Question: My new hatchling does not eat - should I worry ?

Answer: Usually not, except for a turtle that is visibly ill or internally injured. Most hatchlings, if they refuse to eat for a period of time, will start eating sooner or later. Put in a new invironent they often take their time during which they get accustomed to their new home, but after settling in thier usual huge appetite comes back. Sometimes people keep them in cold water which will make the turtles 'lazy'. Keeping them at proper teperatures will keep thier metabolism at usual levels and have them active. Turtles, and any other reptiles, are cold blooded and need an external heat source to function at normal level and digest food properly. The other mistake that people do is a result of wrong identification of the turtle species. People sometimes have an aquatice turtle but thinking it is a box turtle keep it dry, or threy try to feed it the wrong food. I had an email from someone who kept a snapper hatchling in a shoe box, gave it lettuce, carrots and apple and after few weeks could not understand why the turtle is deteriorating and does not want to eat. So, the first thing to do after getting a turtle is to properly identify it, do some research and learn all the information about this species. Keeping it in proper environment and giving proper food will ensure the turtles survival and minimal trouble. Of course turtles which are sick should be taken to a vet. To read more about snapping turtle hatchlings please click here Thanks for asking! Stan

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