General Care Discussion :: Turtle hasn't left pond for 2 whole days

[fluffytheturtle]

I am concerned. I have an outdoor pond (pics in feeding and nutrition) and I have not seen my RES come out for a couple of days. She is eating fine and submerges on the bottom a lot. (I am in an area where RES's are native).

I had a ladder and a rock for her to climb out on. It may be a little steep for her. It looked like, when I was feeding her yesterday and the watched her for a while, that she tried to get out and fell back in. She has to try real hard to push herself out. She has gotten out before several times, but should I change the ramp?

I was trying to fix it and put a matt (door matt) there ancored by rocks.

I had to get her out of the pond this morning though because people are working on the roof next door and I want her to be safe from any falling objects. Poor baby. I put her in her "house" under our porch roof.

(It is a garden under the porch and has a wall on the left side and the right side is our porch floor).

[fluffytheturtle]

Is it possible she was trying to regulate her temperature?

[missibsu]

If it's too much work for her to get out, then she may stop trying. I would just make sure that she has an easily accessible basking area and watch and see.

Also, maybe she is basking when you aren't watching?

[marisa]

What do you mean by a ladder (a ramp?) If she appears to be falling back in the water when she tries to get out, I'd change whatever it is your using for her to bask on, or at least make the incline less steep. Is there any traction on the ladder/ramp so she doesn't slide?

[Pam]

I went and looked at your photos in the feeding and nutrition section. She looks like a very nice turtle. I thought I noticed gravel in the bottom of the pond though?? If so, you need to remove it right away. She could eat it and become impacted and die. I could not tell where the ladder was from the photo but I agree you need to make it easy for her to be able to get out. When she does get out is the area enclosed so she cannot escape?

[fluffytheturtle]

I went and looked at your photos in the feeding and nutrition section. She looks like a very nice turtle. I thought I noticed gravel in the bottom of the pond though?? If so, you need to remove it right away. She could eat it and become impacted and die. I could not tell where the ladder was from the photo but I agree you need to make it easy for her to be able to get out. When she does get out is the area enclosed so she cannot escape?

Thank you. Yes there is gravel in it. My dad said I need gravel for biological filtration.

What do you mean impacted?

I did make it easier for her to get out. I burried the rock closer to where the edge of the pond was so it is even and not so steep. Now it is more of a ramp and she can get out easier.

[marisa]

Impacted as in intestinal blockage. Turtles are sometimes tempted to eat gravel/small pebbles, and have been known to develop blockages, which need medical attention.

Has she tried to climb up on the revised basking area?

[sonyj]

Turtles will try to eat anything smaller than their heads including gravel. If it doesn't pass through their system, it can cause a blockage in their intestines (impaction). This has lead to serious surgery or even death in some turtles. It's better not to risk it. Many keepers do not use any substrate on the bottom of their turtles habitat, or else they use larger river rocks that can't be eaten.

[fluffytheturtle]

Impacted as in intestinal blockage. Turtles are sometimes tempted to eat gravel/small pebbles, and have been known to develop blockages, which need medical attention.

Has she tried to climb up on the revised basking area?

Yes. It seems easier for her.

So is it bad to keep the gravel in their? Or is it still good for filtration? She is an adult turtle.

If she swallowed some and had blockage how would I tell?

[marisa]

What kind of filter are you using? Beneficial bacteria can grow on any surface, but usually a filter has space for biomedia where the bacteria can colonize...

If your turtle was swallowing gravel but not getting impacted, it would come out in her poop (but how would you tell if the bottom is all gravel?).

If she did get impacted, she would not be able to poop. She would grow lethargic and stop eating--she would act (and be) ill, and would need to see a herp vet pronto.

I would switch to rocks that were large enough that she couldn't eat them (a size larger than her head).

[fluffytheturtle]

I see. Well I did notice one time she ate stiraphome (spelling?) that came out of the potting soil in the lilly pad pot. I know that can't be good. I haven't seen her eat gravel yet.

I will try to get larger rocks.

[marisa]

No, eating styrafoam isn't good, and your turtle very well could be eating gravel as well. It could be she's looking for calcium in her diet. Aside from the larger rocks, try leaving some pieces of cuttlebone in the pond for her to crunch on. You can get it in the bird section of pet stores (Walmart sells it too). Take off the shell/hard backing break it into head/bite size pieces (can be larger if your turtle is big) and leave a few floating in the water. See what she does with it.

[fluffytheturtle]

No, eating styrafoam isn't good, and your turtle very well could be eating gravel as well. It could be she's looking for calcium in her diet. Aside from the larger rocks, try leaving some pieces of cuttlebone in the pond for her to crunch on. You can get it in the bird section of pet stores (Walmart sells it too). Take off the shell/hard backing break it into head/bite size pieces (can be larger if your turtle is big) and leave a few floating in the water. See what she does with it.

Oooooooooo I need cuttle bone! I don't think she gets enough calcium. There is a little in those frozen turtle diet things and if she eats the feeder fish (she hasn't in a while). Lettuce and carrots probably don't give her the calcium she needs. Thanks!

I am going to WalMart today anyway so I will definatley pick some up and let you know if she goes for it.

Lack of calcium can cause shell problems. Right?

[marisa]

Yes, it can contribute to shell problems. (Is your turtle having shell problems?)

[fluffytheturtle]

Yes, it can contribute to shell problems. (Is your turtle having shell problems?)

Well I noticed that her shell looks a little different than it used to. It seems like there are almost cracks in it. (not really just more defined lines)
In the meantime, is there anything else I can give her so she will get calcium? (besides the cuttle bone?)

I gave her some food sticks just now. They have calcium. Anything else?