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Post Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2016 6:06 pm   Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

He looks sick, he opens his mouth, yawns, is lethargic, doesnt swim much, doesnt eat much, seems in bad shape

eyes look puffy and red around the eyes, neck looks thin, face looks scratched up and discolored

Am fearing the worst here

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resturtlefan1980
 
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Post Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2016 7:22 pm   Re: Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

What's the water temp? What have you been feeding him?
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steve
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Post Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2016 9:47 pm   Re: Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

80 degrees

pellets, mealworms, lettuce, he hardly eats the lettuce

i also give them liver, chicken, roast beef etc

they refuse to touch fruits and veggies, they are like kids
resturtlefan1980
 
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Post Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 12:26 pm   Re: Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

It is odd and I do see what you are saying. He does show sighs of being lethargic even in the photos. It is not normal. The eyes being puffy, I can see why Steve asked on the temps and food. You have mentioned the yawning, have you had a chance to look into the mouth for anything such as mucus or small group of small bubbles or around the nose while basking? I myself see no signs of a small bubble colony which would eliminate a URI. I am seeing in the photo that dry area around the nostrils which is a possible sign of a issue but then again it could be just dry. The color of it should be investigated a bit more though to eliminate possibilities. I am waiting for Steves response a bit more on your postings and answers to his questions so I could possibly eliminate other areas. From what I see as a result but again I am waiting for him to respond but their may very well be a parasitic and or virus going on in which I recommend a exotic veterinarian to determine and treat. If either is the case, unlike a minor URI, a parasitic or virus really needs prescribed medications to eliminate it completely where a minor URI can be addressed with good husbandry care and increased heat. I came to this conclusion strictly by the nostril area on what seems to be a little more than just dryness (but can be wrong) and signs of discoloration of it showing possible dry mucus . This can result in puffy eyes and the yawning you have seen. When it yawns, do check for a stringy like mucus or grayish green mucus spots in the mouth. Look for some white spots in the mouth as well please in the mean time. I am leaning more towards a virus though than an parasitic issue. Both can have similar signs however.

Honestly some of the foods you mentioned are very questionable to me. In my college days going to school for Law Enforcement, I took a job as an exotic vet tech for Dr. Sudo in Miami. As I explained, I specialized in mainly snakes and lizard species and very little in turtle and tortoises. I have worked with and around several however in the 4 years of doing this in many medical aspects and treatment plans Dr, Sudo had ordered. Steve I feel has much more experience than I am and I am still am learning from his expertise daily. The things I pointed out if this is the case, really needs to be addressed by an exotic veterinarian though and I just provided you signs to look for. Please seek a exotic vet if you can and not a regular vet. Regular vets do not have the same experience in general when in comes to reptiles but they understand general medical care. Again, lets see what Steve states on your answers. In the mean time, look for the signs I mentioned and look up numbers for exotic vets as well in case Steve agrees with me or provides you other suggestions.

Regarding liver, chicken, roastbeef brings some concerns on the amount you offered them prior to this and other possible issues with this. This is where I want to see his response.

Hopefully you do not have any other turtle around him as well. I am recommending since he is not swimming a lot to have a spray bottle to use periodically and a exotic vet will tell you on any ill reptile in general, that the need to boost your temperature a bit more to a 82 to 85-86 degrees would be helpful. I have seen Dr. Sudo order up to 90 degrees based on the enclosure but for the most part it was 85 to 86 that he ordered. This will be determined by a vet and you will want to let a vet know the size of the enclosure before they determine the temperature that it needs to be at during medication treatment. So make sure the vet is aware about the enclosure size before you adjust the temps. You do not want to fry this little one or give it to little either that can spread a virus more rapidly. Let the vet know where the basking area is and how far it is in inches below the UVA and UVB lights. My only other question to you, is what type of lighting and does it stand in one area or go all the way across? You will want a hot and cool side of the tank in general.
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Post Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:06 am   Re: Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

I just took this picture of him, hes basking now. Note the odd discoloration and puffyness around the eyes and skinnyness of the neck, its all wrinkly and he looks unhealthy. I dont think he has a respiratory infection but Im no reptile doctor.

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resturtlefan1980
 
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Post Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 11:44 am   Re: Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

I'd overhaul the diet as well. I'm not sure about the wrinkly skin, how long have you had him? Does he have access to water and basking areas?
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Post Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:44 pm   Re: Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

From your new set of photos which to me are clearer on the discoloration does pretty much eliminate a URI (upper respiratory) infection in which signs of the URI would be a very tiny grouping of bubbles near the nostrils and within the mouth. You are right from what I seen here. It is too dry in general but not 100 % sure without looking in the mouth. Only if you can while it’s yawning, see if you can grab a photo please.

Now a virus as and or an internal parasitic infection is totally different from the URI all together. With what Steve is asking now on the below statement that he posted, seen as the following:

steve wrote:I'd overhaul the diet as well. I'm not sure about the wrinkly skin, how long have you had him? Does he have access to water and basking areas?


These are great questions as well to determine the visual signs of possible dehydration that could be based on the access to water and basking area as a whole and it can be further possible indications on a virus and or internal parasitic issue in which reptiles will refuse water intake and very little if any at all food intake that can lead to the wrinkled skin and puffy eyes. Again for the signs of a virus and or parasitic infection, you will be looking for stringy like mucus or grayish green mucus spots in the mouth and or white spots in the mouth or nostrils. This is what I am thinking the discoloration is outside the nostrils that have dried while basking. I am not a vet either; just have the experience in medications and signs working with Dr Sudo. A vet would need to determine which strain it is of course of a possible virus and or internal parasitic infection if it is this in your case to determine which medication to use and treatment plan for your little guy.

URI is different as you know with tiny group(s) of a bubble colony. So yes, I would be asking the same questions Steve has on " Does he have access to water and basking areas? " for this reason Steve’s first question that reads " how long have you had him? " is very crucial as well so a time line on urgency care could be also established. That is something also a vet would ask you also so they can decide on medical procedures for your little one.
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Post Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 7:34 am   Re: Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

Yes theres 40 gallons of water in the tank and I have never seen any evidence of mucus or anything like that. I have had him for about 6 months. He barely eats anymore, the other turtle in the tank seems to eat all the food. They dont touch greens, all they eat are pellets and various meats that I put in the tank.
resturtlefan1980
 
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Post Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:52 am   Re: Whats wrong with my RES? PLease help. Pics in thread

resturtlefan1980 wrote:Yes theres 40 gallons of water in the tank and I have never seen any evidence of mucus or anything like that. I have had him for about 6 months. He barely eats anymore, the other turtle in the tank seems to eat all the food. They dont touch greens, all they eat are pellets and various meats that I put in the tank.


Just a suggestion if you have not did it already do this for the eyes then and since you have not seen any other signs of a bacterial infection which it does not seem to be at the moment but not sure, did you possibly try to give it Vitamin A turtle eye drops encase the eye problem is the sign of a deficiency which occurs in turtles and other reptiles? If you look online, there is many affordable places to get this including some selected walmart stores even care them. Here is a couple links below as a example of these drops.

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/health- ... tid-500007

This below may be good as well

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/ca ... eptile.jpg

A bit of looking products up online using the search words " Vitamin A Eye Drops for turtles " on google is how I located the above links and many more. Products that indicated that it will treat bacterial infections and Vitamin A will be your turtle products to consider. If you can get both types, it would be useful for the fact both have similar visual signs and you do not know at this point what the culprit in your turtle case is at the moment with early signs.

After two or three days, try placing some thawed out blood worms on like a flat plastic can lin in front of him. You can buy frozen anywhere. I know some people do not like them however I never seen turtles refuse them and they are not that bad considering the nutritional facts are ok and the scent of them entices turtles to start eating and more aggressively with their normal foods. Even my Albinos were finicky eaters at first and now they will eat anything that is offered to them. Think of them as a jump start to a lifetime turtle buffet if nothing more.

Just for you and any reader being a former exotic vet tech of 4 years during my college days: Any time a pet turtle has swollen eyes closed or open, of course and always make sure no chlorine is in the water, treat it like you would for fish. Make sure the water is clean , proper basking, UVA UVB, Proper diets and temperatures in the enclosure and the two culprits to look for are bacterial infections and or Vitamin A deficiency issues. If caught early , over the counter medications may work, if symptoms get worse, consult with a exotic veterinarian preferred over a regular veterinarian since exotic veterinarians have extended training in animals that a normal veterinarian may not have studied in detail or received any training at all . Look at Regular Veterinarians and exotic veterinarians much like Doctors for us. You won't go to a foot doctor to perform heart surgeon or visa versa.
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