I searched the internet, researched the topic, and wrote down everything that I thought would be important. My turtle has clean water, room to swim, and a place to hide. Eivey has a heat lamp, as well as the recommended UV light which is needed for some of his/her vitamins, and yet, I think he/she is not adapting well. I am concerned that if I don't get some advice, my turtle is going to die, which I would really rather did not happen. I don't understand what went wrong, he/she doesn't seem to be eating, do turtles eat at night?? I had flakes, but I can't tell whether they are being eaten so I got some turtle pellets, and some of the "Turtle Delights" which are supposed to be treats, in order to entice them to eat. I am counting what I put into the tank as food, and checking often. I really am quite worried, in the first few days Eivey was energetic, and now seems less enthused about swimming, I make sure I clean my hands before touching him/her, and I have followed all the rules I have read about, with the exception of a Herp vet, as I have not yet found one in my area. Please if you have any suggestions, let me know, so my turtle will have more of a chance of being ok.

What are the temperatures of the enclosure? What size enclosure are you using? What is the temperature of the water? What is the temperature of the basking spot? What type of UV light are you using and how close (in inches) is it to the turtle? How long have you had the turtle?

These questions are going to be asked by whoever posts in this thread, so it's best to get them listed now.

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I have followed the rules, my temperatures are 25C for the water and warmer for the basking area. The lights are six inches from his tank, the temperatures are correct, I know that much. His enclosure is big enough for his size, a 20 gallon tank, as he is very tiny. I have only had him a week tomorrow. I just don't want anything to happen to him.

Do turtles eat at night?

If you have only had him a week, he could still be getting used to his new home and is stressed. Give him another week to adjust.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

I'm just worried he will not make it, I am concerned, as when I got him he was energetic, and now his energy level went down. I had a goldfish in with him, for company, but I read that they can make turtles sick, so I took him out today, which is when I noticed the decrease in energy. Could he be lonely now?

If you are extremely concerned about him not eating, purchase a few guppies and toss those in his swimming area. Turtles are natural predators and will eat the guppies without an issue. Their activity may gain his attention and help trigger a feeding response.

Guppies and other feeder fish should only be used as treats. I am tossing that in there so no one reading this post starts feeding them daily.

I also agree that he may be getting used to his new environment. A week is not a very long adjustment period. Give the guppies a try. If they aren't eaten immediately, they will eventually be eaten.

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Guppies are so expensive at pet stores, do you know of other places they can be aquired? Do bait shops sell guppies? I am willing to spend the money on Eivey, and I also read that they will hunt guppies, he loved playing with the goldfish I had in there, or trying to eat it, either way, he was enjoying that. I also know that they should be just a treat. I didn't move into the decision for a turtle blindly, I thought it over and researched if thoroughly, it is different than what I read, everything told me they would be easy, and complicated at the same time, maybe it just seems difficult because he is new. Thank you for the guppy suggestion, I will try it tomorrow when I am in town again I will pick up some guppies.

You should be able to find guppy feeders at any pet store for about $0.25 each. Don't look for the fancy guppies (the ones with the pretty tails).

Also, be sure your lamp produces UVB. UVB is VERY important. "Full spectrum" is not UVB, It should say UVB and be more expensive than all the other bulbs.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Also, is the water you have for him filtered? How much do you have in the tank?

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