General Care Discussion :: Going without UVB for a couple weeks? *update with pics*

[Oliver'smom]

I took in the neighbors tiny little YBS. The daughter was allowed to get 5, and all have died except this little one. She got them the same time my niece got hers. This little one hasn't grown at all. The girl's mother brought it over knowing I would take care of it. She has said she would find it a home if I can save it...hmmm...easier said than done. Anyway, the only thing I notice being wrong with it, other than the size, is a thin line/crack on the plastron near the tail. Also, it's very shy and timid. I've started feeding it baby reptomin, which it eats. My question is actually about ours, Jasmine and Theodore, would they be o.k. without their UVB light for a couple weeks until I can get more supplies shipped to me in Italy. They both look like they are starting to shed, so I hate to take away their UVB, but this little thing has had no UVB ever. It was living in a tank with gravel, which I told her to remove many times, in filth, with no basking area, and no plants to rest on. This is so frustrating. She is old enough to be responsible (16)...has the money to provide what the turtles need, but after the new wore off in a couple of days she just ignored them. Also, the little turtle's not basking, but I'm sure she's terrified. Actually, I've never seen her swim. She runs across the bottom, and stays underwater until I leave the room. When I sneak in I see her standing on her tiptoes breathing. I've put plants in for her to rest on, but she doesn't seem to like them. She clings to the thermometer, or stands on her tiptoes. Since she isn't basking and has never been out of the water should I dry dock her some? Sorry for this being so long..thanks for letting me vent...

Sorry it's taken so long to get pics...I just couldn't get a good shot of the crack. I moved the UVB light from Theo/Jas to her (I already had a 60 watt for heat), but she's still not basking. She's eating great...loves the baby reptomin pellets. She loves watching Theo/Jas, and the fish in the other tank. Her first response was trying to crawl out of my hand through the glass of the tank. Before that, she stayed all tucked in and would not move at all. Now she comes out of her shell and looks around if I hold her up to the window, or the tank. She still freezes if she sees me looking at her in her rubbermaid container. I've raised the water a little, but she's still not swimming. She walks around on the bottom, and stands on her tiptoes to breath. I have plants for her to rest on, and I think she's starting to use them now. She's missing part of her tail, and looks like she's missing a toe. Of course, we can't tell if she's mail or female, but my niece has been calling her Shelly.

Shelly - crack (right beside my thumb) It's hard to tell if it is in the part of the shell that attaches to her body...if so, barely.

[img][img]http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll298/taylorkilluhh/DSC00007.jpg[/img]

Shelly - We brought them all home at the same time. They were all roughly the same size...Jas may have been a tad bigger. I have them each sitting on a 7" paper plate. She's at least a inch smaller.

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Theodore

[img][img]http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll298/taylorkilluhh/DSC04877.jpg[/img]

Jasmin

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[mikee]

O's Mom -- Yes they need their uvb, especially when they are young. You need to keep to the rules of the road when dealing with clean water, temps, lighting, etc. They are very vulnerable when they are young. Most small turtles die from RI when hatchlings. It sounds like you have a lot of work to do. There is a formula that keepers use for the size tank you need, the filter size you need, the proper lighting and proper temp range for basking and water. Good luck! m.

[xstefanx]

Mikee I think you might have missed the actual question, its not whether the baby needs the UVB, its whether the older ones that O's Mom has can do without theirs so that she can give the light to the baby. Being as she has two older turtles, and the fact that she was complaining about the lack of the necessities, in detail, that the previous owner had, I would assume that she knows how to take care of it.

[BullDog]

I think your existing two would be OK for a week or two without the UVB.
I don't know if I would dry dock her just yet. I would say make sure the basking area is nice and warm, and give her a bit of time to adjust.

Can you post a picture of the line though? If it's an actual crack, she may need a vet.

[Oliver'smom]

Thanks guys...I will try to get a good pic tomorrow morning. It's not showing up...must be the lighting. I will also put the UVB on her (?) in the a.m.

[Oliver'smom]

I added pics and an update a few days ago in my original post...I didn't realize it wouldn't bump.

For the latest update...She still isn't swimming. She either runs on the bottom or springs up and lopes around. She still stands on her toes to breath. I was thinking it could be neurological since a good portion of her tail is missing, but I put her on a towel on the floor and she runs fine. If it were a RI issue wouldn't she have problems submerging as well? Also, she still won't bask. Although, she is getting closer to the basking area. She eats great. The crack/line looks the same. No change in color or anything. I don't ever remember our two being so frightened. She did take one pellet from my hand, but other than that she goes into 'freeze' mode if she sees me looking at her. The only time she looks like she's really interested in anything is when I take her to look at the other tank. She tries to crawl out of my hand in through the side of the tank.

[koreyleigh]

hey oliver's---

just making a guess that perhaps the previous owner was a rough handler or something that might make the baby go in to freeze mode? i know dogs and turtles arent the same but abused/mistreated dogs react the same...

when i first got hank, he was about a month old and i am not entirely sure how he was kept before i had him. it took probably a week or so for him to consider it, though he hung on the end of the ramp to stop swimming. and for at least 4 months he would DART off once i came in the room. time time time... see what happens after a week before you consider forcing it

keep us all posted

[Kemul]

If the turtle can tiptoe to reach the water surface for air, I think the water is not
deep enough for the turtle to swim. It would prefer walking on the bottom instead.
Put more water into the tank, your turtle looks healthy enough to try deeper
water. Give it some more time for the basking. Perhaps temperature and UVB
are not enough to entice it yet?

[BullDog]

The crack/line doesn't look too bad. I would say just make sure the water is clean, and hopefully it'll heal.
It may take quite a while before she's comfortable swimming. It took Frankie about 6 months before she would really swim, and about a year before she could swim well.
I think Kemul has a good point. If she can reach on her tiptoes, she doesn't really have any reason to swim. Raise it so she has to swim a little bit to get to the surface. It sounds like you've got plants for her to grab onto if she needs it.

[gwennie]

I would say you could possibly split the UVB light between the two tanks instead of taking it completely away from your other two turtles, or even have Shelly dry docked for a while in the afternoon/evening (whenever is good for you really) and have the UVB light over her dry docking container if need be. The dry time would help that crack heal up some. Your other ones could get it during the day and then she could get it in the evening, or you could even swap it every other day or so till the new one comes.

I don't think it would really hurt your other ones if they went completely w/o it for a bit though.

I wouldn't be concerned about her going into "freeze" mode as you call it - some turtles are very shy, some adjust easier than others. Mine is about six months old and he still spooks sometimes and if he is basking and we move too suddenly or stare at him too long he'll dive into the water.

It's good that she's eating well - a very good sign indeed You could definitely try gradually upping the water depth and see if she takes to swimming. Not all at once though xD She's probably gotten used to the depth you have it at right now.

[Oliver'smom]

Ooops....I just realized I posted two pics of Theodore when I was trying to show the size difference. I will post the correct pics below. Again, this girl purchased Shelly the same time my niece got Theo and Jas. They were basically the same size. I added some water today. She was still able to stand on some marbles to breath. I will add more tomorrow. I don't want to leave her and assume she will be able to get to the surface for air, but if I watch her she stays on the bottom and won't move. I'm learning to stand very, very still...lol. I added a piece of driftwood. She seems to like to try and hid around it.

Korey - She had her on the bathroom floor in a plastic container...maybe 12x8. Never took the time to handle her.
Kemul - I'll raise it more tomorrow. Keeping fingers crossed she will eventually swim.
Bulldog - I'm changing the water every other day, and constantly scooping any poo or uneaten food out. I feed the other two in a seperate container, but she won't eat in it...I left her for 20 minutes the other day and she hadn't moved.
gwennie - If my light doesn't get here soon I will switch back and forth. At least theo and Jas are basking again. I think they were confused the first day because it wasn't as bright.

Shelly - for size compaison.

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Theodore

[img][img]http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll298/taylorkilluhh/Theosize.jpg[/img][/img]

[gwennie]

I was wondering why all the turtles you originally showed had tails! XD

I'm sure things'll work out ^^ Good luck.