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FAQs About Soft/Shell Rot, Conditions In Turtles 4
Related Articles:
Shell Rot in Turtles,
Treating Common Illnesses
of the Red Ear Slider (& other Emydid Turtles) by Darrel Barton,
The Care and Keeping of the
Red Eared Slider,
Trachemys scripta elegans by
Darrel Barton, Red Ear
Sliders, Turtles,
Amphibians, Red Eared Slider Care,
Related FAQs: Shell Rot 1,
Shell Rot 2, Shell Rot 3,
Shell Conditions 5,
Shell Conditions 6,
Shell Conditions 7, &
Turtles,
Turtles 2, Turtle
Identification,
Turtle Behavior,
Turtle Compatibility,
Turtle Selection,
Turtle Systems,
Turtle Feeding,
Turtle Disease,
Turtle Disease 2,
Turtle Disease 3,
Turtle Reproduction,
Amphibians, Other
Reptiles,
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My Red Eared Sliders!!!! Shell
concerns, nutrition 8/11/08
Hey!!
<HIYA!!!!!!!>
I'm Priscilla from NY and I have some concerns about my Red Eared
Sliders. I have 2 and they were bought at the same time. They were
pretty much the same size. However, after I started taking care of
them, I found out that one of my turtles, grew a LOT bigger in a
short period of time, while the other, grew slowly. I realize that
on the website, the bigger turtle may be a female, but I'm not sure
yet.
<Probably not that reason, Pricilla. Some people claim that females
grow a tiny bit faster than males while juveniles, females mainly
get bigger because they keep growing. It's too early to tell their
sexes.>
One of the concerns is that I think my turtles are fighting to get
food, and usually, the bigger one gets all the food.
<that's more likely. In any group, even a group of only two, there
is some competition for food and other resources and one animal will
become more successful. Even in situations where there is plenty of
basking areas, food and other resources, the dominant animal will
simply thrive better than the other, if only by a little bit.
Slightly brighter, slightly bigger ... just .... better.>
<Sometimes it's tricky to solve the feeding problem. If you simply
add so much food that the big one gets full and swims off, there's
usually so much food that the water fouls. After you start feeding
and the big one is eating, use a net handle or a pencil and nudge
the little guy over to a different corner where you have just
dropped a few pellets of food. Sometimes I've even removed a smaller
animal to a shallow bowl of water for a private feeding once every
week or so. If you see that he gets a really good meal every once in
a while he's usually equipped to compete well enough on his own the
rest of the time.>
The bigger turtle has a more vibrant-colored shell than the smaller
turtle. It has a dull shell. My biggest concern is that I find that
my turtles' shells look like they're shedding, but they're not
they're basically bits of the shell that look clearish-whitish. It
doesn't smell any way it shouldn't smell. I understand that the
bigger turtle's shell looks like that because its growing, and
shedding a lot of skin, so it's only natural. But the little
turtle... I don't understand. Is it shell rot?
<From here it looks like normal shedding. The SKIN comes off as very
small gray bits and usually the pieces are too small to notice. When
shreds of skin are visibly hanging off of a turtle it's usually a
sign of water quality and fungal problems. The shell scutes
(pronounced skoots) come off as thin, transparent to translucent
chips -- sometimes the full size of each scute and sometimes
smaller. This is normal growth. Just before the scute comes off, it
turns dull and starts to wrinkle, which is exactly what your picture
shows.>
Or is it not getting enough food? Does it need vitamins?
<If they're getting good basking temperatures (about 90f+),
unfiltered UV A & B lighting, clean water and high quality Koi
Pellets or Repto-Min food sticks then no, you don't need to
supplement their diet. As far as getting enough food, with just a
little extra effort on your part you can see to it that the little
guy is doing well enough to hold his own. I'll toss in a link below>
Thank you so much!!!
<You are so welcome>
Priscilla
<Darrel>
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm >
<******************************************************************>
<************** SOAP BOX ALERT **********************************>
<**** This is America where everyone is entitled to my opinion!!!
************>
<I get asked my opinion on food supplements all the time and my
answer is always NO!. And then yes. Let me explain.>
<When a diet is deficient in vitamins the first thought and often
the choice -- is to supplement with vitamins. The problem with that
is ... that the diet is STILL deficient in vitamins! If the animal
is not getting enough natural sunlight or concentrated enough UVA &
UVB to synthesize Vitamin D, you can certainly give the D ... but
after giving all the D in the world ... the environment is STILL
DEFICIENT in UVA and UVB. You end up compensating for a problem
instead of CORRECTING the problem. So what's the difference you ask?
Easy to answer: If your diet is deficient in vitamins or nutrients
then I guarantee you that it's too high in fat (or too low in fat)
or too high in protein or too low in whatever else ... to be good
for them in the first place. PLUS ... you're spending money on a
diet that's improper and then spending MORE on supplements. >
<On the other hand ... when you solve the problems .. when you're
giving a balanced diet in an environment with high water quality of
the correct parameters, light & temperatures of the right types,
degrees and variances .... then the supplements are no longer
necessary!!!!>
<But then .. every once in a while, I add a few drops of supplements
anyway> <<Extremely valuable input/reminders for humans and
their own nutrition as well. RMF>> |
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Red-Eared Slider Shell, Plus He's
Missing 8/04/08
Good afternoon,
<Hiya Denise, Darrel here>
First let me say thank you for being here. I just found this site
and it is great!
<We enjoy being found and respond well to compliments ... so keep
'em coming!>
We have a pre-fab pond, about 250 gallons, and a Red Eared Slider.
We took on both when we moved into our home 14 months ago. There was
no place for the turtle to bask when we moved in, so we made him a
perch 12-13 months ago, which he uses regularly. His shell
alternated between muddy and shiny. This year, his shell has
remained muddy (see photo).
<Shell coloration often tracks very well to water clarity. so this
is not surprising considering>
We've had a harder time this year than last keeping the water clear
and we're not sure if that has anything to do with it. Additionally,
10 days ago there were two minimal changes in his environment.
1) Water hyacinth which he was more than happy to shred to bits.
They turned out to be expensive turtle treats!
<Ain't THAT the truth -- I ended up putting the hyacinth in a
separate prefab tub that "waterfalls" into the turtle pond for that
very reason>
2) We changed the pump hose to a fountain head, which decreased the
amount of splash back into the pond. Neither of these seem
significant at all, but I thought I should mention all the detail.
<Water quality and clarity, while linked in many ways, are not
exactly the same thing. If the season is unusually hot - or simply a
few more hotter days than normal, you'll have algae blooms that
discolor the water. As grows the algae, often goes the coloration of
the shell. Later, as the season cools, the algae die and become
decomposing muck at the bottom of the pond that THEN water quality
goes down.>
His behavior and appetite have been the same. He had eaten more than
usual due to the addition of the plants, but his swimming and
basking behavior did not change. The only slight change in behavior
this summer is that he has remained closer to the surface when we
are out there feeding him and the goldfish. He used to keep his
distance, but he was starting to warm up to us. I see this as a
positive change, and nothing that was indication of something wrong.
<probably>
Five days ago realized that he appeared to be missing. Today, still
no sign of him. We emptied the pond close to half-way so we could
better search for him. He does not appear to be at the bottom. We
suspect someone or something got him because the day we noticed him
gone, our pump was on its side, which is something that has never
happened before.
<Doesn't sound good>
My concerns are:
1) Does his shell look unhealthy? I've tried to Google images for
unhealthy shells, but can't find a picture of a shell that looks
like this. If it is unhealthy, then maybe he has died. Do they bury
themselves when they are sick? He did not appear sick, as I
mentioned, his behavior hadn't changed except for becoming a little
more friendly!
<Simply a discolored shell isn't an indication of poor health. That
muddy look, even some algae on the shell can be reflective of water
conditions. The important thing is that he has room and opportunity
to bask. And beyond that it's not unheard of to take them out of the
pond and give their shells a bit of a wash with a toothbrush and
wiped with a cloth INSERT YOUR OWN JOKE ABOUT TURTLE WAX HERE>
2) Is it possible an animal got to him? I don't know what animals
turtles are prey for. We have seen a large bird swoop down and catch
a rodent once, so we know those big birds are around our house.
<Birds, raccoons and possums are all animals that have established
remarkable populations right in the middle of dense human
civilization, so yes, there is always that sad possibility.>
Rocky is very quick to get into the water if someone or something
approached the pond, so this doesn't seem likely. We have not found
any remains, like part of his shell, but if it were a large bird it
probably would be far away by now.
<True enough, but still an unknown>
3) Finally, if he escaped on his own, how far do you think he would
have gone? I know turtles are slow, but 5 days is a long time. Do
they wander, or do they like to stay within a confined environment?
We have walked around our yard every day.
<The correct answer is 'all of the above', Denise. I've seen a
Slider just decide that home wasn't home anymore and just take off.
They can be remarkable climbers if need be, walk for many, many
miles in search of a new home and anyone who's had a slider out on
the sidewalk and then ran in 'just to grab the phone for a second'
can testify that they're only slow when we're watching!!!>
<First thing Denise, is don't give up hope. I've had them missing
for over a YEAR and then one day show up, on their own, right where
I left them, looking up at me as if to say "WHAT?????" Look in
gardens, at the base of any trees or shrubs, anywhere he could wedge
himself in and bury himself (as much as 3 inches down), at the base
of pots, gas meters .. anywhere and everywhere. Obviously if a
predator got him then he's gone. If he decided that home isn't home
then he's gone as well -- but a few Lost Turtle flyers on local
telephone poles might be in order. But then again he could be 'dug
in' for the season and waiting for some event known & sensed only by
turtles before emerging.>
<You might consider a border fence around the pond though. 2.5 times
as tall as he is PLUS a lip bent inward at the top of at least 5
inches. I use the fence line as an excuse to plant perennial flowers
around the outside and expand garden that I then have to spend the
rest of the year tending!>
Thanks for your time.
<I hope it helps>
Denise, Rocky's Female Human
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res shell problem 7/6/08
hi i have a res, i got it 5 months ago it is just a baby. I feed
it aqua fin food pellets. it has always being healthy but for the
past few weeks it has developed white lines and brown patches over
his shell. im attaching pics. is this shell rot?
<Greetings. Any brown smears or patches on the shell should be
examined carefully. 'Shell Rot' is usually accompanied by a
distinctive "bad" smell.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turtshellrot.htm
But the main thing to remember is this: provided the turtle has a
UV-B lamp to bask under and is receiving a diet rich in calcium
(e.g., krill or small pieces of lancefish 1-2 times per week) Shell
Rot should as good as never happen. Poor water quality is the
triggering factor, so check the water has no ammonia in it. Kept
properly these turtles are very hardy, but unfortunately there are
always some people who keep them without the ultraviolet (UV-B)
basking lamp they MUST have, and/or feed them pellet foods instead
of the correct balance of plants and calcium-rich foods they
actually need. Such badly kept turtles do indeed end up getting sick
from Shell Rot, Respiratory Tract Infections, etc. And then they
die. So, check you are providing what I've just mentioned, and if
not, act accordingly. Cheers, Neale.>
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RES shell problem
- 7/2/08
My room mate has a red ear slider about 3-4". She is active and eats
well. She has a sun lamp and occasional sun exposure and plenty of basking
space. I recently noticed that the center of her shell appears to be brown
rather than the green that the edges are. There is a definite ring where the
color changes from green to brown. Is she just getting ready to shed that
part of her shell or is she sick. I have done some research and just can't
seem to find an answer and was hoping you could help.
<Likely no problem here... as younger, growing turtles often do display such
color differences. I would suggest you read through our Red Ear Slider area:
Starting with Darrel's excellent article:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm
and on to the linked files above.... and try to assure this animal is
receiving sufficient nutrition, particularly Vitamin D... for shell growth.
Bob Fenner>
Painted Turtle Shell Problem
5/19/08
Hello Crew,
<Hiya Garrett, Darrel here tonight>
I have an adult, female painted turtle and she seems alright. Last year I
noticed that she had a flaking plastron.
<I'm not sure what "flaking" means>
Eventually, it got kind of deep into her shell.
<Not knowing what "it" is I can't envision what it means to get deep into her
shell>
She seems fine and it has not effected her eating habits. She lives in an
outdoor pen and survived hibernation. In the recent months, I checked her shell,
it was the same as the previous year and she still seemed o.k. I have given her
a few baths in ZooMed Turtle Sulfa Dip, yet it did not seem to work. I wrapped
her in bandages soaked with Betadine to kill any infection, but I do not know if
it worked or not.
<The first thing I want you to do is write back with a more detailed
description. Is there a discoloration of the plastron? Are we talking white
flaky powder-ish stuff? Does it come off as a power or a gray film or is it
clear pieces like very thin fingernail material?>
Could you give some advice on this. I could really use your help.
<OK, you'll write back with a much better description and we'll try to be of
more help. But still General care when you don't know what to do: If the turtle
has been eating and you have every reason to believe that it is healthy and
strong in every way except for the skin or shell condition -- take it OUT of the
water and keep it some place warm and DRY. An otherwise healthy turtle can spend
MONTHS out of water with no ill effects if it has just enough access to hydrate
(drink) a bit, meanwhile by removing the turtle from warm & wet to warm & dry we
help defeat any sort of bacteria or fungus has is growing. Putting a turtle in a
shallow tray of water no more than a 1/4 inch deep for 5 minutes three times a
week will suffice. Betadyne can help with mild bacterial infections meanwhile
any kind of topical athlete's foot medication (Lotrimin, Tinactin, Miconlazole
-- almost any antifungal ending in -azol) will help treat a fungus.>
<That said, please write back with a better description -- maybe even a photo
from a phone-camera could help us.>
Thanks, Garrett
<welcome>
Turtle floats on water has pale shell
and doesn't eat – 4/12/08
Dear crew
I got two RES turtles from a pet store last November they seemed to be healthy
and active back then. Two months ago one of them started having some problems,
his eyes swelled shut and he wouldn't eat. I took him to a vet who gave me some
antibiotic eye drops and antibiotic to put in his bowl. He seemed to be ok for
10 days and regained his appetite but after a few days he stopped eating again,
his shell has become pale, he floats on water usually tilted on one side, blows
bubbles from his mouth and it sometimes sounds as if he is sneezing. I'm really
worried about him. please help.
im having exams this month and couldn't go through all the FAQ's and the ones i
did, none of them had all these problems combined in one. he is an inch long and
i feed him turtle pellets twice a day the pet store owner told me that)
The other one has some white patches on his shell,ive tried to research what it
might be but came up with no answers. Any idea what this might be? he is
otherwise healthy and active and has a good appetite. your quick response will
be appreciated
<Without any additional information, I'm going to assume the turtle is being
maintained in conditions lacking in these ways:
* Too cold. Check the temperature. Should be around 25 C/77 F.
* Not enough UV light. Reptiles MUST have a UV-B lamp for basking under.
Non-negotiable for indoor specimens. Turtles kept outdoors will obviously get
enough UV-B for the sunshine. Please note that regular aquarium lamps aren't
adequate for this. The lamp must explicitly be stated as a UV-B output lamp.
Your local reptile store will be able to offer a range of suitable lamps.
* Wrong diet. Red Ear Sliders are herbivores. Second only to insufficient UV-B,
the quickest way to kill a terrapin of this type is to give it a meat/pellet
based diet. It must have green foods. Juveniles need 50% fresh greens, adults
more than 75% fresh greens. Review the FAQs on this topic here for details, but
the easiest options are cheap pond plants (Elodea, Cabomba, etc.).
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/resfdgfaqs.htm
* Dirty aquarium. Red Ear Sliders are messy but also sensitive to
ammonia/nitrite. A 20-gallon tank with a filter offering at least 4-6 times the
volume of the tank in turnover per hour is mandatory for juveniles up to about 3
inches shell length. After that, you need to bear in mind adults get to dinner
plate size, and expect to get nothing less than 55 gallon system. Water changes
should be as close to 100% per week as is viable. In other words, siphon out as
much water as you can without necessarily taking the tank apart of exposing a
hot heater to cold air (it will crack). Clean the filter media every few weeks
(likely 1-2 times per month, depending on how big the filter is; the bigger the
filter, the less often you'll need to clean it).
*Swollen eyes and respiratory infections (which yours have) are classic symptoms
of terrapins (and indeed reptiles generally) kept badly. So review the needs of
the species you're keeping and act accordingly.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turteyedisart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turtrespart.htm
Simple as that! If your vet doesn't specialise in reptiles, feel free to print
off these articles and let him/her have a read. Note that a Vitamin A injection,
perhaps along with antibiotics, is the key step in palliative care from the
perspective of the vet. Your main job is to review conditions, diet, UV-B, etc.
I can't state this strongly enough: reptiles of any type are not "cheap and
easy" pets, so if you don't have time to read things, then quite possibly a
reptile isn't the best choice pet for you, at least not right now. Cheers,
Neale.>
Re: turtle floats on water
has pale shell and doesn't eat – 4/12/08
Dear crew,
Thanks for your quick response.
<Happy to help.>
Just to fill you in with a little more details, i am keeping my turtles in a
bowl which i was told will be sufficient and also that they will not grow any
bigger than they presently are (this again told by the pet store owner).
<Garbage! Your pet store owner took advantage of you, I'm afraid. Please do get,
and read, a book on keeping pet turtles. They need big enclosures and easily
reach 20 cm/8" in captivity, and potentially more.>
However, i change the water every day making sure its warm enough and place them
in sunlight everyday for a few hours too.
<No heater? Changing old, cold water with new, warm water won't work. You do
need to change the water at least weekly of course, using dechlorinator as well,
but you also need a heater and a filter.>
but when indoors i use a regular 40-60 watt bulb.
<Placing the turtle outdoors for a few hours when the weather suits probably
won't work either, unless you have ambient outdoor temperatures of at least 18
C/64 F for at least 9 months of the year. The turtle will need a good 8-10 hours
of good basking time. In other words, the climate and day length has to be
identical to that of their natural habitat, the warmer states of the southern
US.>
should i stop taking them outside in direct sunlight and use a UV B lamp
instead?
<Yes.>
Thanks again for all your help. You don't know how much i appreciate it. I've
printed the articles and will take them with me to the vet tomorrow.
<Very good. Do also visit the excellent RES site, here:
http://redearslider.com/
Best of luck! Neale.>
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Baby Turtle With Soft Shell – 03/22/08
Hi, I know this is probably a frequently asked question but I'm very
worried!
I bought a baby turtle about 2 weeks ago, and I'm afraid he's not doing well.
For the first week I had him set up in a tank with a heating lamp, shavings and
rocks, and a container with water so he could swim-enough water for safety but
he really wasn't enjoying it and couldn't swim very actively. He spend most of
his time burrowed. The shavings(2 separate lots) had a few bugs crawling in
them, and when I found the second lot of bugs (a week ago) I switched him to a
tank with full water, basking area with light, heater and filter. He has always
been fed in a separate container, and I scoop out the poop in his tank every day
or two. He now spends a lot of time swimming, as well as basking. I'm worried
that he swims all night, because there is no basking lamp on at night and his
basking spot doesn't keep heat for 8 hours.
He is shedding his skin I think), which is ok, but I've recently noticed a bit
of soft shell. He has been covered in a bit of a slime since I took him
home-long white things coming off his skin looks like dead skin, so I assumed it
was shed. It tends to clump on his skin and then come of as he swims). The other
day I noticed his shell seemed to have a bit of separation in it, on both sides
of his shell on the top sides.
< Water turtles need a big change in temperatures. They heat up during the day
and need to cool down at night . The heater should be set for 66 F. The basking
spot needs to provide heat, UVA and UVB rays. All these can be provided with the
correct lighting. The basking spot needs to be at least 85 F. With the correct
lighting set on a timer for 8-12 hours per day the shell should start to stiffen
up. Little turtles grow
Red ear slider turtle.
2/16/08
Dear Crew
<Hiya Shirley - Darrel here>
My daughter has had her turtle for approx 6 months. In the past month the
turtles shell has become soft and is kind of "chalky" looking on the top. On the
underside of the turtle (belly) it is soft as well and almost looks like it has
a small amount of blood seeping through.
<Soft shell is a sign of lack of Ultraviolet A&B light -- basically lack of
natural sunshine -- and a vitamin deficiency due to lack of diet. The seepage of
blood indicates that this is fairly advanced>
I live in a very small town and there are not any specialty vets any where
around. Please help me my daughter really loves this turtle.
<well, we can easily clean up the care issues by making sure that the turtle
gets adequate amounts of unfiltered sunlight and a balanced diet (I'll enclose a
link for you with some further info) but treating a turtle this much in decline
will not be easy.>
<First, you're going to need to go to a vet .. even if they have no reptile
specialists in your area. If nothing else you need an accurate weight and some
liquid calcium diluted in a saline or sterile water solution that you can inject
at 5 mg/kg, daily for 1-7 days.>
<In the mean time, keep him dry and warm with access to natural sunlight or a UV
lamp (see the link) and place him in water for no more than 10 minutes a day to
hydrate and eat. Best of luck to you>
Thank you, Shirley
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
Red Eared Slider - Black Lines -01/30/08
Hello!
<Hiya Samson, Darrel here>
I have a quick question about my Red Eared Sliders. They are about 1.5 to 2
inches in diameter. Recently, I have noticed that the lines between their plates
are getting black and becoming thicker. I was wondering if this is natural,
because when I see other turtle pictures, their shell has no black lines between
the plates and it appears shiny. Could it be from my turtle's diet? My turtles
are in a 20 gallon tank with a UVB light, heat lamp, and heater. I used to feed
them a few pellets a day, feeder fish (once in a while), and veggies (once in a
while). After reading your help tips I plan on feeding them a larger amount,
because before, I did not feed them a lot since I feared they would get fat :]
Anyways, I am worried about the black lines on their shell. Is there any way I
can make their shell look better? Thank You!
<So far, everything seems just fine. The black lines in the margins (between the
scutes) is completely normal in juveniles and that fact that you can see it
clearly is a credit to your efforts as a pet keeper. Keep up the good work!!!
one thing -- skip the feeder fish, OK? When it's treat time, feed them a couple
night crawlers (earth worms) from the pet store -- they usually come in a
container of a dozen, so feed them a couple and put the rest out in a garden.>
Samson
Re: Terrapin Shell with Ingrown
Yellowish-White patch 1/29/08
Hello Neale,
Once again, thanks for your prompt reply.
I've finally gotten down to taking pictures, I hope they're clear enough.
Also, the spotty growth can't be removed by brushing... the spots are actually
growing underneath the translucent surface of the shell.. I've
managed to scrape off some with my nails, VERY difficult process.. but there
were some that I couldn't scrape off..
As the pictures are rather large in size, I've sent them via yousendit.com..
I hope you don't mind looking out for the two emails that follow (or in this
case, they may be received before this email)..
I really thank you for taking the time to help us helpless pet owners out
there.. God Bless!
Best Regards,
Alex
<Alex, thanks for this and the kind words. But no message, URL, or attachments
came through. Please try again! Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Terrapin Shell with Ingrown
Yellowish-White patch -01/30/08
Hello Neale,
<Alex,>
Oops, maybe it all went into junk mail folder.. anyway, here're the
links for the files to be downloaded:
1. http://download.yousendit.com/8FCBCEED6CBCC3AB
2. http://download.yousendit.com/AB110A68488AA4E1
<Hmm... two 4 MB photos? Let's not set a precedent here: other WWM
readers please take note, we like small, easy to view pictures.>
Hope you're able to analyze the pics now..
<I see the growths, but to be honest, I'm not completely sure what they
are. Two things spring to mind. Shell Rot is one. Shell Rot is a fungal
infection where the shell is decaying and springy textured growths eat into
depressions on the shell. See here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turtshellrot.htm
The alternative is calcium carbonate that, in hard water conditions, can
form lime scale patches on the shell. These will dissolve if dabbed with
vinegar, so are easy to test for. If you get lime scale forming in your plumbing
at home, definitely consider this explanation and test accordingly.>
Thanks again!
Best Regards,
Alex
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Terrapin Shell
with Ingrown Yellowish-White patch 1/31/08
Hello Neale,
My apologies on the huge pictures.. will remember not to do that again,
but I'm just so worried about my terrapin. Very sorry.
I think you're right, from the link's descriptions, it is probably shell
rot. Soft fluid-like growth underneath the shell's surface, and has to
be scraped off. However, can it be caused by food rotting on the shell?
This never happened before in the entire ten years.. just happened so
quickly in a matter of days after I put her into a smaller tank cos she
bit the other terrapin..
Thanks..
Best Regards,
Alex
<Hi Alex. Shell Rot is very similar to Finrot in fish -- while not
caused directly by (over) feeding, uneaten food does create the
conditions that the bacteria and/or fungi need to get started. Hence
cleaning the aquarium, and in particular ensuring the ammonia and
nitrite levels are zero, is important. It may well be that her original
vivarium was safe, but the smaller one not so much. In any case, treat
as described in the article. Your animal seems to have only the early
stage of the problem, so curing it shouldn't be difficult. Cheers,
Neale.>
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Terrapin Shell with Ingrown
Yellowish-White patch 1-22-08
Hello Wet Web Media,
<Hello,>
I am very grateful for your previous assistance on my 6" terrapin (foot bitten
by another 7" terrapin). His foot is healed, and he's healthy and up to his
usual mischief again. However, it seems the 7" female can't be placed in the
same tank as my 6-incher any longer.. she still tries to bite him. I wonder if
there's a way I can make them live together again?
<No, short of a much bigger vivarium with more terrapins in there to dilute the
aggression. One thing you might try is rebuilding the vivarium in such a way
that there are two islands. Each terrapin can bask separately from the other.
This tends to reduce fighting a bit.>
However, my main concern for this email is this.. ever since I've separated the
two terrapins, I've placed the 7-incher female in a smaller tank. The water is
not full enough to cover her shell entirely, so sometimes some food pellets
(Nutra Fin turtle food) actually get lodged on her shell, and dries up there if
I didn't notice her for the day. The curious thing is, I've noticed that the
dried pellets have turned into peculiar yellowish-white patches on her shell,
2mm to 3mm in size. They're oval-shaped, not irregular ovals, but very small
2mm-3mm ovals. I managed to chip two of them off (VERY difficult process),
however, there're still a few small patches that I was unable to remove. These
yellowish-white patches have actually gone underneath the shell's top surface (I
hope you know what I mean). Ok, it's like they're growing on her shell, yet
under a hard transparent film on the shell, thus they do not pop up, but
actually have become part of her shell, in other words, ingrown.
<Sounds icky, and quite possibly fungus. In any case, the shell needs a good
clean, possibly with an anti-fungal medication if you can wipe them clean with a
toothbrush or similar. Obviously stop using this pellet food. There's no real
need to use pellets with terrapins, and certainly not adult specimens which will
eat just about anything. A nice mix of greens, seafood, and the odd earthworm if
you want will keep them very happy.>
I'm just wondering what the cause is. Have you experienced anything like that
before? Will it harm my terrapin? Please help me..
<Do need a photo to confirm, but the stuff getting under the shell scutes (the
"scales") is worrying. Another thing it might be is mere calcium carbonate,
basically lime scale, and sometimes a problem. Lime scale washes away easily,
especially if you use a little lemon juice (which is non-toxic to terrapins,
though avoid getting it in their faces!).>
Thank you..
Best Regards,
Alex
<Cheers, Neale.>
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Oh No!! Not REDDISH
shell!!!!! 01/13/2008
Hi!
<Hiya Right Back!>
I am a new Red Eared Slider owner.
<Congratulations -- one of the coolest creatures ever!>
I received it on January 4th she is about 3" or 4" and I am so in love
with it! I followed all the basic care recommendations as closely as I
can.
<The thing about reptiles and fish -- all of our wet friends, is that
take very little care, but they need the EXACT care that is known for
them. Following the basic care instructions as closely as possible is
the absolute BEST way for your turtle to stay healthy and happy for her
whole life.>
I didn't notice anything unusual about her behavior and she seems to be
eating well, I did notice however that she is developing red
discoloration on her shell. Her shell is smooth and doesn't seem to be
shedding and she is very active. Is this normal? Do you have any
pictures that can show me what a real diseased turtle looks like
concerning the shell?
Thanks and enclosed I send pictures of my turtle.
<Those are great pics, Lorraine and the shell looks perfect! As Sliders
age and mature, they lose that perfect, bright green coloration that
helps the babies hide in the weeds and the shell darkens so that the
adult turtle is able to blend into the darker, deeper waters. The red
tinge that you see is very normal, very healthy and if anything can be
truly seen from these pictures is that she's happy and very healthy
looking!>
<Everything sounds like you're being a great turtle mom, Lorraine, keep
up the good work. Below I'm sending you a link to more basic care
information>
-Lorraine
<Darrel>
<
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
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Turtle shell problems 1/9/08
Hello.
<Hiya -- Darrel here>
I have had my turtle for about two and half years. He is a yellow-bellied slider
turtle. I can only guess that its a he because of his thick tail. I found him in
the filter of a swimming pool. He was about the size of a silver dollar when I
found him and now he is bigger than my hand. Well anyway, he has been having a
problem with his shell. I know that they shed their scutes as they grow, but big
chucks of the top of his shell are coming off. This began more than a couple
months ago. The problem started with just one plate on his shell, but then the
surrounding plates began to stick up and then fall off. I researched and found
that maybe some iodine and triple antibiotic would help. I did that for about a
week. I kept him in a small tank with no water and his light for about an hour
and then put him back in the water. That didn't seem to help at all. His shell
continued to come off in pieces. It doesn't seem to be painful because when I
touch it he doesn't respond like it hurts him. It doesn't look like an open
sore, it just looks like the top layer of shell is coming off leaving a smooth
gray surface. It's not slimy or anything. He doesn't seem bothered by it.
<My guess is that your turtle has a deep fungal infection, Tiffany. The first
thing to do is reverse your regimen - keep him OUT of the water for most of the
day -- giving him just 15 minutes or so per day to hydrate and eat. The rest of
the time, keep him warm and DRY --- around 80 to 85 degrees. Get a commercial
athletes foot medicine from the drug store such as Tinactin or Lotrimin (read
their ingredient labels - generic will do just fine) and cost the entire
infected area twice a day for 21-30 days and see if we can improve this. It's
likely that the scutes lost will remain damaged-looking and never grow back
again, but if the infection can be stopped the turtle can still lead a healthy &
active life>
When he basks the trouble spot on the top of his shell gets chalky and dry
looking. I keep him in a 10-gallon tank (I know it is too small for his size,
but I'm working on getting him a larger one). I do take him outside sometimes
and let him run around. <UV lighting is VERY important for fighting any form of
fungal infection of the skin or shell -- make sure he gets as much natural
sunlight as you can possibly give him (always making sure he can get OUT of the
direct sun if he over heats).>
He has a turtle dock and a reptile light bulb from ZooMed. He is almost too big
for the dock, but is still kept out of the water. I have a filter in the tank
also. The water is about 72 degrees with the light bulb on, not sure of the
temperature at night without the light. I want to get him a water heater, but
they are kind of expensive and I don't think that it would fit in his current
10-gal tank.
<It's actually best NOT to heat the water -- if his basking area is about 85 and
his water temp is at least 68 let him choose which temperature he wants.>
I also have rocks in the tank. I had smaller ones, but he kept eating them so I
had to get larger ones. His diet includes; Reptomin pellets and crickets. On
occasion I give him lettuce but most of the time it will just float in the water
and he won't touch it. I also give him carrots. I used to give him grasshoppers,
but now it is too cold outside so I can't find any. I give him fruits sometimes,
but I'm not really sure what kind to give him. He used to be very finicky about
his food, but now he eats a lot.
<That's good. Personally, I feed Koi pellets (essentially the same as Reptomin)
and I supplement with an occasional earthworm or night crawler>
I used to feed him everyday, but now that he is bigger I only feed him every
other day sometimes every couple days. I included some pictures of him. I really
hope you can help me because I can't really afford to take him to the vet right
now.
<I understand ... although that would still be best. The problem with fungal
infections is that the warm moist conditions that turtles just love is also
perfect for fungus. He doesn't "need" water and as long as he can drink and
bathe for just a few minutes every day, his body will do better fighting off the
fungus (with the help of the anti-fungal) that he ever could in a water world.
Just keep in mind that fungus is a LONG TERM condition. You might see
improvements in a week, but you need to continue the treatment for a month ...
maybe even TWO months. But if you don't see improvement after 21 days, write
back and report in. Good Luck!>
Thanks for your time. -Tiffany
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