thank you, thank you!
Answers:
Ok for the not eating, read this,
* Is the turtle kept warm enough? If turtles get too cool, they will stop eating.
* Does the turtle like the food you offer? Try out different foods. Some turtles can be very finicky eaters, especially in the beginning. And they have definite likes and dislikes. Most turtles will eventually take small earthworms that are wiggling in front of their nose. Start feeding favorite foods, then slowly introduce other items.
* Is your turtle exposed to too much stress? This is often a cause in new animals. Stress can be caused by handling, traveling, tank mates. New turtles will often not eat properly for several weeks. Be patient and keep trying.
* Is your turtle healthy? Not eating can be a symptom of other problems. If your turtle has been eating well and suddenly stops, a health problem is a likely reason. Take a fecal sample to your veterinarian. (Fecal samples need to be no older than 4 hours, and you need to store them in water in the refrigerator.)
* Don't panic! A turtle can go without food for weeks, even months, and when it feels well again, it will eat again. See a veterinarian, if you think you are doing everything right, and the animal does not eat for more than 2 weeks.
This was found here.
http://www.petstation.com/waturtl.htm.
Other info:
1., take him to a Herp Vet to make sure they are healthy http://www.nytts.org/nytts/helpnet.htm.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vets_for_h.
2. get them the largest tank you can afford. A good rule of thumb is 10 gallons per inch of shell BUT they will get larger so it just makes good sense if you buy big. If you can't afford a traditional tank, get a rubbermaid bin. For substrate, use river rocks larger than the turtles head or nothing. You probably have a slider so fill the tank. Your vet will confirm what you have though.
3. Filtration is a must turtles need a clean habitat, they produce lots of waste. Try for a filter that is made for at least twice what size tank you have. For example, you buy a 20g tank, then get a filter for a 40g tank.
4. Basking, turtles need to be able to come completley out of the water to dry off. You will need to make them a spot to sun themselves. You can use a variety of things, driftwood, rocks piled up, a dock. a log. etc. You will need a special light for your basking spot to simulate the sun, its called a UVA/UVB light you need one with an output of at least 5%, but the higher the better. You also need a light for warmth, buy a clamp lamp and use a household bulb for this. Your water should be mid to high 70's with the basking spot 10 degrees higher. If you can't regulate the water temps, you will need to buy a submersible heater.
Ok now for feeding. Turtles need a varied diet. IMPORTANTWater Turtles Need to be Fed In The Water
Hatchlings
Hatchlings should be fed everyday for the first year of their lives. They should be given as much as they can eat in 10 to 15 mins time or as much as you could fit into their head if hollow. You can feed them all of it at once or you can slit it up into 2 feedings.
Hatchlings tend to be more Carnivorous than adults, so make sure to check out the suggestions of live and protein-rich foods below for how to supplement accordingly. (Make sure you still give fruits and veggies at this stage!)
Juveniles/Adults
Once your turtle reaches the 4" mark, we recommend that you change their feeding schedule to every other day. Giving them greens or live plants in between.
Adults tend to become more Omnivorous, so make sure to check out the suggestions of fruits and vegetables below.
Vitamins and Calcium
You should supplement your turtle's diet with both vitamins and calcium, every third feeding or once a week. To give them vitamins many people will give them a Vitamin Bath once a week. You can also either soak the pellets in a liquid vitamin or dampen them and roll them in a powder vitamin before feeding.
It is recommended you have a light that supplies UVA and at the very least a 5.0 UVB output. The UVB is necessary for the absorption of calcium and vitamin D3. Turtles need both calcium and Vitamin D3 for strong bones and shells.
**Feeding Tip Feedings should be done in a separate container so that you do not have to frequently change the water nor the filter media.
Common Diet Errors
Feeding Cat or Dog Food
Despite what some pet store employees may tell you, turtles should not be fed dog or cat food (Sounds insane, but we've heard it!)
Pellet Only Diets
Pellets provide many benefits, but variety is key!
Supplement their diet with veggies, live foods and some fruits. Check out our safe list below.
Giving in to Beggars
Turtles will always beg whether you give in or not- they know you are the supplier of food!
Supplement between feedings with greens or live foods they have to chase to eat. ( Iceberg lettuce is a common filler that doesn't contain much nutritional value, but will keep them content.)
Safe Feeding List
Commercial Foods (This is just a few of them on the market)
* Tetra Reptomin
* ZooMed's Aquatic Turtle Food
* Exo Terra
* Wardley's Reptile Premium Sticks
* HBH Turtle Bites
Frozen/Canned (For treats)
* Spirulina-enriched Brine Shrimp
* Bloodworms
* Plankton
* Krill
* ZooMed's Can O'Crickets, Grasshoppers, or Meal Worms
Live Foods (Carnivorous)
* Guppies or Rosies Reds (no goldfish they are too fatty and have very little nutritional value)
* Crickets (Gut-Loaded)
* Pinhead Crickets (for smaller turtles)
* Earthworms, Night Crawlers
* Ghost Shrimp
* Aquatic Snails/Apple Snails
* Slugs
* Wax Worms, Super Worms
**Be careful about Wild-Caught foods, they can carry parasites that can be transferred to your turtle. Freezing Wild-Caught foods for a month will help to kill off some parasites.
Fruits (small amounts for treats only)
* Apples
* Bananas
* Grapes
* Melon
* Tomato
* Strawberries
**Should be cut up in small, bite-size or match-like sticks that will be easy for the turtle to bite into and not choke on.
Veggies
* Squash
* Zucchini
* Carrots
* Greens- Red Leaf, Romaine, Collards, Kale, Dandelion Greens
**Stay away from Spinach. Make sure to cut the veggies in bite-size or match-like sticks so your turtle can eat them easily. Iceberg lettuce is a good filler, but contains little/no nutritional value!
Aquatic Plants
* Anacharis
* Duckweed
* Water Hyacinth
* Water Lettuce
* Water Lily
*Salmonela-To keep down the risk wash your hands after handling like you said, don't put them in your mouth and keep the water clean.
Ok I think I covered everything, make these corrections and see what happens. If you have additional questions you may email me, or you can find me at http://www.turtleexchange.com/forum/inde. It's an awesome turtle and pet forum. Great people who are happy to help. I am julia23608 on there, come check us out. Good luck with your turtle!
get a flyswatter and try giving them real food, dig up some earthworms, turtles can't resist a wriggly worm
get a good book about turtles and read it so you can take
proper care of them
see turtles are bit shy even i have two turtles i have never seen then eating but they are healthy without any problem. they move around freely. as you said the turtles sit on rock to bask they need some warmth to keep themselves warm. dont use too much of calcium and vitamins which might spoil the health of the turtles. so dont worry
1. Salmonella is mostly a problem when they are kept in dirty water, but simple handwashing after cares will protect you all the time.
2. Dissolving stuff in the water is not the best option for healthy turtles. Offer them a good diet instead.
3. UV can be tricky- the wattage of the lamp is not as important as the distance from the tank. Most articles suggest about 12" from the basking site. I position mine at 12" to start, then put my hand on the basking site. If it feels hot fast, I back it off; if I feel no temp, I move it in. I just use a blacklight bulb in a metal reflector with a ceramic (high heat) socket. Mine is also on a timer so it is on during the 'hot phase' of the day- noonish to 4ish.
4. Water depth- baby turtles NEED lots of water for proper development- aim for about 10 gallons of swimming water per inch of turtle. With 3 turtles, you should have about 30 gallons of water. Most of us use plastic tubs and kiddie pools for this.
You also need to heat and filter the water. Heat the water to 75-80 using a good thermostatically-controlled heater. Filter with LOTS of filtration. The site http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. offers lots fo advice on equipment like this.
5. Diet. Try a high-quality turtle pellet made for baby turtles and suppliment it with small, live fish foods like bloodworms. You can get this kind of stuff at most good pet shops.
Some good helpful sites are listed below:
Offer them a variety of foods--they may not realize the pellets are food. Try ground turkey, boiled chicken livers, crickets, good quality canned cat food, frozen and thawed pinkies--anything with high protein content and preferably a smell. Also I think deeper water would be good, because if they decide to get in the water and get flipped onto their backs, they could drown in the shallow water. I read somewhere that a good rule is water should be AT LEAST as deep as the total length of the largest turtle, more is better here. A good water filtration system is important to keep turtles healthy. As for vitamins, cuttlebone is a good source of calcium. Once you get them to eat, just scrape some off and mix it with their food. About salmonella-- Keep some alcohol based hand sanitizer around. I use it first, let it dry, then wash my hands in hot soapy water.
I am going to assume that you have baby water turtles most likely red ear sliders. They need about three to four inches of water in the tank. They will not drown. They also need a basking site which is an area where they can get out of the water and warm up under a heat source, usually a light bulb. They should spend time both in the water and on the basking site. You can jump start their eating habits by giving them a bit of shrimp or raw fish or even lean lunch meat. I would place it on their basking rock as it will make a mess in the water. They do require vitamin A or they can develop eye disorders. There are several products on the pet market that you can add to their water to ensure they get the vitamins they need. Sometimes it takes a while for them to get used to their new environment. Just monitor them closely and make sure they are eating and that they have clean water to swim in. Hope this helps.
Answers:
Ok for the not eating, read this,
* Is the turtle kept warm enough? If turtles get too cool, they will stop eating.
* Does the turtle like the food you offer? Try out different foods. Some turtles can be very finicky eaters, especially in the beginning. And they have definite likes and dislikes. Most turtles will eventually take small earthworms that are wiggling in front of their nose. Start feeding favorite foods, then slowly introduce other items.
* Is your turtle exposed to too much stress? This is often a cause in new animals. Stress can be caused by handling, traveling, tank mates. New turtles will often not eat properly for several weeks. Be patient and keep trying.
* Is your turtle healthy? Not eating can be a symptom of other problems. If your turtle has been eating well and suddenly stops, a health problem is a likely reason. Take a fecal sample to your veterinarian. (Fecal samples need to be no older than 4 hours, and you need to store them in water in the refrigerator.)
* Don't panic! A turtle can go without food for weeks, even months, and when it feels well again, it will eat again. See a veterinarian, if you think you are doing everything right, and the animal does not eat for more than 2 weeks.
This was found here.
http://www.petstation.com/waturtl.htm.
Other info:
1., take him to a Herp Vet to make sure they are healthy http://www.nytts.org/nytts/helpnet.htm.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vets_for_h.
2. get them the largest tank you can afford. A good rule of thumb is 10 gallons per inch of shell BUT they will get larger so it just makes good sense if you buy big. If you can't afford a traditional tank, get a rubbermaid bin. For substrate, use river rocks larger than the turtles head or nothing. You probably have a slider so fill the tank. Your vet will confirm what you have though.
3. Filtration is a must turtles need a clean habitat, they produce lots of waste. Try for a filter that is made for at least twice what size tank you have. For example, you buy a 20g tank, then get a filter for a 40g tank.
4. Basking, turtles need to be able to come completley out of the water to dry off. You will need to make them a spot to sun themselves. You can use a variety of things, driftwood, rocks piled up, a dock. a log. etc. You will need a special light for your basking spot to simulate the sun, its called a UVA/UVB light you need one with an output of at least 5%, but the higher the better. You also need a light for warmth, buy a clamp lamp and use a household bulb for this. Your water should be mid to high 70's with the basking spot 10 degrees higher. If you can't regulate the water temps, you will need to buy a submersible heater.
Ok now for feeding. Turtles need a varied diet. IMPORTANTWater Turtles Need to be Fed In The Water
Hatchlings
Hatchlings should be fed everyday for the first year of their lives. They should be given as much as they can eat in 10 to 15 mins time or as much as you could fit into their head if hollow. You can feed them all of it at once or you can slit it up into 2 feedings.
Hatchlings tend to be more Carnivorous than adults, so make sure to check out the suggestions of live and protein-rich foods below for how to supplement accordingly. (Make sure you still give fruits and veggies at this stage!)
Juveniles/Adults
Once your turtle reaches the 4" mark, we recommend that you change their feeding schedule to every other day. Giving them greens or live plants in between.
Adults tend to become more Omnivorous, so make sure to check out the suggestions of fruits and vegetables below.
Vitamins and Calcium
You should supplement your turtle's diet with both vitamins and calcium, every third feeding or once a week. To give them vitamins many people will give them a Vitamin Bath once a week. You can also either soak the pellets in a liquid vitamin or dampen them and roll them in a powder vitamin before feeding.
It is recommended you have a light that supplies UVA and at the very least a 5.0 UVB output. The UVB is necessary for the absorption of calcium and vitamin D3. Turtles need both calcium and Vitamin D3 for strong bones and shells.
**Feeding Tip Feedings should be done in a separate container so that you do not have to frequently change the water nor the filter media.
Common Diet Errors
Feeding Cat or Dog Food
Despite what some pet store employees may tell you, turtles should not be fed dog or cat food (Sounds insane, but we've heard it!)
Pellet Only Diets
Pellets provide many benefits, but variety is key!
Supplement their diet with veggies, live foods and some fruits. Check out our safe list below.
Giving in to Beggars
Turtles will always beg whether you give in or not- they know you are the supplier of food!
Supplement between feedings with greens or live foods they have to chase to eat. ( Iceberg lettuce is a common filler that doesn't contain much nutritional value, but will keep them content.)
Safe Feeding List
Commercial Foods (This is just a few of them on the market)
* Tetra Reptomin
* ZooMed's Aquatic Turtle Food
* Exo Terra
* Wardley's Reptile Premium Sticks
* HBH Turtle Bites
Frozen/Canned (For treats)
* Spirulina-enriched Brine Shrimp
* Bloodworms
* Plankton
* Krill
* ZooMed's Can O'Crickets, Grasshoppers, or Meal Worms
Live Foods (Carnivorous)
* Guppies or Rosies Reds (no goldfish they are too fatty and have very little nutritional value)
* Crickets (Gut-Loaded)
* Pinhead Crickets (for smaller turtles)
* Earthworms, Night Crawlers
* Ghost Shrimp
* Aquatic Snails/Apple Snails
* Slugs
* Wax Worms, Super Worms
**Be careful about Wild-Caught foods, they can carry parasites that can be transferred to your turtle. Freezing Wild-Caught foods for a month will help to kill off some parasites.
Fruits (small amounts for treats only)
* Apples
* Bananas
* Grapes
* Melon
* Tomato
* Strawberries
**Should be cut up in small, bite-size or match-like sticks that will be easy for the turtle to bite into and not choke on.
Veggies
* Squash
* Zucchini
* Carrots
* Greens- Red Leaf, Romaine, Collards, Kale, Dandelion Greens
**Stay away from Spinach. Make sure to cut the veggies in bite-size or match-like sticks so your turtle can eat them easily. Iceberg lettuce is a good filler, but contains little/no nutritional value!
Aquatic Plants
* Anacharis
* Duckweed
* Water Hyacinth
* Water Lettuce
* Water Lily
*Salmonela-To keep down the risk wash your hands after handling like you said, don't put them in your mouth and keep the water clean.
Ok I think I covered everything, make these corrections and see what happens. If you have additional questions you may email me, or you can find me at http://www.turtleexchange.com/forum/inde. It's an awesome turtle and pet forum. Great people who are happy to help. I am julia23608 on there, come check us out. Good luck with your turtle!
get a flyswatter and try giving them real food, dig up some earthworms, turtles can't resist a wriggly worm
get a good book about turtles and read it so you can take
proper care of them
see turtles are bit shy even i have two turtles i have never seen then eating but they are healthy without any problem. they move around freely. as you said the turtles sit on rock to bask they need some warmth to keep themselves warm. dont use too much of calcium and vitamins which might spoil the health of the turtles. so dont worry
1. Salmonella is mostly a problem when they are kept in dirty water, but simple handwashing after cares will protect you all the time.
2. Dissolving stuff in the water is not the best option for healthy turtles. Offer them a good diet instead.
3. UV can be tricky- the wattage of the lamp is not as important as the distance from the tank. Most articles suggest about 12" from the basking site. I position mine at 12" to start, then put my hand on the basking site. If it feels hot fast, I back it off; if I feel no temp, I move it in. I just use a blacklight bulb in a metal reflector with a ceramic (high heat) socket. Mine is also on a timer so it is on during the 'hot phase' of the day- noonish to 4ish.
4. Water depth- baby turtles NEED lots of water for proper development- aim for about 10 gallons of swimming water per inch of turtle. With 3 turtles, you should have about 30 gallons of water. Most of us use plastic tubs and kiddie pools for this.
You also need to heat and filter the water. Heat the water to 75-80 using a good thermostatically-controlled heater. Filter with LOTS of filtration. The site http://www.austinsturtlepage.com. offers lots fo advice on equipment like this.
5. Diet. Try a high-quality turtle pellet made for baby turtles and suppliment it with small, live fish foods like bloodworms. You can get this kind of stuff at most good pet shops.
Some good helpful sites are listed below:
Offer them a variety of foods--they may not realize the pellets are food. Try ground turkey, boiled chicken livers, crickets, good quality canned cat food, frozen and thawed pinkies--anything with high protein content and preferably a smell. Also I think deeper water would be good, because if they decide to get in the water and get flipped onto their backs, they could drown in the shallow water. I read somewhere that a good rule is water should be AT LEAST as deep as the total length of the largest turtle, more is better here. A good water filtration system is important to keep turtles healthy. As for vitamins, cuttlebone is a good source of calcium. Once you get them to eat, just scrape some off and mix it with their food. About salmonella-- Keep some alcohol based hand sanitizer around. I use it first, let it dry, then wash my hands in hot soapy water.
I am going to assume that you have baby water turtles most likely red ear sliders. They need about three to four inches of water in the tank. They will not drown. They also need a basking site which is an area where they can get out of the water and warm up under a heat source, usually a light bulb. They should spend time both in the water and on the basking site. You can jump start their eating habits by giving them a bit of shrimp or raw fish or even lean lunch meat. I would place it on their basking rock as it will make a mess in the water. They do require vitamin A or they can develop eye disorders. There are several products on the pet market that you can add to their water to ensure they get the vitamins they need. Sometimes it takes a while for them to get used to their new environment. Just monitor them closely and make sure they are eating and that they have clean water to swim in. Hope this helps.
i need help plz read on, its abotu anacondas?
is it true that anacondas dotn have fangs and they dont have any venoms? oh and is it true that they can eat people or a whole baby?
Answers:
Anacondas don't have fangs, but do have teeth. They are not venomous, they are constrictors. They bite their prey, coil around it, and usually pull it under water to drown it. They can get up to 33 feet long, usually weigh around 550 pounds, and are about 12 inches in diameter. They have been known to kill and eat humans (adults and kids) as well as jaguars, but this is extremely rare. They mainly feed on rodents, deer, sheep, turtles, birds, dogs, and occasionally, smaller anacondas.
Yes, Anacondas do have teeth but no fangs and no venom. I belive a full grown anaconda can eat a baby or maybe a small child. They can gulp down some big things.
Yes they do not have fangs,they squeeze there pray.and they get big enough to swallow a baby.
They do have fangs but I don't think they have venom's.They can eat a person whole.once I saw a pic of a anaconda with a crocodile half way in its mouth!(they were both dead!)
Nope, Anacondas do not have fangs, but they have many needle sharp teeth that they use to hold their prey while they drag them under water and constrict them. I am sure they can eat babies and if desperate enough a smaller adult human, as they can eat capybaras.
While being called the largest snake in the world, they are the largest by virtue of girth, but not length. That record falls to the Reticulated Python. However their is some debate as to what the largest snake really is as their have been reports of larger Anacondas.
they have fangs but no vinom and yes they can eat people and baby's whole.
There are three species of Anaconda recognised, none of them have fangs but they do have 106 teeth (give or take of course) 4 rows on top, two rows on bottom of the jaws. They are the worlds strongest and second longest snakes. (Guiness Book of World Records states the Reticulated Python to be the longest (the record was 32 1/2 feet) the longest Green anaconda accurately on record was 30 feet and 450 lbs. Although they have never been proven to eat humans, the Green Anacondas do grow big enough to do so. The only two snakes ever proven to have eaten humans are the Reticulated Python and the African Rock Python. There are photographic evidence of these events, but none for the Green Anacondas. Thanks, Leo
lol they have teeth but no they are not p osionis and do not have venom.. now i doubt they will eat a baby or a person .. but , they can easlily swallow something that size.
Answers:
Anacondas don't have fangs, but do have teeth. They are not venomous, they are constrictors. They bite their prey, coil around it, and usually pull it under water to drown it. They can get up to 33 feet long, usually weigh around 550 pounds, and are about 12 inches in diameter. They have been known to kill and eat humans (adults and kids) as well as jaguars, but this is extremely rare. They mainly feed on rodents, deer, sheep, turtles, birds, dogs, and occasionally, smaller anacondas.
Yes, Anacondas do have teeth but no fangs and no venom. I belive a full grown anaconda can eat a baby or maybe a small child. They can gulp down some big things.
Yes they do not have fangs,they squeeze there pray.and they get big enough to swallow a baby.
They do have fangs but I don't think they have venom's.They can eat a person whole.once I saw a pic of a anaconda with a crocodile half way in its mouth!(they were both dead!)
Nope, Anacondas do not have fangs, but they have many needle sharp teeth that they use to hold their prey while they drag them under water and constrict them. I am sure they can eat babies and if desperate enough a smaller adult human, as they can eat capybaras.
While being called the largest snake in the world, they are the largest by virtue of girth, but not length. That record falls to the Reticulated Python. However their is some debate as to what the largest snake really is as their have been reports of larger Anacondas.
they have fangs but no vinom and yes they can eat people and baby's whole.
There are three species of Anaconda recognised, none of them have fangs but they do have 106 teeth (give or take of course) 4 rows on top, two rows on bottom of the jaws. They are the worlds strongest and second longest snakes. (Guiness Book of World Records states the Reticulated Python to be the longest (the record was 32 1/2 feet) the longest Green anaconda accurately on record was 30 feet and 450 lbs. Although they have never been proven to eat humans, the Green Anacondas do grow big enough to do so. The only two snakes ever proven to have eaten humans are the Reticulated Python and the African Rock Python. There are photographic evidence of these events, but none for the Green Anacondas. Thanks, Leo
lol they have teeth but no they are not p osionis and do not have venom.. now i doubt they will eat a baby or a person .. but , they can easlily swallow something that size.
I need a large aquarium for my gecko in belligham?
when i recently bought my juvenile leopard gecko i figured that my aquarium would be big enough. having him in the aquarium i realize that it is to small. i have alot of great sculptures, rocks, foliage, and wood but no where for it to go i can ony place th small peices in the tank. please help.
Answers:
Leopard Geckos are easily maintained. An ten gallon aquarium will adequately house a single gecko. A 20 gallon tank will house 1 male with 2 females. Never put two males together as they will fight.
So if you don't think there's enough room, you should remove some of the decorations. This problem could have been avoiding by setting up the tank for him prior so that you would have been able to plan more properly. A leopard gecko has very soft skin, which means you should not put in any sharp objects that could cut their skin and cause any injuries. Sand is picked up when striking at their prey. That is a good reason to avoid putting in sand. Calci-sand or other small substances will do well. They need a hiding place or they will get stressed. Small reptile hiding caves in most pet stores. This is all the decor they really require. All other is more or less just for looks, it will be easier for you to just remove some of the decorations than to buy a whole new cage. Well good luck!!
like the previous said, you should probably remove some of the decor. A leopard gecko doesn't really need foilage as they are a desert reptile. A few slate rocks made into a cave and a water dish would be adequate. Pending out what size tank you have, you might need to get a bigger tank. I'd say the minimum size is a 20 Gallon Long for a full grown leopard. Remember, it's about what your lizard need first, then what you want it to look like.
wal mart has large aquariums at reasonable prices
Answers:
Leopard Geckos are easily maintained. An ten gallon aquarium will adequately house a single gecko. A 20 gallon tank will house 1 male with 2 females. Never put two males together as they will fight.
So if you don't think there's enough room, you should remove some of the decorations. This problem could have been avoiding by setting up the tank for him prior so that you would have been able to plan more properly. A leopard gecko has very soft skin, which means you should not put in any sharp objects that could cut their skin and cause any injuries. Sand is picked up when striking at their prey. That is a good reason to avoid putting in sand. Calci-sand or other small substances will do well. They need a hiding place or they will get stressed. Small reptile hiding caves in most pet stores. This is all the decor they really require. All other is more or less just for looks, it will be easier for you to just remove some of the decorations than to buy a whole new cage. Well good luck!!
like the previous said, you should probably remove some of the decor. A leopard gecko doesn't really need foilage as they are a desert reptile. A few slate rocks made into a cave and a water dish would be adequate. Pending out what size tank you have, you might need to get a bigger tank. I'd say the minimum size is a 20 Gallon Long for a full grown leopard. Remember, it's about what your lizard need first, then what you want it to look like.
wal mart has large aquariums at reasonable prices
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