My turtle eats tank gravel. Could she have a mineral deficiency?

He should be eating some greens and vegetables as well. Avoid the fish flakes as they are high in protein. Use both a multivitamin powder and a calcium powder on the food. Rep-Cal and Zoo Med products can be found in the local Petco. Make sure the UVB light is not blocked by glass, plexiglass or fine mesh. Depending on the strength of the bulb, place the source between 12 and 18 inches from the surface of the basking area. Provide a piece of cuttlebone to float in the tank as a calcium supplement for when he wants to munch it. If you can provide the species of turtle in a new post, we may be able to provide more accurate and comprehensive advice.

Thanks for reaching out about Buddy. Chewing and spitting out food is suggestive of an obstruction. Could there be a possible substrate ingestion (rocks, etc)? Vitamin A deficiencies can cause epithelial (skin, throat linings) to swell. Calcium deficiencies can affect muscle and skeletal structure. Brightly colored foods (red/yellow/orange vegetables) and movement (live fish, worms) can stimulate appetite. Check and correct water husbandry. Otherwise a veterinary visit is needed. Good luck.

Check the water quality and temperature. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. Mealworms and pellets are just part of a balanced diet. He should be getting fresh greens and other vegetables as well. Vitamin and calcium supplementation is essential. Make sure any food offered is diced small enough for him to eat. Dust everything with a multivitamin and a calcium supplement. The best time to offer greens and pellets is about an hour after the heat lamp turns on in the morning. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

As long as he is passing the stones, there is no cause for concern. There are no medications to help him expel the stones. You will need to wait him out. Make sure he continues to eat normally. Some added greens may provide bulk to help push the stones through his GI tract. Maintain proper tank temps (water, ambient and basking) as low temps will slow down his digestive tract. Monitor for lethargy and decreased appetite. These are symptoms that should be addressed by a veterinarian.

My recommendations are as follows. Really, though most issues related to turtles not eating are due to improper husbandry so please review all the husbandry and make sure everything is spot on (temperature, lighting, etc). 1. Try a different brand of pellets. I would suggest Mazuri - I think it is the best and most balanced. http://www.mazuri.com/mazurifreshwaterturtlediet-2-1.aspx 2. Check the temperature of the water.. Turtles are cold blooded reptiles and will not eat if the temperature is too cold. For aquatic turtles, the water temperature should be about 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The basking area should be between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. 3. Provide more light. Your turtle also needs adequate light to have a healthy appetite. Aquatic turtles need both UVA and UVB light in their tank. Provide your turtle with 12 to 14 hours of light followed by 10 to 12 hours of darkness. 4. Give your turtle live food. Your turtle is attracted to movement and may prefer to eat live food su

Shrimp should not be the sole source of nutrition. This may lead to deficiencies. Sliders are omnivorous and should be fed a combination of greens and proteins. Offer live prey such as crickets, minnows, nightcrawlers and superworms. Dark, leafy greens can be chopped finely and offered. A commercial pellet or stick formula should also be fed. To stimulate the appetite, you can soak pellets in some water used to rehydrate dried shrimp or krill. Fasting the turtles for a day or two will also get them hungry enough to eat pellets or prey. Be sure to provide adequate space, heat and lighting. Allow 10 gallons per inch of she'll as a guideline for tank size. Three sliders, when fully grown will need a large tank. UVB lighting will aid in calcium metabolism and heat is necessary for proper digestion and health in reptiles. Water temperature should range between 75F and 85F. A basking area should be 90F to 95F. Care should be taken when housing wild caught turtles with captive bred turtl

Thanks for reaching out about Shelly and including a photo. The white on the shell could be hard water deposits that are not really harmful, but a new water source needs to be used. The white can also be exposed bone, which lies underneath the keratin of the shell. This could be due to dietary deficiencies, poor water quality that can erode shell and other problems. Without knowing the cause, there is no home remedy that can be recommended. Diet needs to include whole prey (fish), pellets and offer some vegetables (although many will not eat them). Good luck.

Offer a varied diet including pelleted food, fresh greens and prey such as tiny crickets or earthworms. You can get prey from the pet store, do not feed wild caught insects. It may take a day or two for him to acclimate to his new environment. Keep offering fresh food daily. Be sure environmental parameters are appropriate for the species of turtle you have. This includes adequate heat, UVB lighting and water quality. If you know the species, post it in a new question or request a consultation for more detailed care information.

Turtles need more than a heat lamp for good health. Basic requirements include: clean water, a water heater, UVB light, basking platform, balanced diet and vitamins and minerals. Sunlight is good, however window panes and tank glass block most of the beneficial UVA/UVB rays that turtles need to synthesize Vitamin D3 and to properly utilize calcium. A good UVB bulb should be placed above the tank no more than 12-14 inches away from the basking area. It should not be blocked by glass, Plexiglass or fine mesh. The peeling and white spots may be due to poor water quality, poor diet, lack of UVB lighting or a combination of the three. Keep water clean via filtration and weekly partial water changes. Scoop out uneaten food daily. The filter should be rated for at least twice the volume of the tank since turtles can be very messy. You may be able to get Shelby to eat greens if you offer them about an hour or two after the heat lamp comes on in the morning. This will give her time to warm up

Be sure to feed her in the water. Water depth should be no more than 3-4 inches at her size. You can offer appropriately sized prey such as crickets or dubia roaches. Brine shrimp, tubifex worms and fresh greens and fruit can also be offered. Commercial pellets or sticks should be a staple. Lethargy, swimming crooked or blowing bubbles are typically signs seen in cases of RI. The "gaping" (opening her mouth) could be her attempt to intimidate you. Follow the link below for more information regarding care. The link is for red eared sliders, but care of YBS is the same. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html