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My baby red-eared slider turtle won't eat or move. What to do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Reptile | Turtle

I won a turtle yesterday at a carnival, a red-eared slider, it's very tiny, I'm guessing less than a year old. I set up a tank for it and gave it a few apple dices but it isn't moving, swimming, or eating. What should I do?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on May 27th, 2019

Check the water, basking and ambient temperatures. Low temps can affect activity and appetite in reptiles. You may need to add a water heater and heat lamp to get the tank to proper temperature. Squirt will also need UVB lighting. Offer dark, leafy greens instead of fruit. Squirt will also need some animal protein (feeder fish, nightcrawlers, etc) as well as commercial pellets to balance out the diet. A multivitamin supplement and a calcium supplement are also needed to help him grow. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on March 21st, 2018

    Check the water and ambient temperature. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. Mae sure the water is not too deep, no deeper than twice his shell length, and keep it clean via filtration or regular water changes. Offer a commercial pellet or stick diet supplemented with dark, leafy greens and some protein (crickets, feeder fish, earthworms). A UVB light source is also critical for shell health as is regular vitamin and mineral supplementation. You can read more about slider care here: http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

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