General Care Discussion :: Is this a YBS?

[BlueDoraemon]

Thank you for all the responses. Where could I get cuttlebone? Pet store? What's the cause of MBD? I read somewhere it can be fatal...It has never occured to me that my turtle had (has) this disease.....

[SpotsMama]

You can get cuttlebone at any pet store in the bird section. It looks like a white, flat piece of bone, but softer like styrofoam. There's a clear plastic-like backing on one side of the bone. Peel or pry this off and break the bone in pieces about the size of a quarter or smaller and drop them in the tank. Your turtle will snack on it when it feels the need for calcium.

Here's some info on MBD:

http://www.redearslider.com/index_health_1.html

It can be prevented/treated with good diet and plenty of calcium and good UVB light on the basking area.

[myrtle1123]

Yes you can get a cuttlebone at the petstore usually in the bird section...

If your worried I would take tour turt to a vet ASAP

[grey goose]

I believe not enough calcium in their diet is the main cause. Lack of UVB plays a role also. You can find cuttlebone in the bird section of the pet store. Take the hard backing off (use a butter knife) and break it up into small, bite sized pieces. Keep 4-5 pieces in the tank at all times....A good herp vet can help you get your turt on the road to recovery.

[marisa]

From the pic, the turtle doesn't look that young, (how big is the turtle---shell length without the curve?). A older turtle in that condition will not recover (as in the shell becoming normal again), but with proper diet and a good habitat, the condition can be arrested and the turtle's health improved (and life extended).

If the shell is malformed to the point that something is compressing or pressing on the internal organs, perhaps that's causing/contributing to your turtle's not being able to submerge. I'd take her to a herp vet for evaluation. She has a sweet-looking face---I hope you take good care of her---she looks like she hasn't had the best life, and she certainly deserves it.

[Breigh]

I would definitely take the turtle to the vet and have it checked out. Now after seeing the photos of the shell something is very wrong. If you just got it from a pet shop 3 months ago my guess is that someone else owned it and kept it in very poor conditions and then returned it to the shop and they resold it to you.

If there is something seriously wrong, I'd return to the pet shop with the vet bill.

[steve]

My male RES has several shell conditions and it was mainly due to poor diet and husbandry conditions. Hard to say from the pics if there is/was MBD, but there are clearly some scutes that need to be shed.

I agree that your turtle can make vast improvements with the right setup and diet. A vet visit might help you assess the situation clearly and offer more insight.