Page 1 of 1

RES poorly looked after

PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 12:47 pm
by JupoiUrzici
Hey,

After I've red some articles on this site I've reached the conclusion that my RES's are poorly looked after and I want to change that:
I will provide a short history:

He is 12 years old:
http://tinyurl.com/n3tz5w4
http://tinyurl.com/pzqbm84

She is 10 years old (ill atm, info viewtopic.php?f=4&t=36027 ):
http://tinyurl.com/om4zedj
http://tinyurl.com/kbuvj3x

I've had them since they were tiny turtles. They've had their share of issues (common illnesses like conjunctivitis) but I've always took them to the vet as soon as I've noticed that something was wrong. Even if everything seemed ok I still took them to the vet for a routine check. Every vet that I've spoke with told me that they are really well looked after and I should keep up the good work.

They stay in a 150l tank with a heater (which is set at 27 degrees Celsius). They do have a basking area, however there is no additional heating (the room temperature is 22 degrees Celsius in the winter and 26-27 degrees Celsius in the summer).
They don't stay together in the tank because they will fight, so they stay one at a time in the tank, while the other takes a walk trough the room.
In the summer I do take them out on the balcony to stay in the sun for 2-4 hours/day.

Nutrition wise, I've fed them for the past several years raw fish (mostly trout and sprat, on occasions some salmon) and raw beef (i've tried to feed them parts of beef which are soft and with little fat as possible). For there veggie diet I've fed them mostly green lettuce and some water plants (which I bought from the pet shop, I don't know how to name those plants) and on occasions some carrots and green cabbage.
I feed them 2-3 times/week.

After I've red some info on this site I've noticed that:

He: for what I can tell, he has some shell rot on his belly (advice, guidelines or links on how to treat that are greatly appreciated);

She: her shell is deformed unfortunately (I don't think there is something that I can do atm) but I would like some advice on how to alleviate this issue. On her belly she has like a crack which I've noticed for a few years now. Quite a few vets told me that is nothing to worry about, it's only a flaw in her shell (they've told me this about her entire shell). Yesterday I took her to a herp vet and i've been told that it looks like a cut and it shouldn't be a problem (it's a bit more sensitive that area).

Those are the problem that I've noticed. If you guys can spot anything else from the pictures or from what I've told you, please do tell so I can take care of it.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
In the next weeks I'll try to diversify their diet (they don't seem to be fans of vegies, but I'll try). Also i'm planning to upgrade their tank to a bigger one so that it could accommodate both at the same time (I was thinking a 400l tank) and I will buy and UVB lamp.

Thanks

Re: RES poorly looked after

PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 3:58 am
by badturtlebadturtle
I would strongly advise you to read up everything on this site about basic care, nutrition, habitat, basking issues and health, it is truly a great resource.
Secondly, I'm not an experienced keeper, but 150 litre (40g) seemed grossly inadequate for two adult turtles. The inadequate enclosure is a contributory reason to their aggression towards each other. The advice on most sites calls for 10 gallons per inch of your turtle's shell (Straight carapace length, that's the length of the shell from the top till the bottom near the tail excluding the curvature).
A male turtle will grow to be 7-8 inches, while a female will grow up to 12 inches, which means you will need a tank that's 90 gallons for the male (350 litre) and 130 gallons for the female (500 litre). Please ensure adequate and separate habitats for their optimum health.
I live in India, so someone from your area might be able to clue you in as to habitat options aside from an aquarium (such as cheaper stock tanks, rubbermaids etc)
Again, please go through the site and research on everything else that you might need to get. You will need a submersible water heater, a filter that's adequate for turtles, a proper basking area with heat lamp as well as UVB among other things.
Anyone experienced, please correct me if I'm wrong.
P.S. Please look for a good herp vet, even if it means having to travel a bit. A good vet will be able to direct you on correctional measures as well as start any treatment that might be required, and will also alleviate any of your fears. The people here on this site can provide info from their experience, but it's not a substitute for good veterinary care.

Re: RES poorly looked after

PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 1:24 pm
by steve
I agree with most of what badturtlebadturtle has to say here. You can probably use a larger breeder for them and create a divider for it.

I'm not sure there is shellrot. Also, these RES won't grow to full size with their shell issues and is likely permanent. I'd immediately switch to an appropriate diet and move from there.

Re: RES poorly looked after

PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 1:58 pm
by n3hihz
I feel like your turtles has similar problems to mine, with inadequate basking area before. They're aren't able to shed their scups and have a built up. I'm dry docking them once a week and aiding the process along until they get back to normal.

I also wasn't the greatest turtle owner before I found this site, and still learning to become better.