With the improvement of the quality of life, more and more people choose to keep pets to add fun to life, and turtles have become the first choice of many pet lovers because of their unique charm and easy maintenance. However, many novice turtles will encounter a troubling problem when they first arrive home: the new turtle will not eat food after arriving home. This question causes many novice pet owners to feel anxious and uneasy. So what’s going on when a new turtle doesn’t eat food when it arrives home? Here are five reasons why new turtles won’t eat when they arrive at home. 90% of people may not know these reasons!

1. Not adaptable to the environment

Turtle is an animal that is very sensitive to environmental changes. When they are brought to a new environment, they are likely to feel uncomfortable due to the change in environment, resulting in anti-feeding behavior. The water quality, temperature, light and other factors in the new environment may be greatly different from the environment in which the turtle lived before. These differences can cause the turtle to feel stressed and uneasy.

Solution: Before bringing a new turtle home, you should learn as much as possible about the environmental characteristics of its native place and simulate a similar living environment for it at home. In addition, after the new turtle arrives home, you should give it enough time to adapt. Do not rush to feed or interact with it, and let it slowly adapt to the new environment.

2. Stress response

In addition to being unable to adapt to the environment, the new turtle not eating food after arriving home may also be caused by a stress response. During transportation and transfer, turtles may be frightened or bumped, which can cause a stress response and affect their appetite.

Solution: In order to reduce the occurrence of stress reactions, owners should choose stable transportation when bringing new turtles home and avoid overly frightening the turtles. After arriving home, the turtle should be placed in a quiet, stable environment and allowed to slowly regain its composure.

3. Gastrointestinal problems

If a new turtle does not eat food when it arrives home, it may be due to gastrointestinal problems. During transportation, turtles may suffer from gastrointestinal disorders due to bumps and tension, resulting in loss of appetite. In addition, gastrointestinal problems may occur if the new turtle has eaten stale or inappropriate food in its previous environment.

Solution: For those who refuse to eat food due to gastrointestinal problems, owners can try to feed the turtle some foods that are easy to digest and beneficial to the gastrointestinal tract, such as fresh vegetables and fruits. At the same time, you can also add some probiotics or digestive enzymes to the food to help the turtle regulate its gastrointestinal function. If the situation is serious, it is recommended to seek medical treatment in time.

4. Disease factors

In addition to the above reasons, new turtles not eating food when they arrive home may also be caused by disease factors. Turtles may be infected with diseases during transportation, which may affect their appetite and health. Common diseases include respiratory infections, gastrointestinal diseases, parasitic infections, etc.

Solution: If it is suspected that the turtle does not eat food due to disease, the owner should carefully observe the behavior and body posture of the turtle and check whether it has abnormal symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, diarrhea, weight loss, etc. Once abnormalities are found, the turtle should be taken to a professional pet hospital for examination and treatment in time.

5. The feed is inappropriate

The last reason may be that the feed is inappropriate. Different species of turtles have different food needs. If the owner provides inappropriate feed to the new turtle, the turtle may refuse to eat because it does not like to eat or cannot eat it.

Solution: When purchasing a new turtle, owners should find out from their source what kind of feed is suitable for this type of turtle, and prepare it at home in advance. At the same time, you should also pay attention to the quality and freshness of the feed and avoid feeding expired or spoiled feed to the turtle. When trying different feeds, pay attention to the turtle's reaction and preferences, and gradually find the feed that best suits its taste.

To sum up, new turtles not eating food when they arrive home may be due to a variety of reasons, including environmental incompatibility, stress response, gastrointestinal problems, disease factors and inappropriate feed. In order to solve this problem, owners need to carefully observe and patiently care for the new turtle, create a comfortable living environment for it, provide suitable feed, and give it enough time to adapt. If the problem persists or the turtle shows other abnormal symptoms, it is recommended to seek help from a professional pet doctor in time.

In the process of raising turtles, we are not only taking care of a pet, but also establishing a deep emotional connection with a little life. I hope every owner can understand and care for their turtles carefully, so that they can live a happy and healthy life in their new home.