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I looked all over in the forum but I can't find anything to answr my questions.
I just got a turtle today from a website (I found out today that this website is cruel). Anyway, my turtle has problems swimming. One side goes to the side and he can't get deep into the water. Another thing he keeps basking for hours. He's eating and the temp. are all correct. Also he got white stuff on his shell (I posted pic at photo gallery) and he got a wound under his arm, which doesn't seem to bother him.
Please help me and my turtle if you can!!!!

The leaning to one side is called listing, which is a major sign of a respatory illness, you can read more on it here:

http://www.redearslider.com/index_health_1.html

Johnny

I'd say a trip to the vet is a must. In the meantime, up the water temp a few degrees.

You may wish to read this section of the website regarding illnesses. Again, this is a lesson in being careful where you buy your turtles. More times than not a turtle shipped and bought online ends up having some sort of problems.

Illnesses

Oh my god I didn't know this would be this bad! Thank you guys for your help!
Does anybody know if you can do something else than going to a vet?
How much would be a vet?

bubble1987 wrote:Does anybody know if you can do something else than going to a vet? How much would be a vet?

Well one thing you can do is put the water temp up a bit to around 82. As for how much a vet costs, I believe they'd all be different I don't think there's a standard price.

You can check the link for herp vets near you and call and get an idea of how much it will cost you. Sorry that you are having all of these problems.

My turtle had symptons of RI once, not the eye, but once I increased the temperature they quickly went away. I am not encourging not seeing a vet, just saying it is possible! Good luck!

I'm sorry guys but me and my bf just can't provide the care a sick turtle needs right now (We're moving and both getting new jobs). So we found a pet store that says they will take him for us.

I will never buy another living creature online again, and try to educate others on the subject. I plan on reporting the website to the better business bureau, PETA, and whomever else I can think of.

^.^, as i've heard, they refrigerate their animals until sold, which is why most get diseases, and are DOA. Good move!

I'm going to try to say this in the nicest way possible. I really have a problem with people who buy a pet and then at the first sign of trouble or that it's going to cost money, they dump the animal with someone else. Not only that, the turtle is going to a pet store which means either it won't get the care it needs or it will be sold as is to some other unsuspecting turtle owner.

This is another reason why people really should do research before buying a turtle and consider all the costs involved. They are NOT cheap pets by any means... Well that's my two cents....

You know, in my other post "buying a turtle" you could have mentioned that before I had the turtle shipped. I did a lot of research and it wasn't until after it was too late did I find out about the horrors of shipping turtles.

The local pet store I went to is a very reputable place. They said they would be able to care for him. They stressed how wrong it is to sell a sick turtle! They will be able to take better care of him than I can.

In your other post you where you were mentioning buying a turtle, you spent one day making the decision. I know that I visit this site multiple times a day and stay pretty up to date, but other don't. If you wanted other peoples opinions on buying from online, you should have given it more time. Plus, when rereading the post I got the feeling that it wasn't so much a search for opinions on others, but just a general telling of what you were going to do. I know that you came here prior to actually getting your turt, and I commend you for that, but doing research requires more than knowing what the turt is going to need the moment he gets there. If you had really read through the posts you would have seen what others had to say about online sellers, diseases and illnesses that the turts carry or catch. People on here constantly talk about the costs that are involved with keeping a turtle. I'm sad that you have made the decisions that you have, but I guess that you have to do what is best for you. Just keep in mind that a turtle is a living breathing thing too, and most people on here consider them like children and wouldn't just give them away.

I'm doing turtle reaearches since over a year. I felt so bad I kept bubble and bought him a friend earl. I went to a vet and he said everything is fine. Since earl is in there bubble swims around like crazy. they're best friends (i think). My dad found a new pet store that sells the lagoons and with every purchase you get a free baby turt. that's were I bought earl.

I'll let someone who is more delicate with words respond to that one...I just don't know what to say.