General Care Discussion :: Turtle is pink...

[Baseballchik138]

hello, i currently have 3 amzing turtles. The smallest one, which is about 3 inches in length, is pink around her neck area. It's the same color has the basking bulb I'm using, and I was wondering, does anyone this it is possible that the bulb is tinting her um ... neck area? I dont know if that makes any sense...

[missibsu]

Do you notice the pink only when she is basking around the bulb, or all the time? I was wondering if it could possibly be casting a pink glow on her skin.

What are you feeding your turts? Sometimes the food plays a part in the color of the skin.

There is a sickness that is associated with pink skin as well, and for the life of me I can't think of it right now. Do you notice any other ill effects? Lathargy, red/swollen eyes, mucus?

[Baseballchik138]

well for her its on her skin all the time. With the other turtles, it comes and goes. I'm currently feeding them reptomin. and occasionally lettuce and carrots. but besides that everything seems fine.

[ahguiturtle]

It could be the carrots that causing the neck area to be in pink colour.

[Baseballchik138]

yeah that's wut i thought at first becuase th bigger ones will be pink for short periods of time. but the pink looks a lot like the color of the bulb

[steve]

Can you use a different bulb? What kind have you been using... a red heat bulb?

[marisa]

I doubt a pink-tinted or red heat bulb is turning the skin pink. And if it were foods that tend to tinge the skin pink (like too much shrimp), I would think that the pink would be on other skin areas and not just the neck. Is the area rough or raw at all?

You said the pink comes and goes. Do you notice it only on the basking area? If so, does it go away after they've been in the water? If so, you might want to check the temp of the basking area---perhaps it's too warm or your turtles are basking too near the light.

[Baseballchik138]

um ok sure. shoould i use one of the black nighttime ones?[/u]

[industrial_girl_2000]

Just my $0.05 in addition to others' good suggestions:

If the pink skin color comes & goes, it is nothing to worry about. Turtles don't have the best blood circulation and when they just sit in one spot for a long time, the blood pools under the skin making it pink. It should disappear once they start moving/swimming around again.

[marisa]

If you just want a heat light (in addition to the UVB light), why not just use a regular light bulb. Why use a black night light?