Turtle Races Day 2024 is on Friday, June 7, 2024: baby turtle shell getting soft.?

Friday, June 7, 2024 is Turtle Races Day 2024. The Turtle Walks race was well underway.

Sounds like your turtle has a textbook case of metabolic bone disease. Turtles NEED UV lighting for their bodies to use calcium. If they don't get a UV lamp or daily outdoor light for several hours a day they get REALLY sick. Their shell and bones get softer, and they die a slow and very painful death. The best way to prevent this is to provide a high quality UV light (like a Powersun, available at most large chain pet stores). If you can't afford this it will need to be outside EVERY day (not just next to a window cause glass filters UV out). Outside everyday isn't always possible in cold places (unless you plan to hibernate it which I don't recommend) so it will NEED a UV light if that is the case. If you have UV lighting and the shell is still soft it is either because the UV light you used is worthless (like many UV lights on the market) or its diet is lacking calcium. If its diet is lacking calcium it should have feeder minnows (not goldfish, they are lower in calcium) and/or "turtle bone" (a floating calcium treat available at pet stores). I recommend taking your turtle to the vet to rule out anything else, but he will probably just say the same thing I told you. There is probably still time to save your turtle if you hurry. If you can't do what needs to be done the turtle need a new home (however I'm sure you will try to save it because you seem to love it very much). If your turtle is your only friend you should attend a reptile expo. I go to them partly because I meet friends with similar interests (reptiles, such as turtles). You can find these expos by picking up a copy of Reptiles magazine or googling reptile expos in your area. Even if you don't meet a friend there it will be one of the coolest experiences of your life!!! However, I can't imagine going there and not making a friend- they are probably the friendliest people on Earth.

How to feed my turtle??? help please!?

First of all calm down they are not going to starve! Turtles are amazingly resilient creatures. In the wild they will go very long periods without food because food isnt always abundant in the wild.

Secondly turtles have evolved in a way that allows them to feel hungry all the time. A turtle will always act as if they are starving (in the wild they need all the food they can get). Ignore this and feed your turtles every second day.

Thirdly i cannot stress this enough! Please for gods sake dont feed commercial turtle food! Its full of crap and will cause malnutrition. Pellets should be used for treat purposes only (once a fornight if that). The only other time is in ex stream cases where the turtle is likely to die! And this is not happening to your turtles by any means! Feed your turtles live or frozen blood worms, insects and im not sure about your species but im pretty sure they are omnivorous. In which case various fruits would be good (you should have researched this before you got them).

I dont know about the guy that said the turtles bite will hurt but he must not interact with his very much (they dont have any bloody teeth!) When your feeding your turtles take them out of the tank and put them into a container or dish full of water (they must be fed in the water). Use tweezers and hold the food infront of their face.

My turtle has a gorgeous temperament. Infact he is very sweet. You do need to hold them so they get used to you and realise your not a threat. They will learn to associate you with good things ( your where their food comes from). Just hold them for 10 minutes or so a day in the water so they feel safe. Watch them in your tank (i hope you have all right set-up!). Just watch them through the glass turtles are curious creatures and may even come up and watch you through the glass.

My little ones awsome! When i come into the house he will swim right up and push his little head right out of the water to greet me. When i put my hand in he races over to hop into my palm and just sit and stare at me. If i sit by the tank he will come up to me and investigate what im doing. He trusts me and never bites me (not that it hurts). You'll know when your turtles trust you when they dont try to escape while your holding them! Infact if i tap the glass he comes running over!

And lastly Unless they look ill (sometimes you just know) i wouldnt worry to much. The eating will come. Only start to worry if they becomes ill and havnt eaten for a month or so.

Good luck hope this helps!

EDIT:

I just wanted to make this very clear ive never seen nor touched a tortiose or any of the species of turtle kept in the US. Australia doesnt have tortoises. And our turtles are very placid they retract into their shells they never attack. And when and if they bite its not vicious. I trust you cant argue (tortoise bite) seeing as you can never own the same species as i. Im proud that i have such a unique species :) no-one can take that away from me (that makes Australia special and my baby even more special!)

Everyone Australia has some of the rarest reptiles in the world im know im lucky to be with them everyday!

Where does the story "rabbit and the turtle race" orinally come from?

The actual Fable titled "The Hare and the Tortoise" is attributed to Aesop.

A Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on

with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue.

Slow but steady wins the race, is the nominal meaning.

I pasted so you can see for yourself what so many people miss. The Hare is "he" and the Tortoise "her." Thus the fable is of ancient origin and the constant battle between men and women for leadership.