Urgent Care :: RES Shell is competely white

This is not a substitute for qualified and relevant veterinarian care.
Read this before you post a new topic here.

Post Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 9:14 pm   RES Shell is competely white

Image

So my RES's shell has been turning white for a long time already. Initially I asked the storeowner if this was a cause of concern, but he said it was normal and my RES was just shedding.
However, it's been like this for a few months. Ocassionally the whites of some parts will become green again and for some time last year my RES shedded some scutes which led me to trust the storeowner but it soon turned white again.
I'm getting more concerned as my RES has been spending a lot of time out of the water and being very inactive. Sometimes it also seems to have difficulty opening it's eyes. But it is still eating fine. I feed turtle pellets and lettuce.

I also have another little guy in the same tank and they like to stack. It's shell is beginning to turn a little white too. Should I separate the two?
ausbery
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Feb 11, 2018
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 9:26 pm   RES Shell is competely white

Starting to get concerned about my RES's shell. Been white for a long time now but he always been acting fine and shopowner said that it was simply shedding.
However recently he seems to have difficulty opening his eyes sometimes and spends most of the day out of the water.

Another smaller turtle is sharing the tank and it's shell is beginning to have white spots as well.


How big is your turtle? 3.5 inches
How long have you had it? 10 months

What is the water temperature? 77F
Did you use a thermometer? Yes
Are you using a water heater? No
How much water is in there? 15 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? No
Are you using any filtration? No

What is the basking temperature? Not sure, tank is kept under the sun
Is there a basking light? No
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Plastic
Is there a UVB light? No

What have you been trying to feed it? Pellets and lettuce
When was the last time your turtle ate? Yesterday evening
ausbery
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Feb 11, 2018
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:22 am   Re: RES Shell is competely white

It's shell fungus. It is contagious to other turtles and it needs to be treated or it can cause secondary problems, which are worse than the fungus itself. It shouldn't be bothering the eyes, though your setup is lacking in some of the basics that RES require. As for fungus treatment, look into my post history and search for ssd cream, I have a rundown of a treatment routine that I recommend.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:43 am   Re: RES Shell is competely white

okay, thank you i’ll look into that. would it be okay to use other fungal creams in the mean time as i’m searching for ssd? and also, is this a variant of shell rot? i just purchased some betadine to treat my other one, is that the right thing to do?

and i’m not sure if you can see from the picture, but some of the scutes shed partially making half of the scute look different, like those in the middle of its shell. is this also the fungal problem or is it another issue?
ausbery
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Feb 11, 2018
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:29 am   Re: RES Shell is competely white

What I see looks all related to fungus. SSD is really the best, but I would make and invest in improvements to the tank because fungus easily comes back and is much harder to get rid of a second time.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:41 am   Re: RES Shell is competely white

Okay, thanks!

One more thing. I don’t use a basking light as both my RES seem to dislike it a lot. They shy away from the light and stick to the shade when i put them under it, is there anything I should do?
ausbery
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Feb 11, 2018
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:09 pm   Re: RES Shell is competely white

Not basking contributes to fungus. RES love basking, once its set up correctly, they will bask for hours a day.
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male


Return to Urgent Care

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests