Urgent Care :: Turtlesicles! advise me please!

[kmichael55]

How big is your turtle? about 4 inches scl
How long have you had it? about 2 years
What is the water temperature? currently 77, previously 39 !!!
Did you use a thermometer? yes
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? 30 gallon tank filled 3 inches from top
Are you using a water conditioner? dechlor only (forget brand)
Are you using any filtration? yes, biowheel
What is the basking temperature? 92
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? zoomed floating dock
Is there a UVB light? yes
What have you been trying to feed it? reptomin pellets
When was the last time your turtle ate? not sure
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 30 gallons
Is the tank near a window? no
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no
Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes
Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? sluggishness, trouble swimming...see below

My mom was taking care of my turtle tank while I moved for a couple of weeks. She for some unknown reason thought it would be best to move the whole setup out to the garage (in freaking november) and broke my heater in the process. My little dudes were out in the freezing cold with no heater for 2 weeks. She claims my brother was feeding them, he thought she was feeding them...long story short when I came to get them this evening they were upside down at the bottom of 39 degree water with their eyes closed not moving. I freaked out and started bawling and when I reached in the water they both started to move a little. I brought them inside and let them acclimate for a minute then put them in a shallow dish with some colder than room temperature water for about 20 minutes and they definitely got better. They started to move around and I took them out of the water and put them in a warm room. I got them home, set up their tank and am watching them closely... Should I be doing anything else??

[kmichael55]

They couldn't swim at first but have been getting better, haven't eaten a thing but I totally understand they won't until they're thermoregulated and whatnot...should I be more concerned or less concerned? Are they going to be ok? I love my little dudes and I'm so upset I allowed them to be neglected for so long.

[bradmeisel]

OMG, I don't really know. Maybe they should get a check up with the vet.

I really really hope they are OK and everything works out for the best. I have my fingers crossed.

[RESnTX]

I think it's a good thing that you warmed them up gradually. I would think that the biggest concern would be that they could have a repiratory infection from being so cold and in that state for so long. Someone with a better knowledge of this will come along soon I'm sure and give you some good advice.
I know you feel bad that you found your babies that way, but it isn't your fault. Don't beat yourself up too much, just keep taking good care of them now that you have them back and in their home. I really hope they are ok.

[Arisu]

Im sorry to hear that happened Its great that you caught it in time and warmed them up. how are they doing now? did you manage to get another heater?

watch them closely. If they look like they're recovering and start to act/eat/swim normally, I think they'll be okay. however, if they show other abnormal symptoms, let us know and hopefully you can find some kind of vet!

for now, just make sure all the basics are met for optimal recovery.

[kmichael55]

As of this morning, they seem to be ok, except it seems to take more effort for them to swim to the top of the tank, they still seem pretty weak in general. The pellets that I left floating around are gone for the most part, so that's a good sign.
Yes, I did get a replacement heater, I had my brother run to the pet store while I moved everything into my house.

I haven't seen them basking at all, which you would think they would really want to do to stay warm, wonder why?

I'll be on the look out for signs of a respiratory infection, and in the meantime will be looking for a good vet in my new city.
Thanks for your concern and support!

[joeybsmooth]

Can you get your mum to pay your vet bill.

[TheComputerGremlin]

I would just keep a close watch on them over the next few weeks. They will know best when to bask or not, so don't stress over that. They may be too weak to get up there right now. I would maybe start to bump up the water temps to around 78-80 for a few days to help out their metabolism and immune system. Otherwise, just make sure they are eating and look for signs of an RI. Fortunately, they probably just started to hibernate, and that means that they should be okay. If the temps had fluctuated a lot, you would have probably dead turtles. But since the temp dropped and stayed there, they would have slowed their metabolism and respiration and if successful, could have stayed like that the whole winter. If they aren't taking to pellets right now, you can give them treats like tuna fish and boiled chicken until they get their strength back.

[bradmeisel]

it sounds like they might be OK. Yaaaaaay keep us posted

[SpotsMama]

It's actually probably a good thing that they didn't eat while they were so cold. One of the bad things that happens when turtles get too cold is that their digestive system slows down so much that if there is food in their gut it will rot, which kills them. When they are living in the wild, water temperature drops slowly and as it does, the turtles appetite drops too so that when their digestive system slows down, their guts should be empty. Since the temperature dropped so fast for your guys, really the best thing that could happen for them was to have empty guts.

You were very smart to let them warm up slowly. You are also smart to be looking for a herp vet. If symptoms develop you don't want to lose time hunting for a vet.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Keep us posted. I assume you know the principle symptoms of respiratory illness, which is the most likely problem that could develop.

[steve]

Hey Kate, how are they doing now?