General Care Discussion :: New to RES...not sure if it is sick or not.

[Dr. Burgle]

I took 2 baby RES from a friend that recieved them as a gift and was keeping them in the little "death bowl" They are each about 1" long....maybe 1 1/4" but I doubt it.

I set up a 30L tank (all I could afford in a pinch) Got 2 filters...water heater...basking platforms, UVA/UVB bulb and a blue heat bulb.

I have only had them since last night so maybe they just need to get accustomed. But 1 of them is active...basks, swims...goes all around and checks things out. The other one lays on the basking platform and doesn't move. pulls it's legs and some of it's head in it's shell and closes its eyes. At first I was thinking he was sleeping...but he did it all last night, this morning and still now in the afternoon. He is alive as I went in to move something and brushed against him and his eyes opened. Other than that no movement or anything....just laying in the basking area under the light and not moving.

Any ideas?

[industrial_girl_2000]

You should separate these turtles until you know for sure if the one is sick or not. That's not normal for the one turtle not to move at all. Most of the time they are pretty jumpy, especially if they have a new home.

It sounds like a vet visit would be a good idea, just to check things out.

[Dr. Burgle]

I'll put the non active one in a smaller set I have to see how he reacts tonight when I get home. He moved once today just to turn his body to face the other direction on the basking platform but he still doesn't leave the platform on his own to go swimming.

[Bumby's Mom]

Yea that doesn't really sound normal for their size. When my babies first hatched this is exactly how they acted BUT they had just spent 12 or so hours coming out of an egg. I would call a vet to be honest. Babies are sooo fragile. It might have an infection or something causing it to act this way.

[Dr. Burgle]

Yea that doesn't really sound normal for their size. When my babies first hatched this is exactly how they acted BUT they had just spent 12 or so hours coming out of an egg. I would call a vet to be honest. Babies are sooo fragile. It might have an infection or something causing it to act this way.

They had spent 3 weeks in a rough place before I got them. She was keeping them in a plastic dish with 1 household bulb and no uvb.

Now they are in a much better setup

I just called my girlfriend and she sais that the non-active one (Wilford Brimley) had moved down off the basking area and into a very shallow are or river rocks with water. He is sitting in the river rocks with his head out of the water. Thats a better sign I guess

[mikee]

Dr. B. -- The small new ones have a tough time as they have a small body mass and if you don't keep them warm they will get RI very quickly. If I were you I would put the sick one in a tank with 80 degree water with the proper light and basking heat. Keep the water very clean and keep a check on his nose and eyes. -- Good Luck!

[Dr. Burgle]

Dr. B. -- The small new ones have a tough time as they have a small body mass and if you don't keep them warm they will get RI very quickly. If I were you I would put the sick one in a tank with 80 degree water with the proper light and basking heat. Keep the water very clean and keep a check on his nose and eyes. -- Good Luck!

The water temp when I checked it this morning was 79.8 and the heat and uvb bulbs are directly over the basking area where he has been sitting. I just got some sulfa dip that I was going to try when I get home....is this a good idea or are they too young?

[grey goose]

Sulfa dip won't help, that's for shell and skin problems. The symptoms you describe sound like RI or something just as serious. Keep the water temp at about 80-82F and try to coax him to eat something. If he doesn't come around in a couple of days, take him to the Vet.

[Dr. Burgle]

Sulfa dip won't help, that's for shell and skin problems. The symptoms you describe sound like RI or something just as serious. Keep the water temp at about 80-82F and try to coax him to eat something. If he doesn't come around in a couple of days, take him to the Vet.

Thanks for the advice. I'll up the temp a degree or two when I get home and try some krill and or pellets.

I appreciate all the help from everyone