General Care Discussion :: opening and closing of the mouth

[yertle_the_girl_turtle]

My baby RES opens it's mouth sometimes,but just for a few brief seconds. But, I am concerned, because the pet store had no more food pellets for turtles, so I've tried to give him/her green lettuce. Is somthing wrong or am I doing somthing wrong?

Here's my possibly sick baby, Emmie.

[industrial_girl_2000]

That is one of the symptoms of turtle pneumonia ("Respiritory illness"). Healthy turtles do not open their mouths to breath. Your turtle needs a vet visit ASAP to get a round of antibiotics.

[yertle_the_girl_turtle]

he only does it about once a day, and i've had him/her for only 2 days... I think i'll take him/her to the vet anyways. We should have taken them yesterday.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Turtles will yawn when they are out of the water, but if they yawn, there will be no "air-rushing" sound. When turtles are sick with pnuemonia, you can actually hear them trying to suck the air in thru their mouth.

[alexis_906]

I noticed this with my baby turtle too, I have only seen it twice and I thought that it was just a yawn.

[DavidY]

If you've only had them for 2 days, they were most likely sick before you got them (assuming they are really sick and not just yawning). Send the vet bill to the place you bought them from if they are sick though.

[yertle_the_girl_turtle]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was just a yawn. Both times, Emmie was out of the water. She made no noises, too.

[marisa]

Try to get a good food pellet like Reptomin Baby for them. Also try some live food like a cut-up earthworm and baby crickets. Rather than lettuce, get some anachris if you can (an aquatic plant). They'll like to hide in it and eventually nibble on it.