General Care Discussion :: my turtle has sum broken nails on both of his front legs

[sam_barney]

my res turtle is about 2.5 inches and i dont know its age and gender and today i noticed that it have broken nails on its front legs... but there was no bleeding ......and he is alone in his tank so what could be the cause ...is there any thing to worry ?

[marisa]

Welcome. How far down were the nails broken?

What kind of basking area does your RES have? Does he have to claw his way on it (as he would on certain rocks)? Or, are there any areas he could have caught his nails on?

[sam_barney]

thanks for the reply .. nails are broken from where they start to grow but one nail is broken and it seems quiet deep...as for the basking area it is big rock at time it swims to it and at time it claws his way on it but i have never noticed the turtle sitting and basking i have to take him out for basking and then put it back after some time.....but i have also seen him playing by hanging it self on the clutches the heater is attached and that is with the help of its front clause....

[marisa]

I'd get a better basking area, one that's easier to get on. I have to say that I don't really like rocks (as in just a big rock) for a basking area. They're usually too much of an effort to get on (perhaps one reason why your RES doesn't baskthat much) and can be really abrasive. Is the plastron/bottom shell worn at all? Rocks can quickly abrade the shell.

As for the broken nails, if there's any open skin, I'd periodically put some Neosporin on it and keep him out of the water for a while to let some of it be absorbed.