Urgent Care :: Pluto's shell

[HamzahJameel]

Hi everyone,
Today, someone pressed hard on the shell of my baby turtle. I heard a crack sound that is like a finger crack. He is now acting normal, swimming, etc. Even after the crack, he did not get shocked, etc. He has a soft shell and is under treatment. What should I do?

[steve]

What treatment are you doing? That sound is not normal, and it's hard to know what the potential problems could be. If there are internal injuries with a hatchling, there might not be much you can do.

[HamzahJameel]

I am just giving him some antibiotic and some calcium supplement (for the soft shell). Is it normal for a turtle to act normally after an internal injury? I thought maybe it is, because he is shedding, a sound from air bubbles. Is that possible?

[steve]

Are you sure that's what happened? What made you come to the conclusion that the turtle has soft shell and that you need to do that treatment? Do you have a UVB light source? A hatchling shell is slightly pliable, it might be normal.

[HamzahJameel]

I went to the vet and that is what he told me to do. I am sure that I heard that sound and that someone pressed on it, but I am not sure that it is from a bubble or not. He is acting normal, swimming, and eating.

[HamzahJameel]

*the turtle does not currently have a UVB bulb because most pet stores are out of stock, but we are getting him some when they do have them. I am taking him out for natural sunlight every day, these days.

[steve]

You probably don't need to do it everyday, but it's good when you can. Keep an eye out for any symptoms, and continue on getting all his basics down.

[HamzahJameel]

Thanks!

[HamzahJameel]

So, how soft is a baby RES? And, for how long will that be the case?

[steve]

I'm not sure what measure I would use, but it would be slightly pliable. If it's noticeably soft, then something could be wrong.

[HamzahJameel]

I could press into it.... And the underside is soft.... The sides are soft.... the top is not that bad - still hard...

[HamzahJameel]

it is not making a depression when I press. the turtle is very tiny 3-4 centimeters ....

[HamzahJameel]

Sorry I couldn't send pictures, but he's improving. How long should I keep him outside. (i'm getting him bulbs this weekend).... can you please, please help me choose the products for basking bulb, UVB, and night bulb @ dubaipetfood.com I don't know what bulb to buy.... Also, I am feeding this http://www.dubaipetfood.com/shop/jbl-agil-1102p.html along with a calcium supplemet.... Is that fine?

[HamzahJameel]

PS: how long should they stay basking outside?

[Jeremiah]

Are there any pet stores near you that sell Hikari, Mazuri, Zoo Med, Omega One, or even Reptomin? Those are all better pellet choices in the long run. Since you have such a young turtle, the pellets you have now are decent (thanks to the protein levels), but not ideal. I don't know what kind of supplement you're using, but I would suggest moving to one of the diets I mentioned. That way, the only "supplement" you'll ever need is a cuttle bone. Lastly, feed as many pellets as will fit into the turtle's head if you cut it off and hollowed it out. (Gruesome example, sorry!)

The shell sounds fine, to me.

With regard to UV, you have a couple of choices. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you live in a consistently warm/sunny area...So you could theoretically take the turtle out as much as you want, as long as you keep an eye on it. I would go with 15-minute "spurts" of outdoor activity, broken up by indoor swimming. If you do that, you probably wouldn't need the lights. Again, that's assuming you live an area where the turtle can be taken outside all the time.

If that's not the case, you will want to buy bulbs. I have no idea who the JBL people are, so if your only option is the website you linked us to, I would go ahead with the Zoo Med mercury vapor bulb. It's not the best of the bunch, but is probably better than the other options on the site. Put it in one of the clamp lamps with a ceramic base, and make sure the dome can handle the MVB's wattage. Keep the bulb around 15" away from the dry area/basking spot, and don't let temperatures get above 93F or so.