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FAQs About Turtle Disease/Health 3

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>

Terrapin- R infection. Turtle hlth. – 03/18/08
HI there,
I came across your website as I have been worried sick about my little terrapin. I am from Singapore and recently bought 3 terrapins 3 weeks ago.
About a week and half ago I noticed that one of them refused to eat, sneezed a lot, sleep a lot, the shell can't sink and yawns.
<Lung infection...>
Initially I didn't know that they need sun/light
<Or other source of red-end spectrum lighting, Vitamin supplements>
to bask so I figured little Meeno ( sick one) caught a cold. I started putting a heat lamp for them to bask and during day time I have them out in the sun ( not direct sun).
Also brought it to the Vet last week and was prescribed Baytril solutions to be put in the tank.
<Ahh!>
Little Meeno started to be a little more active and tried to eat a little on the 3rd day after the medication but couldn't eat.
Every time Meeno opens its mouth, bubble comes out and pushes the food further away, and it gave up after a while ( breaks my heart watching it). I tried hard boiled egg white but to no avail. I brought it to the vet again on the 6th day and the vet started Injections. Meeno had the first jab
yesterday and I did the second one today ( but I was nervous so I think the jab caused a little bleeding). I also started soaking Meeno in V8 juice.
<Interesting>
The vet said that Meeno probably has pneumonia now and prognosis is looking poor.
<Yikes>
I was wondering what else I can do to save it. The other 2 terrapins are eating a lot and doing fine. As I put the little guys out near the sun from morning till evening, do I still need to turn on the basking light at night?

What else can I feed Meeno? Thank you so much for your help,
Desperate,
Su
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlvstkind2.htm
toward the bottom of the page... re Turtle systems, feeding, respiratory disease. Bob Fenner>

Re: Terrapin- R infection. 4/6/08
Dear Neale,
Hi again, this is Su here from Singapore. Unfortunately little Meeno passed away this morning ( Sun 6th April) exactly a month since it got sick and stopped eating.
<Too bad. I'm sorry.>
I guess I also got the Uv-B light a bit too late. But my other two turts are doing quite well. If possible would you be able to shed some light about the turtle?
<Not really; there's likely a mix of things going on. The best you can do is correct any possible problems (e.g., lack of UV-B, diet) and hope that the remaining turtles do fine.>
A day before, Meeno started to bloat up in her neck/shoulder region, and the water in the tank she was in turned light yellowish ( I had her in antibiotic solution- Baytril) .On Sunday morning before she passed away around noon, her whole body started swelling, and the
water also turned yellowish. I tried to put her under the sun to let her bask but she kept on dragging her little lifeless body into the shed. An hour before she died it was gasping for air. I kept her for a few more hours before burying her to see if she will come true ( as I heard stories that some turtles just go into hibernating mode?), but she didn't.
<Most terrapins don't/shouldn't hibernate in captivity, so don't worry about it.>
The vet said that probably when she had pneumonia there was local abscess in the lungs?
<Quite possible. One of the most common reasons reptiles of all types get sick in captivity is respiratory infection (i.e., what we'd call pneumonia in humans). Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/turtrespart.htm
>
Thank you so much for your time, effort and advice.
Heartbroken,
Su
<Well, I do hope the remaining terrapins stay healthy, and you get to enjoy your pets! You're doing all the right things and asking all the right questions, so I have faith things will turn out well. Cheers, Neale.>

Yellow Bellied Sliders with fungus 1/23/08
Hi there,
<Hiya right back! Darrel here tonight>
We are new turtle owners. We bought two baby yellow bellied sliders 5 days ago. We bought them with a full starter kit, 11 gallon tank (14 US gallons), 15w UVB lamp, basking dock and filter, the water is kept at room temperature. They are about 2.5' long. They appear to have a good appetite, we have fed them on some carrot, a few blood worms and some dried complete food.
<Hint #1 -- save yourself time & money -- feed them small Koi pellets or Reptomin (basically the same thing, just more costly. Read a bit more in the link enclosed>
On the second day of having them we noticed some spots of white on their feet, one more pronounced than the other. These seem white and fluffy when in water, like cotton wool. When on the basking dock it seems smooth and shiny. One also had some markings on the shell. These are around the edges of the shell segments. Please see attached photos. The marks on the shell seem rusty metallic in appearance when in the water. The markings have become more apparent in the last few days. From reading around I think this could be shell shedding but am unsure and worried. Is this likely to be the case, possibly due to growth?
<That's what it appears from here. Great pics by the way -- the shells look nice and healthy as long as they are firm to the touch>
From reading I also think that the white marks are a fungus due to the stress of change of conditions. I understand that this is quite common in younger turtles, especially when re-homed. We have since re-cleaned the whole tank and based on the advice we can find on the internet/in books we have been giving them a 20 minute a day warm salt bath with 1 teaspoon of salt per litre of water. Is this the appropriate course of action? Is there anything else we can do? We are anxious to do the right thing and that from reading are aware that this could lead on to septicemia. With information so hard to come by we are hoping you can help.
<Yep .. you got yourself a first class case of fungus there! First, let me congratulate you on having done all the right things and investing the time, money and research in an attempt to be responsible pet keepers.>
<Now as far as the fungus is concerned, here's what I'd do: Take them out of the water and keep them in a warm DRY place for the next three weeks. Put them in a shallow dish of room temperature water for 10-15 minutes a day in order to hydrate, poop and eat. Feed them sparingly. After they come out of the water and have dried off, coat all affected areas with a commercial athlete's foot treatment (like Lotrimin or Triconazole -- generics are fine). As long as you keep clear of the mouth, nose and eyes, you can coat the rest of the shell and skin if you wish. This is a more aggressive treatment than the salt water dip but faster and more certain. Keep in mind that the warm, wet world they like to live in and that you want to provide for them is also the perfect environment for fungus. By keeping them dry, you put the fungus at a disadvantage and the turtles themselves don't really mind.>
<Once they've appeared "clean" for a week, you can put them back in their home. Room temperature water is great and make sure that their basking area is 88 to 95 degrees -- not being able to dry thoroughly is a prime cause for fungus growth.>
Many thanks, we look forward to your response.
<well, there is my response. Below is a link for more general purpose reference, too.>
<Please write back and keep us posted as to their progress!>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Re: Yellow Bellied Sliders with fungus 1/31/08
Darrel, thanks so much for your speedy and thoughtful response.
<Glad I can help>
There are just a couple of questions that I have from your response. You say to leave them out in dry warm conditions for 3 weeks. By this do you mean for 3 weeks solid without ever being by water (apart from the 10 min.s a day for feeding etc). Is this 10 min.s a day enough to keep them hydrated over this period?
<Yes, it is. Not that you have to be a strict clock watcher -- 15 minutes is OK, too and yes, as long as they can drink (that will be the first thing they do) they could be away from a water-based tank for months!>
As for the housing we were thinking of keeping them in a clear plastic storage box and placing the UVA/B lamp over the top. Do you think this will adequate for them or is there anything else we can give them for 3 weeks as this seems like a long time to be in such bleak conditions!
<Perfect. Remember, it may be bleak to YOU ... but offer them a choice: stay in the box for three weeks or get out & go to school or work, earn a living, clean their room and do dishes -- heck I'll jump in that box myself for three weeks!!!!>
In addition, if they are simply in a warm box how will they manage to regulate their body temperature?
<Very good question. In this case you're regulating it for them. Remember, as long as they can't get too cold ... or too hot, then regulation isn't life threatening for them. Warm 76-82 degrees will suit them just fine while the fungus is being treated.>
I assume the athletes foot treatment you refer to are the sort you can simply buy at a pharmacy?
<Yep, any of the generics for Tinactin or Lotrimin will work just fine!>
Once again, thank you for your reassurance and great advice.
<You're welcome!! Every time you think of fungus, think of me!!>

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..

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>

Turtle FAQs work on WWM, call for articles 12/12/07
Chelonian types... you know who you are... the ones with the Plastrons... Have recently split up, added Turtle Respiratory and Turtle Eye Disease SubFAQs files to WWM... and am hoping you might be interested in penning for-pay articles re these categories, conditions... BobF.

Re: Turtle FAQs work on WWM, call for articles - 12/13/07
Hi Bob,
I'll certainly take a look and see if I( can help. But the respiratory disease one is pretty simple -- if your turtle is wheezing, has cloudy eyes, a runny nose, and no interest in food... take it to the vet!
<Mmm, yes... but... this "idea" can/could be expanded on to include preventative issues like proper habitat... gentle urging of folks to be pro and otherwise active... Remember, our target audience...>
Forgive me for not being too involved today/tomorrow. I'm packing today for my trip to the States, and will be in transit tomorrow.
Cheers, Neale
<No worries and bon voyageeeee! Cheers, BobF>

Pudgy Turtle problems 12/5/07
Clear Day
Hello.
<Hello to you , too!>
I have a red bellied Cooter that I had purchased in Feb. of 2006 for my 3 year old daughter. It was approx. 3 inches when we had gotten him and he is now only 3.5 inches. He eats TetraMin turtle pellets and/or TetraMin shrimp every to every other day. We keep him in our 29 gal. fish tank with some mollies and guppies. All of the levels in the water test out correctly and he has a turtle dock to bask outside of the water under a UVA/UVB bulb. The water in the tank is filtered.
<The first comment I want to make here is that while turtles and fish live in what appears to humans to be the same environment, in reality they occupy very different niches in the aquatic world. GENERALLY speaking, the conditions required for fish health are often only marginal for turtles. In addition, while fish (especially healthy fish) don't make up a high percentage of a turtle's diet, every once in a while they just get lucky and suddenly a prized fish is gone.>
Last week I noticed that the skin around his neck and legs seems bubbled almost as if it is filled with air or something? I can't seem to find anything about that other than swollen eyes which he does not have. I didn't know if maybe he has some sort of shell growth problem since he hasn't grown at all really and maybe he's getting to chubby for his shell. If you could figure something out for us I would greatly appreciate that.
<The questions to ask here are his behavior and activity. Is he active? Any problems diving? Internal infections can cause gas pockets that puff out and make a turtle extremely buoyant. This isn't common without a slew of secondary symptoms, but I thought I'd ask.>
<It's also possible -- just as you suspect -- that he is simply obese and this is possibly due to a dietary imbalance or environmental issues or both. First, see if you can obtain Koi Pellets at your local fish store. I've used very high quality (and expensive) imported brands and locally produced cheaper brands (such as Kay-Tee) with great success. Failing this, Repto-Min food sticks are wonderful -- they're essentially identical to Koi pellets, just more expensive. Make sure that his basking area gets to at least 83 degrees (f) and preferably as high as 93 -- and that his water is no warmer than 73 (preferably 70). Either or both of these conditions can produce the abnormalities you are describing -- a turtle that eats more than it is metabolizing will have stunted growth while still appearing to be fat.>
If you need pictures to better help in seeing his problem I would be happy to provide them for you!
<Is his name Pete by any chance?>
<Please check out the following article and measure your care against the recommendations and, by all means, write back with pictures!>
<regards, Darrel>
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm >
Thank you very much!
Kimberly

Turtle care question: yellow membrane and swollen eyes 11/28/07
Hello Crew,
<Hiya Miranda! - Darrel here>
A friend of mine recently got three baby turtles. I have turtles too, so I helped him set everything up. We've been watching the water temp & quality, the basking area, the food, and two of the turtles are doing fine, but another one is sick. Its eyes are closed most of the time, and when opened, they have a yellow membrane (sort of like a 'contact lens') covering the entire eye. It is also very lethargic.
HELP!
<OK!>
What's wrong with it?
<What's wrong is most likely an eye infection. I know that seems obvious, but the obvious is always the best place to start>
What can I do about it?
<Eye infections in water turtles is usually a sign of poor nutrition - specifically a vitamin imbalance. A lack of Vitamin A is the primary cause but we rarely see a lack of only ONE vitamin, so let's assume that this little guys needs a complete vitamin supplement in his diet. Make sure his basic diet is either a high quality Koi pellet or a commercial turtle food - Tetra's Repto-Min is the one I'd recommend. Meanwhile he's going to need a vitamin SUPPLEMENT from the pet store. The question is how to deliver the vitamins. If he's still eating you can coat his food in either a supplement powder or drop some liquid supplement on it. If he's too weak to eat then the next course of action is to either try to pry his little mouth open to more of less force a drop of liquid vitamin in once a day ... or a trip to the veterinarian for some injectibles.>
Is it contagious?
<No. Yes and Yes. NO in the sense that hypovitaminosis is not "contagious." YES in the sense that if one is subject to it, it's likely that all are getting insufficient nutrition as well -- it's just that the smallest or weakest show the signs first. The final YES is that any sickness or situation causing weakness in a fish or reptile opens the door WIDE OPEN for secondary problems, such as a fungal infection and that is VERY contagious. For this reason, we'll treat all animals in the collection>
<One, ensure that the diet is corrected. Two, add a vitamins or treat for that condition. Three make sure they are getting adequate exposure to UV-A and UV-B light. Four, keep them warm and out of water except for a few minutes a day to bathe, drink and eat -- bacteria and fungus LOVE warmth and wetness!>
You've been very helpful in the past with my other turtle questions, so I'm hoping you can help me make Felicity (the turtle's name) feel all better.
<If best wishes were fruit, you'd be swimming in a banana smoothie right now, Miranda! Get started on the treatment, look for signs of improvement (or signs of further problems) and write back, OK?>
Thanks in advance!
<yer welcome!>

Limp turtle 11/06/07
I have a turtle emergency! My daughter has had her little turtle for about 8 months now. He is a water turtle, not sure what kind, orange stripes on the bottom of his shell and white stripes on his neck, very pretty. He is a baby, about 2 and 1/2 inches across his shell. He's been staying outside all summer and throughout the early fall in a baby pool. He eats like a pig and is very active. We didn't want him to hibernate so we got him a tank and filter so he could stay in my daughter's room. He's been in the house for about 2 weeks now and all of a sudden, today, he just went limp, is gargling water through his nose, and hardly moves at all!!! What is wrong!?! My daughter is frantic, I have to at least know what is going on. Thanks so much! Kristin O.
<The description you give is classically a respiratory infection and the treatment involves keeping him dry, warm AND ... a very quick trip to a veterinarian. If the vet isn't all that experienced in reptiles, suggest that the treatment of choice my be Baytril subq. Meanwhile keep him warm, dry and out of the water except for a few minutes every day to hydrate and perhaps eat. The key is how sick he is -- if he's constantly bubbling, limp and barely moving, then we're pretty much out of the mode of being able to treat at home.>

Re: limp turtle gets a bit better – 11/16/07
We were not able to get "Squirt" to the vet that night, but for lack of any knowledge of what to do we prayed for the little guy, stuck him in the kitchen sink on a plate with a little bit of water and by morning he was up and around again. He has not eaten much this week. He stays out of the water and in the heat of the 100 watt bulb. Hopefully he will be back to eating like a pig again by the end of next week. Thank God the little guy made it! I wasn't so sure that my daughter would have been able to handle it if he didn't. Thanks so much!
<I'm sure glad it's working out, Kristin. I'd still like to see you get him to a vet, perhaps an antibiotic injection to help him along, but above all -- warm and dry until he feels better. You can even place a saucer of cool water in his box and place him in that -- if you see him bend down to drink, add a bit more water. Whatever container you use, water level should be no higher than his shoulders (so that his head is comfortably out of the water) and just long enough for him to decide it he wants a drink.>
<Best wishes to you - Darrel>

Re: URGENT HELP FOR TURTLES NEEDED 10/29/07
I found out that my guys are actually yellow bellied cooters. I couldn't find anything on your site about the fungus (maybe I didn't search long enough), so I followed instructions from someone else on home treatment. Yesterday, I soaked them for 20 minutes in diluted iodine and it nearly killed them.
<I'm not sure where that came from but it's not that good a treatment, Rachel. With fungus, we usually treat specifically, which is to say that we apply some antifungal to the affected area. And this is not to mention that Iodine (Betadine/Povodine or whatever) can be effective to treat a small patch, but not a larger area>
They are lifeless, their little eyes are swollen shut (open sometimes for a minute, then closed again) and some bubbles from the mouth. They move for the most part only if you pick them up. One is doing better than the other and starting to swim today some but the other is just floating.
<Get them out of the water right away and keep them out!! They don't need to be in the water at all really (they can exist out of water for months if need be) and the water encourages fungal and bacterial growths. Put them somewhere dry and warm (but not HOT -- say between 80 and 85 degrees) and allow them to become warm and dry and then allow them some time to recuperate. At the moment, I'm more concerned about respiratory infection than fungus, but after they've had some time to rest ... if you see some topical fungus or patches other than on the face -- you can swab on a little household vinegar or apply any of the topical anti-fungal creams you see at a drug store (Lamisil, Triconozole, Tonolafate, etc.) but ... and I want to stress this .... at the moment, getting them dry, warm and rested is more important than treating fungi>
I am really upset that they may die or that their little systems have been compromised.
<Those are all real possibilities, but for the moment we do what we can>
Do you have any suggestions at all?
<If they aren't too compromised, the rest and dryness will help. Please write back as soon as there are any changes, but at the moment, warm, dry and rest ... and hope. All of ours are with you, Rachel.>
<Darrel>

Re: URGENT HELP FOR TURTLES NEEDED 10/30/07
While they are out of the water, do I still feed them the same way (food sticks, etc..) and do they need any water at all (like to drink)?
<Usually they won't eat when they're out of water, so in what we call a healthy-healing environment we place them back in the water for a few minutes (maybe 10 minutes) each day in order to drink, poop and eat ... but in your case, as you described it, it would be hard to imagine that they're all that hungry. What I mainly want is for them to be able to rest without worrying about drowning. If they become active and are clearly moving about whatever container you have them in looking for food or water, then absolutely place them in clean, room temperature water as deep as their shoulders for 10 minutes a day until their symptoms clear up.>

Terrapin Lost A Claw 10/11/07
Dear Sir / Madam,
<a sir here today -- Darrel>
I have two terrapins, one 8 inches long and one 7 inches long. The 8-incher has just bitten off one claw of the 7-incher, and although the 7-incher moves fine, eats well and responds well without showing lack of its usual alertness (save for the fact that it keeps its injured foot retracted), I'm worried because the injury is still fresh and you can see red flesh.
<This may be an opportune time for a trip to the veterinarian. Any physical injury that severe would be well served by an exam and professional treatment. That's not what I'd do, but I want to remind you that it's a wise option. Now back to your question>
Will it heal on its own, or is there something I have to do to make sure it gets better?
<It can heal on it's own, as nature often does, but we can do better. Remove the injured animal from the water and allow him to dry. Examine the injured claw area, pulling it out to extension if necessary, to make sure that the injury is clean (no impacted dirt, sand, etc.) and then coat it liberally with Betadine or similar topical antiseptic. Keep the animal out of the water for the next 8-10 days except for a few minutes each day where you put him back in the tank, allow him a few minutes to settle down & drink... and then feed him. Give him a few minutes to eat, then out, dry & Betadine again. Keep this up until the wound has scarred over completely.>
I know it's not the rocks because I've seen the larger terrapin attack the smaller terrapin's claws and sides (sides protected by shell), just that I never expected it to get so serious.
<It usually doesn't. They're colonial and communal AND at the same time scrappy and territorial and usually, almost always, fights between individuals stop and settle out LONG before this kind of damage. So yes, this is not typical, but it does happen. The time the smaller one spends away from the big one may help to calm whatever issues they have as well as let the little guy heal. But ... this time away might make the big guy feel that he's won a fight or driven off an intruder, so here's an old trick & tip from fish and reptile keepers from way back: When it's finally time to return him "home" you might consider a complete breakdown and rearrangement of the tank (rocks, lights, basking areas, etc.) so that they little guy is not being returned to the big guy's "home territory -- in a sense they're both starting fresh as equals. When that time comes, keep a close watch on them for a time -- in rare cases two individuals simply don't get along and you either need a habitat so large that they can live apart -- or else keep them separately. But we'll cross that bridge when we get that far.>
Truly hope you can help.. my terrapins mean a lot to me..

Thank you.
<You're welcome>
Best Regards,
Alex

Re: Terrapin Lost A Claw 10/12/07
Hello Darrel,
<Hiya Alex>
Awesome! I am truly grateful for your reply, just hope my local vets are good enough for reptiles because they've killed my friends' terrapins before with some kind of vitamin injection..
Once again, thank you so so so much!!
Take care,
Alex
<Dear Alex, I received your message last night and decided to reflect on it before responding because there's an area of animal husbandry here that is critical to all of us, yet so often overlooked and I wanted to make sure it gets complete coverage. You mentioned that your friend lost a terrapin to a veterinarian's vitamin injection and that caused me to think back sadly to all the animals that I've lost over the years and what proximal causes were involved. The sad fact is that a great number of them were lost while in a veterinarian's care and I, like you, might have a good reason to be suspicious. And yes, there are a few veterinarians around that are working with 15 year old information on exotics, reptiles and fish and I have learned over the years that it's not only my right but my obligation to ask a vet to state his experience and training relative to what problem I've brought to him.>
<But with that said, any naturalist or in fact anyone who's watched many animal shows on television will tell you that in the wild, it's simply not a good idea to be wounded or weak. Probably the same with people, too ... or as my mother used to tell my brother and I SO many times ... "The least you can do is ACT like you're normal!">
<ahem. Back to the animals>
<Even an adult water buffalo with a limp is a sure announcement to the pride of lions. A snake just before its' shed is an easy mark for an eagle and a fish swimming on it's side is calling it's bigger brethren to dinner. For this reason, our wild friends try really REALLY hard not to show any weakness even after some severe injuries. They have all evolved to be very hardy and quite stoic -- which, unfortunately leads to the number one cause of death in our captive animals: By the time they get sick enough that they can't hide their weaknesses any long and begin to limp, sway, wallow or float .... they're often near death's door and beyond salvation.>
<We've almost all had a fish that seemed fine and healthy for months until one morning we found him dead and yet that's rarely the whole truth. The truth is that he or she had been sick for a very long time and due to a combination of their ability to act normal, our haste to make a quick exam each day and then run off to the rest of our lives ... and the fact that often we don't even know what to look for ... the animal in question has actually been fading right in front of our eyes for quite some time -- we just didn't notice because the signs were so tiny. So please remember that IN ADDITION to the fact that your pet can't tell the doctor where it hurts, by the time you get your animal to the veterinarian, he's probably used up all his reserves and there's sometimes very little the doctor can do.>
<The water changes, the filter cleanings, the heater checks, supplements -and .. and and AND .... the 10 or more minutes a day devoted to really REALLY looking -- are worth a hundred trips to the vet and a LOT cheaper, too.>

Re: Terrapin Lost A Claw 10/12/07
My apologies... one more question.. Will the claw grow again? It's so sad, like he's missing one small toe.. plus will it be ok for him to be on totally dry land for so many hours a day? And must I rinse him to get rid of the iodine before putting him back into the water?
Thank you!
Alex
<No worries, Alex.>
<It's unlikely that the claw will grow back -- it depends on how much of the root is damaged, but it really doesn't matter. The flesh will heal and the turtle will get along jut fine.>
<To answer your other question, yes, he can be out of water for days without problem .. and if he gets a little bit of water time each day to bathe and hydrate, he could be out of the water for MONTHS without any ill effects. If you apply the iodine after he comes out of the water and leave it on until the next day when you soak him again, no rising is necessary.>
<Regards>
<Darrel>

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.>

Thanks,
Jeremy
<You're most welcome>
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm

African side-necked turtles... deaths - 9/3/07
Hi,
We have had an African side-necked turtle for about 10 years. His mate died about six years ago. Recently, we found a female who was about half his size.
Everything was great for a few weeks and then we came home to find that she had died. He is fine, but appears upset. We have no clue as to what has happened to harm only one of the turtles.
Is the problem putting a younger female in with a much larger male?
He was definitely sexually aggressive. I hesitate putting another female in with him until I learn what happened. It was a long time before we found a new mate.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank-you,
Ellen
<Greetings, Ellen. There are several African side-necked turtles, so without a Latin name it is difficult to be 100% sure how to answer this (remember: Latin names good, common names bad). But assuming its one or other species of Pelusios spp., then the chances are you'll not be able to introduce a "friend" into his enclosure safely. These turtles are fairly aggressive and snappy, and as is usual with reptiles, it is the male that tends to have the shortest temper. It's questionable whether he really is "upset". So unless you can locate a female of similar or larger size, I'd be tempted to keep him alone for now. Introducing a smaller turtle into "his" territory is probably asking for trouble. Cheers, Neale>

Questions about female turtle, hlth. 8/28/07
Hello,
<Hello - Darrel here>
I have a female floating turtle who is about 6 months old. She is in the same tank as a male floating turtle about the same age.
<:::Laughing::: I've never heard of a "floating turtle" before. I'm going to guess that you mean a Red Eared Slider or similar water turtle -- but if I'm wrong, my advice might not make any sense.>
We have 4 pleco bottom feeders to help with the cleaning of the tank. Our tank is 20 gallons with a turtle log for them to bask, a heater, and a uv lamp. I've noticed that the last couple of days she hasn't been eating as much, tends to spend most of the day on the turtle log, and when she goes into the water she seems to be floating with her butt up in the air. As of yesterday, she will be on top of the log and open her mouth as if she was screaming. I've actually heard her screaming noise. I was just wondering if you could let me know what's going on with her...
<That can be a sign of many things, Shannon. On the serious side, a fungal or bacterial infection in the belly or intestines can create gas pockets that will make turtles float at odd angles. On the other hand, it can simply be that she has gas (no, I'm not kidding - she could just have an upset tummy and if so, this will pass [PUN!]). The open mouth, sometimes called Gaping, can be a sign of distress, but also just an attempt to cool off. You mentioned a heater, probably needed for the Pleco's you have. What is the water temperature and the temperature of the basking log? Water should be around 72-74f and the basking area between 82-95f. If the water is warmer, then perhaps she just can't get cool.>
<The most serious thing is your comment that you've heard her screaming noise ... because if she's a turtle, she has no vocal chords!!>
<A few days based on the symptoms you describe isn't really enough to make any kind of determination -- my suggestion is that you check your environment (I'll give you a link, below), correct anything you see and wait a few more days, then write back. I'm also going to drop a copy of this in Neale's and Bob's boxes to see if they can float a few other ideas.>
<HAHAHAHAHAA! Get it? "Floating Turtle"? "Float an idea"? LoLoL - Should be on the stage!>
Thank you,
Shannon
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
<Darrel... we should go to the pub. BobF; whose friends have encouraged him to "go on TV"... so they could turn him off.>

Turtle infection, maybe? – 08/01/07
Hi Crew,
<Hiya -- Darrel here>
I have a female Eastern Painted turtle who is 5 years old. She seems to have an infection on the bottom of her shell. What should I do.
<The first think is to let her get dry -- all fungal and bacterial infections are harder to control when they're wet all the time. Just remember that she can stay out of water for weeks without ill effects and what you should do is put her in the water for a few minutes each day so she can drink and eat, then take her back out again.>
<Now for the infection, I'd like to have more information - is it black & slick feeling? Or white and feels just like the shell? Please write back with more. Meanwhile, keep her dry and wash and scrub the area with a little household vinegar -- it helps most infections and we're not going to send you off to the store (or the vet) until we know a little more about what you're up against. So write back with some more detail and in the mean time, search our site for "turtle" and "infection" and you'll get lots of reading material.>
Thanks for any help.

Pink bellies on turtles 7/12/07
Hello,
<Hi>
I have a Mississippi map turtle, and a yellow bellied Cooter, both of which are about 2.5 to 3 inches in size. More recently they have both started to get pink bellies. I think they are not getting enough calcium in there diet. I have tried the turtle bone, and I am not sure what else to do. How can I get rid of the pink bellies?
<Well, to be honest, this is an unusual one. My guess would be a microorganism in the water ... like a micro algae. How is your water quality and how often do you change it?>
As well as get more minerals in the water?
Not in the water -- too many minerals in the water will stain & coat their shells just like hard water deposits in your bathtub. (Minerals was my first reaction to the pink bellies, but I couldn't think of a mineral that would cause that on the turtles without making the water appear rose colored. Get them minerals via their diet (basic Koi Pellets or Repto-Min food sticks supplemented with the occasional night crawler)>
I have noticed that their shells look like they have wrinkles? I not sure how else to explain it.
<As their shells grow they shed a thin, semi transparent layer of the scute and sometimes that can look a bit wrinkled. Is that what you're talking about?>
I don't think there is any shell rot, or fungal disease.
<Doesn't sound like it -- at least not normal fungal problems>
Is this considered soft shell? or can this be attributed to them growing?
<Soft shell is just that -- you feel the shell and it's not like your fingernails, but softer.>
I am sorry for all of the questions.
<By all means. Questions lead to answers and we all like those!>
Thanks,
Concerned turtle owner
<You're welcome. Darrel.>
<please review this article against your keeping and conditions and write back if you can find anything else to report. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>

Box turtle threw up– 7/10/07
Hello Crew
<Hiya MM - Darrel here today>
I have a box turtle who lives in my room in a 55 gallon tote bin. I feed my turtle every other day and I leave the food in the whole time. A while ago my turtle was in her water dish that had fresh water in it and she threw up stuff. She doesn't look sick or anything, but I'm a bit concerned about her because she has never done this before. So if you could help me I would really appreciate it because I don't know what to do.
<At the moment, nothing big. Cut back on her food just a bit and take it out after she's had an opportunity to eat -or not- say a half hour. If she's otherwise healthy and active and her appetite is still there, then I wouldn't worry about it. It happens to all of us. BUT ... if her appetite or activity is off for more than a week or she throws up again, then we may have to take action.>
I feed my turtle fresh fruit, vegetables, romaine lettuce, and happy tails dog food that she has been eating her whole life.
<AFTER we see her through her tummy troubles and after she gets back on her feed .... let's slowly cut back on the dog food. It's not something that ever should have been part of her diet (she doesn't need anywhere near that much protein or fat) and in the long term it's not good for her liver. BUT ..... and this is a BIG BUT .... do it SLOWLY! Box Turtles can be very picky and very persistent about their foods and if they fixate on something they can go a YEAR without eating ... until we mortals give in and give them what they want. So cut back in tiny fractions over the next 6 months so that she doesn't notice.>
MM

White skin on baby turtle. – 06/28/07
Hi
<Hi right back!>
I have two baby turtles. I recently bought them a 10 gallon aquarium. One of my turtles seems to be enjoying the time in there, she swims and goes up and down the ramp, but in the other hand my other little one has being hiding behind some fake plants that comes along with the tank. I'm worried that she might not like the place and die or something. Is that a sign that she doesn't like it?
<Not a sign that she doesn't like it, but a sign that something is wrong>
I have also noticed that they have something strange going on. I can see that something white is like hanging from their legs as if it was some kind of fungus or something, I've being searching online for an answer but I haven't find anything similar.
<If it looks like grayish-white dead skin, then yes, you probably have a fungal infection and that would also explain why the one turtle is not very active.>
I'm really worried about my turtles, if you could answer this question and tell me what is that white stuff please tell me. <Take your turtles out of the tank and put them some place warm where they can dry off. Remember, even babies can be out of water for a few days without problems. After they're dry, We can start treating the fungus. Start with the athlete's foot creams at your local drug store. Tinactin, Lotrimin, etc. or the generic equivalent -- look for the ingredient Tolnaftate or Clotrimazole (or any antifungal ending in "azole"). Apply it once a day to the effected areas and as always, keep them clean and dry and you should see a change for the better after about 5 days and completely gone after about 20 days. Keep treating for a minimum of 7 days after everything looks fine. During this time, place them in water once a day for a few minutes in order for them to bathe, eat and drink.>
I can send you a picture if you'd like.
<The number one cause of fungus problems is environment. Basking area not warm enough, not enough unfiltered UV light (like sunlight) or the water being too dirty. How are these conditions in your tank?>
Thank you
<You're welcome>
Mariana
<Darrel here -- hope this helps!>

Re: White skin on baby turtle. 6/29/07
hey :)
<Hiya, Darrel here>
thank you soooo much for your help! .. I hope this works for my turtles.
<So do we>
I went to the vet today and asked them because I really though you weren't going to answer me and they said that it was like a fungus and I had to put them in a dry place due to the cause that I always have them on the water.
<I hope you have a nice, dry basking area for them under a warm lamp of some sort. Turtles usually spend a good portion of their day sunning themselves. Drying off AND --- and this is very important -- the Ultra Violet (UV) light from the sun is what keeps the fungus from growing. Make sure they are getting plenty of unfiltered sunlight.>
They never told me the athletes foot part but Ill try that ! anything that would help.
<Just to be clear here, I'm not saying that your turtles have athlete's foot - just that the medications for THAT fungus also work for many reptile fungi. I'm surprised that the vet didn't give you a medication or a dip solution to treat them. Did the Vet just forget?>
I always try to have their tank pretty clean so I don't see a problem with that. Something that I also want to ask you is why is it that my older turtle is bigger than the little turtle?
<Well, there are any number of reasons. If one is quite a bit older, she SHOULD be bigger. If they're from different eggs (maybe different parents) there will be some differences in their growth. Lastly, the bigger one may simply be eating more, basking more and generally healthier. MAKE SURE that the little one isn't getting pushed away from the food or basking, OK?>
Do you think they will die if I put them in separate places, since they have always been together?
<No worries there -- turtles don't get "lonely" but on the other hand, anything that affects one turtle is probably affecting the other and you simply haven't seen it yet. I suggest that you dry & treat both of them.>
thank you so much for your help .!
<Yer Welcome>

3 Legged Turtle – 05/21/07
Hi I need help as soon as possible. I have a large pond (at least an acre large) in my yard. I found a large map turtle in it today that obviously can't swim down. I managed to catch him and he only has three legs. While he was still in the pond I watched him and he would try to swim away and down but would start going in circles and spiral back up like air was trapped in his shell somewhere, the part of the shell with the missing leg leading up. After I caught him in a net I couldn't find anything wrong with him and where he was missing a leg was totally healed so it was an old injury. I don't know what to do with him he might have a disease. Is there a way to help him or should I kill him (but he doesn't seem in pain) and how should I kill him if he going to die. I don't have an aquarium large enough for him and the one I have has my three small turtles in it. Please help me and thank you.
-Amanda

White String Fecal Matter On Map Turtle – 05/05/07
I have 2 turtles in the same tank, a red ear slider, and a map turtle. Today when I was adding some water to their tank, and saw my map turtle had (what looked like) white string (almost floss looking) coming out of its bottom. It was very long and the turtle became a little agitated by it, is there anything wrong with my turtle??
Thank you, Jen
< Could be worms. Take a fecal sample to a good turtle vet to be examined. The vet will be able to provide a suitable treatment.-Chuck>

Re: Bigger Turtle Still Slow To Respond 3/21/07
Thank you for your quick response. The smaller turtle is doing very well. But the larger turtle is not eating and is not basking, he also has minimum activity. I have purchased a heater and the water temp is @ 74 degrees. I also have a good filter system. We have had the turtles for 3 days now and the tank is already mucky with an odor.
< Filter system isn't looking good now.>
I have added the water clarifier recommended when filling the tank. Is their anything else I can do for the larger turtle?
< The clarifier is a waste of money. Bacteria is feeding on uneaten food and turtle waste creating this ammonia smell. Change some of the smelly water with clean fresh water and clean the filter. The temperature of the basking site needs to be at least 85F. Check it with a thermometer.-Chuck.>

Turtle With White String Fecal Matter - 03/20/07
I HAVE 2 ELEPHANT TURT. THEY ARE MALE AND FEMALE. THE ONE HAS A WHITE STRING
OF I DONT KNOW WHAT COMEING OUT OF HER TAIL. BUT WHAT DO I DO? I WATCHED THEM
MATE NOW WHAT SEPERATE I KNOW NOTHING THEY ARE 3 YEARS OLD. <... RMF>
< Take a sample of the white stringy fecal matter to a vet to be examined for parasites. The vet will make a recommendation for treatment.-Chuck.>

Baby Turtles Rescued? 3/4/07
Hi, I have just found your site!!! What a wealth of information. I have a turtle tank with a year old penny turtle (little yellow dots on the side of their face) and have just rescued 5, 1 week old turtles crossing the road. One of these turtles will now not go to the bottom and has little bumps over his body the other are all swimming around and Crush the big one is doing fine. I read in one of your articles that this could be a respiratory problem???? Can this be fixed?
<Little bumps all over the body is usually a sign of parasites not a respiratory infection. Take a fecal sample to a vet for examination and treatment recommendations.>
We lost another turtle to this problem last year and his shell went soft as well, so would like to know if it is treatable please?
< The shell being soft is due to lack of calcium and the wrong basking lamp. These can be easily corrected.>
Also I feed them turtle pellets and chicken and occasionally red meat. Is frozen peas OK defrosted with the shell off??
< Get a commercial hatchling turtle food and supplement their diet with these other items. Try kale or spinach instead.>
Thanks you for any help you can give me it is much appreciated and will continue to use your site it's great. Kind regards Chery
< usually baby turtles crossing the road are new hatchlings that are headed towards the water and their natural environment. These turtles really don't need rescued, just a helping hand to get them across the road.-Chuck>

Turtle With Bubbles 1/28/07
Hey WWM Crew-I have been reading a lot of things on your website about how turtles and bubbles are bad. I have a painted turtle that is probably only 3 1/2-4". He's been great, but I noticed yesterday that he was coming to a certain part of the tank, sticking his head up, snapping at the top of the water, bringing his head back down and then blowing the bubbles out of his mouth once his head got under. I didn't know if I should be concerned or if he was just bored and amusing himself. Thanks so much!
Beth
< The problem is when turtles get breathing problems and liquids, foams and bubbles are being exhaled when the turtle is on dry land. This is a sign of liquids being in the lungs. Your turtle sounds bored but it may be trying to obtain some fats and oils floating on the top of the water from the food.-Chuck>

Turtle With Eye/Head Problem 1/4/07
Hi, My boyfriend and I came home yesterday from a three week vacation to find one of our painted turtles completely disoriented. It's left eye socket is swollen about twice its normal size, his head is cocked completely to the left, as if it is stuck and he cant move it back straight, and he can only swim/walk in a tight circle. We called a pet store in Detroit last night and they told us the turtle may have gotten too hot and suffered brain damage, but I don't see how that is possible. Is there another reason? Some sort of disease that would cause this? Should I attempt to gently pull its head out to straighten it? I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and have no access to vets or anyone with knowledge of exotic animals. Thank you, Brie
<If your turtle is wild caught then there is a host of parasitic worms that may be at work here. Go to Kingsnake.com and contact a good herp vet that may be able to walk you through a proffered treatment for this problem. In the meantime raising the temperature of the environment to 85 F may work like a fever and help treat the disease.-Chuck>

Yellowed Belly Hatchling Basks With His Eyes Closed 12/31/06
Hi, I have bought a hatchling Yellow-Bellied Slider, and before buying I researched a lot. I have had him for a day, and I'm feeding him on ReptoMin food sticks. He ate yesterday, which seems okay. I have noticed that when he comes out of the water onto his basking area (which is at 85 F), he tends to close his eyes. He keeps them open in the water and when he's sleeping (he sleeps at the top of the water), but when he gets up onto land and basks, he closes his eyes (his eyelids are like a clear-ish film). I just wanted to know if this is normal, or should I be worried? Thanks.
< Basking lights are very bright and the eyelids are there to protect your turtles young eyes from too much light. If the eyes get puffy or do not open then there is a vitamin A deficiency and ZooMed Turtle Eye Drops are needed.-Chuck>

Turtle Eating Gravel 1/2/07
Thanks for your prompt reply Chuck. I forgot to ask one other thing.... She also seems to have an affinity for eating the gravel on the floor of her tank... What would be the reason for that??? This can't be normal.... or is it?
< Usually when turtles start to eat at gravel and wood they are really going after the algae that is growing on it. This is a sign of a vitamin deficiency. Offer green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. Try offering some reptile vitamins too.-Chuck>

Turtle Twitching 12/1/06
Hi, turtle experts! A while back I wrote to you because my newly rescued (from horrible owners) was throwing up. I was told that she was probably overeating because of the fact that she had been malnourished and the temperature change when she jumped back in the pool after basking was making her food come back up. She is currently in a kiddie pool with a heater and a filter, and change her water every morning while she eats in another bucket. She has been throwing up again at very weird times. I broke her thermometer about a week ago and am waiting for one in the mail and I think that her heater has not been working well during that time. I notice it only in the morning when her water feels colder than usual. When I change her water I put warmer water in and then the pool is in the sun, so I couldn't tell if the heater was working. I live in southern California and in the past couple of days we have had a real drop in the temperature.
That is why I noticed her water really wasn't warm enough, so I just set a long 20 gallon tank that I had and brought her inside. Tonight I notice that her head twitches to one side when her head is in the water! I thought that she was just trying to swallow something, but it has now been going on for a few hours. Please help! I already feel bad because I had to put her in that tank, I hope she is OK. Thank you so much
<Your turtle is not in good enough shape to survive a winter outdoors. Create a proper set up in doors with a good heat lamp that will get the basking spot up to 85 F. Get some vitamins too. The heat should control the parasites. The vitamins should take care of vitamin deficiencies. The neck thing is difficult to evaluate. Based on the history of the turtle, a trip to the vet may be needed to properly evaluate its condition.-Chuck>

Turtle With White Shell - 10/18/06
Hi, we have a red eared slider (purchased as a small one about 4 yrs ago) that has almost a completely white shell (still a few black spots though). I have searched for answers about why and what to do but cannot come up with anything. His shell is not soft and there is no sign of disease - ALWAYS wants to eat, is active and likes to interact with people. We had three (one given to us from a friend that no longer wanted to care for hers). They were all the same age but the friends RES never grew. It lasted another year and we found it floating about 9 months ago. Then, about 5 months ago one of our other turtles started acting lethargic and stopped eating. She finally died, we believe, from pneumonia. She was blowing bubbles, etc. We only have one vet around her that will even see turtles and he didn't have any appointments for 3 weeks. By that time, she was gone. We were concerned for the other one but he seemed healthy and we kept him "occupied" (played with him a little more, etc) to make sure he wasn't saddened too much by the loss. He seemed to adjust fine.
But now he worries us because his shell has turned almost completely white. We take him outside occasionally to bask but it is getting wetter and colder now. We have a 55 gallon tank with a nice filter system. We keep him in about 2 inch water on the bottom with a two basking spots - on a turtle dock and some rocks (the rock spot has the direct light, the dock has the fluorescent overhead light). He is fed feeder fish, krill and some veggies as he will eat (only a little of that though.) Sometimes we even give him a little raw shrimp and fish if we are eating it.
Any help or info you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much! Tammy in Dallas
<A 4 year old turtle is pretty much an adult. Turtles like deep water to totally immerse themselves. I think the white is a mineral build up from water evaporating on his shell. Give him some deeper water so the minerals will dissolve back into the water. If the water is already well over his shell then try adding a 50% mixture of tap water and distilled or mineralized water. As the shell gets wet the minerals will soon dissolve back into the water.-Chuck>

Turtle Problems - 10/21/2006
I have two questions. Ever since I have had my turtle she has had these white stringy things hanging out of her mouth, and I can't get them off when I clean her because she pops her head into her shell. Is there another way and do I need to be worried? Also, today when she was sun bathing on her rock I saw bubbles coming out of her mouth. Is that normal? Thank you for your time. -Kira
<Kira, these symptoms do not sound normal. I would recommend that you call a local veterinarian that works with reptiles and see if they have any suggestions for you. Wishing you and your turtle well, -Sabrina>

Hibernating Turtles - 10/11/06
Dear Turtle Expert, I have a Yellow-bellied Slider that last year I hibernated in my unheated garage. I was told that I was lucky she survived. Should this species not be hibernated? A heat lamp was applied during the very cold months so the water didn't freeze. If it can be, what would be the optimal temperature.
Thanks! Brian
< Last year was a very difficult year for hibernating turtles. Early warm spring temperatures brought turtles out of hibernation early. Then cold spells left them out in the open with nothing to eat any many got sick and died. Make sure that your turtle is in good health and has good body fat to carry him over the winter. Place him in an aquarium with a heater set at 45 to 50 F. Don't feed him for awhile so the gut is empty and will not foul the water. When the nighttime lows are in this range you can bring him out of hibernation.-Chuck>

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>

Turtle With Bite On Neck 9/6/06
About 2 mths ago, we took on 5 abandoned wild red slider turtles for our 6,000 gallon pond. The largest turtle ( female ) has recently been injury on her top of her neck. This just happened within the last 48 hrs. As a result, I've really noticed even more aggression towards this turtle by the other turtles. Last night we had to lift her and another turtle ( a smaller female ) out of the water with our net, in order for them to release themselves from each other. It's horrible to watch.
I'm not sure if the bigger female is in danger, since all the other turtles seem to be ganging up on her. What should I do?? Remember they are wild turtles. We have 3 females, and 2 males. (we think?)
< You live in CA and red eared sliders are not found in CA. They are probably pets that have been released into the wild by irresponsible pet owners. Feral turtles compete with the native Western Pond Turtle for food. It is a good thing to remove them from a habitat that they are not normally found. Male RES's usually have longer front claws and a longer tail. The red on the side of the head is also less pronounced on males. In some subspecies the males do not have the longer front claws. They could have interbreed with the normal res and produced a male with out the long claws. Remove the female for now and set her up in her own plastic kiddie pool with a couple of bricks in the center for a basking site. Fill it up to the top of the bricks or enough to cover her shell. Cover one half of the pool with a piece of plywood so the water doesn't get too hot in the sun.>
I was told by other sites to remove the female from the pond, put her in a stress free environment (a small box/container, inside my house (since I live in CA - and it's very hot outside) put a towel over it and keep her dry. I'm not sure what is the best way to treat this injury?
< Set her up as I suggested but add a Zoo-Med Repti Turtle Sulpha Block and get some Reti Wound healing Aid for the bite on her neck.>
Also, she is use to eating while in water. Should I stick her in another container, filled with water, once a day for her to eat?? Or should she stay totally dry until the injury is healed? It seems like a long time for her to be confined in such a small space? Please help me on this matter. Thanks.
Attached is a photo of my turtles injury
< Set her up as per my recommendations. Watch for infection or fungus. Keep the water clean.-Chuck>

Turtle With Prolapsed Colon 8/28/06
Hi, I have a red ear slider for about 10 years now, and recently I saw a mushroom looking thing came out of his butt. It was dark brown and it seems to be attached to him. It was very creepy and I'm not quite sure what it was. But after a while it went back inside again. Would you happen to know what it is? Please help my turtle and thank you! Vince
<When turtles eat a big meal all at once then there is a tremendous pressure put on the rest of the turtle's digestive tract to make room for that big meal. The result is a quick and painful bowl movement that sometimes drags some of the colon out with it. You are lucky that it went back in. Sometimes a t vet is needed to stitch them back up. Feed smaller portions and more often. Your turtle is an adult and should be getting almost 80% vegetable matter in his diet.-Chuck>

Turtle With Lumpy Neck - 08/26/2006
Thank for you taking the time to read my question. I wrote to you previously about my red eared slider making squeaking noises and you informed me that it wasn't breathing properly. Congrats - you were right so I took it to a vet and Jelly is still here with us today after 7 months. However, Jelly has a new problem. Recently we started feeding them small guppy fish and continued with the pellet food. We noticed that Jelly has a rather large bump on the side of her neck on the right side. I don't know what it is - remnant of food or some sort of growth. I was wondering if you could give me some insight about it. She can still put her head in her shell but it seems to be getting tighter. Please help me! Thank you again! Jen Marasco
< Lots of turtles showing up with this problem lately. Little turtles need a more meaty diet than adults. I think many of these problems are related to diet and house keeping. Change the diet to include more vegetable matter and less protein. Try and keep the tank cleaner and not let the waste build up. With elevated summer temps the bacteria levels are through the roof and turtle waste quickly converts to smelly ammonia and that leads to disease problems. Make the above changes and see if there are any differences in the next few weeks.-Chuck>

Yellow Bellied Slider With Mumps - 08/25/06
Hi there, I have inherited a yellow bellied slider about 7 months ago. He was in a small plastic tank and he was small. Since then, he is about 3-4 inches and has grown quite a bit. I have him in a bigger plastic tank and I make sure he gets natural sunlight daily. Since his growth spurt, he has some round lumps around his neck. It looks like if his glands are swollen. I don't know what they are and am really concerned. He is still eating, and he is still going to the bathroom. I originally thought is had to do with his growth spurt, but I don't think so.
He has a two gal. tank with a log and some rocks. I clean it weakly. I don't think he can fit his head into his shell anymore. He can sink it back but the skin fold doesn't cover the cheeks any longer. Please help me.
He doesn't have a filter or a fluorescent light. Please give me some advise.
I want Harley to live a long life. Thank you, JR
< Time to upgrade your turtle's environment. Get a bigger tank add a basking spot with a heat lamp that gets the basking site up to at least 85 F. Change the diet to include more green leafy vegetables. Add a vitamin supplement to the turtle food. Add a filter or get another tank and feed him in the smaller tank so the main tank won't get so messy and have to be cleaned more often. Your turtles condition is probably dietary. Cut back on the protein and increase the vegetable matter in his diet. if you don't see an improvement in about six weeks then you may need to take him to a vet for further diagnoses.-Chuck>

Yellow Slider With Mumps II - 08/25/06
Hi there again, I just emailed you about Harley's puffy cheeks. Well, I was reading some of the other emailers problems and I have noticed that Harley has been out sunning on his log more often and with he limbs spread out fully. Also, when he was breathing this morning on his log, I noticed he was blowing bubbles out of his right nostril. I am just trying to give you as much info as possible.
Thanks again, JR
< Your turtle has a respiratory infection. The basking site will really help but antibiotics may be needed if things don't improve soon.-Chuck>

New Turtle Creates New Problems - 08/25/06
I have an Eastern Painted Turtle that is approximately a year old. He was an inch or so big when we found it and now it is about three or so. We have never had any problems with it. My husband brought home a larger one about a month ago. All seemed well at first. The newer turtle seems like he has some kind of slimy stuff hanging from his skin when he is under water. He lost a clear layer or membrane from the bottom of his shell and now there are 2 ulcers or holes that have developed there. I have removed him from the tank. The smaller turtle has a little of that slimy stuff too. He has not been eating for the past few days. He is also spending most of his time on the basking dock and not in the water. He used to swim all of the time. The sections of the top shell are lifted in areas, is that due to growth??? You can see where he has just gone through some growth on the shell. Really his lack of appetite an change in behavior have me concerned. Thanks for your help
< When you introduce a new animal to an established captive, the new animal should always be quarantined for at least a month. Painted turtles are found wild in the Midwest. Older turtles often carry parasites that can be transmitted to other turtles. The combination of stress and poor water quality has generated a bacterial infection of the shell of the one turtles and a possible respiratory infection on the other. Keep each turtle in his/her own container. Keep the water very clean and make sure each turtle has a basking site that gets at least to 85 F. The larger turtle should have a Dr. Turtle Sulpha Block added to the tank. This will inhibit the bacteria problems. The affected areas should be cleaned and some Repti Would Aid by Zoo Med applied to the affected areas. The smaller turtle needs heat and maybe antibiotics. If the appetite doesn't pick up within a week after applying the extra heat then start to look for a vet.-Chuck>

Painted Turtle In Need Of Some TLC 8/12/06
Hello, and thank you in advance for all of the useful information that is provided on your website. Just recently, yesterday in fact, I "adopted" a baby turtle from a family friend who found it somewhere. They did not think they were providing for the turtle adequately and so they gave it to my boyfriend and I. First, let me say I knew absolutely nothing about turtles and never had one.
Immediately we began to learn about them online through your site and others like it. The turtle is a baby painted turtle and is about 3 and a half inches long. I suspect it is small for its age because of the environment they had it in and the food they gave it. The turtle lived in a 10-12 gallon tank filled about halfway with water and a minimal area to get out of the water. He only had a rock or two that stuck up out of the water. The lamp they had on him was a normal household bulb located quite above the top of the tank. They fed him on a diet of mealworms every three days, food sticks every day, and crickets every now and then. The lamp did not keep the tank warm at all. He is currently still located in the same tank with the lamp moved closer, which does not really help. We plan on getting a thirty gallon tank with a UVA/UVB lamp, filter, and water heater today. We also plan on introducing lettuce and other foods into his diet, any suggestions would be much appreciated.
< Unless the area you plan on keeping him at gets very cold at night, I would skip the water heater unless the water gets down to th 50's.>
My actual question though, is that when I brought him outside for about thirty minutes today I noticed that his left back leg drags behind him when he walks and he sometimes does not use his front legs.
I'm almost positive that this is from his lack of vitamins, calcium, and exercise. His shell is also shedding scutes a lot. I find them in his tank and after I brought him in several more were beginning to peel off. His coloring is also very dull for a painted turtle and his shell looks dry. I think he has shell rot but I'm not sure. His previous owners did not keep his tank very clean and the water was not running at all. I don't know if this is a factor but he lives with two fish in the tank. We cleaned it out and put in fresh water as soon as we got him. Will his problems clear up and get better as he grows older and we take better care of him, or should we take him to see a vet who specializes in turtles? I've already become extremely attached to Tommy and don't want him to get any sicker than he already is. Any help you can give me will be much appreciated.
Thank You, Jacquelyn
< Check the temperature of the basking spot with a good thermometer. It should get up to at least 85 F. Move the light closer or get a larger wattage bulb to increase the temp. Adding vegetables like kale and spinach will help. If you see no improvement over a month then start to look for a turtle vet.-Chuck>

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?

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 Not Eating, was African Sideneck Turtle In the Corner 7/15/06
What do I do if the water gets to cold? Why is He not eating?
< You have a tropical turtle that needs to be warm to increase his metabolism and properly digest his food. If he is too cold then the food sits in his stomach and rots. Get an aquarium thermometer and set it for 80 F and see if he gets more active. The other problem could be parasites. You will need to take a fecal sample to a vet to have it checked out.-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 regimin 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