Urgent Care :: She ate the tip of the glass thermometer!

[Tiny]

Tiny got restless this evening and atacked the wall thermometer, that she's never bothred before. She broke the glass tip off and ate it, including some of that red goop that had little grey beadlike stuff in it. Didn'y get all the awy through the actal thermometer, but did eat glass.

OMG is she going to be ok???

I've removed all glass and cleaned up. Tiny is acting normal and ate a peice a lettuce right after, as if nothing happened. Should I be concerned that she will get cut up inside???? Will it make her sick???

What can I do????

[megcornell]

It's good that you cleaned everything up.
Tiny probably didn't eat any glass, I assume that it'd cut her tongue and she'd spit it out.
If she did happen to eat any, there's nothing you can do but wait and see that she's ok unfortunately. I think it's a good sign that she ate some lettuce, if her tongue and throat was cut up she probably would lose her appetite.
From now on, look into getting a digital thermometer... they're much safer.

[Tiny]

I watched her chomp it down, so I'm pretty sure she ate it. It wasn't alot, but still will it kill her?

[jenaero]

I'd be more concerned about the mercury she ingested rather than the glass!! Do a google search for the effects of ingestion of mercury.

[mikee]

If your turtle ate the glass, let's hope he passes it. Keep an eye on his butt and see how that is working for the next few days. Mine have eaten almost everything, but not glass that I know of. I do not use any glass in my tank. Years ago I used those glass floating themometer and they broke them all. I use a digital themometer that has a probe and I can keep an eye on it while just walking by. Good Luck!!
-
Jen-ro -- I agree, but let's take one thing at a time. It may not matter about the mercury.

[Tiny]

Ok- I'm pretty sure it wasn't a mercury filled thermo. She only got some red gel that held some little grey balls. she didn't get through to the stick inside the tube that holds the red fluid that goes up and down. She is currently swimming around, digging, biting tree branches, as if nothing happend. Surprisingly- no blood on her moth or on her tongue because I watched her open a close a couple times on the tree and - no cuts in the mouth, so I'm hoping she just dropped the glass somewhere and i sucked it up with the vaccume when I immediately grabbed out the broken floating thermon and vaccumed.

That turtle- she scares me. I will watch her but and get a digital. Thanks so much for your concern everyone.

[clc4912]

There is no mercury in the red thermometers. Mercury is silver in color. I beads are just weight and should be small enough for her to pass without problem. I would think that you would already be seeing signs had she ingested glass. It would have already cut her and she would know it and not be very happy.

If I am not mistaken, I believe the red liquid in the thermometer is alcohol.

[megcornell]

Clc is right, the new thermometers don't contain mercury.

[Tiny]

I got up early cuz I just couldn't sleep knowing what she did last night. Sure enough, she was swimming and beggin for food. She ate 5 reptomins and some dandelion, swam around chasing her buddy the catfish, and is now currently digging.

So I guess she has guts of steel, and thank God hadn't actually ate the glass. As for the beads and alcohol- i would see efffects by now(11 hours later) right?

Thank you for your quick support last night. i was so freaked out. it was a comfort to know people cared and had some imediate input.

Thanks,
Tiny

[TheComputerGremlin]

The beads and alcohol should be harmless, nothing that would hurt her from one time ingestion. However, I'd guess you should probably try to grab her poo for a few times so she doesn't re-ingest the beads and/or glass.

[marisa]

Are you sure it was glass? Every aquarium thermometer I've seen has been made of plastic. And the beads aren't mercury (unless you've got an ancient thermometer). It could take a while for them to be expelled.

[Tiny]

I don't know if it was glass, now that you ask. I know it appeared to be jaged and clear, but very thin, and i could swear I got a small sliver of it in my hand when removing it, but it just itched and didn't bleed.

Tiny is acting fine. Basking, eating, swimming, digging. I have not seen her pass anything though. No rectal bleeding either. i will keep watching and post if things change.

again- thank you for your support.

[FattyTheTurtle]

hi all - my turtle did the same thing last night, on the same kind of thermometer!

he seems to be ok though, and reading this post helped calm my nerves tremendously. it's been in his tank for months, so i have no idea why he did this.

i bought a digital thermometer to replace the glass one a few weeks ago, but got nervous since fatty went straight for the probe and started biting it...

from now on i am planning on just putting the thermometer in when i want to check temp and leaving it out the rest of the time, but do other people find that it's safe to leave the probe hanging out in the tank?

thanks!

[marisa]

I have two probes in two different tanks. The RES that's in one tank totally ignores it. The painted that's in the other tank spends a fair amount of time fluttering his paws at it and taking occasional nips at it. The probe is bigger than his head, though, so all he succeeds in doing is pushing it away from him.

It's possible that your turtle's interest in the probe was because it was something new in the tank, and once he gets used it, he'd leave it alone. If you're uncomfortable with finding out, though, not keeping it in the tank and checking the temp periodically is an option.