General Care Discussion :: RI, Puffy Eyes, and Water Quality

[queenjane]

Is there a post on here that lists the complete symptoms of RI? If someone could provide a link, that would be fabulous.

Although I've made a perfect home for Tank, the past two weeks she's been acting a little funny. In the past week, she hasn't been interested in food. Yesterday and today I have noticed that she has been sleeping excessively and her eyes are closed. I saw her yawn once this evening.

I've raised her temperatures up to 82 degrees and treated her eyes with ZooMed turtle eye drops. She's swimming around normally and not lopsided at all. Yesterday and today she's been fairly active but has not opened her eyes very much or eaten. She has basked several times throughout the day, and has been swimming around. However, mostly she's just been been sleeping underwater or with her head just above the surface.

The tank she is in is used. We cleaned it out last night with Chlorox brand "Hard Surface" cleaner and plain white vinegar. She was fine all last evening, but this morning her eyes have closed... Maybe there is too much cholorine in the water or the cleaning chemicals are bothering her?The water also contains ReptiSafe, Tetra Easy Balance, Tetra Algae-killer stuff, and Tetra AquaSafe. This was also the first time I put her in tap water, not filtered water. (I don't have the ability to filter thirty gallons of water... I only have a small Pur brand pitcher.) The water is at a PH of 7.8.

I'm moving the UVB lamp farther away to see if that makes any difference.

[Caphits]

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

-5/8 of the way down the page.


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

-More information of respiratory behavior.

You should have let your tank sit for a good while before putting her back in there after using chlorox. That stuff is REALLY nasty, designed to kill everything. Probably not good for your turts eyes. Usually it will evaporate after 24 hours.

[queenjane]

I'm sure that was it then. It probably just aggravated her eyes. I thought it would be a good idea since I didn't know what had been in there (or growing in there) during the time it set in the seller's garage. I won't do that again though... Her eyes got all puffy (and still are around the edges when she opens them.)

Here's an update with more encouraging information... and another question.

So, at about 10:30pm, Tank just suddenly becomes really active and hyper. She's climbing on the floating lily pad (that doubles as a surfboard because it's not anchored to anything), plays in the bubbles, climbs on her hammock, then back to the lily pad, then the bubbles, then the hammock... Pulls the hammock off the glass, swims around, dives, plays on the lily pad... Meanwhile, I attach a plastic bird ladder to the edge of the hammock so she can climb onto it more easily... then she's back on the hammock, manages to knock the ladder down within ten minutes, slides back into the water, then onto the hammock, then the lily pad, then attempts to escape... And all of a sudden, she starts eating! Food has been floating around in there all day, and at 10:30pm of all times, she starts playing and eating.

All of this leads me to conclude that my turtle does not have RI, but that she's nocturnal. What's with that? Should I be concerned that she's nocturnal?

[SpotsMama]

Turtle personalities aren't static - they change as they grow up, as the seasons change, and for no reason at all that we can tell. Sometimes my turtle is pretty active at night and sometimes he mostly just sleeps. Sometimes at night he gets the "heebie jeebies" where he just flails around the tank. Oddly, it seems to calm him if I go over and "commune" with him for awhile. I've read about other turtles on here that make a lot of racket at night.

On RI, I'm glad to hear Tank acts like she's feeling better. Not to scare you, but sometimes a turtle shows RI symptoms, then gets better, then relapses. Just keep a close eye on her.

If there's ever food floating around in the tank for long, you should net it out. It will contaminate the water if left in too long. Usually turtles will eat right away if they are going to.

I'm not sure I understand your last question. The basking area should be completely dry. It's essential for shell health that the shell be allowed to dry out completely - top and bottom - at frequent intervals. Turtles like to get up onto a dry place to bask.

Here's a question. How old is Tank? How large is she? At some point, females need to lay eggs, even if they haven't been with a male. Needing to lay eggs definitely affects behavior - the turtle loses her appetite and gets very antsy - keeps trying to get out of the tank. Has Tank ever laid eggs?

[queenjane]

awsfs

[Caphits]

I don't know how your turtle cant climb on something... My turtles can climb right up the side of their zoomed dock. I don't think a turtle should have any trouble climbing on something with a ramp.

[seanwb]

I would be a little concerned at your combination of water treatments. ReptiSafe and AquaSafe a trying to do the same thing, suspect you may be overdosing. In comination with the other two and any traces of cleaner, it could lead to problems after a clean out.

[Caphits]

I agree, it is never a good idea to mix chemicals.

[queenjane]

Here's a question. How old is Tank? How large is she? At some point, females need to lay eggs, even if they haven't been with a male. Needing to lay eggs definitely affects behavior - the turtle loses her appetite and gets very antsy - keeps trying to get out of the tank. Has Tank ever laid eggs?

She's only about 3.5 inches, and will be a year old around March. Is she old enough to lay eggs? If that's the case, what would you recommend I do as far as creating a "land-space" for egg laying?

I changed 70-80% of the water, which left only about 10 gallons with chemical in it. I filled the rest with tap water because I don't have the ability to filter 20+ gallons of water right now, and from what I've read, RES are fine with tap. I figure that the chemicals should be sufficiently dilluted now.

I've also treated her again today with ZooMed. She ate this morning, but this week her appetite has been a little iffy. I'm offering veggies daily but she won't take them (anachris, sweet potato, banana, apple).

I've read about photo-kerato-conjunctivitis on http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor-info.htm, and I've decided to switch off her UVB for the weekend and limit handling. However, she seems to have chronically irritated eyes, and if I recall correctly, it all began in October 2008. I treat her once a week with ZooMed to prevent her eyes from flaring up, but they swell shut frequently despite this. When they're swollen shut, I use it daily.

Any suggestions? What can I change?

[Caphits]

ReptiSafe, Tetra Easy Balance, Tetra Algae-killer stuff, and Tetra AquaSafe. I would not think that tetra products would interact with each other, but i dunno about the reptisafe reacting with any of the tetra products.

[queenjane]

Odd. Well, I changed the water last night (70-80%) and her eyes seem to have cleared up significantly. I've also chosen to give her a break from the UVB for the weekend because I'm not sure if that's causing PKC or not. I'm going to keep on with the ZooMed drops daily until Monday, and then go back to once a week.

[SpotsMama]

Let us know how it goes. It would be wonderful if simply changing the water, using less chemicals in the water and/or moving the bulb further from the turtle solved the problem.

[queenjane]

It seems to have done the trick. Her eyes have been open all day (except for when she's obviously napping) both under the water and on her basking area. I used the drops again and kept the UVB off. The water seems to be a lot less aggravating to her eyes as well.

Here is a photo of her eyes: