YBS; physical injury – 11/03/09 Hi there, <Hello,> I have a 2.5 year old yellow bellied slider (sex unknown) <Males have much longer claws than the females, so sexing is usually easy.> who lives in a 75 gallon tank with a gold fish and a sucker fish. <Glad this is working for you; often doesn't. Do watch his/her companions for signs of bite marks. Conversely, water quality in turtle enclosures can be pretty poor, and this won't do your fish any good.> A few days ago the filter overflowed, so yesterday morning I put him in a 50 gallon tank while I emptied and moved the other tank so the carpet can dry properly. <Eek!> Yesterday afternoon I noticed that he had developed a white spot on one side of his head (sorry for the fuzziness of the picture). <Yes, I see it.> He used to live in the 50 gallon tank and I got a new style filter when I moved him to the 75 gallon tank. <OK.> It only has crinkly blue plastic in one side to filter the water as it flows through. The 50 gallon tank housed a Pacu for a few days about a month ago, the water was not fully emptied but the tank has been empty with a carbon filter running constantly for the last month. <Do understand carbon is pretty useless in this type of environment. While it may house some bacteria, without any fish or animals in the aquarium, the bacteria that live in the carbon will die back, close to zero. So I'd strongly suggest putting at least some of the "live" media from the filter used until it started leaking into whatever new filter you have here.> I also had to bring the temperature of the water up from 55F to 72F before I put the turtle in the water. <Indeed.> He still has his basking platform and light while he is in the temporary tank. There don't appear to be any behavioral changes. Please let me know if you have any suggestions regarding the cause, diagnosis, and treatment for my little friends’ spot. <Good, clean water and a hot, dry basking spot should help. Clean gently with a cotton ball or some tissue. Dabbing with an antibiotic ointment (like Neosporin) or an antiseptic (such as iodine ointment) can be used to clean any small injuries. Leave the turtle out of the water for half an hour afterwards. Do this once or twice a day, for a few days. Should clear up just fine. If it doesn't do so within four or five days, or the injury starts to look bloody and/or inflamed, have a vet take a look.> I really appreciate your help. ~Emily <Cheers, Neale.>

Health ?s about an Eastern Painted Turtle  10/22/09
Hi Crew,
<Hiya Denise - Darrel here>
An eastern painted turtle found my 11 yr old son in July.
<Cunning creatures, those turtles>
We're not sure where he came from since we don't live anywhere near water.
<They manage to walk a LONG way from water and can be on the road (figuratively and sometimes literally for months>
To get started we researched turtles on the internet. My concerns are:
1. His shell, towards his head, is turning white.
<I'd like to see pictures -- even from just a cell phone cam>
<When you take him out of the tank and dry him off, is the whiteness slimy?
or powdery? Can you rub or gently scrape it off or does it appear to be under the scutes (plates that make up the shell)?>
2. He's been eating meal worms every day, and then we discovered that he was getting too much protein. He won't eat zucchini or red leaf lettuce now that he's been eating the worms.
<Like a kid that gets fixated on candy ... a habit hard to break. Find a Koi store in your area and ask them for a sample of their favorite pellet food. Tell them you want to test it out on Bolt and then you'll be back to buy some if he'll eat it. Most of the better stores understand and are happy to oblige. The reason we want to do this is that breaking a bad habit is tough work. It takes determination and discipline and patience... and the first thing we try might not work -- no point in having a bag of food that he won't eat.>
<First, make sure he's warm enough. If he's not getting fully heated under the basking lamp, or if the basking lamp doesn't heat his basking area to about 90 degrees, then he's not getting hot enough to digest food properly and probably not hungry.>
<Once you're sure that part is OK, offer him 3 pellets in the water, right in front of him. If he doesn't eat them within 5 minutes, net them out, toss them away and try again the next day. And the next. And the next.
This is where the patience comes in. Bolt wants what he likes and is perfectly willing to out-wait you ... and your eventual guilt about Bolt not eating is his biggest friend. We run a risk here. There are cases where eating bad food is sometimes better than not eating AT ALL ... those cases being where the animal is debilitated from some on-going disease. It doesn't sound like Bolt HAS a disease, but then we don't really know about the white stuff and loss of appetite.>
We also put 6 feeder fish in his tank in September. He ate 2, but nothing since the 2nd wk of Sept. Now, he won't eat anything.
<This brings out another problem. Live fish aren't part of Bolt's natural diet and I'm sure you noticed how comical it was to see him try to catch them. So what happens now ... to all of us ... is you end up with feeder fish that are now unintentional pets. I had two feeder goldfish that grew so big the bullied the smaller turtles, so they ended up in the Koi pond with koi literally 10 times their size ... believe me, none of the koi dare get in their way at feeding time.>
3. He has a 75 gallon tank w/maybe 6 inches of water in it. Is that enough?
<That's fine. They seem to LIKE water a bit deeper, but they normally inhabit the shallows anyway. Given the complexity of raising the water level in a way that would be safe for him, I'd leave it alone right now. In the LONG term, we keepers like deeper water because deeper water tends to hold it's temperature better that shallow water, so it stays warmer at night and doesn't get as hot in daytime. But then we have to engineer higher basking areas and sometimes baffles so he can't climb out, etc. Let's not deal with any of that right now.>
<This would be a good time to ask about filtration though. It's often hard to filter water that shallow. Do you have an in-tank submersible filter?
External filter? Or just frequent water changes? All are acceptable as long as the water is crystal clear and odorless>
4. We're new at the turtle thing, and don't want Bolt to die.
Unfortunately, I'm a student 3 other kids and we can't afford a herp vet right now.
<Well, at the moment, you don't need one. We here at Bob's House of Wet Fun can give you all the guidance you need!>
5. He has a very large, flat rock to bask on. Also, the tank came w/the long florescent lamp, and we won a basking lamp on eBay for cheap.
<The florescent lamp is most likely an ordinary bulb or an aquarium/fish/plant bulb which isn't providing the proper UV lighting that Bolt needs. Look into a Repti-Sun 10.0 bulb from my friends at Zoo-Med.
You can probably find one that will fit in that fixture for a reasonable price, but if that's out of the picture at the moment, we have a standby:
Good old fashioned sunlight. Put bolt in a cardboard box with high enough sides that he can't climb out (minimum twice his length - 3 times is better) and big enough that when we set it outside that sunlight can reach straight in. Then drape a towel over one corner so that there is some shade area. Now you can set Bolt outside where he can drink up natural sunlight and have a place to get into the shade when he gets too warm. A couple hours a day would be good, but if that doesn't fit into your schedule, whatever you CAN do is still beneficial. Just as long as neighborhood dogs & kids can't get to him and he can't get out ... all you have to check on is as the sun changes, does he still have shade?>
6. Other than these things, he seems ok. No sores, swelling, or oozy pus, and he is still swimming around.
<We're ALWAYS happy to hear "no sores, swelling or pus" those are never good things>
Any help you can give is most appreciated!
<And we like doing it!>
Denise
<So here's where we are. I'm sending you two links. The first is on treatment of illnesses and I'd like you to treat for a fungal infection, mainly because it's easy, very inexpensive and getting Bolt out of the water for a few weeks will assist you in breaking his bad eating habits.
Plus it's a fun article to read.>
<Next link is on general care. It describes in more detail the sort of environment he needs and you can use it as a measuring stick against what you have and are doing.>
<Lastly, keep us posted on how this goes. Send pictures, too!>
<
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/treating%20RES%20Dis%20DarrelB.htm>
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Baby Painted Turtle with wound on leg – 09/03/09
Hello!
<Hiya -- Darrel here>
I have caught a baby painted turtle (3 inches) with a pretty deep injury on one of its legs. I am guessing that it is an injury caused by a snapping turtle. The injury is on the part of the leg that rubs on the shell. What do I do to help the infection. Should I leave him out of the water so it can scab over and can I put any kind of medication on the wound to help it.
<Well, you came to the right place, Carmen -- we just happen to have a freshly published article on the basic treatment of common illnesses in Trachemys (Sliders) and Pseudemys (Painteds, Cooters, etc) that covers your questions.>
<First, you're right about keeping him dry. Wet/moist and warm is called an Incubator for germs. There's a section on how to house him to keep him warm and dry, cover the leg twice a day with povodine/Betadine/Iodine for three weeks (four if you can force yourself) all the while keeping him warm
and dry except for 15 minutes or so in a shallow pan so he can drink, poop and eat. It's all in the article>
Thanks
<No charge! In fact, we'll throw in an article on general care too!!!!>
<treatment:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/treating%20RES%20Dis%20DarrelB.htm>

<care: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

A brand new Baby Box Turtle  8/25/09 Hi! <Hiya - Darrel here> I'm Josie. I found this tiny little thing in my garage, covered in cobwebs and dead bugs stuck to her! She is SO skinny and lost one eye! So, of course I had to take her in and settle her in her new home, because she would've died being out there all alone, with only one eye, starving, and only being a baby. I put her in with our 2 year old box turtle that lives in a (supposed to be) sandbox built-in underneath my children's play set. They have a mini pond and a tomato plant out there. I just found her today. I know that it's a female because of the cloaca on her tail. I would just like to know what specie she is, because that would help me take care of her. I named her Cyclops since she has one eye. <What you have there, Josie is a baby box turtle! Cute as a button and right about that size. I wouldn't go as far as to say she's female from anything you can see at that age, but it's as good a guess as male, so let's go with it.> <Cyclops appears to be a common box turtle (Terrapene Carolina). She's omnivorous but will prefer meat initially and live food, such as earth worms or snails when she can catch them. She needs fruits and leafy greens like Apples and Collards as she grows, so keep offering a little bit of that in the diet. If you offer her small snails, make sure that no one has used any form if snail bait around -- snails absorb it and it is extremely toxic to turtles.> Write back soon. -Josie <done!>

Re: A brand new Baby Box Turtle – 08/26/09 I have been trying to feed her lettuce, tomatoes, apples and grapes along with Lexi, our older turtle, but she won't eat them. <Be careful with lettuce. Collards are good, as are mustard greens, etc. Romaine is BARELY O.K. and Iceberg is between useless to actually bad for them> We always fed Lexi fruits and veggies. I did not know that they prefer live food. <As they get older, they tend more toward a vegetable diet, but it's unusual to find a Terrapene that won't hunt an earthworm if offered.> Cyclops is always avoiding Lexi, and our other terrapin, Fredrica, when I put them together. <What kind is Fredrica?> Any advice about that? Thanks for the other info <Cyclops is frightened, for one thing. For another, turtles are not social animals. They live in colonies many times (colony is a geographical area to which they confine themselves and therefore often cross paths) but except for mating they mainly ignore or tolerate each other. What I'm trying to say is that Cyclops is not going to get companionship or moral support by being with others of her own kind. In fact, if an adult male encounters a sub-adult male they've been known to attack them> <My suggestion is that you make a sub partition for Cyclops -- just for a while. Let her get used to being out in the world again. You might try giving her a slightly warm shallow bath for 10 minutes and then offering her a tiny bit of cat food on the end of a toothpick. That's how I get my baby box turtles to start eating when they're "stuck"> Write back soon. -Josie <Done-- Darrel> Re: A brand new Baby Box Turtle 8/27/09 Thank you so much for all your help! <Yer welcome!!> You gave me so much good advice! <YES WE DID! It's why we're here!> I will do the sub partition. <Thank you for TAKING the good advice -- you'd be amazed how many people asked it and then don't> Thanks. -Josie <Darrel>

Ship it  (DarrelB's latest article on Turtles) 7/25/09
Hiya Bob -- the enclosed article isn't what I wanted as a finished product, but as we say in the computer world "there comes a time in any project when you have to shoot the engineers and start shipping product" and in that vein I'd like to get this out there so I can reference it in letters.
Regards
D
<Darrel, tis fab! What sorts of remuneration can we offer you for its posting? BobF>
just your ever loving adoration, a beer one day -- and maybe kick in some Spell Czech for me
D
<Mmm, as much as I admire your self-effacing behavior (to the max youngsters might say); I am much more akin to thank you personally, glowingly acknowledge not just the personal aggrandizement you will achieve, as well as the MANY animals whose lives you will have further improved, their owners appreciation as well... But also forward you some cash (for incidentals like the aforementioned adult beverages)... for now. I will direct such to you via PayPal presently. Again, much grass... and a warning of further prompting for pieces covering the two areas you mention (for now) that directly determine Emydid health... Nutrition and Environment/Habitat. Yours, BobF>

Turtle poop? 7/25/09
Hi!
<Hiya - Darrel here>
So I have 2 turtles I bought at myrtle beach two years ago...one is definitely a red eared slider but the other may be some type of map turtle...looks like a dinosaur! Lol.
<OK>
Anyway...
I have them in a 55 gallon tank that is 3/4 full with a basking area out of water with a light as well as a reptile "Day-Glo" light over the basking area. I keep the lights on during the day and they seem happy to bask awhile and then swim to their little hearts content! I recently got a larger filter (a whisper 20) to try to keep the water cleaner without having to use the gravel sucker thingy so often!
I've fed them mainly turtle pellets/sticks(Reptomin) as well as some dried shrimp krill from time to time.
<A fine basic diet>
We bought some goldfish at one point cuz the guy at the pet store told us to...
<first change here .. we stop listening to the guy at the fish store>
But the turtles never touched em... But I see now its not good to feed them fish anyway.
<probably couldn't catch them if they tried -- which is good because fish isn't a mainstay of their diet and fish store feeders are notorious for having disease and parasites. This is why we no longer listen to the Fish Store Guy about turtles, OK?>
They have all lived in harmony for over a year now...lol.
<Which is the OTHER problem. After the fish survive long enough they become pets in their own right with their own needs to be met ... etc.>
Recently they ran out of pellets for about 2 wks so I was just giving them lettuce & carrots (which they've never been too interested in...) .
<Yeah -- honestly they'd have been better to just be hungry for a week or so>
My husband brought home some Reptomin floating sticks the other day(same as I usually feed them) and also some Reptotreat Suprema made by Tetrafauna (krill enriched food pellets) . (he also bought TetraFin goldfish food for fish)
<See? Now the goldfish are pets, too. Eight years ago, before I learned to take my own advice, I ended up with two feeder goldfish that grew to the size of small Koi and now have their own pond .....>
So I fed them the first night and they ate quite a bit and seemed very excited over their food/treats!
I fed them again yesterday& last night when I came home, I smelled a stench. I looked in the turtle tank and it looked like the turtles pooped/maybe diarrhea on the basking site (and the lamp just heated the stink! Lol)
It was the same reddish/orangish that the "treats" were but I was concerned that it made them have diarrhea?
<you probably did, just from the diet change and sudden intake of food>
They are acting completely normal and are still hungry but I haven't given them anymore treats. I thought maybe it was just too much since they'd not had sticks for awhile and never had these particular treats before?
<I agree>
I have tried more lettuce/carrots but they just don't like it as much as the Reptomin floating sticks (those are green). So ALL that to ask if they are ok and what to watch for?
<Just go back to the Reptomin sticks (or Koi pellets - same thing & MUCH cheaper .. and the rest will .....
get ready for the pun ............. everything else will pass!
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!>
I appreciate this website soooo much!
<thank you!>
I've been very fortunate and my turtles so far, aside from this, have been incredibly healthy in spite of me sorta learning as I go!
They're names are ray & Debra...lol.
But I don't know if they are male or female!
<Since they won't come when you call them and, as far as we know, have no sexual identity issues, it really doesn't matter. Just enjoy. Here's a link that will cover all the basic things to know. Check out your care against the guidelines and enjoy>
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Re: The straight poop? 7/26/2009
Hi Darrel!
<Hiya>
Thank you for your reply!
<We enjoy replying!>
And the part I appreciate the most is your sense of humor! You're freakin awesome!! :)
<Really? I'm not sure what it says about YOU if you think I'm funny ......
You might want to talk to someone about that :) >
I especially enjoyed the part about turtles not having sexual identity issues! Bwah haaaaa haaaaaa! ROTFL!
<They DO have spending & money management problems though. Never EVER let a turtle or tortoise anywhere near a checkbook or an ATM card -- learned that lesson the hard way>
You made my day!
By the way...um, do I heartlessly murder my goldfish now? Lol.
<Nope -- you pay for that mistake the way the rest of us have: You name them, add their needs and requirements to all your future decisions and start worrying about them too.>
<D>

my turtle may have metabolic bone disease  07/23/09
Hello
<Hiya - Darrel here>
I have a red eared slider turtle that is 3 years old and have noticed something wrong. I've noticed that my turtle sometime jerks its head or makes a twitch like movement. Another thing I have noticed is my turtle is walking with its right front leg bent back and want to know if it is broken or fractured or anything like that having to do with the disease. I read an article saying these are some of the symptoms of the metabolic bone disease.
<Yes>
What can I do to care for my turtle if it has this disease?
<The first thing I should say is that any serious illness should be treated medically. A qualified veterinarian who diagnosed MBD would give your turtle a calcium and vitamin injection and you'd see a marked improvement within days. Treating at home will take longer and there is a risk:
Reptiles and fish are very stoic animals, which is to say that they tend to hide their sicknesses for as long as possible. We often don't see any outward signs until the animal is VERY sick .. and sometimes by that time, it's too late.>
<In any case, your first action should be to remove him from an aquatic environment and house him someplace warm and dry. The hard part is getting the calcium into him, since normally turtles eat in water and the water tends to wash away any coatings or powders. Some turtles will eat cheese or bite into yogurts or cabbage while on land and all of those contain calcium.>
<Get some calcium tablets from the local drug or vitamin store (pure calcium carbonate is best, ground oyster shells, etc. but even if they contain phosphorous or magnesium it's OK - just make sure calcium is the primary ingredient) and crush the tablets into a powder and coat whatever food he'll bite into. Maybe a piece of liver would entice him. I've even had turtles that will simply eat a vitamin tablet -- there's just no
accounting for taste.>
<The problem though, which I've already mentioned, is that this a painfully slow way of getting a relatively small amount of calcium into an animal that very likely has a large deficiency. It would take months of this kind of care plus a balanced diet and plenty of natural sunlight to begin to see a difference... and as I also stated earlier, this will only work out if it's not already too late, so again I suggest you consider seeing if you can find a Veterinarian.>
<GENERAL NOTE TO ALL READERS>
<If you read enough literature on the diseases and ailments of fish and reptiles you will see a constant thread running through everything:>
< PROPER CARE AND ATTENTION TO DIET AND ENVIRONMENT WILL PREVENT 90% OF
ALL SICKNESSES AND COST A FRACTION OF THE TIME ANY MONEY!!!!!>
<Sorry to shout like that, but it never seems to sink in to people: One trip to a veterinarian for a relatively simple procedure will cost more than the sum total of proper care for several years. Preventing is FAR cheaper than curing.>
<Back on topic ... Liver is high in vitamins and will easily accept a coating of calcium and if you chop it into small enough chunks that he can swallow, you may be able to deliver enough calcium to start correcting the immediate problems. Better care and diet will address the longer term issues. Please read:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Turtle AND husband in some hot water? 07/13/09
Dear Crew,
<Hiya Kelly -- Darrel here>
I have a yellow belly slider that is not doing well. It is a female in a 65 gallon tank with another female yellow belly slider. Its shell is about the size of a small woman's palm. I was gone for two weeks while my husband
watched them.
<uh oh - make him pay for that!>
The water got pretty dirty so I emptied all the water out, cleaned the entire cage, including the filters and added new water.
<That's a good idea. Also, you should sterilize the entire setup as well.
Here's a link I've written in the past:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/turtmaint.html>
The temp is currently set at 82 degrees.
<WAAAAAAAAAY too hot!>
<WAY too hot>
<The water temp should be between 65 and 73 -- usually it will take on the temp of the room it's in, but we NEVER heat a turtles water! The whole idea is they choose between the heat of their basking area and the cool of their water. Do whatever you need to do to get that temperature down>
They have a large basking spot with turtle lighting.
<that would be both a heat generating lamp making the basking area 85-93 degrees and also a UV lamp?>
I have two in tank filters and an under gravel filter. Since changing the entire water it seems as if the tank might be recycling so I added some stress zyme. The parameters are all zero (nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia),
with the pH being 6.6 to 6.8. Normally the pH of my tap water is 7.6 so that is why I am thinking it is recycling.
<In normal circumstances it's not really possible for a turtle tank to reach a balanced biological filter cycle like a fish-type tank. There is simply too much waste and too RAW a waste for any reasonable biocycle to
achieve stability. Rather than additives and Ph tests, etc. you're far better off to invest your energy in frequent water changes and your money in activated carbon for your filters. The Ph, chlorine and ammonia/chloramines from any normal tap water is well within their tolerance and it's really not worth your time and money to try to correct something that is already just fine for them>
Anyway, to the turtle. She is not swimming and when I put her in the water she is leaning towards one side. When she is basking she is putting her front legs turned in like she is resting on her knuckles (if that makes sense). She has some reddish brown spots under her shell by her back legs and a little bit by her head. She is very lethargic and won't go in the water to eat, but if I put her in a bucket with some Reptomin she goes after it right away and eats it. She has trouble getting all the way out of the water to bask but if I lift her up and set her down to bask she will stay there. She does seem to move her front legs when in the water but obviously with the leaning she is having trouble controlling her movement.
My other turtle seems fine as she is very active and alert.
<I agree she's sick and likely has a skin fungus. It's good that she's eating well>
What do you suggest I do? If you think she needs to go to a vet, can you suggest the best way for me to find a qualified one? I live in Racine WI which is in the southeast of WI.
<We're not there yet, we can treat this at home>
Any advise would be greatly appreciated!
<Here it comes>
<I recently wrote someone with essentially the same problems and gave them the same advice. So I'm enclosing a link to what I wrote. NATURALLY you should hang on my EVERY word from EVERY letter I answer, but the first letter in this link contains all the advice I would be giving to you here if I weren't too lazy to copy & paste the entire letter rather than just the link: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/resdisf4.htm>
Kelly
<Now that's the advice for treating the turtle. By the way, take them BOTH out and treat them BOTH for the possible fungus. Meanwhile, here's a link to a BRILLIANT article that covers all the basics of their regular housing and care should be. Check your care against these standards and correct whatever is not in line.>
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Re: Turtle and husband in hot water? 07/13/09
Thanks for answering
<Happy to do it!>
My main concern was that she was listing to one side when swimming and very lethargic to the point of barely moving (and sitting with her front legs curled so her knuckles are towards the ground, if that makes sense). The only time I see her move is when the other turtle knocks her off the basking area or if she is going for food. She still has an appetite, so that is a positive. The person I talked to said that based on the listing and lethargy it is probably a respiratory infection. Do you agree that this could be the case?
<Not necessarily. Lethargy comes from almost any kind of illness that is debilitating and respiratory infections are usually accompanied by bubbles from the nose AND loss of appetite. So far I'm betting fungal based on the reddish brown spots>
If so is there anything else I should be doing?
<read below>
I haven't noticed any sneezing or coughing or discharge from her nose.
<A contra-indication of respiratory infection>
Interestingly enough I received some advice and already started a similar regimen. I have her in a spare tank with a basking lamp on her 24/7. I also treated the reddish brown areas with Povidone/iodine and it already looks better after two treatments.
<Again. Get her out of the water and keep her out except for feeding & drinking time -- just like in the link I sent you. What we're trying to do here is give her a break ... make her life EASY, no swimming, no hauling out, no WARM, MOIST ENVIRONMENT THAT FAVORS FUNGAL GROWTH, ETC... Whatever
she has ... will heal better if you follow my advice and keep her warm and DRY for the next two months while her immune system kicks this>
Every person I talked to at a pet store and everything I have read on the internet said the tank should be heated.
<Unless you live in the Arctic circle ... everything you read on the Internet or heard in the pet stores is wrong. Period. The turtle will enjoy room temperature water -- any room temperature that YOU would feel comfortable in ... and then CHOOSE the warmth of the basking lamp when SHE decides to warm up.>
I normally have it at 75 degrees but turned it up when she got sick. I have since turned it back down to 70 degrees.
<You have to HEAT the tank water to 70 degrees? In Wisconsin in July??????>
Do you think I should take the heater out all together?
<YES!!! Unlike fish, turtles have a habit of accidentally breaking heaters (assuming it's a glass heater) and then cutting themselves on the shards of glass (or biting the electrical wires). They don't need it, it's not good for them, so yes, please remove it>
Also, ever since I totally cleaned out the tank (siphoned all the water out, cleaned the filters, cleaned the inside of the glass, and added more water the water kind of smells (sort of like my fish tank did when it was recycling). Is this normal?
<No it's not normal. But fungus is very often smelly ... so there ya go>
<Please sterilize the tank & equipment as I described in the first link, keep BOTH the turtles warm and dry (watered & fed once daily) for a minimum of two weeks before you put the asymptomatic one back in her normal tank ... and the one with the known problem ..... around 6-8 weeks: AT LEAST 3 weeks after you see NO skin discoloration, NO lethargy and NO other symptoms. At least.>

Re: Turtle and husband in hot water?  7/14/2009
A couple of questions regarding the treatment regimen:
<sure>
On your link you posted the following, "After her daily bath, let her dry completely and then clean the affected area(s) with hydrogen peroxide on a cotton swab, then soak or dribble some Povidone (any kind of iodine) on the affected area. Do this for a week and note the healing." After I dribble the Povidone on the area do I rinse it off or let it dry on there? When I have been doing it I have been leaving it on for a few minutes then rinsing the turtle. Please advise.
<Nah -- let it stay on and dry. The thin film covering the affected area helps it just a tiny bit>
Also, with the healthy turtle there aren't any affected areas so where should I put the Povidone?
<The healthier turtle doesn't need to have the peroxide/povodine treatment ... just to be out of the warm/moist world for a few weeks to nip any fungus or infection before it has a chance to catch hold>
With the sick turtle she has some reddish brown spots under her shell by her head. How do I treat with hydrogen peroxide and Povidone without getting it on her face or in her eyes?
<A Q-tip swab might help. Hold her upright and let a drop fall off the end of a spoon. I always keep a box of insulin syringes around to be able to specifically place drops in tight places.>
Finally, the sick turtle's front legs are very limp. When I lifted one to try and straighten it out (very gently) I noticed some yellowish spots. I am assuming some kind of fungi like you suspected. I am going to treat
these spots along with the reddish brown spots directly. Is this correct?
<Yes!>
Thanks again for your help. I hope she gets better and doesn't die!
<We hope so, too!>

Re: Sick Turtle – 08/06/09
Dear Crew,
<Hiya Darrel here>
Well, its not looking good for Talia. She seemed to be improving after the first three shots and was walking again. She was even moving about the cage and basking with her back legs kicked out and her head held high. But then the past few days she is keeping her head down and is always sleeping. Last night she had blood coming out of her mouth. I cleaned her off and thought for sure she would be dead this morning but she's still here....barely. I just can't afford the $400 they want to put into diagnostics. At this point I'm afraid it would do no good anyway. :(
<I agree with you, Kelly. For reptiles and fish, even heroic and seemingly insane amounts of money and effort can't always guarantee a good outcome.
As tragic as it is, sometimes we have to accept the inevitable.>
<On behalf of Bob Fenner, me and the rest of the crew, please accept our sympathies during these difficult times>
I do have a few questions about my setup to keep my other turtle healthy and hopefully avoid this with her. I have both the UVB (Reptiglo 5.0) and basking lamp (swamp Glo).
<The basking lamp can be an ordinary incandescent bulb. The Repti-Glo provides all the special stuff. The basking lamp is there for heat and for the familiar 'feeling' that a turtle will have in seeking the bright light>
I'm having trouble getting them both to shine directly on the basking area.
Does the UVB need to shine directly on it. The basking lamp is in one of those lamp holders with the clamp to secure it to the edge of the aquarium.
The UVB extends the length of the tank. If I have the basking lamp directly over the UVB it gets too hot and burns the UVB enclosure. Can I just push the UVB more in the center of the tank even though it is not shining directly on the basking area or what do you suggest?
<The UV is more critical in nature than the Basking lamp. In your situation, I have the UV running almost the length of the tank at the every back against the glass (and definitely over the basking area) and then the
basking lamp clamped on the side, further away, but shining on the basking spot. Sometimes simply the air gap between the bulb and the plastic on the UV fixture is enough to keep that fixture cool. Also, your UV lamp has a 12 inch (approximate) distance allowable. The UV falls off after about 6 inches and then sharply after about 12 ... but there is still "wiggle room" to make this all fit>
Also how many hours per day should I have each light on.
<I approximate daylight, Kelly. Longer in summer (14 hours) and less in Winter (8 hours)>
Lastly, I have a screen on the top and I read on the website the UVB should not be filtered even through a screen.
<Right>
What can I do to achieve this but to also ensure the light won't fall in the water?
<In my setups I use an 18 inch fluorescent fixture with a Vita-Lite UV bulb (old habits die hard) and I attach that to hooks that hang off the back of the aquarium glass (on the inside) so my covers can be complete. However, if you have an ordinary aquarium fixture that fits in tracks on the aquarium top (like normal people do) then my suggestion is that you get some 1/2 mesh hardware cloth and make yourself a little dome top -- so that all lights are technically inside the cover.>
Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
<It's worth every penny, Kelly!>
Kelly

Re Sick Turtle can't be saved 8/8/09
I took Talia in and had her euthanized because she kept coughing up blood, stopped eating, and seemed to be having trouble breathing. I did not want to see her suffer for an extended period of time and a local vet was willing to do it.
<As hard as that is to do, Kelly, it was the responsible and caring thing to do. We've all been there and all of us extend our best wishes>
I really do appreciate all your advice and support trying to help my little turtle.
<The best way we can all help Talia now is to make sure that we do everything we can to prevent things like this in the future, which you are doing!!>
One last question about the lighting for my other turtle.
Right now, the light I have extends the length of the tank and I have it sitting on the edges secured with Velcro-type stuff on the edges. My concern is that there is a warning on the light fixture saying the light
should not be over open water, which it is with the way I have it set up.
Do you think this is a concern?
<Yes it is. Any adhesive has the ability to dry, crack and give way -- so we need to take extra precautions. I have essentially the same setup for my hatchling tanks, but I add one thing: Before I press the adhesive on to the glass, I run some picture hanging wire from the back of the fixture (there are always holes of some sort), up the glass and bent over the top edge of the tank. This way, if the adhesive gives way my light is more likely to rattle that to fall into the water>
The light is 6 1/2 inches from the basking spot and 9 1/2 inches from the water. I guess there is a possibility if she ran off the edge of the basking rock, water could splash up there, but I think the water would most
likely splash forward rather than back and up. I guess I would just like your opinion. My only other option would be a screen but water can get through those too, so are they really that much more safe and if it filters
the necessary light I would rather not use one.
<No, splashes aren't really the concern -- as long as the fixture doesn't fall into the water you're in good shape>
I appreciate your opinion.
<This is America and EVERYONE is entitled to my opinion!!>
Kelly
<Darrel>

Healing Turtle – 7/18/09
Dear WWM
<Hiya, Kelly -- Darrel here>
I have been treating my turtle (female yellow belly slider) with the peroxide/povidine treatment that you suggested due to a possible fungal infection. The reddish brown spots look like they are healing. The front and back legs still foam up a lot when I put on the peroxide.
<OK>
I have had my turtle out of the water for five days. She gets her daily bath for approximately five minutes to eat, which she is still doing.
However she has not pooped in those five days. Is that concern? Is there something I can do for constipation in case it is that? Keep in mind she will not eat any type of lettuce or greens. She wouldn't even eat them when she wasn't sick. She will only eat Reptomin.
<Which is fine Kelly, it's the only diet she needs. Identical to Koi pellets, just more expensive.>
<As far as the constipation, raise the temperature of her soaking water by a few degrees and leaver he in it longer than the 5 minutes. Say .. 15. This should help get things moving again>
Next, her front legs are very limp and she can not brace herself on them or use them to swim. When I put her in water to test it she just floated there and looked like she wanted to move them put couldn't use them very well. She is smaller than my other female but her front legs look larger like they might be swollen. Is this due to the possible fungal infection or is there something else going on? When she is out of the water she is unable to move at all as she can not propel herself. Her front legs are curled in like she is resting on her knuckles. Please advise.
<This one's hard to call without a physical exam. Unless they are atrophied from lack of use due to long term infection, the first thing that springs to mind is MBD (Metabolic bone disease) but the Reptomin is a balanced diet. So at the moment .. all I have for you is a 'hmmmm ....' and an arched eyebrow. Let's keep treating for another two weeks and then talk again.>
Finally, I have a Repti Glo 5.0 UVB light and a 75 W exo-terra swamp Glo basking light. Do I need both of these? I am having difficulty getting both to shine on the basking spot at the same time. If I need both how much time per day do they need each light and does the UVB light need to shine directly on the basking spot?
<The basking lamp is primarily for heat, Kelly. The UVB is providing the "sunlight" necessary for Vitamin D and Calcium absorption (Hmmmmm again?).
It is far more critical that the UVB reach her because that MUST be direct, unfiltered by any glass or even screen, to be effective. While I applaud you spending the extra money for "proper(tm)" equipment, the Exo-terra is essentially JUST a light bulb. You can take a 100 W GE soft white and suspend it further out of the way to let the UVB have priority and yet let the heat hit the basking spot.>

Re: Healing Turtle 7/22/09
Darrel,
<Hiya>
I have still been treating my turtle for possible fungal infection.
<OK>
However today I have been spending more time than usual observing her and I have noticed mucus/bubbles coming from her nose.
<Bad news>
Also, one of her eyes has discharge coming from it so I have been treating her eyes with turtle eye drops (Zoo Med Repti Turtle Eye Drops).
<More bad news>
I put her in the tank the today because she has been struggling to move her legs around like she wants to walk but can't, so I thought I would see what would happen. She was in there for less than 5 minutes and she just floated there, still listing to one side, and kept opening her mouth (like she was yelling under water). She would try to push of something with her back legs, but did not have control moving around with her front legs. They still appear weak and she still has not walked yet, but can push herself in circles by using her back legs. I have noticed that she does try to push herself up on her front legs, she just doesn't seem to have the strength to walk. Maybe this will improve. What do you think? Do you think she might have a respiratory infection after all?
<At this point I'd say that yes, She has a respiratory infection -- it was either the underlying cause of her problems or was opportunistic due to her weakness. The Last Thing we want to do is put her in water deep enough to let her nose go under.>
<Her biggest problem by now is simply her weakness. Keep her warm and dry and let's find a vet for her>
Please advise. If you think she needs to see a herp vet, can you tell me how to go about finding a good one?
<That's harder than it ought to be. The best of the best is in Marathon, Florida but you might find one closer to you through this link
http://www.herpvetconnection.com On the bright side, treating these basic symptoms aren't that challenging even to a Vet that hasn't had a lot of herpetological exposure. If the Vet is experienced, he or she will know what to do. If not, suggest Fortaz (ceftazidime) dosed at 20 mg per kg subQ/IM for 7 days (the vet will understand that) or possibly Baytril (enrofloxacin) 7.5-10 mg per kg diluted with normal saline Subq/IM. At the same time, ask about a one time vitamin & calcium injection.>
Thanks again for your help.
Kelly
<Best of luck, Kelly>
P.S. Her shell does look better and there did appear to be some fungus, but that appears to be all gone. There are still some red spots on her shell underneath by her legs, but they appear to be healing somewhat.

Re: Sick Turtle  07/23/09
Dear Darrel
<Yo!>
Thanks a lot. Through the website I found a 24 hour clinic within 30 minutes. They have a specialist but he's not in until next Thursday.
However I'm taking her tonight and the other vet is going to look at her, call the specialist with the symptoms and prescribe treatment. I will mention your suggestions too.
<good>
I'm feeling positive that she's still eating and hasn't given that up.
<A very good sign, yes>
However I'm not sure if she's had a bowel movement in the last week. There was some poop in the dry aquarium but I don't know if it was her or the other turtle.
<Not as concerned about poop at this point>
She did pee on me today when I was putting the fungal cream on.
<Happens all the time>
That was interesting.
<the word I used is 'EWW'>
Thanks again for all your help.
I'll let you know how she does.
<please do>
=========== Update ================
So I took Talia to the vet. They did their diagnostic exam (looked at her, but her in water, and asked me a million questions). They are not convinced it is a respiratory infection, although they agree it could be. They wanted to do a fecal exam (since she hasn't pooped in six days), radiographs, zoopanel, and protein electrophoresis. That would cost me over $500 dollars.
<Yes. This is another place for me to plug my concept that care and attention to a well pet is far cheaper than medical care>
I love my little turtle, but I think my husband would divorce me if I tried to spend $500 on a turtle.
<It's an expensive club to join, Kelly. Even though we do have a secret handshake and cool jackets. Over the years I've spent so much time with my Veterinarian that we're personal friends and go scuba diving together.>
They suspect GI problem, respiratory infection, or other systematic disease. I convinced them to try antibiotics first before we do all that other really expensive stuff.
<Good move>
So they gave me Ceftazidime injections which they instructed me to give 0.41 ml.s every three days for 30 days. They are worried she might have a GI obstruction from the aquarium rock. They told me to remove it, that I shouldn't have it because turtles will eat it and could get sick. What do you think? Do you suggest I also remove it?
<Intestinal impaction happens, but it's not a HUGE consideration for turtles. I've had many setups that have aquarium gravel as a base and to my knowledge I've never lost a turtle to eating a rock it couldn't pass.>
I have an under gravel filter, so if I remove the rock, what do you suggest I put down, or perhaps I shouldn't have anything down.
<An under gravel filter is pointless with turtles, Kelly. They usually have enough poop (talk about irony at the moment, huh?) to overwhelm any and all biological filters. A power filter to keep the water clear and then frequent water changes is the way to go.>
I appreciate your suggestions.
<Worth every penny you paid for them! LOL>
They also told me to buy other commercial turtle foods and vary her diet <Again, their digestive systems are fairly primitive and their dietary needs are so simple ... I raise hatchlings to breeders solely on Koi Pellets with an occasional (once a month or so) earth worm as a treat>
... and put her in the water (small amount in bucket) more frequently to encourage her to poop since she still hasn't done so. Do you agree?
<A fine idea. Mildly warm and barely enough to cover her cloaca/tail -- not up to her head or mouth - and leave her in for 15 minutes>
I think this vet is good as there was an article in our local paper about how he did surgery on a tortoise who had nuts, bolts, screws, etc. stuck in his stomach.
<After turtle surgery we use regular old Bondo and fiberglass resin to patch the shells.>
But, I would still trust your judgment.
<well, here's the thing -- he's there and I'm not. He's been through that pesky medical school and training, etc. so when he talks, let's listen>
Finally, they told me to keep my turtles separate as the healthy one could get sick. My only problem with that is I only have one aquarium light and don't really want to go out and buy another reptile bulb so I can keep them separate. What do you suggest?
<If it's a respiratory infection, that is a possibility. Not a GREAT one though, it's not like the we humans catch cold. In a reptile, a commonly occurring bacterium or virus needs an opportunity to take hold. Still, separating them isn't a bad idea. I assume putting the healthy one in a set up tank can still have a regular lamp for heat & basking, right? If that's the case and he's otherwise healthy then yes, take the UV lamp for Talia and let the other do without for a while>
Thanks again for all your help.
Kelly
<best of luck!>

my water turtle; hlth., reading, Vet., quick    07/13/09
My water turtle has not ate for three days, and its skin is shedding gooey like texture, and also it looks very weak and it doesn't really open its eyes but there is no puss on them what should i do?
<Call a vet. Now. Your turtle is likely very sick and likely suffering great pain. You MUST take it to a vet; anything else would be animal cruelty!
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turteyedisart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turtrespart.htm
Most turtles get sick because people don't look after them correctly; do read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm
Keep a turtle properly and they're actually very disease-resistant
animals!
Cheers, Neale.>

Cooter with unknown problem?  05/27/09
Hi,
<Hiya Carl .. Darrel here>
I have a Cooter that is approx 4 years old and has developed a strange growth on her back. I have gone through so many websites, found many pictures of shell rot but my turtle problem looks nothing like any of the pictures that I have seen, it about 1 inch by 1 inch.
<Without more description, I'm not able to visualize much more. Perhaps a couple of snapshots from even a cellular phone camera? Anything more, even a more detailed description would help>
Generally the life of my turtle involves basking under UV light, swimming and eating. As far as I can see she is doing all the same things as she was before this thing started growing.
<That's an important indicator of health, Carl. But still we're going to need to treat her differently.>
Basically, her shell has risen and flaked off on the bit above the tail, there is no smell, no pus, and was a little soft. She wasn't bothered if you touched it as she just continues sitting there so I'm guessing there no pain.
<It sounds like a fungal infection managed to kill the scute itself and what you have is an underlying skin area that is hardened and calcified. Can you try to imagine if half your fingernail came off and you were looking at the underlying skin? Now assume that the skin hardened a bit and wasn't sensitive to the touch. Is this an apt description?>
We clean the water regularly and she has a varied diet including Reptomin sticks, King British mix, mealworms and fish (not live).
<To simplify your life, delete the mealworms and fish ... change the Reptomin to a high quality, yet far less expensive, Koi pellet ... and then add one or two earthworms per month as a treat. Mealworms are all fat and fish, while healthy, just isn't a substantial part of an Emydid turtle's diet.>
For the past 20 days we have kept her separate from her friends which are yellow bellied. Unfortunately when we bought them we were told they were the same breed.
<To be honest, the difference between Sliders, Cooters and the Red & Yellow bellies is something only important to themselves. They interbreed all the time and seem to get along in any combination.>
We took her to a bloke that runs a reptile shop/habitat and he was very impressed with how hard the rest of the shell was.
<That speaks well of your care!>
She has a bath each day for 15-20 min.s depending on how long it takes her to eat and go to toilet. She is dried and then applied Tamodine with a
toothbrush as recommended by the gentlemen. It has got harder and the shell has reappeared right in the middle.
<Well, I WAS going to send you a copy of an article on turtle illnesses that describes how to isolate and treat a sick turtle, but now there is no
need. The treatment you describe here is EXACT and PERFECT for the condition you describe.>
<It also sounds like she's on the road back to health, Carl>
I was wondering if you have any suggestions of what it could be, as there is no vets in our area that deals with turtles, I live in Britain and
turtles apparently aren't that common.
<Again, my guess is that a fungal infection lifted and damaged the scute. Sometimes the scute grows back, other times, if the tissue that feeds it is
too damaged, it doesn't grow back and you get what is essentially a big, white scar where the scute was.>
I think it is healing but I'm concerned as she not just a turtle she our pet and we don't want it to spread any further.
<It SOUNDS like it's healing nicely under excellent care, Carl!! Give her another month of this treatment (or when you just sense that she's "well"
and then add three weeks). The only thing I'd do is take extra precautions with habitat and water quality for all of them.>
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Yours Sincerely,
Carl
<You've done all the hard work already ... and all the right things!>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

African Side Neck with Odd Algae, possible parasites?   3/23/09
Hello WWM, I realize you are extremely busy and will try my best to be  clear and concise. However, as I have a horrible digital camera I can't send you any pictures that will be of use. I received an African Side Neck turtle about a month ago from a friend. When I got Leroy his shell was severely peeling, he had no filter and nothing in his tank save him, 3 rocks, and about 3" of water (it didn't even cover his shell). Since receiving him I have done lots of research and increased his water to about 8", put in gravel, kept the rocks, a basking lamp, heater, filter and a turtle dock, all in a 20 gallon tank. His cage is constantly kept at 79 - 80 degrees Fahrenheight, occasionally a bit warmer when I change the water as I don't always get the temp perfect out of the faucet, but never above 84. I think he is still growing as he is only about 4" wide (maybe 5" long). I clean his cage with a weekly 50% water change and bi-weekly complete cage overhaul, taking everything out, wiping it down with a cage cleaning solution as well as cleaning the rocks and dock with solution and lightly brushing his shell with a toothbrush. His shell peeling has cleaned up, he is very active and eats both Reptomin turtle pellets and occasionally feeder fish.
<Mmm, this last is a very poor idea... too fatty, too much chance of introducing parasites... And you need to include a vitamin supplement...
Very likely this animal is suffering from deficiency... as evidenced by the shell condition>
Anyway, what worries me is the algae that is growing on his shell. He came with some, but it seems to be increasing. It is little green patches all across his shell.
I have tried lightly brushing with a clean toothbrush to get it off (as the former owners recommended) but he does not like firm pressure and I'm afraid to hurt him.
<Best not to handle period>
Also there is some sort of white string-like patches in his shell, they are concave (not sticking out but in) and about a 1/4" long each, there's three in one area. There may be more small patches appearing at another part in his shell, but I'm not sure. Recently he has been "scratching" his back against the bottom of the turtle dock as if it's itchy. I have tried putting Dr. Turtle's into the tank, they say they help with common turtle diseases and it is a dissolvable tablet (I did two consecutively, once one dissolved, the other in), but it didn't seem to help at all. Most recently his skin has started to peel a bit and he keeps biting himself as if to get off excess or itchy skin. Is this serious enough to warrant a vet visit or is there things I can do to help him at home? Thank you so much for your help!
<Do read re Vitamin D involvement with these Chelonians... and provide better nutrition: See the Net re... or read at least here:
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/reptiles/turtles/AfricanSideneckedTurtle.php
The problem with the shell can only be solved from "the inside out" by providing better living conditions and foods over time.
Bob Fenner>

Turtle medical help   ~ 01/12/09
I have a small turtle (1/2 dollar size) and type unknown....you know a turtle !!!
<Assuming Trachemys scripta elegans, the Red-eared Slider.>
it is bleeding out of its shell, although it doesn't seem to be hurt in any way, it bothers my children. what could be the cause and what can be done to help this fella out?
<This turtle needs a vet, now. It's in pain and suffering profoundly. The shell is essentially its ribcage, and if it is bleeding through the shell, that means a serious injury. Even if you're lucky and this is some sort of infection that looks like blood but isn't, for example Shell Rot, you still need a vet.>
it is housed in a small plastic, hand held, aquarium with river rock and non-chlorinated water about half way up on the rocks.
<Not an acceptable house for this animal. Please understand turtles are expensive to keep and incredibly bad pets for children. Since you own the thing now, it's your job to treat it humanely. Firstly, you need to find a vet to either treat or euthanise this animal as required (and no, you can't euthanise a reptile at home, at least not humanely or painlessly). Don't know of any vets in your area that handle reptiles? No problem: visit a relevant web site (such as Anapsid.org) in your area (in this case, the US):
http://www.anapsid.org/vets/
Please realise that this turtle is in pain and suffering. You can't treat it at home, and it isn't going to get better by itself. You have two choices: take it to a vet, or let it painfully bleed to death or die from some drawn-out gangrene-type infection. Turtle shells are quite strong, and if they get broken, it's likely because of some extreme force used on them.
Children shouldn't handle turtles unless they understand how to be gentle, and certainly turtles should be kept away from dogs, power tools and the like. Secondly, you need to review what these animals need in captivity.
Among other things you will need a big aquarium (some tens of gallons), a heater, a UV-B light source, and a filter -- minimum. It's a shame people buy animals before they learn what they need. But I'm assuming you're willing to learn (and spend the money) so that this animal is kept properly. That being so, have a read of this excellent summary of their requirements. None of this stuff is difficult to obtain, and most any pet store should carry the basic things listed above.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm
>
we feed this turtle small pellets from the pet store.
<Not adequate. Do review the diet of these turtles carefully. They're herbivores, so the bulk of their diet needs to be soft green plants. This aspect is cheap and easy to handle. They also need lots of calcium and vitamins, and the UV-B light mentioned earlier is essential if they are to process the vitamins they need to survive. Turtle pellets are, at best, a treat to be used for, maybe, 20% of their diet, tops.>
thanks!!
Michael
<Hope this help, and good luck to your turtle. Cheers, Neale.>

Frozen painted turtle  11/29/08
Hi.
<Hiya Deb - Darrel here this morning>
We recently found a painted turtle (4 inch diameter) frozen in the ice of our pond. We chipped out a section of ice with the turtle and brought it inside to thaw. Incredibly, the turtle does appear to be alive but still in hibernation.
<Yes, he was hibernating to the point of stasis. The Emydid turtles, for the most part, do quite well in frozen creeks and ponds by shutting down to an almost imperceptible metabolism until the thaw comes. On the other hand, this is never something we intentionally do to our pets because not all do survive. In your case, I would have suggested to leave him alone and let nature take it's course, but I understand the desire to "jump in" (pun intended) and try to help. Now that he's out, we'll press onward>
We aren't sure what is best for his survival now ... keep him indoors and let him come out of hibernation or place him in a shallow goldfish pond that hasn't frozen over yet. The daytime temps are still in the mid 30's with overnight lows dropping to high 20's. What is his best chance of survival?
<Deb, at this point, I'd like you to bring him indoors, place him in a cardboard box or some other suitable container with high sides and then place him in the coolest part of your house. Not a porch or area exposed to the outside temps in the 20's, but not next to the heater either. I'd like him to experience temps in the 40's, 50's & 60's for a few days, if possible and then up to the comfortable indoors temps of your house. In other words, we want to warm him up FAIRLY quickly, but not so fast as to shock his system. If he warms up gradually over a few days or a week, you'll see occasional signs of activity (mostly looking around probably the way WE do when we first wake up in the morning) and then small movements until he has shaken the hibernation off and then begins to walk around.
Wait a week after he's fully active to place him in a shallow bowl of room-temperature water to soak and hydrate for a few minutes, and then another week before offering him some Repto-Min sticks or Koi pellets (same thing only less expensive) in the water.>
<At that point, might as well give him a name and create a more {semi}Permanent winter home for him and either keep him there as a pet, or plan to release him to the pond when the nighttime temp is consistently above 60 and the daytime has consistent sunlight and at least 75 degree days.>
Thanks you,
Deb
<Yer welcome, Deb!>

Pelusios sp.; health  8/30/08
is it normal for a African side neck to be out of the water for a long time temps at 78
<Depends on what you mean by a "long time". If he's feeding normally, has access to UV-B light in his basking spot, and isn't showing any odd symptoms such as wheezing or runny eyes, I wouldn't be too concerned. Do make sure he has access to UV-B light for basking and that you aren't doing something dangerous like using feeder goldfish -- these two issues are among the very best ways to make any pet reptile sick in serious and often unexpected ways. No responsible reptile owner should be feeding their livestock live fish, let alone "parasite bombs" as I like to call feeder goldfish. These turtles feed primarily on invertebrates, so shellfish sold for human consumption are ideal. Unshelled prawns for example are an excellent source of calcium though they contain a lot of thiaminase so need to be balanced with other meaty foods (like mussels) as well as plant material, particularly fruits. These are only semi-aquatic turtles, and will spend a great deal of time on land compared with more fully aquatic turtles such as Trionyx. And please, next time, follow The Rules and use punctuation and a spell checker. We answer these FAQs for the benefit of the thousands of visitors we get per day, and you're helping us to help them by using something at least approximating to High School standard English. Salutations and courtesies are appreciated, though not strictly mandatory. Cheers, Neale.>

Worried
Turtle Not Growing  4/6/08
Okay, I am fourteen with a yellow bellied slider. He is my first turtle so I am very cautious about anything wrong with him/her. I will have had him for a year this summer and he has not grown. Unlike the rest of the problems I have read, he doesn't live and never has been in the same tank with another turtle. I first got him last summer when I found him trapped in my in ground pool and kept him. I decided to keep him because there is a pond in the back yard but it has an alligator in it, and vary large fish, other large turtles, etc. Do you think this is because he hasn't been with other turtles in so long?
< The reason he hasn't grown is probably environmental. Wrong food, not enough heat or light and things like that.>
He is still small enough to fit on the thumb muscle in the palm of my hand.
Please help, You are very smart people from what I have read in your articles. Thank you.
< Start off with the tank. He/she needs a place to come out of the water to bask. This basking site needs to be 85+ F. It should contain a good basking light to provide the proper amounts of UVA and UVB. This helps the turtle with proper vitamin development. Small turtles need a diet higher in protein than older turtles. Keep the water clean and don't let the water go below 65 F.-Chuck>

Floating Turtle    01/13/2008
Dear Crew
<Hiya - Darrel here>
I have two African sideneck turtles. One of them seems to be unable to sink - he appears to be floating
and trying to sink. He has an appetite and swims all over - but looks like a struggle to get to the bottom of his tank.
<The simple answer is that the turtle has air or gas in his body cavity, Tim. There are a wide range of reasons some serious and some comical. Gas pockets can grow from an infection. but most likely you'd see other signs such as lethargy, lack of appetite and general distress - plus only a proper medical exam would tell us. Sometimes turtles can develop a tear in their lungs and air leaks out into the chest, producing the same results yet in al but the most drastic cases, the tear heals and the air dissipates in a few days. Lastly ..... and I've seen this more frequently in large water turtles than small ones (for no imaginable reason) the turtles will sometimes swallow air with their food and have air bubbles trapped in their digestive tract for what seems like weeks until one day they suddenly .... um ..... "expel" ... that air and then sink comfortable to the bottom.>
<My suggestion is to do nothing for a week or two except pay extra close attention to water quality, temperature requirements and diet ... and let's see what happens>
Tim

Swollen back legs on my painted turtle  1/8/08
Hello, I'm Tanisha
<Hiya Tanisha - Darrel here>
My turtle is only like 2 years old and the other day his feet looked huge...they are so swollen..
<Is it the feet themselves or the entire back legs?>
He still eats, walks, swims everything, but I cant afford to take him to the Vet..
<I understand>
what could it be... How can I help him...
<The first thing to do is take him out of the water, Tanisha. Even though the live in and near the water, the wetness and moisture also encourage the growth of fungus, bacteria and fungi.>
<Put him in a small cardboard box, plastic container, anything where he can stay and be safe. Let's get him dry and around 88 degrees. Sometimes I put a heating pad set on "medium" inside the box. Place a shallow dish of water in there every day and place him in it for 10 minutes -- just enough time to drink and maybe eat, then remove the water entirely>
<My guess is that he's got a vitamin or dietary deficiency that we can correct once we know more. Does he get direct sunlight (not through glass)? Or does he have a UV light? What are you feeding him?>
My whole family loves him. We all really grew attached to him...he's part of the family.
<Please write back wit answers to the questions above and we'll see if we can help. Also, read the linked article below and compare it to how you are keeping him, write back and tell us more, OK?>
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Dead yellow bellied Cooter.  9/27/07
Hello,
<Hello back. Darrel here>
I have/had a baby yellow belly and a red eared slider, both about three inches long. This morning I got home from class and the yellow belly was dead. There was no indication it was sick as it was active and eating just fine. Is it possible it was ill and Just didn't know it?
*
<On behalf of Bob, Neale and everyone here at Wet Web, we are truly sorry for your loss, Jeremy>
*
<Yes, it's possible. Reptiles are very stoic animals, Jeremy. That is to say that they appear to be well almost until the end ... and it usually means that by the time they clearly appear to be ill, they are almost gone -- or at least well into the hundreds of dollars of Vet bills.>
They were both in the same 55 gallon tank with plenty of filtration and I just did a water change. The temperature in the tank stays around 80 and I have appropriate lighting and a large basking area. It didn't look like it had any injuries but I guess it could have been killed by one of the tank mates. There are two crayfish two or three inches long and a Pacu that's no bigger than the turtles.
<If that's the tank water temperature, I'd say it's on the high side and if that's the AIR temperature, a bit on the low side. If the coolest your little friend could ever get is 80 degrees (f) and his basking temperature was even higher, then it's just barely possible that his metabolism was too high for the amount of food you'd give him and he "could" have starved ... but that's a big stretch for me to say that. It's just something to consider.>
What do you think happened and should I be worried about the remaining slider?
<There's no way to be sure without a necropsy, Jeremy and even then the results are often inconclusive. In one of the many ways that I am fortunate, I get to count Dr. Douglas Mader as a personal friend and he's a world-class reptile veterinarian who has literally "written the book" on reptile medicine. He and I have necropsied a lot of animals (sadly, many of them my own animals) and in most cases we see an animal that was 100% healthy right up until it passed.>
<All we can do, Jeremy, is what we know to be right. Assess the care and environment looking for the smallest thing ... and then do it again. And then carry on. Let's hope that the slider is healthy and stays that way. Check your standard of care against the link below and other documents here on Wet Web.>
<I sincerely wish we could be of more help, Jeremy. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any other questions.>
Thanks,
Jeremy
<You're most welcome>
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm

Sick Yellow Belly   10/2/06
I have a yellow belly slider I believe is full grown. The other day I noticed that it has been staying on its basking spot or in the shallow area of the take all day and all night. She used to swim all day and it looks as if she is swollen. Not her eyes, her body seems to be bulging out of her shell. She can swim fine but prefers to stay on the basking rock and hasn't been eating for a couple days. Should I be worried?
<Yes, I would be... time for a trip to the Vet. in my opinion. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turtledisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Re: Eastern Painted Sick??? Turtle Getting Better  8/28/06
Thanks for your help.  I did increase the heat for the smaller turtle and cleaned out the tank really well.  I also put one of those slow release sulfa locks in there just in case.  He is now eating and is very active again.
< Sounds like he is getting better. Thanks for writing back. It is good to know how these things turn out sometimes.-Chuck>

Turtle Expert, Turtles With Injuries  8/8/06
Hello Robert, I hope you are a turtle expert.  I have two turtles with problems. 1st Case is a 3 inch Eastern Painted Turtle.  He was bitten by a bigger female (which is no longer with the little guy).  Parts of the back of his shell have fallen off and it appears white, not a fungus, but the scutes seem to be missing.  I use a soft toothbrush to clean it every other day and spray it with HerpCare Skin & Shell Treatment by Mardel letting it dry then putting him back into the water.
2nd Case is a 3 1/2 inch Red-eared Slider.  Recently one of his eyes have become infected.  I don't know if he was injured or what happened.  When she is underwater it looks like fungus.  She can open it and you can see slight puffiness around the eye.  The eye itself looks fine.  I have been treating her daily with Fluker Laboratories' Reptile Eye Rinse.
Both are still active and eating. What would you recommend I do for them?
Thanks! Brian Kallenberg
< Keep the turtles isolated so they don't get worse. Keep the water clean and add a  Dr Turtle Sulpha Block by ZooMed. This should inhibit any bacterial growth. Try ZooMed Repti Wound Healing Aid and the Repti Turtle Sulpha Dip. This should really help with the wounds/trauma. If the eye problem is caused from a deficiency in vitamin A, then look into amending the diet with more vegetables with a vitamin supplement. The ZooMed Turtle Eye Drops really help with these eye problems.-Chuck>

Re: Turtle Expert, Eye Problems In Turtle   8/12/06
Thanks for your help, I have one last question.  Since the infection is only in one eye, can I rule out a vitamin deficiency? Brian
< No, not really. The other eye may come down with the same problem and delaying treatment may only make things worse.-Chuck>

Turtle Questions   7/28/06
I have a couple of question? I have a turtle, I have had him for about 3 months. He is a aquatic turtle we found him in a lake. I have him in a aquarium with a really big rock in it, he always sit on it when he is ready to rest or just want to relax. He always jumps off of it. One time he jumped off it and he scraped his foot. At first his foot was just peeling now it has turned a white color. I am really worried about his foot. He seem to be fine, he is always swimming and still very hyper. Should I take him to the vet. and get it checked or what should I do? Please help me he is my little buddy.
< If the wound has turned white and is fuzzy then it is starting to fungus. I would clean the foot off with a cotton ball. Then apply some Zoo Med Repti Wound Healing Aid. Keep the water clean and add a Dr. Turtle Sulpha Block to prevent infection.>
Another thing I have little rocks at the bottom of the aquarium, I take him out and put him in a little carrying case for turtles lately when he has a bowel movement it looks like he has been eating the little rocks at the bottom of the aquarium, what should I do can that hurt him, if he is eating them? The rocks are the sides of pebbles.
< If he is able to ingest the substrate then I would recommend changing it to prevent any potential choking problems.>
How often should I feed him? Now I currently feed him 2 times a day, I give him 15 turtle sticks both times, is that enough?
<I would recommend feeding three times a week. After each feeding there will probably be a bowel movement. I would then siphon out the waste and replace the water in the tank.>
Also how can I find out if he is a he or a she!
< Males usually have longer front claws and a longer tail.-Chuck>
Thank you for your time!!!

African Sideneck Turtle In the Corner  7/14/06
I got my African Sideneck Turtle 3 days ago and all it has done is sit in the corner of the tank near the water filter. My parents say that it likes the flowing water, but I am not sure. He also has not eaten in 2 days. My friends say that he is lonely, but I don't know. Should I be concerned?
< Check the water temp. It should be up around 80 F. He will be more active at higher temps if everything else ids OK.>-Chuck>

Turtle With Cracked Shell  7/15/06
Hello, I have a pet turtle that somehow managed to fall last month from the veranda to the road below - I live on the 4th floor of an apartment building. It climbed out of its container (does often) managed to climb up a planter and over the wall (this was a first). A neighbor found it lying in the road, not moving, probably in shock and returned it to me the next day. This was about 4 weeks ago and it is active, eating, walking and doing all normal turtle things. But, the bottom shell which broke along a narrow strip about a half inch towards the center and about an inch and a half long just under the right front leg, does not join back together. I put a Band-Aid on it, as I could see the flesh and blood, and it has not got infected, but the shell on the very bottom does not grow back together. I have replaced the Band-Aids to keep it connected, but am thinking it will never heal back together. Should I worry about this? I am feeding some dried shrimp and sometimes some live minnows thinking extra protein or calcium should help. The turtle is active and doesn't seem to be in pain, but of course, there is no real way for me to find out. This is the 2nd time this turtle has jumped. About 3 years ago it fell from the 2nd storey, flipped over and managed to get a small hole in the top shell which healed on its own with no problem. We have had this turtle for 15 years and it is a part of the family even though it seems to want to try to fly. Thank you for any advice. Regards, Judy
< This is beyond my area of expertise so I am referring you to a website that specializes in turtles/tortoises and has a chapter of shell damage. Hope you find it helpful-Chuck
http://www.tortoise.org/general/shelinj.html>

Re: Gluing a Turtle shell  7/15/06
Thanks, but this is I think describing only the back shell, not the one underneath, which I don't think I can put glue on because it's more like skin than hard shell. I looked on the net, too but couldn't find anything.
regards, Judy
< Try Super Glue. It will work on skin so be careful. I think it is worth a try.-Chuck>

Turtle Shell Getting Little Holes  - 06/22/2006
I have had a Peninsula or River Cooter for a year now. I have a 10 gallon tank, a heating light, a filter, rocks, and a big rock my turtle can climb on. I use shell cream for (his?) cracked shell, but have noticed that he has a bunch of little holes on his lower shell. At first I thought that maybe it was cracked shell, but they aren't going away. They aren't soft, but little hard holes. I don't know what it is, and I haven't seen any articles describing this type of problem. I need your help. Should I take him to a vet?
Thanks-Jasmin
<Any type of pitting on a turtle shell is not good. It could be a bacterial infection. Give him a Dr Turtle Sulpha Dip and then add a Dr Turtle Block to the water. If the spots continue to grow than a visit to a vet would be in order.-Chuck>

Turtle Questions ... dis.  6/20/06
Hi! I had a question about a my Mississippi map turtle.  About a month ago I noticed that on his right front foot there was a pinkish spot right under his claw.  I'm not sure how it happened, I thought maybe another of the turtles bit him.  I started putting Neosporin on it and it got a little more pink and swollen but then it got a lot better, and was almost totally healed.  Now I noticed that there are two other small spots on the same leg a little further up.  These ones are a deeper red and seem hard.  His hand is swollen but he swims fine, eats normally, and acts as he always has.
< I would recommend that you isolate the turtle and add a Dr. Turtle Sulpha Block to the water. The other turtles can't bother him in another tank and the Sulpha block will inhibit bacteria and give his arm a chance to heal.>
Also, I have a yellow belly slider who blows bubbles every time she grabs at the food.  Could that be a sign of a respiratory problem??
<No not really. The problems arise when they are sitting on their basking site and blowing bubbles.>
Also, my red eared slider and yellow bellied slider dig in the rocks a lot.  I think they are looking for food.  Is this normal and ok??
< Older turtles  need more vegetable matter in their diet. Give them some kale or spinach leaves to gnaw on. ZooMed now has a new turtle bone for turtles to gnaw on and get some calcium. It may be worth checking out since you have so many turtles.-Chuck>  Thanks so much for your help!!
- Megan

Little Turtle With Big History  - 06/07/2006
Good Day to the Crew, I have a yellow bellied slider approximately 4 years old (by the vet's estimation). My question relates to an odd condition with his shell but I should give you a brief overview of his history so you have all the facts....
My children brought this turtle (I named Myrtle before I knew he was a boy) to me a year ago telling me that "a lady was putting him in the creek because she didn't want him anymore." I have never owned a turtle before so I immediately went to the local pet store and bought the necessary gear....ill advised by the PetSmart staff. We found out the hard way that every bit of advise they gave us was wrong. The tank was not being effectively filtered, the water not deep enough or changed often enough, no UVB was recommended, the pebble substrate held too much bacteria and fecal debris and the recommended diet was incomplete. Myrtle was never a great eater but stopped eating altogether later in December of 2005. He was also spending all of his time under his basking light, his shell was peeling and his plastron was reddish, and if it's possible, he looked skinny to me.  I finally located a veterinarian who would treat reptiles at the end of January. Her diagnosis was that Myrtle was septic because of the poor filtration in his tank and his general care was not up to par. Myrtle was put on a Baytril regimen and his living conditions were altered significantly.  He is still housed in a 20 gallon long aquarium but now it's 2/3 full, has a suspended basking bridge (instead of one supported with stones which hold debris) a heat lamp and separate UVA & B light (no additional heat). Basking area temp is 85 degrees and water temp is 76 degrees. Filtration is provided by a Fluval 104 canister filter plus an additional 20 gallon submersible filter. The substrate is large polished stones. I do a 75% water change at least once a week and treat his water with Stress Coat. To keep the amount of debris in the tank to a minimum, I feed Myrtle in a separate plastic tub and wait for him to defecate before I return him to his aquarium. I completely disassemble the tank and filters, scrub the basking bridge, climbing structure and substrate stones with hot, hot, hot water every other week. Myrtle's diet of floating Repto sticks has been supplemented with shrimp, rosy reds, guppies and calcium powder...he still does not like vegetation yet but I keep trying periodically.  To make a long story even longer, after 4 rounds of Baytril, 9 trips to the vet, and about $500 in money that I don't have to spare... he was doing really well. His weight went from 103 grams in January to 118 grams in April. I was very relieved because I have grown to love this little guy!
Now, you have the old history. Let me tell you the current events.... Several weeks ago, I noticed that his skin was shedding. Shedding to the point that he looked almost furry! There were skin patches floating all over the tank and everything. I researched it on the internet and figured it could be all the Baytril or the amount of fish he was eating. I cut down on the amount of Rosies and guppies that he got per week and waited to see what would happen. His appetite was still ravenous and activity level was still high so I was not really worried yet. I asked the vet about it and told her that we had a water softener for our well water and she recommended that we add Stress Coat to the water because it might still be too hard for Myrtle to tolerate. That seemed to stop the profuse shedding after a while.
However, I had also noticed that in our goldfish aquarium, guppy aquarium and Myrtle's aquarium, the algae was no longer green but had changed to kind of a reddish brown color. Couple this with the fact that my own skin and hair felt really dry. I called our water softener company with the question and they recommended that we change our softener salt to one that did not include the "Iron Out" because it may be too harsh. We did that a month ago and most of the algae has gone back to green except for the goldfish tank and my own hair and skin are softer. But I am wondering if that Iron Out could have damaged Myrtle's shell. This is where my real question begins.. After the bout of sepsis, Myrtle's shell peeling was slowing down but not before one of the marginal scutes had come off completely to the bone. The vet said to not worry too much about it because it would grow back with time. Then, within the last month or 6 weeks, it looks like there are air
bubbles within or between the keratin of the scutes. I can't feel them, they don't peel off and they don't feel squishy. When he is under water, these bubbles look almost luminous. Like he has tiny lights in his shell. When he is out of the water and completely dry, they look dull and sort of obscure the patterns on the scutes underneath. I scrub his shell gently with a soft toothbrush and an iodine solution, remove really loose scutes and apply shell conditioner about once a week or so. More often if his shell is looking bad, less often if he is looking good. Have you ever heard of anything like this? I have a call in to his vet but she is out of town for a while and I just don't want to take any chances. I wish I had a digital camera so you could see what I am talking about. If I can find one, I'll send pics.
I thank you so much for your time. I know I have been long winded with this explanation and I apologize for that. I hope you can help because I really want to provide the best care for my little buddy so I can have his company for many years to come. I look forward to hearing from you,
Sincerely, Julie Parker
< As the turtle sheds its skin the lose material is attacked by aquatic fungus and mold. It really does the turtle no harm. It just looks bad. Get your water for the turtle from the garden hose before it goes into your house and before the water softener has a chance to treat it. Water softeners replace much needed calcium with sodium and potassium. If your turtle does not get enough calcium then they develop shell problems. Add a Dr Turtle to the tank and do a Repti Turtle Sulpha Dip. Watch the areas closely. The gases under the shell are caused by bacteria. It may be shell rot. This is a bacterial infection in which each area needs to be surgically cleaned out and antibiotics applied.-Chuck>

Sulfa Block for Turtle  6/6/06
I have a beautiful two year old male RES.  About a  year ago I put a sulfa block in  his water to help keep him healthy.   The block was in the shape of a turtle.  After it had dissolved to a  smaller size  (maybe the size of a lima bean), my turtle ate  it!   For about five days afterwards he  had the worst diarrhea  imaginable.  I haven't tried a sulfa block since then.  Is there any way I can keep sulfa in the water without tempting my turtle?  Also,  are there any vitamins or other antibiotics I can put in his water  to help  keep him healthy? Elizabeth Walley
< When a turtle eats a Sulpha block it is a sign that the turtle needs additional minerals in its diet. Add some green leafy vegetables like spinach and Kale. They are a good source of calcium. Offer some other item like insects and worms.-Chuck>

Turtle Survival Story  - 06/07/2006
Thanks so much for this wonderful site! I had two hatchling turtles that were very sick (on arrival) and I was able to save one with eye drops, sulfur dips, correctly temperatured, clean water, and a proper basking light. They both had swollen, dry eyes, respiratory problems and from reading what I imagine as an ear infections (both) on the right side of their necks.
The surviving turtle has stopped chirping and is eating regularly, has become more active and has even become shy again as runs for the water when I approach the tank-which tells me he did not lose his sight with the infection if he sees me coming. The lump on the right side of his neck is entirely gone. He has no problems submerging. However, he prefers Repto-min to the hatchling food. Is this OK? I've tried krill, Nature Zone Aquatic Turtle Bites, and Zoo Med's hatchling food, but the only thing he will eat is the Repto-Min. I haven't tried spinach or crickets yet and am trying to find worms.
<Repto-Min is OK but a varied diet is best. Feed three times a week but only offer the Repto-Min once a week and offer something else the other two times. He will be hungry enough to eat whatever you throw in the tank after the first week. Younger turtles need more meat than adults. Occasionally offer Kale and Spinach>
Also, I have two more hatchlings on the way. I am hesitant to put them in the same tank for fear of bacteria for their own health and for my recovering turtle. Can I give them a sulfur dip before placing them in with the other turtle? Thanks again for your great site and for saving my turtle's life. - Tom D.
(Boston)
< The dips will help with external problems but not with the internal lung problems. Quarantine the new turtles until they are healthy and active just like your turtle is now.-Chuck>

Sick Yellow Bellied Turtle  - 06/07/2006
Hello, I have searched but cannot find any information on what I'm looking for.  I bought 2 baby red eared sliders and 2 baby yellow bellied sliders 9 months ago and they have been doing fine.  About a week ago, I noticed that the shell on 1 of the yellow bellied sliders has started to get a brown tint to it.  It is more noticeable when it is wet - it looks almost normal when it is dry and basking.  At first we thought maybe it was basking too much.  Is this possible?  In the last couple days he also has been keeping his eyes shut (only opening them a few times) and is hardly eating.  I also tried putting shell conditioner on it.  If you pick him up, he barely moves.  What can I do for him?  Please give me any suggestions you may have.  Thank you!!
<Check the temp of the basking site. It should be about 85F+. Get Repti Turtle Eye Drops and apply them as per the directions. He could be basking too long in an attempt to heat his body to a much higher temp but can't get it high enough because the heat source is too weak or too far away. Place him in the water. If he floats then he has fluid in his lungs and needs to see a vet for antibiotics.-Chuck>

Sulfa Block for Turtle  6/6/06
<Hi Elizabeth, Pufferpunk here>
I have a beautiful two year old male RES.  About a year ago I put a sulfa block in  his water to help keep him healthy.  The block was in the shape of a turtle.  After it had dissolved to a smaller size  (maybe the size of a lima bean), my turtle ate it!   For about five days afterwards he  had the worst diarrhea imaginable.  I haven't tried a sulfa block since then.  Is there any way I can keep sulfa in the  water without tempting my turtle?  Also, are there any vitamins or other antibiotics I can put in his water  to help keep him healthy?
<I don't think it is necessary to treat a healthy turtle with antibiotics consistently.  I don't stay on them, why should a turtle?  If you have good filtration, do water changes weekly, feed healthy foods & dust with vitamins.  ~PP>
Elizabeth  Walley

Turtle With Lump On Neck  6/5/06
Hi Bob, I was hoping you could help us.  We have 2 small turtles that were brought back from South Carolina about 2 years ago.  The one turtle has a bump on the side of it's face and neck.  The lump is kind of brown in color and just came out sometime between yesterday and today.  Any suggestions on where to look for treatment and to find out what this may be.  I am afraid it will pass it to the other turtle.  Please help direct us if you can.
Diana
<With two turtles in the same tank, it makes me think that maybe one of them was bitten there when both of them were attempting to eat the same piece of food. Other things could be infections or parasites. Take him to a vet and be sure. Go to Kingsnake.com and check for a vet recommendation in your area.-Chuck>

Near Drowned Turtle Needs Help   5/27/06
Hello all, I was cleaning my southern painted turtle's tank tonight with a Python tube. After I finished cleaning, I left the tubing the tank, figuring I'd move the tubing later. At some point, the turtle worked himself into the gravel vacuum. I discovered this, removed him, and am now trying to dry-dock and warm him up.
He's alive, but I don't know how long he was in that tube...could have been a few minutes, could have been over an hour. He's still fairly young and a little undersized, since apparently I've not been giving him enough food even though people said to stop feeding him every day. I am not sure exactly how to dry dock, so he's on a towel in a large Tupperware with a light shining on one end in the hopes that he'll warm up some. He's responsive to touch and movement, but very lethargic. Help? Veronica
<I would place him in a shallow dish with the basking spot on one side. The spot should get up to 85 F. Place him in on the site for 15 minutes. He should be fairly warm to the touch. Take him off the site and place him away from the light in a little bit of water. After 15 minutes then place him back under the light. The logic here is to warm him up but not get him too hot and dehydrated. In the shallow pan he can drink if needed. Hopefully the heat will drive the fluids away from the lungs and the shallow water will allow him to drink and not dehydrate the rest of the body. Repeat often until you get some normal response. This may take a few days. A lung infection may come and require a trip to a vet for antibiotics.-Chuck>

Re: Near Drowned Turtle Coming Back   5/27/06
Hello Chuck, Thank for the quick reply. In the time that I've been waiting, I had put him in a towel-lined bucket with a shaded area so he wasn't too hot. He has been trying, for the past hour or so, to escape. He did a ninja chin-lift up the towel and out of the bucket (and into the box I had the bucket in, just in case) I think this is a good thing. Most of the time he is tucked into his shell, but I'm not sure if that's lethargy, tiredness, or stress. It is nighttime here and I don't want to stress him by leaving the  light on all night. I've put him in another bucket with some water in it, as well as a small ramp of gravel that is under the lamp. He can get himself out of the shallow water (doesn't totally cover his shell) easily. Should I leave the light on all night? Should I do what you are suggesting? He's moving pretty well on his own now and it's a question of keeping him warm/hydrated vs. the stress of moving.
Much thanks again, Veronica
< Turtles are pretty resilient. I am assuming that your turtle "Shut Down", as if he was going to hibernate to stay alive and conserve oxygen. I have no proof, it is just a hunch. Sounds like your turtle is well on his way to recovery. I would just set him back up in his normal set up and let him decide when it is time to bask. Still be on the look out for respiratory problems. The symptoms are wheezing, coughing and an inability to sink.-Chuck>

Baby Turtle With Puffy Eyes  5/11/06
Hi, I've been having some problems with my baby yellow-bellied slider. He's about the size of a quarter, and has been doing great until about the past two or three weeks. He's having trouble opening his eyes (there seems to be some kind of film over them), wasn't eating, and spends most of his day sleeping on the dock. He also does this unusual movement with his neck (it's seems like he's moving it in and out of his shell). I've taken him out of his normal tank last night (there is also a red-eared slider in there) and placed him separately with a stronger heat lamp. As soon as he was placed in there, he ate, jumped in the water and started swimming for about an hour, and soon went back to sleep. Since then, he's only been in the water once today, and I'm pretty sure he hasn't eaten. The vet said that there is nothing wrong with him, but I still have a feeling something is going on. Would it be possible for someone to help me solve this problem? Thank you,
< Clean the tank and treat the eyes with Repti Turtle Eye Drops by Zoo Med. The extra heat was a very good idea. Between the drops and the heat your little turtle should be fine in no time.-Chuck>

Re: Sick Turtle - 05/13/2006
Turtle Gasping
Great. Thank you very much. They seem to be working very well. He does seem to gasp for air sometimes though. Is this something to worry about?
< A gasping sound may be the first sign of a respiratory problem. May sure the basking site gets up to 85 to 90 F. If it continues then see a vet.-Chuck>

Very Sick Little Turtle   5/21/06
Ok thanks chuck- I really do appreciate this information- I have tried to educate myself on these little guys the best I can- I am going to pet store to get what you told me- although I fear it wont make a difference- I just came down stairs and he was floating on his back- he is alive his arms and legs work- I just don't understand it- I have followed everything- its just so frustrating..... I guess I will maybe get some vitamins too- maybe he lacking something- maybe I should check the ph and hardiness of water too??? He is rather smaller than other res babies- so maybe he was born with something wrong.. ok thanks so much- greatly appreciated.....
< Forget the water tests, they will be a waste of money. What you turtle needs right now is heat. A very warm basking site that will get up to at least 85 F.-Chuck>

Soft Shell Turtle Throwing Up  - 5/11/06
Hi, I'm located in Singapore, and the general attitude here towards reptiles are that if they are sick, throw them away and get a new one.
Which means that.. there are no vets who can treat my Softshell turtle!
I'm not sure what type it is, but I am pretty sure its a breed that's from southeast Asia.
I keep it outdoors, in a tank where it can get sunlight from 7am till
12noon.It is roughly 3 years old, and 6 inches long. Problem is, for the past 3 weeks, it have been throwing up. Not immediately after feeding, maybe 5-6 hours later.
It's eating Tetra ReptoMin, 8 sticks per feeding.
I tried feeding it iceberg lettuce, the only vegetable it will eat.
But that comes out too, after 12 hours.
It used to be very active, but its just lying around these days, don't even try to bite me anymore. What can the problem be? I really don't want to lose it..
I can't tell if its male or female either.. Thank you for your time,
Tasha
< Too bad you have no access to a vet. Clean the tank and move it to where it gets some warm afternoon sun. The peak UV period is between 10 and 2. You turtle may not be getting warm enough to digest its meal and it has begun to rot in its gut and cannot pass it.-Chuck>