Urgent Care :: Frantic Swimming

[andrealeigh]

I was at petco looking around today and I saw a brochure on aquatic turtles. Out of curiosity, I read it. It said that a "red flag behavior" for a turtle is frantic swimming. My little guy swims around swiftly and backwards and it seems frantic however he does it all the time. I always just chalked it up to him being strange and funny. Should I be concerned or am I just being a paranoid mom? He seems healthy other than that.

[steve]

Frantic swimming that I would be concerned with would be if it was:

1) being chased/harassed by another turtle
2) gravid
3) neurological/coordination problem

Other than that, I don't think it's a problem.

[andrealeigh]

He's by himself so I don't think it's the first two. However, we did rescue him from a bad situation. He didn't have a basking area, more than 2 inches of water, heater, or any lighting until we got him. He's 3 years old and isn't even 3 inches long yet. He didn't really get the hang of swimming in deeper water for the first couple of days. So the coordination problem is possible. Thanks for the help!

[steve]

Do you have a video of this behavior?

[andrealeigh]

I do not. I was trying to get one but he just goes into his shell every time. I am switching him over to a larger tank tomorrow so maybe with more space he won't be so frantic. I will continue to try though.