General Care Discussion :: Dwarf RES in need

[chrisinva]

I was looking locally for turtles that need homes and came across this Female dwarf......She is only 3.5 inches and the adoption place said she wouldn't live more than a few years....Why would she have such a shortend life??




I am very interested in giving her a loving home

[megcornell]

I'm not sure how old she's estimated to be, but with shell deformities that are that bad, you can assume her internal organs aren't in the best shape either.
However, I would think that a good life in a stable and appropriate set up would do wonders for her. She certainly may not live the full 20-40 years a captive RES might under ideal upbringing, but she'd certainly have a full and great life for quite a few years. And from the looks of things, she really deserves it!
If you have a tank for her, I'd say take her in, she could use a second chance.

[blackforces get you]

her shell is really curved and bent up to the max. never seen somthing so severe i would give the best care to her

[SpotsMama]

That turtle's shell and body have been damaged by lack of calcium in the diet or else lack of UVB....or both. Poor girl. Be sure she gets plenty of calcium (cuttlebone is a good source), gets to bask under good UVB or natural sunlight, and gets a high quality diet - good quality pellets, lots of green leafy veggies and servings of other veggies and some fruit - sweet potato, blueberries, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers.

[marisa]

The abnormal shape of the shell may be creating pressure on internal organs or she may have been deficient in certain nutrients (particularly calcium and vit D3) for so long that her her bones have been compromised. There are a number of possibilities. That said, with good care she may surprise you and live a much longer life.

Props to you for taking her in. She deserves a better life than the one she has had.

Just a small caution---on another forum, someone took in a severely deformed and stunted turtle and gave him as good a habitat and diet as possible. The turtle responded had a growth spurt and as he grew, his deformity did not disappear, it was magnified, making his condition even worse. I'm not saying this is what is going to happen with this turtle, but what I am saying is not to try to make up for lost time and aim for fast or significant growth. Slow and steady is much better. Good luck with your new friend.

[briannashea]

I'm glad you have the compassion to want to take her, however long she lasts, to give her a good home best of luck to you and your new lady friend, I hope everything works out well for you

[chrisinva]

Well I haven't gotten her yet...She is in the care of a reputable reptile rescue and she has a genetic deformation...I am waiting to hear back about her

This is a quote from the email I recieved...


The dwarf isn't growing properly. Her shell has growth rings, but it's not growing outward as it should - it's getting lumpy. She was with a cohort for several months, and they started out the same size under the same conditions, but the other slider showed normal growth and put on almost an inch in that time, while "Mini Me" didn't show any noticable increase in shell length. So, the rest of her might continue to grow while the shell doesn't grow much, or grows improperly - this is a recipe for a short life, as it could affect her internal organs and spine. Her head and legs look normal. She's not so much into Reptomin, although she does eat it, but she loves earthworms and insects. She hasn't touched greens so far. She's very shy, but she swims fine.

[megcornell]

I think Marisa brings up a good point. You don't want her growing too fast and exacerbating any strain her organs and spine are already feeling.
What is the genetic deformity she has?

[chrisinva]

Thats what the reptile rescue said...