General Care Discussion :: Turtle has swollen eyelids

[pan1k]

Hi everyone,

I just got another RES, she is about 4 inches in length. I setup a new tank, 20 gallons, Fluval U3, conditioned the water with reptisafe, and I've been adding some beneficial bacteria to help establish the tank. Last two days I couldn't figure out why she was sleeping so much, so I looked again and her eyes are swollen. I plan on getting a tub, and taking her out and doing a water change. What else can I do to prevent this from happening again? I have very hard water in my area, but the pH is around 7.5-8 after I treat it. I don't know if the Fluval U3 is doing a good job...

[steve]

I guess you need to track down why her eyes are swollen. It's usually one of five things: UVB, chlorine/chloramines, diet, injury or infection.

Is she kept with another turtle? Are you using a UVB? Are you de-chlorinating the water?

[pan1k]

Hi Steve,

I am using reptisafe to treat the tap water, I use the dose indicated on the bottle and let it cycle through the filter for a few hours before putting Tammy in. I also have a UVB light which is over the turtle dock. I did a water change this afternoon, and she seems happier. No more shut eye! Is reptisafe recommended for treating the water or is there something else I should be using? She is by herself and eats mostly reptomin, but I am trying to get her to eat some veggies!

Thanks,

[untsmurf]

how far away are your lights from your basking area?

[steve]

Carbon filter media safely removes chlorine/chloramines. UVB lights have specific instructions on their distance. New UVB lights need a burn-in period.

[pan1k]

It does have carbon pads. I purchased an Aqua Clear 110, but it's too large for my current tank, guess I will need to upgrade.

[deedee v.]

hey im DeeDee and im a new RES owner. At first i had two RES turtles, the bigger one ended up dying and i couldnt figure out why. Later my mom bought me another RES turtle and now i have the first turtle i was given and the new addition. These past few days ive noticed that my smaller turtle, Emerald, hasnt been moving around much. He sleeps the majority of the day, doesnt open his eyes much. but he does every now and then. He still goes into the water and climbs on their basking rock regularly. Theres this white kind of mucus that comes off of his eyes and he looks skinnier to me. I keep them both in a pen pal big enough so they can have enough room to swim, i have a basking lamp directed at their floating rock, i always make sure the temperature is betwen 80-85 degrees Ferenhiet. I change their water every 2 or 3 days. I feed them food pellets and mix in frozen blood worms here and there. What should i change or do to their habitat? Is there natural ways i can make him better? Should i take him to a vet as soon as possible? Please help me! D:

[steve]

Hi Deedee, can you make a new post and answer some of the questions in my signature? Is there mucus only there when he's dry?

[deedee v.]

How big is your turtle? He is a little bit bigger than quarter
How long have you had it? 4-5 months

What is the water temperature? 80°-85°
Did you use a thermometer? Yes
Are you using a water heater? No
How much water is in there? A lil more than half the tank
Are you using a water conditioner? No
Are you using any filtration? No

What is the basking temperature? 85°- 90°
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? A magnetic floating rock
Is there a UVB light? No

What have you been trying to feed it? Yes
When was the last time your turtle ate? a few days ago

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 2 gallon pen pal
Is the tank near a window? Yes
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? No

Have you read the Basic Care section? in the process
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes and other forums but they are all telling me different things

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No

I didnt notice he had mucus on his eye until he went into the water and it made it more obvious, but he still has it sometimes when hes dry but not as much as when hes in the water

[steve]

He needs some big changes in his setup, well, honestly he should get a new setup. What's his diet like? How often do you change the water?

[deedee v.]

alright what exactly should i buy him for his new tank? im keeping him in a seperate pen pal for now.

i give him pellets for baby turtles, 2 pellets, and i also feed him blood worms not alot though
i change his water every 2 or 3 days

[steve]

Ideally you get larger setups so you have to do fewer upgrades. Adult males need around a 75 gallons, adult females 100 gallons. For first tanks, I would suggest getting a 40 gallon breeder ($40 when on sale at Petco) and you can find many tanks on craigslist. If you can't find anything for that price or cheaper, then I would consider a large plastic storage container. Once you get that, you'll have a lot options for filtration and docks.

[deedee v.]

Oh ok thank you! What should I do for his eyes?

[steve]

There isn't enough information for me to figure out what's wrong with they eye. Are the two turtles getting along? How long are they?

[deedee v.]

They get along great their both about 2-4 inches long,