Urgent Care :: Lethargic, acting strangely, etc.

[alblaylock]

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How big is your turtle? 4 to 4 1/2 inches.
How long have you had it? Approx. a month

What is the water temperature?---
Did you use a thermometer?---
Are you using a water heater? No.
How much water is in there? About 10 gallons.
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes.
Are you using any filtration? Yes. 40 gallon filter.

What is the basking temperature? 85-90
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? Floating dock by zoomed I believe...
Is there a UVB light? Yes.

What have you been trying to feed it? Nightcrawlers, acceptable vegetation, pellets.
When was the last time your turtle ate? Unsure.

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 20g long (In the next week or so he'll be moved into a slightly larger 30)
Is the tank near a window? No.
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Moderate

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes.
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes.

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms?


Eisenhower has been lethargic compared to previous weeks. I still haven't seen him eat pellets, which is why he has feeder fish in the tank as well as fresh food every other day or so. I recently placed something under the floating dock so he had the ability to be completely out of the water, and he can climb on it, but doesn't seem to like it. However, when on the basking area, he has extended his neck full length and put his face in the water. This seems to be unusual. He also is slow to move even though he is usually a little skittish around us still. As I am a new owner I may be freaking out over nothing. But I'd rather be safe than sorry. Any ideas? It might also be helpful to know that his shell has been started the process of "shedding".

Another thing I'd like to note is that algae has began to grow on the river rocks, and it almost looks as if he has a matching brown spot on his back leg. That may just be coloration, but I figure it might help Ike in the long run for you to know that....

So is this normal or is Ike potentially sick?

[penelope]

Well...a couple things...
Whether fish or pellets, it sounds like he has an appetite - that's good
It may take a while for these little ones to warm up to a new basking area (or anything new for that matter). You mentioned that when he is on the basking area he acts odd. So how does he get up there?
As for extending his neck, that seems to be normal. When Penelope is basking she will extend her neck real far, stick her nose/mouth in the water and take a few sips of water - I guess she is too happy basking to move into the water.
I am not sure what you mean by slow to move - are you referring to being slow to move off the basking area versus taking a quick dive when you come near? If so, that could be another good thing (he is calm)...or do you mean lethargic as in just hanging out in one spot doing basically nothing?

Shedding skutes is perfectly normal - it left me puzzled at first. Look at him when he is in the water. If you see golden colored areas, then the skutes are preparing to shed and the more time spent basking, the better (being dry helps them shed). So hanging out on the basking dock doing nothing is a good thing.

Algae? Hmm...Penelope has had algae growing on her before. Most types of algae are not an issue. To ease your mind, when you find a skute that had shed, take it out of the tank, let it dry completely (as-is) and see if there are signs of dry brown algae underneath

Check the page on the main site that describes signs of illness. Absent any signs, the only thing that seems odd is the brown growing on his leg.
Can you post a picture? That would definitely help.

[alblaylock]

Well- I'll admit I think I might have over reacted a little. It was just very alarming to see his face in the water, neck extended. I have hermit crabs, and usually when they're fully extended and acting so slowly they're sick or dying. (Luckily, hermits can regrow their limbs and other body parts so it's not nearly so life threatening.)

When I say slow, I mean that he moves as little as possible in the water and out, and he seems too tired to be afraid of me (Which could be a good thing, if he isn't sick). When we had him the first few weeks he would slide into the water as soon as the door opened. Now he seems to tired. However, I know that molting and shedding can be extremely tiring for all animals that do it. So I'm beginning to think that's the cause.

Mostly I was worried because he went from being extremely active to extremely lethargic. I'll keep my fingers crossed, and if nothing changes I'll take him to a nearby vet.

[steve]

Has there been any recent changes? Is he returning to normal?

[alblaylock]

Well, he is more active now.

My remaining concerns are the two yellowish bumps at the corner of his mouth as well as a yellow bump on his bottom eye lid.
On a positive note his eyes are clear, and he is shedding his scutes well.

[Moose]

Can you post a pic of the bumps?