General Care Discussion :: Help my baby turtle!!!

[kathy07]

Hello.

About two weeks ago, my sister had bought my sixteen year old two baby red-eared sliders. My daughter was unaware of how to properly care for them. I bought them their necessary supplies such as a filter, heater, etc., but I am still waiting for the order to arrive. One of the turtles seem very healthy while the other looks very sick. The sick turtle seems very weak, refuses to eat ever since we got them, sleeps a lot, shell is soft, and is unterested with what is going around him. I would have taken him to a vet days ago but I have no kind of money to do so. I really do not want the turtle to die so are there any other kinds of remedies I can give the turtle or can I expect the turtle's condition to worsen? Are there any kinds of medicine I can buy?

[KellyP]

Unfortunately this is what happens when people give pets unexpectedly as a present. The person recieving them does not necessarily want them or have the adequate knowledge/supplies to care for them. Please politely tell your sister not to give anymore unexpected pets as gifts. It's unfair because it's the animals that wind up suffering and dieing because of it.

Now to answer your questions. You say you bought adequate supplies but they haven't arrived yet? Did you order them online? How long did they say it would take before you recieve the supplies? What exactly did you order.

Now on to the more important question, how are you housing the turtles right now?

An immediate concern would be the soft shell. I don't know of any remedies to fix it, but it should get better if you start providing adequate care immediately. For two res hatchlings you should have a minimum of a 20 gallon aquarium. Fill the aquarium approximately 3/4 of the way full. You will need a heater, the temperature of the water should remain at 78-80 degrees Farenheight, but since one is sick you may want to up the temperature to 82. You will need a good quality filter rated for 2-3 times the size of your aquarium. Now most importantly you will need an area in the tank where the turtles can fully get out of the water to dry and bask. Above that you will need a light that contains at least 5% uvb, as well as a standard household bulb for heat. The basking area has to be aproximately 10 degrees warmer than the water for them to bask. Basking is absolutely necessary to keep thier shells healthy and to aid in digestion. Without a proper basking area your turtle is very likely to die.

[kathy07]

I have ordered a fluval plus filter and an 150 watt aquaclear water heater which have just arrived. Yes, I did order them online. I am just waiting for the Zoo Med basking lamp and light, crickets, and worms to arrive. I keep the turtle in a rubbermaid plastic box with warm water which I constantly have to heat. Two days ago, I found out my friend also owned two adult sliders so I asked her to care for them until the supplies arrive.

I had been feeding them turtle pellets which the healthy one readily eats but the other seems to weak to even swim around its tank. I know the turtles have been put through much trouble so I hope he will get better. Thank you for your quick reply.

[missibsu]

First off, since you don't know what is wrong with the one turtle, it would be best to seperate them. I know that funds are low, but you run the risk of two sick turtles if it isn't done. Rubbermaid containers are cheap, so that is one blessing.

For the sick turt, what other signs do you notice? Does he swim at all? Bask all the time? Lopsided swimming? Open mouthed breathing?

Hatchlings have a higher mortality rate than older turts, and that part is a fact of life. It's also likely that the turt was sick when you received it, even if it wasn't showing the signs right away. Do you know where your sister purchased the turts? A lot of people are niave or don't care about how to properly raise turts, so even in pet shops they suffer.

Keep us informed! Also, use the vet list in the urgent care section. Find one near you and call to ask about the cost of a visit. It's worth a shot.

[kathy07]

The sick turtle does swim but very slowly. It kind of swims a little on its side but not where it is swimming completely on its side. The sick turtle also basks. So half of the time it swims while the other half of the time it basks. The sick turtle does open its mouth a few times but I am not sure if it is breathing through its mouth.

I did ask my sister where she bought them. She said it was in a Chinese store where they sell two turtles in one small plastic container. I went to the store myself after reading that it is illegal to sell baby turtles with less than a 4" carapace. I ask them where had they gotten the turtles but they did not answer me so I told them that what they where doing was illegal. I suppose they stopped selling them. The turtles were kept in completely horrible conditions.

When I first got the turtles, I did notice that one was slower than the other. The sick turtle did walk slower and it seemed to struggle to walk so I guess it was sick from the start. I will try to take the turtle to the vet because it will be a complete shame if it does die. I am too much of an animal-lover to let that happen.

Kathy

[marisa]

By opening his mouth sometimes, do you mean the turtle is yawning or gasping?

While you're looking for a herp vet, I'd give the one that's sick his own quarantine set-up with the water level not very high (just a bit more than the width of his shell), a basking area, lighting and have the water temp at about 81F and the basking area temp about 10 degrees higher.

Will the turtle eat at all? Try bloodworms or something smelly like bits of tuna or sardines packed in water.

It does sound like the turtle was already ill when you received it. Good luck with the herp vet (there's a post at the top of the Urgent Care forum with links to finding one if you don't know of one already). Let us know what happens...

[missibsu]

My guess is that they won't stop selling those turts. It's sad to say, but they really don't care about anything other than making a profit. The part that is even more sad is that people like you and I want to save them because we hate to see them suffer, and unfortunately we are only supporting their opperation by doing so. It's good of you to confront them face to face, but maybe there is something else you can do, like call the humane society...or whoever happens to be in charge of animal cruelty cases in your area. Keep us posted on the vet trip and everything else!

[Megs]

Hi Kathy,

Unfortunately, I'm in the very same boat you are -- 2 babies, and 1 appears to be very sick. Missi is right -- the people selling them only care about a profit. However, that can work to your advantage.

Contact the BBB of the area that the turtles came from. Tell them that the store is selling turtles illegally, and that there is a potential for a salmonella outbreak, which will hurt business in the area. That's what they need to hear, to prompt them to take action. They don't want anything to hurt business, so that should light a fire underneath them.

Best of luck with your little sick turtle, and keep us updated!