General Care Discussion :: Cut in neck!

[Docbond]

My turtle has a deep cut on the back of it's neck. I have been placing antibiotic paste over area and isolated it from turtle population as I think that this cut came from a larger turtles in the container. Do turtles attack each other? Please let me know what to do! Yesterday another turtle had half of its neck destroyed and died. I do not want more deaths to occur.

Docbond

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Take it to a vet A.S.A.P yes turtles attack each other.Please dont wait it out,take it to a vet NOW.And separate all of them.How big is your setup ? Because if it was too small then that is the reason.

[Kallistos]

What kind of antibiotic paste are you putting on the injured turtles neck? How many turtles do you have, are they all red eared sliders? What are their sizes, could you please describe in detail your current set-up.

It would be best if you could make an appointment wiith a herp vet, there is a listing of vets in the Urgent Care section.

[Docbond]

I am using a Neomycin, Polymyxin and Bacitracin Ointment. You have answered the question as I think my turtles are getting too big for their container. I will separate them into more containers as right now there are 8 small soft shelled mud turtles, 6 red eared slider and one cooter sharing a large plastic container with 3 filters to cleanse the water. Thanks for your help and I also think it is time to release them to the wild as I found them ALL in my pool after hurricaine Frances until Wilma. That is over 2 years ago and they were just hatched at the time.

[Andrew7769]

how many gallons is the container? can you post a picture

[Kallistos]

Don't release them into the wild, especially if you aquired them as hatchlings. They have no idea how to survive in the wild and will inevitably die. If you can't take care of them, take them to the ASPCA or another rescue organization.

[CountryGirl68]

How many turtles do you have and what is the tank size(s)? If you had another turtle die because of a neck bite, you need to find out which one is the aggressor and remove him/her from the tank immediately.

[Muirner]

currently if you were to get a tank for just the turtles based on 10 gal per inch, your looking at no less then 140 gal. Lets be real here, each turtle isnt 1", so your probably lookin in the range of 2-4" so lets say 4", that means 40gal per turtle, over 14 turltles 560gal, and if they are fighting they say to double the space, 1120gal (at minimum).

Also it seems someone is bullying, which is one turtle has died, and another is injured. Has there been signs of agression? When did you notice the problems? And why the hell so many turtles in one tank?

[xsavingsaturdayx]

And why the hell so many turtles in one tank?

Seriously,i think i read somewhere that red ear sliders cannot live with any other turtles other than cooters,yellow bellied,and map turtles.With those many turtles im not surprised they are fighting...Seperate them,please...

[xsavingsaturdayx]

I am using a Neomycin, Polymyxin and Bacitracin Ointment. You have answered the question as I think my turtles are getting too big for their container. I will separate them into more containers as right now there are 8 small soft shelled mud turtles, 6 red eared slider and one cooter sharing a large plastic container with 3 filters to cleanse the water. Thanks for your help and I also think it is time to release them to the wild as I found them ALL in my pool after hurricaine Frances until Wilma. That is over 2 years ago and they were just hatched at the time.

DO NOT RELEASE THEM INTO THE WILD,THEY WILL NOT I REPEAT NOT SURVIVE...They have no idea how to fend for themselves since they have been dependent on you for two years...

[Kallistos]

Please be a little more polite, he's just asking for advice. He stated that he found all the turtles in his pool after a hurricane, all he was trying to do was help by taking them in.

Docbond, if you live in the United States then you could try to send your turtles to www.cohrs.org I'm sure you local ASPCA will be willing to take in your turtles and try to find a suitable home for all of them. For now, like you said, seperating them is the best thing to do, and as CountryGirl said, try to find the turtle that is doing the biting and keep him or her in a container by itself.

[CountryGirl68]

i think i read somewhere that red ear sliders cannot live with any other turtles other than cooters,yellow bellied,and map turtles.

Actually, in studies done on most aquatic turtles, RES are considered to be a 3 to 4 in an aggression scale (on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the worst). Even my vet told me that, whenever possible, RES should be left in a tank alone. They can become aggressive with *any* other turtle - regardless of species.

[mkoby]

You could try www.turtlehomes.org They might be able to help. Good luck!

[marisa]

Where are you located?

[Lynn_GG]

I don't think there r vets in my country... When my tortoise hurt at her neck, I let it heal itself...