General Care Discussion :: turtle smell plz help!!!!!!

[drpepper177]

my turtles smell realy bad my parents say that i dont think so but is there any way to get rid of it? my prents said that i need to sell them cause they smell bad plz help i dont want to sell them plz tell me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SpotsMama]

A turtle or turtle tank should not smell. Usually when it's smelly it's because there's ammonia in the water. Usually that happens when the tank is too small for the turtle and/or the filter isn't doing it's job. Or it's just that someone needs to change the water and clean the tank more often.

In some cases turtles smell because they have shell or skin infections. If that were the case you'd see lesions or discolorations on the shell or skin.

What size tank and turtle do you have? What sort of filter? What's your schedule for changing the water and cleaning the tank and filter? Do you feed your turtles in the tank or in a separate container?

[drpepper177]

i have two 4.5 inch turtles in a 30 gal i think, i have a whisper 20 power filter and i change the water every 5 days or so and i feed them in the tank. and my female RES has sorta grey skin and the shell has green stuff growing on it but my male has green skin and a nice shell. and if theres amonia in it will they die?

[SpotsMama]

Well I see what your problem is. The tank's way too small for two 4.5 inch turtles. The rule of thumb is you need 10 gallons of tank for every inch of turtle, so with 9" of total turtle length you should have a 90 gallon tank! And....those turtles are still growing!

The filter can't handle the job either. It's designed for a 20 gallon fish tank. since turtles are considerably messier than fish, we usually recommend a filter that's rated for two or three times the size of the tank. What you really need is a large canister filter like a couple of XP3s or an XP4 in a very large aquarium.

If your female's skin is looking unhealthy (and if her skin is grey, it's unhealthy) then it's directly related to the water quality. She will need to be treated for fungus or bacteria. I'm glad the male is still looking good but he won't continue to be healthy if the water quality is poor.

The answer to your question about whether ammonia will cause the turtles to die is that it will lead directly to infections of all sorts that will unfortunately kill the turtles over time. Remember, those turtles go to the bathroom in the tank and then drink the water, as well as live in it. That's why it's so important to keep the water clean.

If you're changing the water every 5 days then that's pretty good except that even with that schedule it's impossible to keep the quality good. There's just too much turtle waste coming into the tank. It's also a whole lot of work for you. I've been through that business of frequent water changes and know how difficult it is. One of the really nice things about having a right sized tank and good filter is that maintenance becomes a whole lot easier for you as well as much nicer for your turtles.

That's probably all kind of shocking to read. Before you panic though, you should know that you can get very inexpensive plastic containers made by rubbermaid that make good habitats for turtles and come in very large sizes. You're probably doing to eventually need a couple of them at the rate your turtles are going but you could start with one 50 gallon one now then add another in the near future. Then, however, you are going to have to have a decent filter, which is a fairly expensive proposition. An XP3 costs just under $100.

Something you can do now is start feeding your turtles in a separate container outside the tank. The container will, of course, have to have water in it because turtles can't swallow unless they are in water. Many turtles will go to the bathroom right after they eat so if you give yours time to do that before putting them back in their tank then it will help somewhat to keep the water fresh longer.

[drpepper177]

WOW thanks for all the info well my parents might buy me a 75 gallon how long will they last in that? so u think my female needs a vet or somthing because i know we cant afford that. but will the 75 gallon with a good filter take longer to get dirty? and im trying to find out were to put the 75 gallon lol. oh yea my females skin is sorta greenish grey thanks so much.

[SpotsMama]

A 75 gallon tank would be a huge improvement. Yes, it would stay bearable longer. You might be able to manage with it for another year if the turtles aren't growing too fast. That is, if the turtles don't start fighting. Often they do - especially when there is a male involved and when they are in a cramped space. Once they starting fighting they can do some really serious damage very quickly and would have to be separated. So hang onto the 30 gallon tank in case you have to put one of the turtles in it later.

don't forget the filter too. It's the combination of a good tank and filter that make things work for both you and the turtles.

For your female, first clean up the habitat and water real well. Then get some Turtle Sulfa Dip by zoo med from the pet store and follow the directions on the box. It may help her skin. Also, get some freshwater aquarium salt. Read the directions on how to use it and how much to use VERY CAREFULLY and put some in the aquarium after it's been cleaned. Be sure and don't make it a saltwater habitat by mistake - you only want a small amount of salt for a freshwater habitat. Also, you can't do this with regular table salt - it will have to be aquarium salt as the table salt has additives that aren't good for your turtle.

Do you have access to a digital camera? Can you post pictures of your female and your setup?

If you haven't already, read up on this site on all the things it takes to have a happy and healthy turtle habitat. We're here to answer questions as you go along. Good luck!

[drpepper177]

well i cleaned the tank and still have a 30 gallon but the female has pretty good skin now. and i have a camera so ill post pictures of her and the setup in the photo gallery.

[mikee]

d pepper & S mama -- Pep, there is no short cut to changing your water and cleaning after your turtle. By getting a larger tank will put off the problem a little longer and make it twice as hard. Poop and ammonia do get to smell bad in your biological filter is not up to par. Sometimes it takes some filters longer to get started and going than others. I do have some experience with using sea salt in my aquariums. When you put it in and how much you put in is important. After you get your biological filter going good you can add a tablespoon full slowly until you get to 1.004 ppt and no more. By slowly I mean a table spoon twice a day until you get to that point. Over that and you will be cutting into your biological filter efficiency. The salt thing my be controversial in some quarters, but I have been doing it for a long time and it works just fine if you pay attention to the filter and the amount you put in. This is a case, more is not good.

[meandmyturtles]

Hi I would like to know more on the sea salt?

[mikee]

The salt that I use is "Instant Salt" that comes in boxes and most aquatic pet stores have it. I use a Aquarium Systems, SeaTest full range hydrometer. It is use for salt water aquariums which makes it a little difficult to measure brackish water. About 15 years ago I got some RES that came from Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana which is brackish. After a little research I started putting a little salt in my aquarium and it has done OK. You have to be careful as it can slow down the biological filtration and kill your turtles. The amount that I mentioned previously is what I use as a maximum amount. If you are new at this I do recommend that you be careful. In this case more is not good.