Urgent Care :: What is it? Should I be concerned....

[Laportkelb]

Tonight we noticed a long white string coming out of our turtles tail. At first I thought it was a string until I looked closer and I noticed that the turtle was voiding it. I was very thin and about 6-7" long. It was mostly straight but has a few tiny sections that looked like they were spiraled. I have no idea what this was or if I need to be concerned. The turtle ate and basked today so we haven't noticed any strange behavior.
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How big is your turtle? Female 6"
How long have you had it? 1 yr

What is the water temperature? 76
Did you use a thermometer? yes
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? half full 75 gal
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? Fluval

What is the basking temperature? 91
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? ramp attached to side
Is there a UVB light? No

What have you been trying to feed it? Dark Greens, pellets
When was the last time your turtle ate? Tonight

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 75 gal
Is the tank near a window? No
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

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No

[megcornell]

It sounds to me like your turtle has a parasite.
Have you fed her any feeder fish or live plants lately? Sometimes parasites can hitch a ride into your tank from those sources.
You'll need to get a stool sample and a sample of the worms (if you can) and make an appointment with a herp vet. They can give you the proper meds to get rid of the worms.
It will also be a good idea to clean out the tank using dilute bleach and rinsing well.

[marisa]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like it could be a tapeworm to me. You need to bring a stool sample to a herp vet for analysis.

[industrial_girl_2000]

I agree with what other people already said here.

FYI - you don't need to take your turtle with you when you take a sample of their poop to the vet. Get a disposable plastic container with lid & store the poop in the fridge until you can drop it off (hopefully the same day after you get the poop....you don't want to wait too long). The vet will analyze it, then call you later to let you know what they find.

If it is a parasite, you need to find that out so that you can get your turtle healthy again. The good news is that a stool sample analysis only costs around $20-$25.