HEY EVERYONE. I NEED SOME DESPERATE HELP. I GOT A RED EAR SLIDER IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR DOWN IN FLORIDA AND BROUGHT IT UP HERE TO OHIO WITH US. HE IS REALLY TINY. HE WAS DOING GREAT, PLAYING AND ETC.. THEN HE STOPPED EATING AND HE DIDNT WANT TO GO IN THE WATER. WHEN I PUT HIM IN THE WATER HE ALWAYS LEANS SIDEWAYS LIKE HE IS TIPPING.. ANYWAYS... I GOT UP TODAY AND NOTICED HE HASNT MOVED. I PICKED HIM UP, HIS EYES ARE SHUT, I POKED HIS ARMS AND HE DIDNT MOVE AT ALL. WE TRIED FOR ABOUT A HOUR AND THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT. WE CALLED A VET IN SOUTH CHARLESTON AND HE SAID MOST LIKELY AS SMALL AS HE IS AND INSIDE TURTLE THAT HE IS MORE THAN LIKELY DEAD. WE MADE A REAL SHALLOW GRAVE OUTSIDE AND I KEEP THINKING THAT MAYBE HE IS JUST HYBERNATING. THIS IS THE FIRST TURTLE I HAVE EVER HAD AND I DONT KNOW IF HE MAY STILL BE ALIVE OR NOT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE SO THAT I KNOW FOR SURE AND I CAN REST ON IT. IS IT POSSIBLE HE IS JUST HYBERNATING????? HELP ASAP.. PLZ...
What were the water temperatures? Unless it was very cold, then he would not be hibernating. If his body was becoming stiff, then he has passed. Sorry.
The water was alittle chilly but he has been playing in it since we got him back from Florida. He wasnt really stiff he just wasnt moving at all. the vet said he shouldnt be hybernating that little if he is an inside turtle.. I don't know whether to get him and keep him inside just in case but i dont want to bring him in and keep him if he has passed.
It wasnt freezing but not warm. he was doing great in it and then he started staying out of the water and we put him back in the water and he was leaning sideways. he also was really active before and then he just slowly stopped. last night before this happened, he got out of the water and put his head on a rock and then didnt move after that. he had some white stuff on his shell though and it was like he was peeling. the vet said that if he was leaning in the water it sounded like a respiratory problem he had. but i just want to make sure that i dont leave him out there if he could possibly be hybernating but we tried to get his eyes open and he just didnt move from the position he was in. is it common for them to get illnesses?
Respiratory infections are common. If he was swimming/floating sideways, then he probably had fluid in his lungs which is a symptom of a serious respiratory infection. If the water was room temperature, then he was not hibernating. With the limited information provided, I agree with the vet you spoke to. Sorry