Hello. I might have a sick turtle. Could you take a look at my latest post and tell me your opinion? The post details everything I know, and I was directed to you by other Tumblr users. Your opinion on the matter could be the difference between life and death for the turtle. Thank you so so much.
Ooh, yeesh, that’s either shell rot or some kind of traumatic injury. Specifically, it looks like it could be dry SCUD. Does it look infected? Any foul smell or pus? For now, I say keep an eye on it. If it gets ANY worse, perform the treatment I pasted below.
However, a vet trip is something I would recommend for any rescue. That way they can test the turtles calcium levels (blood test) and do a fecal to check for parasites.
Also, he is definitely a she! Female red eared sliders have short front claws like that and shorter tails than males. She’s going to get ~12” long and need a 100 gallon environment (aquarium, pond, stock tank, storage bin, etc.)
First, make sure her environment is proper. How long is she (from snout to tail)? The general rule is 10 gallons per inch of shell length.
Glass aquariums are heavy and expensive, so skip those and go straight to Lowes, Home Depot, or Wal Mart and get a nice big heavy duty plastic storage bin (and some bungee cords, just in case it bows outward when filled with water. just hook them together and wrap them around the bin. Again, only if needed). A 50gal bin is easily $20-$30. A 55gal tank is $100+.
Next, you’ll need a filter. Canister filters are a great idea for turtles, except that bins are usually kept on the ground and a canister filter has to be below the tank to work. So you can get either one powerful internal power filter or better yet, a pond filter. The whole thing goes underwater and the output is via that tall black piece, the water comes out of there like a round fountain.
Ensure you do enough water changes to keep her ammonia/nitrites at 0 at all times. This is important if her wounds are to heal. As for the actual treatment, I’ve yanked from this site and put it below.
"Remove turtle and place in a quarantine tank. The infected areas should be cleaned and, if need be, affected scutes removed to ensure effective treatment underneath. Remove all squishy, off-white colored material. Be careful as the infection may have gone deep. Going too deep may cause you to penetrate into the body cavity. If you see that you will have to go more then a little bit past the surface of the shell, stop and seek veterinary assistance.
Listed below is a regimen that I have followed in treating shell problems and has yielded great results. Keep in mind that shell injuries will take months and sometimes years to get back to looking normal if the possibility exists. It takes weeks before the shell will look like it’s getting better. While treating, you are not looking for signs of healing or repair - you are looking to ensure that it is not spreading.
Clean infected areas thoroughly with a strong, undiluted betadine, iodine or Nolvasan solution. Let the turtle air dry in a warm setting for about 45 minutes.
Apply a generous coating of Silvadene cream. Work into problem areas.
Leave the turtle dry and warm, ensuring that you do not over-heat, for 18-21 hours each day.
The next day, scrub entire shell with a one of the previously mentioned solutions, using a soft-bristled toothbrush
Place them into fresh, clean water. Let them swim, drink and eat for approximately 1 - 1 ½ hours.
Repeat procedure from Step 1.
This treatment performed daily or twice daily, depending on your time allocation, has been successful in as few as 8-10 days but in more extreme cases can take a few weeks. It is difficult to tell success right away, so it is often discouraging. It is, however, quite effective and you will begin to see small improvement (in most cases) in only a few weeks.”
But like I said, that may not be necessary right now. Just give this care sheet a read and ensure you’re giving her what she needs (space, UVB light, heat, no goldfish, fresh greens, etc.)
