Robyn, I e-mailed you just yesterday with some photos and quesions, cant wait to hear back from you!

Any way..
My little Tina is such a fussy eater.. She simply refuses to eat her Wardley Reptile Sticks, and absolutly hates crickets! I've been feeding her small feeder fish and she seems to really love them. She isnt too big on veggies, she may take a nibble or two of lettus. But thats it.
http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-...352239_1373.jpg
When I first baught Tina from a pet store, she was sickly, and had Metabolic Bone Disease. Her shell was very soft to the touch, and bent easily. She is 100% better now though... Because all I fed her was the Wardley Reptile Sticks and bugs I found in my garden. (slugs, worms, crickets, spiders, potato bugs and sometimes moths). I also provided her with a turtle calcium block. Since it is winter, she obviously can't have those scrumtios treats anymore... She has slowed down with her growth rate because of the winter season, but as soon as spring hits, she will start growing like flippin' duck weed! I've tried to get her to eat her pellots by hiding them in the fish....

:o ***WARNING!! If you would like not to know of how I feed my turtle her fish, do not read on!*** :o

I would make sure the fish was dead, by crushing its head between my fingers, and then slip a single Wardley Reptile Stick into its mouth. I would then drop the fish in the tank, and Tina would look at it... think about it.. Then swim away. After that, I would toss in another dead fish without the pellet... and she would eat it hastily.

Fussy eater? I think so!

Should I be killing the fish for her? Or should I allow her to try to cath them herself? I've put multiple fish in her tank before, and she dosnt bother with them. She will make a weak attempt, then just give up. I feed her just one fish dailey when she asks to be fed. Like this...
http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-...352237_9806.jpg
http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-..._352238_569.jpg
All wide eyed and swimming quickly up and down, side to side in her tank. Sometimes she splashes to get my attention!

Does she look healthy to you?
http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-...352247_7334.jpg
I think so, I'm still just concerned about her eating habits...

Her Tank:
http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-...352250_9984.jpg
There is of course a heat lamp that hamgs just above her little dock there. Notice the small burn mark on the dock, that is when I first purchased it and the lamp, the lamp was too close... Since then, the lamp has reduced heat from age and use and is further away from her dock.
I do not have a filter in her tank because the water is too shallow and the filters I have tried just didnt work. Because I clean the tank manualy at least once a week, I keep her water lvl at about 5.3 inches deep.

Well, it seems I have added a little more then just my proplem with food... Heh, I hope you enjoyed reading what I have to say. Thank you for your time, hope to hear/see some responces!

~Turtletastic :wub:

First, I will answer your e-mail questions here.

She looks the right size for a 1-year-old red-eared slider which should be in the range of 3 to 5 inches.

A full grown red-eared slider should have an aquarium, indoor pond, or outdoor pond over 100 gallons. A 40 gallon breeder is a good size for just one until he/she is about three or four years old and maybe 6 or 7 inches long. After that, you'll have to decide how to set up a big system.

I would not worry that she won't eat commercial turtle pellets if she's eating other things. My turtle, Tator, a two-year-old red-bellied turtle was eating a ton of commerical pellets and things of about 10 different kinds but lately, he's decided to not eat as much. Turtles go through such phases of eating a lot and then eating little. As long as they're still eating some and otherwise seem normal, we can wait to rush off to the vet. Reptiles can go a long time without eating. If your turtle ends up being female (and her short nails seem to indicate that but she's still pretty young), then eventually, she'll develop eggs. While doing that (developing eggs), female turtles can go weeks or months without eating anything.

Male turtles use their long fingernails to rub the faces of females. Maybe that's why Tina likes being rubbed? I'm just guessing.

She likes being wrapped up because turtles naturally like feeling safe and secure. Just be sure she doesn't get trapped or can't breathe. Never leave a turtle unattended with something like a blanket around.

Turtles aren't very good at judging depth. They can and do fall off of things. In a pond setting, that usually means falling off of a rock or log in to the water. Obviously, if there's no water, she's got a problem!

Now, for your forum posting.

I thought you said she did eat crickets? Tator sometimes eats them. Red-eared sliders really like to eat the poor little goldfish so that's normal. Turtles prefer their fish alive so it's not a surprise that she didn't eat the dead one with the turtle pellet. I'm not sure why she did eat the other one. I guess she's just too smart! A more humane way to pre-kill feeder goldfish might be to put them in a ziploc bag with aquarium water and then freeze it. You can then store the fish until you need them and thaw them to room temperature before feeding. That's all assuming that Tina will eat dead goldfish. If not, you've just got a pile of poor dead goldfish.

I'm confused. She can't catch the live fish at all? But, she eats the dead ones (unless you put a pellet in their mouth)? She should eventually learn to catch the live goldfish. Most turtle keepers who feed fish give them to the turtles live. I don't feed fish to my turtle (but dead fish are in all his turtle pellets), and he's doing fine. Of course, he's a red-bellied turtle which is a cooter so he likes his fruits and vegetables (at least until his recent fasting spell).

She looks healthy.

She is old enough to increase her water depth. Also, a Duetto filter works well in just three inches of water, and you have twice that. Duettos can lay on their side. I used them when my turtles were babies.

So many questions, and I just used up 30 minutes I didn't have! Anything to help a turtle! Good luck!

Woah, thank you for your time!
Wonderful, I'm very pleased to know I am taking care of her properly, knowing she is healthy, smart and happy makes me feel like an accomplished turtle mom!
Over 100 gallons? No problem! Just have to figure out a place to put it!
Wow! Weeks or months?! There is something I never would have thought with Tina! My gosh, I'm very exited now... Less money to spend. ;3 Haha. The eggs she will lay will be infertile, and I would assume I am to just toss them, or maybe mix the yolk and make a sort of turtle soup? (veggies and meats, commercial foods would also be added). I'm 100% positive Tina is indeed female. She has the flat plastron, short nails, short tail, and her bottom is close to her body. Plus, she is a complete diva!
Yeah, I knew that males rubbed their nails on the females faces... But I never really thought of it that way as to why she might like it, thanks! Everytime I rub her head or chin, she pushes her head up, and thrusts really hard, my idea as to why she might like it, was because of how they push themselves right side up when they happen to get stuck upside down. Her head movements are similar, and maybe it is just a natural reflex? I noticed too, that when Tina wants attention (she doesn't do it as much anymore, but when she was younger...) she would dance (with her front feet) for me when ever I looked in at her through the glass.
Yeah, I figured that much, I think its adorable when she is covered with my shirt, or a blanket and falls asleep on my chest while I am watching t.v. or taking a short nap myself. I cuddle with her all the time, she really seems to enjoy all the attention, and gets a huge kick out of being able to walk about my living room floor.
Hehe, I find that too funny, but also sad at the same time. Tina walked right off my bed and onto the carpet one time, that was back when I first got her. Didn’t have any idea she was that foolish in that aspect back then!

Forum:
Crickets, she eats them, she doesn't eat them... She hates the legs, so when I put them in while they are still kicking she generally ignores them.
Actually, when I do kill them, they still... Uh, twitch? and squirm a bit. So. I don't know. Haha! She is perfectly fine eating pre killed meals, just not those pellets!
No, I would assume she /can/ catch them, of course, but I like to know that she has eaten, and is full before the day is out. I felt no need for her to catch her own meals, I don't ever intend on letting her go into a wild environment, but I don't see how it would be a problem, give the little piggy some exersize! and perhaps it would entertain her!
Hmmm. So, Tina will eat more veggies and fruits as she gets older?
Ok, so I can add more water! cool! and, a Duetto filter? I'll have to have a look and get one for her. The more water in her tank, the harder it will be to clean it.

I appologize, please, I don't want you to feel rushed to reply to my questions! I have all the time in the world! You where a huge help, and I thank you greatly. I learnt a few new things, and knowledge is power. Again, a huge thank you to you!
See you on chat boards...

~ Jennifer Clark (aka) Turtletastic!

:(
Thanks for the warning, I should have stopped reading there.

Yes, you would just toss the eggs. I have a sailfin lizard who lays eggs which are infertile; I just throw them away which is sad because she's a very rare species.

Hopefully, Tina will eat more fruits and veggies as she gets older but never as many as cooters do.

Yeah, I knew my little warning might come in handy.. Sorry about the graphic nature.

Thanks, you've been a huge help.