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I have a baby red eared slider turtle and for some reason he

 
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  • Answered by:Joan
  • Vet.Tech 30+yrs./ Reptile Rescue
  • Positive Feedback: 99.1 %
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Customer Question

I have a baby red eared slider turtle and for some reason he is refusing to eat. Also he has been wheezing a lot and is swimming lopsided. Would you happen to know why he has been doing these things?

 

Optional Information:
Pet's Gender: Male
Pet's Age: 2
Name of Animal: Bimo

Already Tried:
I have increased his tank to 80 degrees.

Submitted: 294 days and 23 hours ago.
Category: Reptile
Value: $15
Status: CLOSED
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Expert:  Joan replied 294 days and 22 hours ago.

Hello,

Can you tell me about the set up?

Filtratation?

UVB light, how old, tube or coil. strength?

Basking light?

Diet?

Joan

Customer replied 294 days and 21 hours ago.

Hello Joan,

He is in a tank with another turtle.

1. The other turtle is a Mississippi Map.

2. Yes he has a filtration system and a thermometer.

3. The only light the turtles have is the light that goes along with the tank my mother and father bought me.

4. The turtle eats food pellet's. The name of the pellets are ReptoMin. In the beginning I was giving them one a day but now I give them two a day.

Accepted Answer

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Expert:  Joan replied 294 days and 21 hours ago.

Hello,

The turtle is showing signs of Pneumonia. This can only be treated by a Herp Vet with antibiotics. I suggest raising the water temps to 85*F. The diet needs inprovement. The Slider should be on 50% veggies, 25% pellets and 25% live prey or cooked meats. The turtles need a basking light as well as a UVB light. The UVB light should be a reptisun 10.0 which supplies UVB rays(artificial sunlight) to metabolize calcium to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease. MBD softens the shell, compromises the immune system and can affect the organ function.

I suggest the turtle be seen by a Herp Vet asap. I can locate one with a State for you.

I am also including a care sheet to help you get the husbandry fixed up to help the turtles.

If satified with my answer please click the SMILELY FACE or if you need help, please hit Reply before rating me.

Joan

SLIDER TURTLE CARE SHEET

Well-cared for sliders can live 30 years or
more.

The Tank

It's recommended that a baby slider have at least a
15 gallon tank. By the time the turtle is 3-4 years old, it will need a 60
gallon tank, so it's best to get the biggest you can in the beginning. You can
also use a large RubberMaid tote. That's not as pretty as a tank, but costs a
lot less. Set up the tank so there's a land area and a water area. Put the
basking light at one end so the whole tank doesn't get too hot. You want the
water to be about twice as deep as the turtle is long. If the turtle is two
inches long, you'll want four inches of water.

Temperatures and Basking
Area

Turtles need certain types of lighting and need to be warm. Air and
water that are not warm enough can lead to fungal and respiratory infections and
unhealthy shells. Turtles must have a basking area where they can get out of the
water, dry off, and bask in very warm light. The ambient air temperature in the
tank should be around 75 *F (24*C) , with the basking area warmer still. Over
the basking area there should be some sort of lamp that will take a 40-60 watt
incandescent bulb (or you can buy a ceramic light fixture made just for
reptiles). If you live in an area that has farm stores, you can buy a metal
light fixture made to keep baby chicks warm for just a few dollars. Don't buy
the accompanying bulb, however. You need an ordinary incandescent bulb in the
basking light. Hardware stores sell similar fixtures as work lights. The basking
area should be kept at 85-90*F (29 to 32*C). Use a digital probe thermometer to
be sure. You can adjust the temperature by raising or lowering the light
fixture.The lights that come with the covers on aquariums are not suitable for
turtles. You'll also need a submersible aquarium heater that will keep the water
78-82*F (26 to 28*C).

UVB Light

It's extremely important that you
buy an additional light that produces UVB rays. A Reptisun 10.0 is a good brand
that does. If you choose another brand be absolutely certain it provides UVB
rays. Don't take the word of pet store personnel, but read it for yourself.
Full-spectrum, DayGlo, sunGlo, UV, or UVA are not the same thing. I'm putting a
lot of emphasis on this because it's crucial to your turtle's health. Without
this light, Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) will develop because your turtle won't
be able to produce vitamin D. Vitamin supplements are not a good replacement for
the proper lighting. MBD causes a very slow and painful death.UVB bulbs must be
replaced every six months as they lose their effectiveness after that, even
though they may still look fine. Light that comes through a window isn't
sufficient because the glass filters out most of the rays turtles need to stay
healthy. To prevent MBD, turtles also need calcium. The easiest way to provide
it is to place a cuttlebone in the tank. Cuttlebones are sold in bird
departments of pet stores.

Filtration

Turtles are very sensitive
to water quality. Even if you change the water every day, it can still contain
harmful chemicals. A good filtration system is essential. Water changes are also
needed even with a filter. If the tank is too small, no filter can keep up with
the amount of waste that turtles produce.

Feeding

Feeding is an
area where pet stores often give out bad information. Commercial food should
make up only 1/4 of the diet. Animal products (cooked meat, earthworms, canned
cat food) should make up another 1/4. The remaining half should be plant foods
(dark lettuce like romaine, bits of strawberry or melon, etc.). Hatchlings
should be fed every day. Older turtles should be fed 3 times per week.
Overfeeding can lead to gout and kidney failure.

For Further
Reading

This is among the most reputable sites on
turtles.


http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-yellowbelly.htm


Expert TypeVet.Tech 30+yrs./ Reptile Rescue
Category: Reptile
Pos. Feedback: 99.1 %
Accepts: 5412
Answered: 6/24/2012

Experience: I have been doing Reptile Rescues for 15+ Years

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Picture
Expert:  Joan replied 291 days and 22 hours ago.

Hi,

I'm just following up on our conversation about Bimo. How is everything going?

Joan

Customer replied 291 days and 20 hours ago.

Hello Mrs. Joan,
Thank you for all of your help but unfortunately my turtle passed later on that niight. :(
I am sad but my parents are going to buy me two more and thanks to your help what happened to Bimo will not happen again. I will miss him a lot.

Picture
Expert:  Joan replied 291 days and 20 hours ago.

Hello,

I am so sorry for the loss! Pneumonia is very hard on turtles. I hope the information I supplied will help with the new turtles. Please feel free to ask for me if you ever hav a problem. Joan

 
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