Urgent Care :: Turtle skin problem possibly?

[Mikeolsenxxx]

Hi, I just received my turtle today and right on the back of his neck is a white patch of skin it looks like. It is just as visibale in the water as it is out. I have been told some prety bad things about the website I bought it from so i just wanted to make sure what it is. Is just a strange skin mark (however he looks completley green everywhere else), dried skin, or the beginings of some infection? just FYI he seems prety energetic and his eyes dont seem swollen (I heard those were common symptoms of illnesses for them)

Thanks!

[Tenodera]

Can you post a picture of this?

[Safdar]

Post a picture of it

[Mikeolsenxxx]

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[Mikeolsenxxx]

I would take one that has his whole head streched out so you can see all of it but I havnt got him to poke his head out farther yet.

[SpotsMama]

Looks like an injury that's trying to heal. There may be some fungus or bacteria growing there. Can use q tips moistened with betadine or hibiclense to clean the area, then put a little neosporin on it, then keep him in a safe, quiet and dry place for several hours before returning him to the water? Repeat this daily for about a week then see how it looks. You must keep his water very clean with frequent changes while he's trying to heal. Well, actually, his water should always be clean but it's especially critical right now.

Has anyone said anything to you about the gravel in the bottom of the tank? It can be very hazardous to turtles as they try to eat it and it stops them up and, if any of it is sharp, can cut them internally. There have been some very sad threads on here from people with turtles who ate gravel and didn't survive. Best to remove all of it and, instead, put a few large river rocks on the bottom of the tank. It's much easier to keep the tank clean, too, without the gravel.

[Tenodera]

Yea take out that gravel, turtles will eat it and that'll kill them.

[Mikeolsenxxx]

ok I will take the gravel out now, also How will i be able to apply the neosporin? he wont keep his head out far enough to see it when im around espicially if i were to come near him with somthing. Also I did see some cracking it looks like in that white spot while he was swimming around not to long ago, as well as some transparent film from around the neck (peeling skin maybe?) Is it normal for him to be shedding (if it even is) this soon?

[Safdar]

Gravel has to go bye bye
Its gunna be a big problem if he wants a colorful little treat

[steve]

Make sure you dilute the betadine so its the color of tea. It can easily cause stains, so be careful while you work with it.

Can you take a pic of that area when it's dry?

[Mikeolsenxxx]

ya, I will when he settles in again, He's kinda hiding in the new setup of the tank (had to take gravel out). And how will I be able to put the stuff on the wound? whenever I try to touch him he puts his head completley in his shell, and when he does that the white spot is no longer visable.

[DavidY]

You'll need to distract him with something directly in front of him and have your other hand behind him ready with the q-tip and the betadine. Then if/when he has his head out far enough (you may need to wait a while) sneak up from behind with the q-tip and try to swab the area quickly. Even if you can just dab some on before he retracts that'll be good. Wait a little while and do it again with the neosporin. When you come at him from behind try to move in a straight line from back to front using just your fingers to extend the q-tip within reach. The less movement that the turtle can actually see, the closer you'll be able to get to him. Remember to distract him from the front while you move in from behind so his attention will be focused ahead. It's like trying to grab a cobra. lol!

[marc_]

hi my it looks like u have gray parts on ur turtles back if he has my turtle had it and i can tell u something about what to do =]

[marisa]

You said you just got him? To me, the area looks like he's been bitten, probably by a turtle he was being kept with before being sold.

Treatment isn't that difficult. You can use diluted (50%) Betadine or diluted chlorohexidine (Hibiclens is easy to get). Get a q-tip very wet with either and with the turtle facing away from you, wait until the neck comes out and gently apply the liquid. Get the whole area covered, even if it takes a few tries (he'll likely retract his head when he feels the liquid and your touch).

If it were me, I'd leave him out of the water overnight and let the antiseptic do its work. In the am, apply some Neosporin to the area with a q-tip and keep him out of the water for 15-30 minutes to let it soak in a bit. Then put him in the water as usual. Keep the water he's in very clean. Repeat again in the evening. Try this for 3-5 days and see if the area improves.