General Care Discussion :: open mouth breathing.

[LeslieMW]

so i was looking at my little quarter sized hatchling and she opened up her mouth and kept it open for about 15 seconds.

she does seem to open and close her mouth a few times while basking.

but i just can't believe it would be a RI.

i mean her water is warm, she has a great basking light and uvb, she seems to bask all day so she is definitely warm enough. and there are no cold air drafts near her tank.

she is still eating alot and is active. she is not swiming lopsided either, and has no problem diving.

so could it be normal? she did eat alot right before she did the open mouth thing, so maybe she got some food stuck in her throat or something?

[Daniel3507]

if its acting normal otherwise just be sure and keep an eye out for any changes

[megcornell]

She may be stressed from all the activity she's been experiencing.
I'd boost her water temp, keep her quiet, and keep your eyes out for any other symptoms.

[LeslieMW]

alright, the water is around 82 now.

i really hope she's not sick :/

and food i should give her to help her not get an RI if maybe she has a tiny cold or something?

[megcornell]

Turtles don't get tiny colds, they either get sick or they don't. Usually things look less serious because in the wild, if a turtle acted ill, it would be an easy meal, so they are experts at hiding symptoms.
There aren't any foods to protect her from illness. The best thing to do is to raise the water temperature and keep a close eye out for any other unusual behavior. You'll want to make a vet appt ASAP if something else arises. Hatchlings need all the help they can get to overcome an RI.

[LeslieMW]

oh ok thanks!

yes i am keeping my eye on her. she hasn't done any more open mouth breathing and still has a hearty appetite.

i think you were right, she was probably just really stressed from all the unwanted attention.