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Hi, a while ago I made a post about my turtle spinning. Today I found out he/she actually had a respiratory infection. I'm going to take him/her to a vet tomorrow, but how can I help it right now?

Thanks.

Bump up your water temperatures, and make the basking site easy to access (as well as the water surface in general). Apart from that, there's not much more you can do because you're seeing the vet so soon. Too many environmental changes will just stress your turtle out, anyway.

Today, we called the vet. Apparently we won't get an appointment until June 2nd. What can I do until then? Will he/she be fine until then?\

I'll also fill this out:

How big is your turtle? 2 inches in shell diameter
How long have you had it? Since March.

What is the water temperature? About 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Did you use a thermometer? No.
Are you using a water heater? Yes.
How much water is in there? About 3 inches of water.
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes.
Are you using any filtration? Yes.

What is the basking temperature? Not sure.
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? It's a ZooMed small basking area. Here's a link. http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Turtle-Ga ... B00178LI50
It's this but small.
Is there a UVB light? Yes.

What have you been trying to feed it? Reptomin.
When was the last time your turtle ate? Yesterday, haven't fed it today.

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 10 gallons.
Is the tank near a window? Yes.
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Well, I'm usually in my room, and my mom is in her room, so not really.

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

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? It spins around, points its head up, and opens its mouth to breathe.

I would't dismiss the idea of a neurological issue but maybe antibiotics will help. Good luck with the vet.

steve wrote:I would't dismiss the idea of a neurological issue but maybe antibiotics will help. Good luck with the vet.

I still thought it was a neurological issue for a while until he started opening his mouth for breathing. Oh well, guess I'll find out on Thursday. Do you think my turtle will be fine until then?

I don't know but look out for more swimming issues. With an illness like what's been described, drowning is a possibility.

steve wrote:I don't know but look out for more swimming issues. With an illness like what's been described, drowning is a possibility.

The water is already pretty shallow. He's also on the basking platform a lot. is that normal?

That's still an issue since they will have a lot of difficulty getting upright if flipped over. They like to bask, but it could be a sign of something wrong if they overdo it. I'd also reconsider having the tank near a window.

steve wrote:That's still an issue since they will have a lot of difficulty getting upright if flipped over. They like to bask, but it could be a sign of something wrong if they overdo it. I'd also reconsider having the tank near a window.

I just came back from the vet. We're going to give him an antibiotic shot every week. I was wondering if it's normal that he seems less active after the shot.

The window is closed almost all the time. They always flip back over in the tank when I see them flip over.

Oh, he seems to be more active now. Anyways, we're going to buy a 60 gallon tank on craigslist. How long would that last us? Both of my turtles are 2 inches in shell length.

A 60 won't last long for 2 turtles, though it's fine for an adult male RES.

steve wrote:A 60 won't last long for 2 turtles, though it's fine for an adult male RES.

Alright, I'll probably get a new tank once they've grown out of it.

I have an unrelated question too. I was looking for some aquarium clings (wallpapers) and most of them are reversed. For example, instead of 48 L and 13 W, its 48 W and 13 L? Am I just reading it wrong or..?

EDIT: alright so I just realized how stupid I am for asking that

Anyways, the turtle gets his next antibiotic shot soon. I guess I'll keep this post updated.

They can be inconsistent with naming and measurements... I think every industry has to deal with that. Good luck with your turtle!

steve wrote:They can be inconsistent with naming and measurements... I think every industry has to deal with that. Good luck with your turtle!

Thanks. I'll keep you updated.

When you're unsure, it's always worth it to buy from someplace with great customer service, even if it costs a little bit more.