Urgent Care :: Ecko is in big trouble

[JessicaTS]

This morning i found my hatchling fliped upside down in his tank, not moving to the least. Last night i remember he was sleeping up on his basking rock. I left the heater on at night, i don't understand how this could have happened. The water is not that high and he is a excellent floater and swimmer.
I assumed right away he had died but it appears he hasn't. His legs move a tiny-bit when i touch it. I left him in a box with a towel, with the uvb light on. What should i do and how could this have happened?
I really need some answers, i would appreciate any of them. Thanks

[JessicaTS]

Okay, before anyone asks, he's in a 15 gallon tank, water filled up a little lower than half. Heater, filters, uvb light, it's all in there.

I was having a bit of trouble trying to get him to eat. I've tried crickets, pellets, veggies, boiled fish and chicken. But he just don't seem to have an appetite as of right now.

[JessicaTS]

Okay, I've opened his mouth and a single drop of water has drizzled out. I extended all his legs out. But now, he seems to be basking with his mouth open. What on earth is going on?

[marisa]

It's possible he got some water in his lungs when he flipped over (don't know how that happened). Is he gasping for air? I'd keep him a bit warmer than usual and watch for other symptoms if he doesn't start acting more normal. I've read that water in the lungs (if this is what happened) can make them susceptible to an RI, so you want to be careful...

[JessicaTS]

He was lifeless when i picked him up out of the water, his head just dropped back and forth. He's not gasping for air, but he did open his mouth for a quick moment. He's basking with his head up and feet fanning. If he was dead, they wouldn't be up would they? I touched his foot really slightly and his entire body moved to the direction i touched him. His eyes hasn't opened yet. I'm scared to death

[marisa]

Well, he can't be dead--he's moving, which is good. It sounds like he's trying to recover from lack of air (any idea how he could have gotten that way? Is he normally strong enough to be able to right himself if turned over).

Is he breathing more normally now? Is he opening his eyes now?

[JessicaTS]

He hasn't moved the past hour. When i touched him, he didn't move, he .. how do i say it, his body kind of slid the to the direction i was touching him, like a dead turtle would. His eyes hasn't opened yet and his air sac (is that what you call it) under his mouth hasn't inflated or deflated at all. I would say he would be strong enough. Maybe, he slid off the basking dock and landed on his shell to the bottom? It's the only explanation i can find.
Here is a pic of how he looks right now.



he looks normal, but up close, I actually doubt he might make it...
and, just a note. His egg tooth fell off.

[marisa]

This isn't what I was expecting...He's not moving? Look at the info here: http://www.turtlecare.net/drown.htm

I hope this helps him. Good luck.

[JessicaTS]

Actually, before i signed on here, i printed that site and did as directed. I extended the head and legs but not much water has dripped out. I hate to say this, but I'm thinking about the straw to mouth thing.. maybe a coffee straw? This is too overwhelming.
I've talked to the vet whom takes care of Charm and Huna, and she said she doesn't treat turtles under two inches, she said they're too small in size and may not have a chance at all. Is this true for all vets?

[marisa]

That's probably true for most vets, but you always could try another.

Somewhere I remember reading to gently pump the legs (maybe it was in those instructions?)...

A coffee straw or one of those small "straws" that come with products like WD40 so the oil can be sprayed in small places. How about just rolling a little piece of paper into a really small tube (tape it)?

[JessicaTS]

I'm afraid that Ecko has died. His body is stiff as a statue and he hasn't taken a breath since I took him out of the water. I tried the small tube of paper and breathed in tiny amounts of air, but his mouth is bone dry.
Thank you marisa for your help, I really appreciate it.
I'm gonna bury him in my backyard.

Ecko - August 12 - 20, 2005

[sonyj]

TurtleSirens, I am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you.

[marisa]

I feel terrible and am so sorry I couldn't have helped more...Even when you pumped the legs no more water came out?

I'm so sorry you lost him...

[JessicaTS]

thank you both and marisa, you've tried all you can and I'm really thankful for it. No water, no nothing. I think it's best this way, he's barely two weeks old, he could and have suffered a great amount.
I placed the basking light over him, it's about 90 degrees. I picked him up and his plastron was toasting. If he was alive, his body could have insolated the heat and it wouldn't be that warm.
So, I guess he's been dead for a while now.

I go back and look at his pics i posted in this forum. I'm glad he's in peace.

[marisa]

When they're little like that his shell wouldn't have really insulated him from the heat...

Again, I'm really sorry...