My friend is moving to California, and she said she wouldn't be able to take her pet turtle, Rammus, with her, so she gave it to me. She gave me the terrarium he's lived in so far- which I think is rather small for him and have been considering something larger- the food that she says he eats- it's called Cypress-Mix Turtle Pellets- and a fare-thee-well. He hasn't eaten since I took him home three days ago, but I assume this is stress due to the move. I'm pretty sure he is a red eared slider, but I don't know if 'he' is a he or a she, how to get him to eat, and what I can do to ensure he enjoys his new turtle-y life with me.

I can provide this description of him, the way he's been behaving, and his home:
1. He is VERY small, about the size of two quarters. My friend says that he is over one year old.
2. He has a little bridge in his terrarium that he spends most of the day hiding under, yet if I take him out, he will often become quite active- although, his scrambling about looks a little panicked to me.
3. He currently lives in a terrarium with about a quarter inch of aquarium rocks, about 3/4 an inch of filtered water, and a bridge that he can crawl under or on top of if he wants to sun. The whole container is about ten inches long and four inches wide.

I'm one of those easily panicked owners who gets worried if their pet so much as sneezes. I really don't know how to give him the best care and I'm really worried that he won't eat, even though I've read from multiple sources that a turtle can go weeks without food and it's normal for them not to eat if they're stressed out by a new home. Should I take him out more or less? Are there treats I could be giving him to coax him into eating? Should I get him a bigger home? If I visited my local PetSmart, could they help me with caring for him? Are there toys available for small turtles? Can I expect him to get bigger?

Taking him to PetSmart is a great idea. They'll have someone to help you with turtles.

Hope he gets more used to his new owner!!

It's good that you're concerned about his health and nutrition. He is probably very stressed out over the move. I read your description about his food, and it makes me slightly concerned. Turtles, in order to get full nutrition, will need more than just little turtle pellets as food. They will need lettuce and VERY sparingly, tomatoes. Tomatoes are high in fiber, and make a nice treat every now and then. Turtles also like worms, which sounds strange, but they thoroughly enjoy them. Do not feed him protien in excessive amounts because it can cause him to grow faster than he should, which can cause shell and other body deformities. I would also reccomend a slightly bigger cage. The cage should probably be about 35% land and 65% water. Do not make the water too deep. I would provide a beach-like enclosure so that the land is almost made into a ramp for easy access. He will also need some type of UV light made for reptiles. If not exposed to UV lighting, hyperparathyroidism can occurr. UV (ultraviolet) light is what stimulates growth, and shedding, and other essential functions of the body. The top of your enclosure should not be glass (where the light goes), because UV rays can not pass through glass. And a shady spot to escape the heat of the light should also be included. You may also want to purchase an electrical surge protecter that times the night and day cycle of the light. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I hope these tips help you and your new turtle!