please please help me! I've read everything I can but I still don't know what the right thing to do is. About an hour ago I found my baby turtle floating at the top of the tank. When I picked him up he would look up at me and gasp for air. He has been limp and I'm sad to say I don't know how long he has been like this since I've been at work and out of the house til night time. I fed him this morning and he seemed fine, he didnt look sick at all. It seems like a sudden respiratory infection or maybe he drowned? The swollen cloaca worries me. By now he has stopped gasping for air and I am worried sick !!!!!! I feel horrible. I really don't want my little guy to be hurting but I can't take him to a vet until morning. I feel like I'll be up all night watching him. Right now he is in a small padded cardboard box. I'm not sure what other steps I should take in this situation to help ease his pain. I tried CPR but I couldn't push any water out. He's not stiff so I am assuming he's still alive. This is my first time caring for turtles but I've made a full effort to make them as comfortable and as healthy as possible. It feels really horrible to worry so much about my little ones and have a freak accident like this happen. I love them so much
please help, is there any saving him and how can I get him through the night?
How big is your turtle? 2 in.
How long have you had it? 5 months
Water temperature?: 75-80
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? 10gal
Are you using a water conditioner? no
Are you using any filtration? yes
What is the basking temperature? 80-85
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? I have a magnetic floating turtle dock from exo terra, think it is plastic.
Is there a UVB light? yes
What have you been trying to feed it? pellets, red shrimp, I try to feed them greens but they wont take to it yet
When was the last time your turtle ate? this morning
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 10gal
Is the tank near a window? yes. it only gets the morning sunlight.
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no.
Have you read the Basic Care section? yes.
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes.
his body is bloated and his cloaca looks swollen too.
