Turtle Stops Eating?

Mr. and Mrs. have stopped eating for a week...:( I know the reason is because of their Pneumonia, but there are also other reasons for turtle stops eating such as temperature, water condition and deceases. If your turtle is an adult, you may try to force feeding... but if he is a baby like Mr. and Mrs, the best way is to wait for them being healed and start eating by themselves.

Below is an article I found about some common reasons for a turtle stops eating. I hope my Mr. and Mrs. will be fully healed very SOON!

Article sources: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071218171301AAQejs3

Some things that are pretty general and should be checked if the turtle recently changed its patterns:

Temperature--if too cold, turtles can't digest so they stop eating. Your turtle needs a heater if there isn't one already.

Pneumonia--turtles are pretty susceptible to respiratory infections. Look to see any bubbles coming out of the nose while it's on land. Listen to hear any wheezing noises (you pretty much shouldn't be able to hear strong breathing noises in any turtles). These can indicate a pneumonia which should be treated by a specialist. 

Clear eyes--the turtles eyes should not be weepy with fluid or pus or mucus. Check to make sure one isn't more difficult for the turtle to open. Make sure they are not swollen. All of these can be signs of eye or other infections. 

Shell--is the shell soft. Does the shell show "damaged" spots that look like a sore or erosion. Once you find pictures of your breed of turtle online, compare the shape of the shell of yours to healthy turtles shown online. Most turtles are pretty dome shaped and should not be slope-shelled, asymmetrical, show dented areas of shell, etc. Any of these can be signs of disease, nutritional deficiency, or a lack of light. (Tiny little flakes at the center of scutes or edges of the shell are probably just normal shell growth).

Fungus--look for white cottony like growths on the shell, mouth, or extremities. These can be fungal infection. In my experience this usually doesn't cause lethargy until seriously progressed. 

Diet--once you figure out what kind of turtle you own, make sure it has the right diet. One of the most common mistakes of new turtle owners is feeding any/all turtles lettuce and fruit. Some breeds don't eat this at all, and most breeds that don't eat meat need attention payed to keeping the assortment well-rounded. Turtles fed the wrong diet will slowly die.

Light--does your turtle get a broad spectrum light? Just like people, most animals need sunlight (artificial or real) to healthily grow and process nutrients.

Feces--should be fairly well formed. If your land turtle has loose watery stools, or stools are exceptionally foul smelling, it might be due to a parasite or other illness and should be seen by a specialist.