Urgent Care :: Maybe RI but need your opinions

[Berry]

How big is your turtle? Her shell is about 8-9 inches from front to back
How long have you had it? 12-14 years old

What is the water temperature? Warm, unsure of the exact temperature, will explain later
Are you using a water heater? No (explanation to follow
How much water is in there? 4 inches deep maybe
Are you using a water conditioner? No
Are you using any filtration? No

What is the basking temperature? Unsure
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Unsure
Is there a UVB light? Yes

What have you been trying to feed it? Lately she's been having few veggies (she's picky), mostly fish and some chicken
When was the last time your turtle ate? This morning

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? HERE IS THE EXPLANATION OF HER HABITAT, due to her size, she's outgrown the largest of our tanks and for the past 4-5 years has been living in the corner of laundry room under a pile of clothes. She eats and spends time in the water in a large pie container full of warm water underneath her basking light (water is changed often, every 45 minutes to an hour when she's in it). She's house-broken, in that she will urinate and defecate in her dish and no where else. She walks around the house often, going from one patch of sunlight to the next. The clunking noise of her shell on the wood floor usually tells us its feeding time. And for some reason, she like to sit under a specific chair in a far-off room.

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes

Tonight, Obi (her name) has started acting oddly. She's having trouble getting out of her dish (never was a problem before) and has been raising her head up and back while making a weezing noise. She also appears a little bloated. From what I've read in previous threads, these are signs of RI, but I've seen no mucous and her movement (aside from dish exits) has been normal. She's been eating well lately and sleeping normally as well. Since she's never been sick before, we're all a little worried right now from the things we've read about RI, as our Obi's been a staple of this household for over a decade.

I know her living conditions aren't exactly textbook, but the cost of getting such a large tank has been too much, not to mention the lack of space to house such an item. Since she's been living for so long without any sort of illness or troubles before, we'd assumed she'd be ok for a while to come.

Please, anything would be helpful.

[SpotsMama]

Well, the wheezing is a key symtom of RI. She might be having difficulty getting out of her dish because she's feeling tired and weak - lethargic. Do you see her breathing with her mouth open or frequently yawning?

Does Obi lay eggs? A normal grown female will lay eggs even when there's no male turtle around - like chicken. Has she laid any recently? How did that go?

How is her shell shaped? Does she show any pyramiding (if you're not sure what this is, let me know)? Is it lumpy and uneven or a smooth dome shape?

It's very hard to say based on the few symptoms you've described what's going, especially since Obi has been living in such an unusual environment. I'd say, however, that since you are so very familiar with Obi and her normal habits, if you're seeing a sudden and disturbing change, then it probably means something's wrong. Trust your instincts.

You probably already know what you need to do - if she's not back to normal in the morning, you should get her to a herp vet. If she has RI she'll need antibiotics. Even if it's not RI, it may be some other sort of infection that needs antibiotics.

If you suspect your turtle may be ill but have to wait for your vet appointment, the recommendation is to keep her warm (78 or 80 degrees), keep her very clean, avoid stress and try to make sure she keeps eating.

Once all this is sorted out, let us go over her setup and diet with you. You might be surprised at some of the things you can do to make it more normal for her that don't cost very much.

[haimish321]

What RI? just curious

[Tenodera]

Respiratory infection.

But would being out of the water for most of the time be negative? Maybe its from being to dry, perhaps? RES are very aquatic creatures.

[Safdar]

You really need to get an adaqet setup for him
Hes an aquatic reptile and they cant live around the house like cat and dogs

It is Respiratory infection

The wheezing sounds and opening mouth
Is he sleeping more

I think he got it from the AC current and cold air in the house, which will get them sick

And the small amount of water in dish pan will get cold quick and he caught a cold

You need to take him to the vet

[industrial_girl_2000]

A turtle this size really needs to swim in a larger habitat, even if it is only overnight that you put him/her in a 50 gallon tank, that would be better than relying on such a small dish of water.

Turtles like this require being in water due to hydration reasons. Look into getting a kid-size pool (they should be super cheap and on-sale at this time of year) and setting it up in the basement (or wherever) with a filter, rocks in the middle (where the turtle can get out of the water), water heater, and UV light above the rocks. You don't need a $1000 tank for your turtle. Turtles aren't that picky. If you can get a $30 kiddy pool deep enough for the turtle to be able to swim, then that would be an immediate improvement. Also, you will be able to control the temperature of your turtle's environment better, and temperature is EXTREMELY critical in keeping our turts healthy. This is coming from someone who lost 2 turtles 18 yrs ago to RI. It was sad having to watch them slowly suffer while the 2 vets I went to didn't know what was wrong. Terrible & totally preventable. I still think about them.

Having said all that, it sounds like your turtle has RI & a vet visit would be a good idea. I really hope you can get into a position to provide a better living environment for your turtle. We've all had to make sacrifices on this board in order to give our "kids" better lives. The good news is that in the long run, reptiles are cheaper than cats/dogs, but the initial set-up cost is what costs the most. So instead of having to buy monthly dog/cat food, yearly shots, and all the other things furry pets need & paying every month, we have to pay it all up front. It sucks, but that's just the way it is. I know when I had to upgrade my Sheba's set up last year, it was no small endeavor. I have a large turtle just like you do and she lived in a too-small tank for many many yrs (I've had her for close to 18 yrs now). I finally just had to suck it up, and buy her the 90-gallon tank set up she needed. Most of the cost went on my credit card & it took me a while to pay off, but I did it because I love her too much than to just make her live in a teeny tiny aquarium. The change in her attitude was almost instantaneous....she was happier than I had ever seen her, no longer begged to be let out of the tank, and just swam happily all day.

I hope you will be able to see the change in your turtle someday too!

Good luck with the RI!

[marisa]

How is the turtle?