Urgent Care :: Help with baby RES

[novastorm]

Hi guys, came back from work today and found both of my RES are dead. one was floating in the water, and one was on the rock under the heat lamp.

They hadn't really been eating since i got it 4 days ago. tried fish pellets, turtle pellets, frozen bloodworms, but they dont seem to eat any of them.

no idea why they have died, here are some info and pics are at the bottom.

How big is your turtle? 4cm
How long have you had it? 4 days

What is the water temperature? 25-26C
Did you use a thermometer? yes
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? 30Litres
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? yes, internal filter, i've been keeping fish for 10+ years, so i know abit here and there abit fish.

What is the basking temperature? 28C
Is there a basking light? yes, infrared lamp
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? IR lamp
Is there a UVB light? yes and UVA too.

What have you been trying to feed it? turtle pellets, and frozen bloodworms.
When was the last time your turtle ate? none since i got it.

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 2ft x 14" x 14" tank
Is the tank near a window? no
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? not eating, lethargic behaviour in the past 2 days.

One has a darker shell, one has a lighter shell. I believe that was their natural colours. I read somewhere on this forum that healthier ones have darker shells.

any help will be much appreciated. thanks!

Here's the one with the lighter shell: (not quite sure whats the deal with the whitish markings on the top of the shell on the lighter turtle.)






Darker shell turtle:





Both of them together yesterday:

[novastorm]

Some views, but no one at all can shed some light or give some advice?
thanks

[AllisonChains]

I am so sorry about your babies - they were adorable.

I honestly don't have any ideas as I am new to this turtle thing, but maybe they came home sick? I dunno, I just wanted to say that I am sorry.

[jenaero]

So sorry for your loss. Generally, they won't get sick and die in such a short time. They were likely quite ill when you got them. My advice would be to bring them back to where you purchased them, get your $ back and go elsewhere if you're getting more. Also, disinfect everything in the tank.

[packfan1]

I am sorry for your loss. I am new myself, but I am curious as to where you got them from and maybe where you are from. I know that typically from what I have read, res cannot be sold if they are under 4" in size. This is in the US I believe. Some states actually ban them from being owned, bought or sold. Odds are that they may have already been sick from where you got them from. There are others there that will be much better suited to help you determine the possible cause.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Since you are using the metric system, I'm assuming you aren't from the US. (To answer a previous post's question.)

I agree, they were probably quite ill when you got them. Often "baby" RES tend to be abused and neglected and sold as such. I would say if you got them from a pet store, take them back. Every pet store I know has at least a one week warranty (for lack of a better term) on animals they sell. Then I would recommend not buying from there again and if possible, buy only a single 4" or bigger RES from a different store. When they are at least a year old, they will be less susceptible to initial diseases and illnesses.

Disinfect your tank very thoroughly, with a dilute bleach solution if possible.

As to what else may have caused their untimely deaths, did a glass thermometer or heater break? Could they have eaten any rocks or sand in your tank? Did they become overheated from the basking area? Is something you were trying to feed them contaminated with something?

The lighter one's shell looks like it may either be a fungus (which aren't typically that deadly, not that quick at least) or abrasions from maybe a rough surface, probably before you got him. The other one looks perfect, healthy, and adorable.

I am deeply sorry for your loss ...

[SpotsMama]

i agree with what the others have said. It's very sad, but a lot of sellers keep turtles in appalling conditions so that they are sick when they are sold. Very young turtles are rather delicate and need to be kept clean and warm and well fed. It's hard on new turtlekeepers to get focused on their new pets only to find that they were sick and don't make it. It's shameful of the sellers to act so irresponsibly to both the little turtles and the people who buy pets from them in good faith. I feel sure your turtles were ill when you got them.

I sincerely hope your next experience with turtles is different. Turtles are wonderful and interesting companions. Next time, why don't you look into adopting an older turtle from a rescue organization. There are lots of good RES in need of homes.

So sorry for your loss.

[novastorm]

Thanks for the replies guys. I too believe that they were sick to begin with, but a beginner like myself to turtles wouldn't pick it.

I live in Australia, so we don't have that 4" rule that the US do.

Thanks for the sympathies, I think i will wait a few months before deciding to get another one.

cheers

[res08]

Sorry for your loss. Next time, make sure you pick an active one before bringing it home. It's important to let them rest and get used to their new environment before handling them. When I got my hatchling, he was lethargic, did not eat, and spent most of his time on the basking dock. But I left him alone the first night to rest and recover. The next night, he ate some tuna and was much more active.

[marisa]

I'm very sorry to hear you lost them, they were really cute. Hatchlings have a relatively low survival rate, and it's made worse by the conditions many are kept in prior to being sold.