My turtles are quiet and less active when I'm gone. Do they miss me?

Many do believe that reptiles do experience some basic emotions, though we cannot know for certain, some reptiles do exhibit a preference for certain individuals in the home or seem to enjoy interaction with humans. You can read more about this at https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/reptile-emotions/

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.

Hello, Reptiles are cold blooded, and require controlled temperatures at all time in captivity. Noor likely became malnourished, dehydrated, and very cold in her time outside of her enclosure. This can lead to many different problems. It is difficult to force turtles to eat, and many require feeding tubes to get nutrition when they are ill. I would recommend taking Noor to a veterinarian. I hope this is helpful.

Reptiles can handle not eating for a few days. I would worry if they get lethargic and not eat. Then they may be ill. But changing environment can indeed cause your RES to not eat until they have gotten used to their new home. Make sure the temperature in the new enclosure ist correct as reptiles do need warmth to keep their metabolism up. This should also make them more likely to eat.

I am sorry you lost Scoob for now but I am sure you will see him again. Reptiles have very strong instincts and do not really have to learn to be “wild” so he should be fine. Keep an eye out whenever it is sunny and you will eventually see him sunning himself when he is no longer nervous about his new home.

Thanks for reaching out about Michaelangelo. It sounds as if he is more comfortable and hiding less, as long as still eating and active. If you become more concerned, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Thank you for using PetCoach. From your pictures, it looks like Pilu could benefit from some upgrades to get living area. Water turtles do you need water, as well as a basking area, but he may need a dirt area to dig in. Be sure that her water is clean and may need partial changes daily but not complete water change. She needs full spectrum lighting 8 hours daily. If bulbs are not possible then she need a safe outdoor enclosure. Calcium and vitamin supplements with her food are necessary. Make sure there is a warmer basking area in her enclosure. Here is a good resource for turtle care and set up. http://www.anapsid.org/mainchelonians.html