General Care Discussion :: tumble started making noises need help fast vets on holiday

[blulite]

hi guys as i have explained in other posts tumble has been having some problems with fungal shell infections. i have booked him into the vets for the day after the vet gets back from her trip. i have spoken to another herp vet that is not so local and he has advised me of what to do in the mean time.

anywho last night tumble managed to somehow escape his atba and fell to the floor from a height of about 4ft. he has no damage to his shell no cracks or splits but when we pet him he mages a kind of heavy exhalation noise. as if it hurts.

he was only doing this for a while and he has since stopped after we begun iodine treatments this morning. he made the noise as we stroked him over a patch of infected shell. do you guys think he has hurt himself from the fall or do you think the infection is effecting him.

[SpotsMama]

It's hard to say. My suggestion would be to treat him as if he were injured until the vet sees him. It's possible he's ok and that "heavy exhalation noise" is just him hissing - which is what normal turtles do when they are angry or frightened. He probably doesn't like to be petted or stroked - turtles aren't like mammals in that respect, so I'd avoid petting him. At best, some turtles don't mind being picked up and carried around, but most would just as soon not be touched.

When you treat him for the shell infection as per the vet's instructions, treat him gently. Keep him warm and watch for signs of distress like throwing up or difficulty moving his arms or legs or head. If he seems to have trouble swimming, keep him dry docked except for short periods throughout the day in shallow water where you can watch him. It's not safe to leave turtles in shallow water unattended - if they flip over and can't get right side up again, they'll drown.

[blulite]

i think it is hissing. as i say it happens when we go over a patch of infected shell. so i think he is trying to warn me off. usually he likes to be petted. he even does that thing what cats do when you stroke them. where they push them selves against your hand. but since he's shell has gotten worse he seems to be a bit uncomfortable. i cant wait to get him to the vets.

[SpotsMama]

Yes - if his shell is so infected that it causes him pain when it's touched, then he could be reacting with hisses. what a shame. Like i said, be very gentle with him until you can get him in to see the vet.