General Care Discussion :: typical weight for a turtle?

[squirt!]

is there a specific growth curve for RES? squirt, my turtle with a 3 inch shell, has a slight whistling sound when she breathes and doesn't swim a lot as a result (but lots of eating, begging). Until i can get a larger tank, all i can do is try my best with the diet (on a daily basis: red leaf lettuce, a few pellets, and chunks of cuttlebone. occasionally: carrots and apples). i'm pretty sure squirt is overweight, though not morbidly obese (can mostly fit into the shell, i just see a little pudginess during basking...

so my questions are, is there an RES growth curve for normal weight etc. and if squirt is obese, what are the best alternatives to lose those pounds? thank you!

[theartbook35]

If a turtle is overweight, their scutes (the "plates" on the top of their shells) will begin to grow upward in a cone-like shape.

Turtles sometimes hiss when they are upset or draw their head into their shell. Does it sound similar to a cat's hiss, or, it is more similar to weezing, like when you have a cold?

Also, when your turtle is swimming, is it lopsided on occasion or all the time? How deep is your water?

[squirt!]

the water is filled max (halfway along the side of the tank there is an opening for the filter, so its not that deep) and only continues for a few inches, allowing squirt to 'stand' with his/her nose barely sticking out. i would say around 4-6 inches. it doesn't look like the scutes are 'pyramiding', if you will, but the breathing definitely sounds like squirt is having a little difficulty (just recovered from an RI after 2 rounds of expensive antibiotics). as for swimming, it is a little lopsided but the vet said sometimes after an RI turtles will continue to swim like that

thank you!