General Care Discussion :: Need Help Identifying Turtle

[BabyNemo]

Hi. I rescued a baby turtle from a family about 30 minutes away from me who kept the poor thing in a small goldfish bowl with barely half an inch of water. I have no idea what kind of turtle he is. I was thinking maybe a Red Eared Slider or a Painted turtle but I am not sure.
I also know that different kinds of turtles need different kinds of care, so figuring out what kind he is would be very helpful.
Thank you.
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[steve]

It looks like a RES, congratulations on the rescue!

[BabyNemo]

It looks like a RES, congratulations on the rescue!

That's great! I've owned one before so if he is then I'm not too worried! Is there anything I should worry about with him/her being a young turtle? I'm not sure if he/she is a hatchling or how old he/her is. Is there anyway to tell by his/her shell size? Thank you!
They had him in a .5 gallon gold fish bowl and he had no light, no filter, no heat, the water was about 60 degrees and I just couldn't stand it.

[ljapa]

You did the right thing, and you've come to the right place. There's a wealth of information here.

Check out the links at the top to the main website:

http://www.redearslider.com/index_basic_info.html

I see from your other post you have a 55 gallon tank and repto-min pellets.

I also saw your mention of the rock waterfall filter. I started with that and stopped using it when my turtle wasn't much bigger than yours. Check out the filter thread for some great info:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30145

I have a 55 gallon with a fluval 406 and am very pleased.

You'll need to provide both heat and UVB light. You can spend more and get a bulb that does both, or you can get two lights.

For a basking platform, I'd look at an above tank basking area. Search the forum for ATBA.

I'd also think about something in the tank that let's your turtle rest at shallower depth, but also proved I deep water.

[BabyNemo]

You did the right thing, and you've come to the right place. There's a wealth of information here.

Check out the links at the top to the main website:

http://www.redearslider.com/index_basic_info.html

I see from your other post you have a 55 gallon tank and repto-min pellets.

I also saw your mention of the rock waterfall filter. I started with that and stopped using it when my turtle wasn't much bigger than yours. Check out the filter thread for some great info:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30145

I have a 55 gallon with a fluval 406 and am very pleased.

You'll need to provide both heat and UVB light. You can spend more and get a bulb that does both, or you can get two lights.

For a basking platform, I'd look at an above tank basking area. Search the forum for ATBA.

I'd also think about something in the tank that let's your turtle rest at shallower depth, but also proved I deep water.

Thank you so much for the links and the reply!
Should I be worried about deep water for a baby? Is Repto-Min okay for him or should I look at different brands?
I've seen in a lot of forums and heard from people that the water should not exceed 3-4 inches? What is the rule on that?

When I owned Fred, my recent RES, I was young and don't remember much about what I used for him. I do remember getting that 200 dollar petsmart turtle starter kit.

I've also heard that baby turtles have a 99% mortality rate before the first year of hatching? Should I be concerned?

I'm sorry if these are answered in the links you gave me!

Edit:: Is there any specific topic I should look at on the main site? It's a little confusing to me to navigate

[steve]

He's probably just a few months old... 6-9 months maybe. The priority would be to get the water temps to a steady 78-80F. Check for any swimming issues... most have no issues with deeper waters. Also make sure he has a great basking area where he can easily rest on. A high mortality rate is probably for turtles in the wild. With the right captive care, very few turtles are lost.

[BabyNemo]

He's probably just a few months old... 6-9 months maybe. The priority would be to get the water temps to a steady 78-80F. Check for any swimming issues... most have no issues with deeper waters. Also make sure he has a great basking area where he can easily rest on. A high mortality rate is probably for turtles in the wild. With the right captive care, very few turtles are lost.

He's a great swimmer. He's in about a foot of water right now because the filter won't run without it. He has a floating log thing that he loves to climb on and I'm gonna get something new when I upgrade him.

And thank you I would be devastated if he died. I've only had him about two weeks but he already has a special place in my heart.

[steve]

Double check for any potential trapping issues... filter bar, decoration, etc as well.

[BabyNemo]

Double check for any potential trapping issues... filter bar, decoration, etc as well.

There's about three potential trapping issues now that I really look at it. The small waterfall that he uses sometimes to get in shallow water, the back of the filter, an the heater. I can't wait to upgrade. I want to get an in take submersible filter. THe only problem is, all the filters I've seen are 200+ dollars. I'm a highschool student and am getting paid 300 a week this summer. I don't want to get a cheap product that will "act" cheap. Is there any way to avoid this?

[ljapa]

Tobi wasn't that much bigger than yours when she moved to a 55 gallon that was completely filled. As long as your turtle has spots to rest in shallower water, it should be fine.

As to cheaper filters, there are some here who've had good things to say about SunSun filters.

[steve]

Submersible filters don't usually work well for turtles. While we consider canister filters the primary choice for turtles, you can look into HOT filters (hang-on-tank) like the AquaClear or Penguin. They are also cheaper, smaller brand canisters like the Odyssea and SunSun but I have not used those before.

[Kozakura]

Do you know for how long the turtle has been kept in those conditions? Keep an eye out for signs of respiratory infection.

[BabyNemo]

Do you know for how long the turtle has been kept in those conditions? Keep an eye out for signs of respiratory infection.

I have no idea! The ad had been up for 5 days when I got him.

What should I be watching for?

How do I treat one if he has one and how can I go about preventing it?

[Kozakura]

Do you know for how long the turtle has been kept in those conditions? Keep an eye out for signs of respiratory infection.

I have no idea! The ad had been up for 5 days when I got him.

What should I be watching for?

How do I treat one if he has one and how can I go about preventing it?

From http://www.redearslider.com/respiratory_behavior.html

Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections (RI) are common and deadly illnesses that affect many captive turtles. It is a contagious illness that can spread to other turtles and often requires medical attention. Improper basking and water temperatures as well as exposure to drafts and breezes greatly increase the chances of contracting RI. There are varying degrees of RI, including pneumonia, and the symptoms may also differ.

The most obvious symptom that can signal RI is if a RES is listing. Listing refers to swimming in an irregular manner, such as swimming in circles, unevenly or lopsided and even swimming upside down. Listing is caused by fluid in the lungs; more specifically, if fluid exists in one lung or there is more fluid in one lung than the other. Your RES requires immediate veterinary assistance if they exhibit this symptom. They may have RI but not this symptom. The sooner that they are examined, the better the chance they can recover. They would likely be administered Baytril or another anti-infective. A vitamin injection, antibiotics and an x-ray may also be used or suggested.

There are other possible symptoms that can signal RI, especially if they occur frequently. These may include breathing difficulties, coughing, sneezing, open mouth, yawning, wheezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, mucus from the nose (runny) or mouth and bubbling at the nose and mouth. If your RES exhibits any of these symptoms, then raising temperatures, quarantine and a water change would be the immediate actions to take. Ambient air temperature and water temperature should be raised 10 degrees F. Eliminate any drafts and cold air around the tank. Pneumonia may develop which in many cases is fatal. If your RES continues to exhibit a symptom or develops more, then consult with a qualified vet immediately.

Early this year my husband and I rescued 2 red eared sliders. They had been four months, approximately, without proper heating or lighting. Upon receiving a proper environment, issues became apparent in one of them. The smaller one was unable to submerge and floated lopsidedly, made squeaking noises on occasion, frequently coughed, and had mucous coming from it's mouth. Raising the temperature helped but was not enough to overcome the illness by itself. We had the best success with mardels marcyn 2, however that product is nolonger available. The main(only) ingredient is called minocycline. Vets may not treat turtles that are very small as it's difficult to gauge dosage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minocycline

[BabyNemo]

Do you know for how long the turtle has been kept in those conditions? Keep an eye out for signs of respiratory infection.

I have no idea! The ad had been up for 5 days when I got him.

What should I be watching for?

How do I treat one if he has one and how can I go about preventing it?

From http://www.redearslider.com/respiratory_behavior.html

Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections (RI) are common and deadly illnesses that affect many captive turtles. It is a contagious illness that can spread to other turtles and often requires medical attention. Improper basking and water temperatures as well as exposure to drafts and breezes greatly increase the chances of contracting RI. There are varying degrees of RI, including pneumonia, and the symptoms may also differ.

The most obvious symptom that can signal RI is if a RES is listing. Listing refers to swimming in an irregular manner, such as swimming in circles, unevenly or lopsided and even swimming upside down. Listing is caused by fluid in the lungs; more specifically, if fluid exists in one lung or there is more fluid in one lung than the other. Your RES requires immediate veterinary assistance if they exhibit this symptom. They may have RI but not this symptom. The sooner that they are examined, the better the chance they can recover. They would likely be administered Baytril or another anti-infective. A vitamin injection, antibiotics and an x-ray may also be used or suggested.

There are other possible symptoms that can signal RI, especially if they occur frequently. These may include breathing difficulties, coughing, sneezing, open mouth, yawning, wheezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, mucus from the nose (runny) or mouth and bubbling at the nose and mouth. If your RES exhibits any of these symptoms, then raising temperatures, quarantine and a water change would be the immediate actions to take. Ambient air temperature and water temperature should be raised 10 degrees F. Eliminate any drafts and cold air around the tank. Pneumonia may develop which in many cases is fatal. If your RES continues to exhibit a symptom or develops more, then consult with a qualified vet immediately.

Early this year my husband and I rescued 2 red eared sliders. They had been four months, approximately, without proper heating or lighting. Upon receiving a proper environment, issues became apparent in one of them. The smaller one was unable to submerge and floated lopsidedly, made squeaking noises on occasion, frequently coughed, and had mucous coming from it's mouth. Raising the temperature helped but was not enough to overcome the illness by itself. We had the best success with mardels marcyn 2, however that product is nolonger available. The main(only) ingredient is called minocycline. Vets may not treat turtles that are very small as it's difficult to gauge dosage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minocycline

So I did some research and looked at the links, I think he is healthy as far as respiratory infections. He swims crazily though, constantly towards the bottom of the tank.