Honestly never had one before, so learning as we go, and doing oodles of research. So first, to answer the questions.
How big is your turtle? 4" across
How long have you had it? 3 days
What is the water temperature? 80degrees
Did you use a thermometer? in water thermometer
Are you using a water heater? no
How much water is in there? 6 inches
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? yes
What is the basking temperature? 95-100 degrees
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? "turtle dock' suctions to sides
Is there a UVB light? yes
What have you been trying to feed it? reptobites, feeder fish, turtle bone, green leafs
When was the last time your turtle ate? this morning
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? right now 10 gallons, as we were told it was a small turtle we were picking up. Should be in a 60 gallon tank within a week or two.
Is the tank near a window? yes
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? not a lot, but some
Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes
Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? no
Alright, so we just picked up this turtle 3 days ago, from someone that admittedly was not taking care of it. There was no basking lamp, filter, nothing but a cement block. And dogs that were pushing it around in its rubber made tote. They also never told us that the plastron was sore.
Needless to say. We are doing our best to get the little one better, and avoid a hefty vet bill if at all possible. So, what we have done so far. Got the temps to a point that the turtle climbs to the basking dock on its own, and sits there for hours....lol, then jumps in the water to cool off.
The last two days since I've done some reading, we have been keeping him drydocked, giving him a sulfa dip bath, putting antibiotic ointment on, and then letting him swim for a bit, in fresh clean water. (There is also no foul smell coming from his plastron at all.) Oh, and he has a really big sore on the top of his head, apparently from the dogs...not entirely sure. And there are some ridges on his shell.
So here, are some pics, please let me know if what I'm doing is right.
And if you can, am I right that our little addition is a boy?
Is Pickle a boy or a girl?










