Why does a red-eared slider not eat and also shed its skin?

These days, red-eared sliders can be considered very common on the market. So, some people who keep red-eared sliders get troubled by them. Are you troubled too? Is it normal for a red-eared slider not to eat? Most people think a red-eared slider shedding its skin is just it changing its shell, because shell shedding in turtles is a normal growth phenomenon. In fact, shedding skin and shedding the shell are not the same thing. So what is going on with the skin shedding? Now let me tell you how to solve the two problems that trouble people who keep red-eared sliders!

Why red-eared sliders do not eat

1. When the temperature is below 13 degrees, the turtle enters hibernation, which is very normal.

2. Some small turtles get eye disease, and because they cannot see, they cannot see the food. You must check their bodies for them. There have been cases in the past of small turtles starving to death after getting eye disease.

3. It is still related to the little turtle's body. It may have a stomach or intestinal problem or some other problem, so it is better to see a vet as soon as possible.

4. So-called “special turtle food” is generally best not fed, because its quality cannot be judged. Eating it may actually do harm.

5. Turtles that are too small cannot eat it; if they go hungry too long they will go dormant, and small turtles that go dormant often never wake up again, so feed them more to keep them from going dormant. Once they grow bigger than a matchbox, they will generally eat on their own.

6. There are other reasons for not eating: an unfamiliar environment; cold, so they do not eat; they have never eaten fish or meat.

What is going on with red-eared sliders shedding skin

When a red-eared slider sheds its skin, observe carefully to see whether the shedding is viral or normal. Check whether there are signs of further ulceration. You can add a little antibiotic to the water, such as erythromycin or penicillin. The turtle's scutes will first lift at the edges, just like pieces of fish scales stuck on top. Note! Never help it peel those scutes off!! When the time is right, they will fall off naturally. My own turtle, because I helped it peel off some scutes that looked like they were about to fall off, ended up with an injured shell, and it took one or two years to heal. Even after healing, scars remain there, and the beautiful pattern never comes back. If you are unlucky and it gets a bacterial infection and the shell rots, that can directly kill it. When it sheds, its old skin also comes off, like a snake shedding its skin, but it does not all change to new at once; instead it hangs on it like a wedding dress, which is quite interesting. Of course, do not tear it off for it either, for the same reason as above. So when a turtle is shedding, all you need to do is keep the fish tank clean and change the water often. Shedding is a sign that the turtle is growing up. After shedding, the turtle's color and pattern both become a bit worse.

How to deal with red-eared sliders shedding skin

1. Determine the real reason the turtle is shedding skin. First, you should carefully determine the real reason the little turtle is shedding skin. There are many reasons for a small turtle to shed skin, and most of the time it should be a normal growth phenomenon. Normal shedding does not require too much worry; it means the little turtle is healthy and growing. If the little turtle's shedding is flocculent, thread-like material or even shows rot and inflammation, then the skin may be infected and must be treated promptly.

2. Membranous shedding is a normal phenomenon in turtle shedding; make sure the little turtle's shed skin falls off naturally. Membranous shedding is the little turtle molting, an inevitable sign that the little turtle is growing. This kind of shedding is like a snake shedding its skin: it will not all come off at once, but gradually. At this time, owners must not be impatient and tear it off for it, as this will certainly harm the little turtle's skin and cause inflammation or even rot.

3. When the little turtle is shedding, keep the tank clean and pay attention to the correct way to change the water. When the little turtle molts, a lot of dead skin will appear in the water and affect the water quality. To keep the tank clean, change the water every day, and the frequency of water changes must be regular. When feeding the little turtle, feed it bit by bit; do not take the easy way and dump all the food into the water at once, which leaves too much food residue in the water and makes the water quality worse.

How to deal with a little turtle shedding skin

4. Pay attention to giving the little turtle more sun and control the tank water temperature. When the little turtle is shedding, you can let it bask in the sun appropriately; sunbathing lets the little turtle replenish calcium in time and prevents rickets. Usually pay attention to controlling the tank water temperature; it is best kept at around twenty degrees. When changing the water every day, also make sure the temperature difference is no more than five degrees. If the temperature difference is too great, the little turtle will not adapt and will get sick.

5. Determine whether it is saprolegniasis, then dry the affected area for the little turtle in time. If the little turtle's shedding is flocculent, thread-like material, it should be confirmed as saprolegniasis. Saprolegnia exists in the water; just remove the little turtle from the saprolegnia environment for a while, then dry the affected area, and the symptoms will slowly disappear. Before putting the little turtle back in the tank, the turtle tank should be thoroughly disinfected.

6. For severe rot, apply medicine in time to sterilize and reduce inflammation. If the shed skin is very thick and not transparent, and the wound is red and swollen, then it must be treated promptly. If ignored, the wound will become more serious and may even rot down to the flesh. First wash the little turtle's wound with warm water, use a clean cotton swab to apply anti-inflammatory medicine to the affected area, twice a day, and keep it in a cool place to rest quietly for a few days. In this situation, do not put the little turtle in the sun, as that will worsen the wound infection. After the wound heals, put the little turtle back into a normal environment for keeping.

How to distinguish rot of the skin from molting in red-eared sliders

1. Rot does not form in patches, and it does not come off; it is a kind of festering state.

2. The skin shed during molting comes off in pieces, is relatively hard in texture, and is semi-transparent.

3. Rot of the skin is caused by infection with Bacillus monocytogenes. Because of high keeping density, turtles bite each other, and after the bacteria invade, the skin tissue at the injured site dies. Water pollution also easily causes turtles to get sick. If not treated immediately, it will lead to death in the later stage.

Did you understand? In general, in many cases a red-eared slider not eating is normal, but when the ambient temperature is suitable and the living environment is healthy, if the red-eared slider still does not eat, then the owner must pay attention and find a way to solve the problem. As for shedding skin, that may be a fungal infection of the skin, which is also quite troublesome.