My new RES turtles aren't eating. Are they sick or just adjusting?

Check the temperature across the enclosure. Low temps can affect activity, appetite and digestion in reptiles. Expect Raph to be a bit skittish in his new home. Make sure he has fresh food and clean water. Give him a week or so to "settle in". When around the cage, move slowly and speak softly. Being that he is "new", he should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to make sure the runny nose is not due to a developing respiratory infection.

Clean the tank and perform a partial water change. Rinse the filter media in some tank water, not tap water, to preserve beneficial bacteria. Make sure the water is warm, between 75F and 86 F, and the basking area is at proper temp ( 85 F to 90 F). Low temps can affect activity in reptiles. She may need a few days to reacclimate to you, even though you weren't gone long. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite, swimming crooked, difficulty breathing or discharge from the eyes or nose. If necessary, have her examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet to diagnose and treat injury or infection.

One of the most common reasons for a reptile to have a decreased or absent appetite is because of husbandry. I would recommend starting there, and ensuring that the husbandry is as perfect as possible. Often times, even seemingly minor things can make a big difference for a reptile. For example, it looks like your turtle has a glass enclosure from the picture (I apologize if this is not the case), and often this can be stressful for them as they don't understand the concept of glass. It is recommended to keep them in opaque/non-see-through containers, such as turtle tables or large Rubbermaid containers for example. Alternatively, this may also be a problem that started before you acquired Hades. Reptiles can take a long time to get sick, and then when they show their signs of illness, it can seem to come on suddenly. Due to this, I would recommend taking Hades in for an examination with a veterinarian, as this is a good idea for any new pet, including turtles! At the visit, your veterinarian will go over the husbandry for Hades, and can make recommendations. Additionally, they may recommend radiographs (x-rays) to look at bone quality, as metabolic bone disease is very common in reptiles. They may also recommend blood work and/or a fecal sample as part of a wellness exam to look for any signs of infection, anemia (low red blood cells), to look at organ function, and to evaluate the feces for parasites. If you would like to try husbandry changes first, and want to talk about Hades further prior to your veterinary visit, I would be happy to do a consult with you. I hope this gives you a place to start!

Thanks for reaching out about Sammy. It does take some time for animals to adjust to new environments. Are you feeding the same food as the store? Check and correct husbandry (water temperature, haul out temperature, UVB exposure). Good luck.

Walt likely got too cold when the power went out. I'm not convinced that 10 minutes basking outside would have made him that dehydrated. He may be on his way to getting a respiratory infection. What food(s) has he tried feeding him (turtle sticks, live meal worms, sun-dried worms, shrimp?)? The other option is that when he got cold it stimulated his body to go into hibernation mode. In the wild, sliders do hibernate, but it has to be quite cold and other conditions have to met for captive turtles to successfully hibernate. When they're a bit too chilly, but not cold enough to hibernate, they become inactive and quit eating. This leads to illness, and often death. Your boyfriend needs to make sure that his husbandry is 100% spot on - water temperature, humidity, basking area, etc. If he has a UVB light it needs to be changed every 6 months even if the light is still working. It will stop producing UVB rays and then he is not getting what he needs. So I suggest changing that bulb if that has not been done in the last 6 months. Reptisun 10 is my preference. Here is a great care sheet: http://www.reptilecentre.com/info-yellow-bellied-slider-care-sheet If his husbandry is 100% correct and he tries various other things to feed him and he still isn't eating in a few days he will need to see a vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Without an exam, it can be difficult to determine what may be wrong. Confirm proper environmental parameters, especially temperature. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. You can offer bits of raw beef heart to stimulate the appetite. Be sure to offer a balanced diet including protein (feeder fish, nightcrawlers, etc.) fresh greens and vegetables and a small amount of commercial pellets. A calcium supplement and a powdered multivitamin should also be used. You can review slider care at the links below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Red-Eared-Slider-Care-Sheet/ http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

If possible, separate them until you get a diagnosis. Get a stool sample from the sick turtle and submit it to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial infection. An exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles is strongly recommended given the marked weight loss and lethargy. Increase water and ambient temperatures by a few degrees to support the sick turtle. Offer a biologically appropriate, species specific diet as well as proper vitamin and mineral supplementation. Check the UVB bulb and replace it of it is older than 6 months old. The symptoms you describe have multiple causes, so it is important to have an exam and testing to reach a diagnosis. Treatment will depend on the diagnosis. Follow the link below for information regarding care and husbandry of red eared sliders. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html