my aquatic turtle isn’t eating and he doesn’t like to go on his dock anymore. is the tank too small? its 5 gallons. also what should i be feeding him? what size rocks should i put in his tank? how much water and what kind of filter should i get? also he gets really hissy when i touch his shell. sorry for all the questions. my friend couldn’t keep him so she gave him to me so I’m fairly new

最佳回答：

Hi, Thanks for reaching out with these very good questions! Turtle care is actually quite complex. Charlie will need a UVB light that should be changed every 6 months, as well as a heat source to create a hot basking area over the dock. The water should be dechlorinated and water quality should be tested weekly. A filter should be purchased in accordance with the size of the tank. The tank size depends on the size of the turtle but obviously the bigger the better for their enrichment and exercise access. You can offer a variety of large rocks that can act as basking areas along with plastic or live plants. Red eared sliders should eat a mix of commercial turtle food (Reptamin or equivalent), fresh shredded carrot, sweet potato, greens, earthworms, even live feeder goldfish. However, since live food items may transmit parasites, Charlie should see a veterinarian 2 times a year for a wellness exam and fecal check. Since you are a new turtle owner, feel free to request a consult and we can discuss Charlie’s care and husbandry in more detail. Also, I recommend reading the red rated slider page under “chelonian” on the website anapsid.org. Good luck!!