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FAQs About Turtle Eye Disease/Health
Related Articles:
Turtle eye diseases; Recognising and
treating eye diseases in pet turtles by
Neale Monks,
Treating Common Illnesses
of the Red Ear Slider (& other Emydid Turtles) by Darrel Barton, So your turtle
has the Flu? Recognising and treating respiratory infections in pet
turtles by Neale Monks,
The Care and Keeping of the
Red Eared Slider,
Trachemys scripta elegans by
Darrel Barton,
Shell Rot in Turtles,
Turtles,
Amphibians, Red
Eared Slider Care,
Related FAQs: Turtle Disease
1, Turtle Disease 2,
Shell Rot,
RES Disease, &
Turtles 1,
Turtles 2,
Red Ear Sliders,
Turtle Identification,
Turtle Behavior,
Turtle Compatibility,
Turtle Selection,
Turtle Systems,
Turtle Feeding,
Turtle Reproduction,
Amphibians, Other
Reptiles,
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I have a very sick red eared slider with swollen eye
7/27/2009
Hi,
<Hiya> my name's Adam from Malaysia.
<Darrel from Los Angeles here>
I have a very sick red eared slider with swollen eye for about 1 week,
have been using turtle eyes drop but without the vitamin A in it (cant
get the zoo medic brand). How do I get it to eat if it won't open it's
eye?
<It's very important that you get him to eat, Adam. You need vitamin A
and vitamin D into his system, not just around his eye, of the problem
will get worse.>
How long can it survive without eating?
<Assuming he's otherwise healthy -- and that is not very sure at this
point, he could go even a month or so without eating. BUT .. and this is
the really problem ... if he's developed a vitamin deficiency it means
that his diet has been wrong for quite a long time.>
What is the duration of treatment with the eye drops? Currently it's
quarantined all day, I only it let in distilled water for 15 min.s a day
max. As for a vet, cant find one who knows the stuff here.
<Here are two links. One will tell you how to treat a eye problems and
the second will cover all the basic care needs that you have to meet to
prevent this from happening again>
<treatment:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/treating%20RES%20Dis%20DarrelB.htm>
<care: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
<You're doing a good thing by keeping him warm and dry, Adam. Make sure
he gets plenty of UV light, even if that means you take him outside in
the sunshine. Sunshine is a great way to get his body to start
manufacturing Vitamin D, just make sure you watch him and don't let him
overheat. 10 minutes 5 times a day is far better than 25 minutes twice a
day due to the danger of him heating too much.>
<One way to stimulate eating is to warm that daily bath. Give him 20
minutes swimming time in warm water (but only up to his shoulders, no
higher) and often that will help stimulate his appetite.>
<Offer earth worms or very small pieces of liver, both are high in
Vitamin A>
Red Ear Slider unable to grab
food 6/1/2009
I have a red ear slider who is about 6 years old. I am not sure on sex.
Based on size I would say female but we may have seen it's male parts.
<The urogenital systems of turtles are largely internal, and the penis
won't be visible unless the turtle is actually mating. Instead, look
firstly at the claws: if they're long, it's probably a male. Secondly,
look
at the length of the tail. Males have longer tails, with the cloaca (the
combined anal/urogenital opening) nearer the tip than the base of the
tail, whereas on females the cloaca is nearer the base of the tail than
the
tip.>
The issue is he wants to eat but has trouble grabbing the food. He is a
bit lethargic and is no longer aggressive during eating time.
<If a turtle is clumsy when trying to feed, as yours is, that's a fairly
reliable sign of poor health. Review environmental conditions. Check
that the water is adequately heated, that the turtle has access to UV-B
light, and that the water is changed at least once a week. There's a
good summary here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/RESCareBarton.htm
Also check that the turtle isn't wheezing and that it's eyes are clear
and bright, not groggy-looking or swollen
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/turtrespart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/turteyedisart.htm
These are both very common problems caused by improper diet, lack of
warmth, etc. Since turtles should live 15+ years, that you lost one that
was only 6 years old is a bit worrying. Some problems, such as the lack
of UV-B light or the lack of vitamins can take months, even years, to
cause death.>
We had another res which passed a few months ago I believe the temp got
to low we since have added a heater to the tank.
<Would be careful here; turtles can, will destroy glass heaters. Put a
plastic mesh called a "heater guard" around the heater. Some heaters
come with these anyway (or at least, they do here in the UK) but
aquarium shops sell them for use with cichlids, catfish, etc.>
It appears he sees the food but just can't quite grasp the food I have
tried meal worms, brine shrimp, romaine lettuce, pellets nothing works.
<Check his eyes!>
We were able to hold the food with a fork until he grabbed on but that
does not seem to work lately. I am afraid he will die if he does not eat
soon.
Need Help!!!
<Hope this helps.>
Nesa
<Cheers, Neale.>
Lethargic Red Eared Slider 2/11/09
Hello,
<Hiya, Darrel here tonight>
I recently bought a baby red ear
slider about a week ago.
<Congratulations!>
Shell length
is about 1 and ½ inches. He has the proper set up. UVB lamp and
heating as well. 2 dry spots and a filter. His water temps are
typically 75 F but now that he is sick, I bumped it up to 80. He
hasn't eaten since I bought him 1.27.09 and I assumed he was
adapting to his environment when he just recently started
rubbing his eyes and tearing up.
<Not a good sign>
I
assumed it was the waters chlorine levels and change the water
to fresh water.
<Turtles are fine in normal tap water>
Then his eyes were swollen shut and he's been sleeping all day.
I purchased zoo med Repti eye drops and that opened his eyes
then he closed them again. I have been using them for the past 3
days now. He hasn't been active at all and just sleeps all the
time and I'm curious as to what illness does that lead to.
<Reptiles and Fish are very stoic animals, Marlie. That means
that they don't show most signs of illness until they are so
weak they can no longer hide it.>
<My guess is that his
feeding and climate have not ALWAYS been as right as you have
them and now it's mostly a long-term debilitation.>
He hasn't
been swimming lopsided nor coughs, sneezes, or has mucus
secretions but he hardly wakes up. Can you please tell me what
is wrong exactly is his body fighting a respiratory infection or
just en eye infection?
<Take him out of the aquatic
environment and place him somewhere warm and dry. I'd like his
air temp to be around 88 to 90 degrees constantly. Raising his
metabolism will help him a little bit in fighting off whatever
is getting to him. At least 10 minutes of direct sunlight each
day as well. We want to expose his skin to unfiltered sunlight
(not thru glass or even screen) for a few minutes, but not so
much as to cook him (turtles can overheat)>
As far as the
cause, mostly likely a vitamin deficiency and the sunlight will
help a bit. The big problem is that if you can't perk him up
enough to eat, he'll have to be force-fed and that's not
something for the novice. Warm him up as described, place him in
a shallow bowl of luke warm water once a day for 5 minutes at
which time you can offer him a few koi pellets, ReptoMin food
sticks or maybe even an earthworm (pets stores carry Night
Crawlers -- one for him and the rest in your garden)>
How can
I make him eat, be active and healthy?
<I appreciate the
desire and effort, Marlie, we all feel the same. Hopefully he'll
respond and start to eat and we can get enough nutrition into
him to help him recover.>
Please help I don't want him to
die.
<Nor do we, Marlie. Warm, dry, sunlight and food and
we'll all root for you!>
Yellow Belly Sliders. Big Mamma and
Little Mamma, turtle eye dis. ~ 01/12/09
Hi there, I
have 2 large lady yellow belly sliders (big Mamma and little Mamma), and as we
live in Tenerife, Canary Islands, we don't normally need to use basking lamps or
heat lamps. Nor do we bother during the winter months as it doesn't get that
cold. As these ladies are now on the large size they don't hibernate as they did
when they were little..... unfortunately we are experiencing a really cold year
with temperatures dropping to 15/17 degrees at night and as the tank is outside
I am a bit concerned. I know that where they come from in the tropics night
temperatures drop, and they are used to being outside, I am just a bit
concerned.
They eat greens and complete cat food which they love, every three
days, but refuse the other pellets (once they had tasted the cat food!). The
tank which has a filter is cleaned out weekly while they take a stroll around
the bath with the shower running until the process is completed, they love it.
Unfortunately big Mamma has developed an eye infection, one of her eyes is
closed but is not swollen, she is also on her basking mat a lot of the time and
is sluggish, this from a lady that loves her food, especially small scraps of
liver which her and an unidentified male terrapin that we rescued about a year
ago, try to beat each other to. I also feel that she needs added vitamins and
calcium but am not sure how I can administer it to her when she is not eating.
Should I use a dropper and give it to her off a pipette? I am popping her to the
vets tomorrow but until she is better do you think I should bring the tank
inside and start heating it. Or just bring it inside (its 20 degrees inside at
the moment)
All the vets here, and the pet shops say this is not necessary
for our climate but I feel the water is far too cold especially as she isn't
very well at the moment.
Please could you give me some advice.
Kind
regards Jackie
<Hello Jackie. The eye infection will require some sort of
systemic antibiotic treatment that your vet can provide advice on. Assuming
you've caught this early, treatment is easy and inexpensive. With reptiles,
getting them to the vet is always a nuisance because so few vets are properly
trained to handle them, so prevention is better than cure. But I think you've
been unlucky here, and that what we have is an opportunistic infection that's
followed on from an abnormally cold season. As you correctly observe, these
turtles come from mostly warm parts of the world, though in their native United
States cold snaps can happen in parts of their range. While turtles can tolerate
a certain amount of cold then, I'm a firm believer in keeping a heater handy so
that the watery side of their habitat can be set to a minimum wintertime
temperature of 18-20 degrees C, depending on the species. Turtles are clumsy
though, so if possible avoid the glass aquarium heaters unless protected with a
plastic grill (some come with this feature by default). External heaters that
clip onto the filter (like the Hydor ETH) are much more convenient. If bringing
them indoors would provide the same result, then by all means do so. For a
couple of months, your turtles can easily get by without a basking lamp, though
if you want to buy one, then go ahead. In any case, vitamin supplements and
calcium can be added to their diet, and these are available in pet stores
catering to reptile keepers. That said, a balanced diet should provide all the
vitamins and minerals they need, but because your turtle has an eye infection,
your vet will very likely administer a Vitamin A injection. A lack of this
vitamin is particularly associated with eye diseases.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turteyedisart.htm
Vitamin A comes
from a variety of sources including liver and many different greens and tubers.
Liver should be used sparingly, but as a treat should provide ample vitamin A
assuming the turtles are otherwise getting a diet rich in plant material. For
calcium, you can of course add calcium powder to their food, but whole crunchy
foods such as small (dead) fish such as whitebait would do the trick nicely. A
friend of mine feeds her three tortoises cooked chicken bones now and again, and
they love them!
While I wouldn't recommend such hard, splintery foods for
aquatic turtles, it does make the point that calcium is in all sorts of foods,
and in a varied diet your turtles shouldn't lack the stuff. Cheers, Neale.>
Red Eared Slider behavior – 07/14/08
Hi,
<Hiya, Darrel here>
I have a few questions for you, I hope you can help me care better for my
son Pauli:
<I'm going to read on before I make any leaps of logic here>
1. I bought a RES, her eyes were swollen shut and were draining pus. I went
to the Pet Shop and got drops and other medicines, the tank has UV lights,
the water temp was fine, and I left her in the sun for 30mins a day, but
after a week she died, I just want to know what more I could have done as I
am scared to buy another one, I got too attached and then got sick when she
died.
<On behalf of Bob Fenner and the entire crew, we're sorry for your loss,
Chantell. Buying an animal that is already showing signs of illness will
almost never have a happy ending. The predators of fish and reptiles usually
go for the weak and injured animals first, so if you're a fish or a turtle
it pays NOT to be sick or injured, but even if you are sick or injured -- it
pays to not APPEAR to be sick or injured. For this reason fish and reptiles
are very stoic animals - they often will appear to be just FINE until
suddenly they appear REALLY sick and this is often just hours before they
die. Most fish or reptiles have had a debilitating disease for weeks --
sometimes even months -- without any signs that you would see unless you
were looking closely and knew just what to look for>
<You did the right things -- Vitamin A (injections are best but drops
usually work), massive antibiotic injections and sunlight are three of the
four things needed, but by the time the eyes are weeping pus, the fourth
item you needed was a small miracle. Again, our sympathies.>
2. Also I have a male Red Eared Slider named Pa
Red Eared Slider with eye crust
1/3/09
Dear Crew
<Hiya Beth, Darrel here - This is my
200th response since joining the WWM!!!!>
My Red Eared Slider is 3 years old
and just came to me from a relative who was unable to care for it.
<Beth,
it's great that you rose to the challenge! (Did I mention this is my 200th
response on WWM?)>
RES had been previously living in a filthy algae covered
tank, but after 2 months he is clean, happy, and active. The relative's vet told
us to soak him in iodine which I did a few times.
<Hmm, the iodine soak is a
little overkill. We sometimes do that to help fight specific topical wounds, but
generally not just on general principle.
(Yep, 200 letters!) When a sick &
dirty one makes it to my door, I usually use dish soap and a toothbrush to clean
the shell - just making sure to keep the soap put of their nose & mouth. But in
you case, as long as he's clean, that's what counts. More on the tooth brush
later>
He eats well, swims a lot, and can see his food, objects in his tank
and people outside of it, however when he is on his turtle dock for an extended
period of time and gets dry he develops a white, salt-like crust around his
eyes.
<Not any big deal Beth, that's usually just a tear-like excretion to
get rid of salt. As long as the eyes are clear and he's alert, you'd O.K. (in
the past year, I've answered as many letters as Bob, Sara and Neale each seem to
answer every week)>
He has a warm water 78F and basking area, and just shed
some skin. My relative only fed him food pellets and I have tried everything
imaginable to get him to eat dark leafy greens, fish, turtle pudding, and it
doesn't work.
<One part of me wants to know all the things you tried in
order to get him to eat. I have a vivid imagination, so when you say you tried
everything imaginable, I'm wondering: Did that include Herb Alpert music and a
red clown nose? >
<Seriously ... or as seriously AS I GET ..... Decent
quality Koi Pellets or Repto-Min Food sticks are already a 100% balanced and
healthy diet! I've raised hatchling Sliders into grown adults that produced
their own offspring on nothing but Kay-Tee brand Koi pellets and an occasional
night crawler (earthworm) just given because it's fun to watch them eat it, so
if he's eating the pellets, count yourself lucky. >
<And by the way, what is
"turtle pudding"? It sounds dangerous>
I clean the tank (10 gallons) every
week, and use dechlorinating drops.
<Again, don't bother dechlorinating. The
tiny bit of chlorine or chloramine from tap water is perfectly O.K. for turtles
and in fact helps a tiny bit with the cleanliness! Yep -- TWO HUNDRED letters
all containing the same sage wisdom!>
Should I be worried about the eye
crust? It seems to disappear once back in the water and his eyes are not red,
swollen, purulent, filmy, cloudy etc. just the crust.
<You're looking for the
right things, Beth - and so far, everything you're seeing is good. Keep up the
good work! >
<Darrel>
<Notes on cleaning a turtle with a toothbrush:
Benefit from my mistakes:
Don't use a family member's tooth brush (let me
tell you ... was THAT ever drama!) -- use a dedicated tooth brush just for that
purpose. Coat the shell and skin area(s) with a bit of Iodine (Povidone, etc) or
even household vinegar (white, not Balsamic, please - this isn't a salad) and
let it sit for three minutes or so, then run the brush under cold water and
scrub all areas thoroughly. When done, just rinse him under the running water
(try not to let the water run on his face) and then let him air-dry.
>
<Did you know the toothbrush was invented up in the backwoods of Arkansas?>
<Yep, because anywhere else, it would have been called the TEETH
brush!!!!!!!!!!>
<rimshot!>
<O.K. folks, no letters, OK? It's a joke and
the last thing we need is letters from the lawyers representing the backwoods
hillbilly defamation league .......>
<My New Years Resolution is to come up
with funnier material .... but no one should hold their breath.>
li that I have had for about 8 months now. He
is healthy and beautiful. Last night I was talking to him and he started to make
funny sounds, like he was "talking" back to me. I called my husband as I thought
I was imagining it but he did the same. He swims to the top of the water with
just his head out and then makes the sounds. Is it normal?
<Is he telling you to kill your landlord or buy stocks in an Internet
Startup? I know that sounds crazy, Chantell, but take it from me -- I breed
turtles ... and turtles don't know ANYTHING about the stock market!>
<Seriously, the can make a sort of clicking sound with their jaws and
something resembling a hiss/growl as they breathe. The thing to do is make SURE
that it's not the bubbly/raspy sound of breathing through an upper respiratory
infection. Look closely for bubbles coming from the nose as he breathes.>
3. Pauli eats anything meaty and leafy, but he refuses to eat the pellets we
give him. I have tried to mix it with meaty things but he is too clever, he eats
the meat and leaves the pellets, when he does occasionally bit into one he spits
it right back out. Do you have any suggestions how to get him to eat it?
<Yes I do, but you're not going to like it. After you verify that Pauli is
otherwise healthy you stop giving him food of any kind except Tetra brand
Repto-Min and you offer THAT only once a week for no longer than 10 minutes &
then you remove it and try again next week. Week after week. Into next month and
maybe the month after. Until Pauli gets hungry enough to eat. It's a contest of
wills, Chantell. I once went .... brace yourself .... in fact sit down .... I
once went THREE AND A HALF YEARS with a Box turtle named Clara that had fixated
on strawberries and wouldn't eat anything else. Every week, every month, every
year .... nothing. I was convinced she was trying to out-live me until one day
she turned a corner and ate the earthworm I'd offered. After that, everything
was fine except for her incessant chatter about investing in some company named
goodell or goober or Google or something like that!>
<Make sure that water temp is not too warm -- and that basking temp IS nice
and warm. Available temperature choices are a major factor in eating habits.>
4. Last question, Pauli sometimes has the habit of swimming around and then
doing a 180degree turn in the water when visitors come over, is he playing?
<We're not sure if turtles have that level of sentient awareness, Chantell,
but they sure do entertaining things!>
Thank you,
<You're welcome!>
Chantell
P.S We don't have vets in the UAE specializing in reptiles, so a friend
suggested this sight. Keep up the great work, I learned a few things from the
site.
<Keep the kudos coming! We're vain & shallow & respond well to praise!!!!!!>
What kind of algae is this? White
threads, turtle sys. 7/10/08
I have this white string, very thin squiggling all over my tank. Do you
know what this could be? Could it be because the lighting is to high. I had
to separate them with a divider in the tank. With that I had to add more
lighting. Will it hurt my turtles. They are red ear sliders. I noticed
something was going on the other day when they were rubbing their eyes. I
cleaned their water and noticed that when I filled the tank and started the
filter all these white things appeared. I have two eheim 2217 filters
running. What should I do next.
Christine
<Hello Christine. If the threads are white (particularly off-white or grey)
then they almost certainly not algae, but either fungus or bacteria. In both
cases, these imply organic matter that is decaying. In fish tanks you
usually see this stuff on wood that hasn't been properly "cured" before use.
It isn't in itself harmful, but it does reveal a less-than-clean aquarium,
and that in turn implies you may have a background problem. In the short
term at least, I'd fill a bucket with water, switch off the filters, move
the filters so that their inlet/outlet pipes are in the bucket, and turn the
filters back on so the bacteria are happy with water flowing through the
filter media. Then I'd move the turtles to the same or another bucket. Now
I'd do a "deep clean" of the tank, scrubbing it right down and siphoning out
any detritus. While this will likely take the best part of an afternoon,
it'll be worth it if the tank is nice and clean afterwards. Reconnect
everything, put the turtles back, and then see how things go. Make sure you
aren't overfeeding the turtles, and pay special attention to removing
uneaten food. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: what kind of algae is this?
7/10/08
Thanks Neale
You don't think I should clean out the filters or any parts in the filter? I
also so one of my turtles eating these things could that be harmful. Also
there eyes what should I do?
Thanks Christine
<By all means clean the filter if you wish. Just take care not to harm the
filter bacteria: rinse the sponges/ceramic noodles in buckets of aquarium
water, and once the media is back inside the filter, make sure the filter
isn't switched off for more than 20 minutes. If the turtles eat the fungus
or bacterial threads, it will do them no harm. Re: eyes, read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turteyedisart.htm
They may casually scratch their eyes if you don't dechlorinate the water, or
the water is dirty, but if persistent this can be a sign of a serious
problem. Cheers, Neale.>
Swollen Eyes 4/18/08
Dear Crew,
We have box turtles. Seven total, four adults & 3 babies we found in May
last year.
Two have swollen eyes. One worse than the other. Thanks to your website &
another we found, we've been giving them eye drops for bacteria for about a week
now. One has gotten significantly better the other seemed to be getting better
but now looks just as bad as it was before the drops. if you have any other
suggestions please pass them on.
Thank,
Karen
<Hi Karen, do read this:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/turteyedisart.htm
Most eye swelling diseases in turtles are not directly caused by bacteria,
though secondary infections are certainly an issue. Diet (lack of greens), dirty
water (too small tank/not enough filtration/too few water changes), and
insufficient UV-B light are all critical factors. Review these, and act
accordingly. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Swollen Eyes... 1st person, Chelonians
5/1/08
Our eyes are much better thank you & we are looking forward to moving to our
outside habitat permanently this weekend (we've had several supervised outings
the last couple of weeks) where we will get lots of good sunlight for vitamins A
& D.
<This all sounds very promising. Secondary infections inside the body can take a
while to fade away, but seemingly you've turned the corner and can expect a full
recovery. Good luck, and thanks for the update! Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Turtle FAQs work on WWM,
call for articles - 1/17/08
Hi Bob,
<Big N>
Here's the other article. There are two separate diseases going on here, so it's
a little schizophrenic. Hope it works as it is. You may decide to split into
two, in which case, feel free!
Cheers,
Neale
PS. Thanks for the PayPal money! Got that safely yesterday.
<Ah good... more about now. Cheers, B>
Big trouble in Little Turtletown
12/11/07
Hey my turtles drinking his water but isn't eating... I think he's blind.
<Greetings. Not nearly enough information here to go with. What sort of
"turtle"? Terrestrial (i.e., tortoise) or amphibious (i.e., slider/terrapin)?
How large is it? When you say you think it's blind, why? Does it have puffy or
inflamed eyes, or cataracts, or what? Is it ignoring its food because you're
offering it the wrong sorts of food items? Most turtles are, to some degree,
herbivores, and need/want plant matter in their diet, and quickly become sick
when given just pellet or meaty food day in, day out. Let's be very clear on
something: almost all turtle sickness comes down to people not providing good
care, either because they're unaware of what turtles need (i.e., didn't read up
about them first) or are too callous to care (i.e., don't want to make the
required effort). Aquatic turtles need warm water, a UV-B lamp for basking, dry
land to bask on, a filter to keep the water clean, and regular water changes, at
least 50% per week. In the case of things like Red-ear Sliders, the diet needs
to be about 50% plant matter when they are young, and as much as 75% plant
matter when adult. Some diseases can be fixed using off-the-shelf medications,
but many bacterial infections, such as those that cause respiratory tract and
eye infections, almost always require a trip to the vet. Reptiles generally take
a long time to die, so if you ignore the problem and just 'hope for the best',
you are basically condemning the animal to weeks if not months of pain and
misery. So get back in touch with some details, and let's save this turtle.
Cheers, Neale.>
Baby Turtle With Puffy Eyes 5/11/06
Hi, I've been having some problems with my baby yellow-bellied slider. He's
about the size of a quarter, and has been doing great until about the past two
or three weeks. He's having trouble opening his eyes (there seems to be some
kind of film over them), wasn't eating, and spends most of his day sleeping on
the dock. He also does this unusual movement with his neck (it's seems like he's
moving it in and out of his shell). I've taken him out of his normal tank last
night (there is also a red-eared slider in there) and placed him separately with
a stronger heat lamp. As soon as he was placed in there, he ate, jumped in the
water and started swimming for about an hour, and soon went back to sleep. Since
then, he's only been in the water once today, and I'm pretty sure he hasn't
eaten. The vet said that there is nothing wrong with him, but I still have a
feeling something is going on. Would it be possible for someone to help me solve
this problem? Thank you,
< Clean the tank and treat the eyes with Repti Turtle Eye Drops by Zoo Med. The
extra heat was a very good idea. Between the drops and the heat your little
turtle should be fine in no time.-Chuck>
Turtle Expert,
Turtles With Injuries 8/8/06
Hello Robert, I hope you are a turtle expert. I have two turtles with
problems. 1st Case is a 3 inch Eastern Painted Turtle. He was bitten by
a bigger female (which is no longer with the little guy). Parts of the
back of his shell have fallen off and it appears white, not a fungus,
but the scutes seem to be missing. I use a soft toothbrush to clean it
every other day and spray it with HerpCare Skin & Shell Treatment by
Mardel letting it dry then putting him back into the water.
2nd Case is a 3 1/2 inch Red-eared Slider. Recently one of his eyes
have become infected. I don't know if he was injured or what
happened. When she is underwater it looks like fungus. She can open it
and you can see slight puffiness around the eye. The eye itself looks
fine. I have been treating her daily with Fluker Laboratories' Reptile
Eye Rinse.
Both are still active and eating. What would you recommend I do for
them?
Thanks! Brian Kallenberg
< Keep the turtles isolated so they don't get worse. Keep the water
clean and add a Dr Turtle Sulpha Block by ZooMed. This should inhibit
any bacterial growth. Try ZooMed Repti Wound Healing Aid and the Repti
Turtle Sulpha Dip. This should really help with the wounds/trauma. If
the eye problem is caused from a deficiency in vitamin A, then look into
amending the diet with more vegetables with a vitamin supplement. The
ZooMed Turtle Eye Drops really help with these eye problems.-Chuck>
Re: Turtle Expert, Eye Problems In Turtle 8/12/06
Thanks for your help, I have one last question. Since the infection is only
in one eye, can I rule out a vitamin deficiency? Brian
< No, not really. The other eye may come down with the same problem and
delaying treatment may only make things worse.-Chuck>
Turtle With Eye/Head Problem 1/4/07
Hi, My boyfriend and I came home yesterday from a three week vacation to
find one of our painted turtles completely disoriented. It's left eye
socket is swollen about twice its normal size, his head is cocked
completely to the left, as if it is stuck and he cant move it back
straight, and he can only swim/walk in a tight circle. We called a pet
store in Detroit last night and they told us the turtle may have gotten
too hot and suffered brain damage, but I don't see how that is possible.
Is there another reason? Some sort of disease that would cause this?
Should I attempt to gently pull its head out to straighten it? I
appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. I live in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan and have no access to vets or anyone with
knowledge of exotic animals. Thank you, Brie
<If your turtle is wild caught then there is a host of parasitic worms
that may be at work here. Go to Kingsnake.com and contact a good herp
vet that may be able to walk you through a proffered treatment for this
problem. In the meantime raising the temperature of the environment to
85 F may work like a fever and help treat the disease.-Chuck>
Yellowed Belly Hatchling Basks With His Eyes Closed 12/31/06
Hi, I have bought a hatchling Yellow-Bellied Slider, and before buying I
researched a lot. I have had him for a day, and I'm feeding him on
ReptoMin food sticks. He ate yesterday, which seems okay. I have noticed
that when he comes out of the water onto his basking area (which is at
85 F), he tends to close his eyes. He keeps them open in the water and
when he's sleeping (he sleeps at the top of the water), but when he gets
up onto land and basks, he closes his eyes (his eyelids are like a
clear-ish film). I just wanted to know if this is normal, or should I be
worried? Thanks.
< Basking lights are very bright and the eyelids are there to protect
your turtles young eyes from too much light. If the eyes get puffy or do
not open then there is a vitamin A deficiency and ZooMed Turtle Eye
Drops are needed.-Chuck>
New Turtle Problems 8/13/05
Hi I recently bought two baby turtles, we were told they were baby Brazilian
turtles. We have them in a fairly big tank, with rocks to climb on and water in
for when they want a swim, we have made it so they can climb on the rocks easily
too. We have a water a filter in and a light but its not UV. We don't have a
heater either but we have
thermometer in it saying it is about 24 degrees. The turtles were the same size
when we bought them but one of them is not doing much. One of them has grown an
awful lot bigger the other hasn't, this one doesn't seem to eat and the eyes are
closed all the time, whereas the bigger turtle is very active and playful. Is
our turtle ill or is it something else?
< Sounds like your turtle is sick.>
We were going to get a UV light or heater and some plants to put in the tank,
will this help?
< South American rainforest is pretty hot and humid all the time. Air and water
temps should be at least 27 C. I would recommend heating the air with a good
plant/heat lamp. The basking spot should be very warm. If your sick turtle can
get under the spot, the increased temps will act like a fever on a human and
help fend off diseases. The usual problem is respiratory and may need
antibiotics. To be sure I would take him to a qualified vet experienced in
turtles.>
We are feeding them turtle and terrapin food at the minute given to us by the
pet store. Please could you advise me on how to get my little turtle better, we
are very worried about her? Kind Regards, Sara
< The eye problems may be caused by a vitamin A deficiency. Get some turtle eye
drops. When the eyes are clear he may start to eat more and move around.-Chuck>
Turtle Problems 8/14/05
Hi, I'm W. Pentony, owner of SHeZ inc.. I'm thirteen and I have two yellow belly
turtles, Norbert and Scuttles. Scuttles, who is a bit bigger than Norbert, has
been sleeping 24-7 for the past couple of weeks. I haven't been
able to feed him since. He is still alive though, but when I wake him he won't
open his eye's to let me feed him. Norbert on the other hand is the complete
opposite of Scuttles, so I don't worry about him. What's wrong with
Scuttles, and what could I do?
< Separate the turtles into different containers. The sick one may spread a
disease to the healthy one. Make sure both have full spectrum basking light over
each one. The basking spot should be able to get up to 100 F. If it is not then
move the source closer or get a bigger wattage light. When turtles or most herps
get sick they need heat to raise their body temp like when you get sick and get
a fever. Turtles cannot raise their own body temp so they rely on an external
source like the sun. When turtles lack vitamin A in their diet they are prone to
eye problems. Get some ZooMed Turtle Eye Drops and use as directed. If not any
better after a few days then you should consult a vet. -Chuck>
Water Turtles with Eye Problems 8/23/05
Hi, I'm writing from Singapore and I've been reading your column which I
think is great and is of great help. Thanks and keep up the good work.
I have eleven RES. The largest is about 13 inches long (Mr. Hello Boy) and the
tiniest (Dotty) is about an inch long. Recently, to my great distress, Little
Five and Little Three have developed some eye disease, like cataracts. They
have thick white film over their eyes. Little Five cannot open his eyes anymore
whilst Little Three can keep his eyes open but they look funny; maybe he is
already blind. Please advise me on how to save them. Will they die? Or is
there a cure?
Thanks so much. Warmest regards across the continents, Joy Tan
< Some turtle eye problems are caused by a vitamin A deficiency. Others may be
caused by bacterial problems. I would isolate the sick turtles into separate
containers. Make sure the water is in the mid to upper 20's C. Try and get some
ZooMed Turtle Eye Drops. Keep the water clean and warm. Heat is very effective
in curing many reptile maladies. Make sure the basking spot is good and hot
(29-32 C). Very sick turtles may require the attention of a vet for
antibiotics.-Chuck>
Blind Red Eared Sliders 10/9/05
About a month ago I adopted two sightless RES's. According to the rescue
organization they became blind when someone other than themselves allowed them
to hibernate without the proper experience and they developed eye infections
that left them blind. When I originally got these two guys, the rescue
organization had over-looked shell rot on one of their plastron's which I have
been treating and have seen progress and healing. I feed then in their own
separate containers and one has been eating very well (the one with the shell
rot).
The other one I have yet to see eat. They have plenty of water plants in the
tank so I don't think he'll starve to death but I would like to know if you can
give me any tips on what to do, to encourage him to eat. I've tried turtle
pellets, crickets, koi pellets, cichlid pellets, pinkies, red worms I have in my
kitchen composting my kitchen waste, pureed salmon I have mixed with egg and
then cooked, feeder fish I have killed immediately before feeding and who knows
what else I can't think of right now - but nothing entices him to eat.
The other one has a taste for anything and everything but pellets. The rescue
organization told me they were totally self sufficient, living in a pond with
sighted turtles and left to their own devices. I can't believe this is true.
Just this last week I started feeding them three times a week from feeding them
every day.
I'm hoping you can give me some pointers on feeding these two - I don't trust
the rescue I got them from. They said I was babying them and had ruined all the
hard work they had devoted to these two to make them self sufficient and wanted
them back - I said no and cut off my correspondence with them.
HELP!!! These are my first turtles and I am already attached to them. Am I
being selfish by keeping them? - should I return them to the rescue, as they
suggest? Any thoughts? Please. Thanks in advance. - Thomas
< Heat the tank to 70 F with an aquarium heater. Make sure the basking spot gets
up to at least 90 F. They will be attracted to the heat and bake away. They need
the excess heat to digest their food and fight diseases. After heating up for
awhile their appetite should come around.-Chuck.>
Turtle Kept too Warm - Have Them Take Off the Turtlenecks! (Blind RES
Follow-up) 10/10/05
Thanks Chuck for your speedy response - They are in a 90 gallon tank and the
water is heated between 78 and 82, the basking area is 18" x 18" with a 7" ramp
in the water. The dock is about 96 at it's hottest spot. I dry-dock them every
day for most of the day. Am I keeping the water too warm?
< Turn down the heater to 70 F>
Should I leave them alone for a week or so and see what happens?
< Turtle know when they need to bask and when they don't. I would leave them
alone for awhile.>
The reason I started to dry-dock them was because of the shell rot. If you could
comment on my water readings which show 0 nitrItes with a 40 ppm nitrAte
reading. Somehow that doesn't seem right to me.
< You have a bacteria bed established that are converting the ammonia and
nitrites to nitrates like they are suppose to. The high nitrate readings are
contributing to the shell rot problem. Keeping the tank clean will help cure the
rot.>
I have also read that the water should be slightly acidic. Is that true or can I
leave it where it is - neutral to slightly alkaline.
< Bacteria don't do as well is an acidic environment. Use a Dr Turtle Sulfa
Block by ZooMed to help acidify the water and help cure the shell rot.>
Thanks - you all are always sooooooo helpful. I have a few fish tanks and
although I have been a tropical fish enthusiast for 30 something years whenever
something comes up I haven't come across before - y'all seem to always have the
answers or at the very least send me in the right direction - thanks for being
there. - Thomas
< Thank for your kind words.-Chuck>
Turtles, Eye Infections, Lack of Appetite - 11/26/2005
Hi
<Good afternoon.>
I have two yellow belly turtles who have an eye infection. Their eyes are
getting better (antibiotic/eye drops) but they have now stopped eating. Any
suggestions as to what I can do.
<You might try feeding something more appetizing than your current offerings;
bits of fish or shrimp, perhaps. And do please take a look at our turtle
articles and FAQs for other feeding ideas.>
Thanks
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Sick/Blind Turtle 12/5/05
Hi, Guys! I read all the posts and this is different. I bought four baby RES
two weeks ago. After I put them in the tank (new tank, floating dock, rocks,
UVA/UVB reptile light on side of tank, 2 10W incandescent on top) that one
was blind. Or rather, where his eyes should be are two beige areas, with the
same markings as his head. He basked a lot, and was reluctant to swim much.
He doesn't eat. I've tried krill, chicken, pellets, apple, worms, etc. Put it
wet, right by his nose and he doesn't sniff. He wipes his head a lot, too, when
feeling active. Every day I think he'll be dead, and every day he is on the
floating dock, head tucked in, and not eating.
He started gaping a week ago. No discharge, just gaping, usually after swimming
a bit. He never dives, just paddles a bit, and then finds the dock again. Then
gapes a few minutes. This isn't good is it? I read some posts today and put him
in a sulfa dip bowl, with a basking rock, and a 100 watt light 12 inches away.
Can I pry his mouth open, and if I do, what should I try to feed him? Thanks,
Kate
< He won't eat until he can see. He has a respiratory infection. You can get
some Turtle Eye Drops from Zoomed and some vitamins as well. The respiratory
infection may require antibiotics from a vet. Check the basking spot with a
thermometer. It should be around 85 to 90 F. When he can see and is going into
the water on his own then he is ready to feed.-Chuck>
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Small Australian Turtle Needs Help
Hi, I recently got a penny turtle, it had been run over by a bike
and I was given it. I think its a *Emydura subglobosa* but I don't have
a photo of its belly yet so I've done a bit of guessing with the keys. I
have a small tank 21x35cm (will be getting a bigger one, just not yet),
a basking rock, UVA/UVB lamp and am trying to give it a varied diet
(carrot, fish pellets, mince). The temperature ranges from 79F at night
to 82F during the day. Yesterday morning I noticed it didn't open one of
its eyes for quite some time, and when it did there seemed to be a
whitish lesion on it. On closer inspection with the naked eye I can't
tell if its on the eyeball or upper eyelid. The turtle scratches it
periodically with its front limb, it doesn't blink the eye as often as
the other one and seems to have a reduced range of movement in that eye.
To me it seems like an ulcer - whether bacterial or fungal I can't tell
and I'm not sure it was traumatic as I don't remember it being there
when I first got it. I'll try to attach a photo of it. No vets are open
today on Sunday. My question is -are human eye antibacterial
creams/ointments too strong/too weak for a turtle?
<ZooMed already makes eye drops for turtles with infected eyes like
yours. Human eye drops are usually weak boric acid solutions. Call the
vet tomorrow and get a recommendation to be sure.>
Would they be worth trying if I can't get to the vet until tomorrow?
< Before you go to the vet, get some Repti Turtle Eye Drops by ZooMed.
Follow the directions on the package. Make sure the basking spot gets up
to about 85 F. Your turtle may have a Vitamin A deficiency and need some
food that is high in vitamin A. Try some kale or spinach in addition to
a commercial turtle diet. Add some earthworms too when your turtle is
better and able to eat.-Chuck>
cheers Colleen |
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Baby Turtles With Problems 1/7/06
Hi, I have 4 baby turtles (RES) and two of them have eye infections. I wasn't
sure if I should separate the sick ones from the other two. One of the sick
turtles aren't eating for over 2 weeks and I am very concerned. How can I make
him eat ? :( Thank you.
Please help .
<Keep the turtle's water clean. Make sure the basking spot gets up to at least
85 F. Use the proper lighting for vitamin development. Use Zoo Med Repti Turtle
Eye Drops and feed Zoo Med Hatchling Aquatic Turtle Food. They may have a
vitamin A deficiency too. Chuck>
Sick Baby Turtle 1/18/06
Hi, I just bought a little baby turtle from the pet store. His eyes are now
swollen and he won't eat. I have a basking light that I leave on almost all day.
Also I add a liquid vitamin to the tank. What should I do?
< Clean the tank and change all the water. The basking area should get up to at
least 85 F. Leave the lights on no longer than 12 hrs per day. Treat with Zoo
Med Repti Turtle Eye Drops. Feed Zoo Med Aquatic Hatchling Turtle Food and
washed earthworms when he can see.-Chuck>
Water Turtle With Swollen Eyes - 03/18/2006
My turtle {Florida yellow bellied turtle} has sore swollen eyes with over a
week, she's not eating. I have put water freshener into the water but it is
doing no good. What will I do. I have no vet in my area.
< Change 50% of the water, vacuum the gravel, and clean the filter. Add a ZooMed
Dr Turtle Sulfa Block to the water. Get ZooMed Turtle Eye Drops for the eyes.
Check the temperature of the basking site. Should be 85 to 90 F. If it is a
smaller turtle then get ZooMed Aquatic turtle food for hatchlings. If is a
larger turtle then get the adult formula. They are different. Adults need more
vitamins, minerals and a more vegetarian diet than younger turtles. A vitamin
deficiency has caused the eye problems. After the eyes have cleared then your
turtle should start eating again.-Chuck>
Re: Turtle With Eye Problems - 04/08/06
Thanks for the advice. Is it okay for my other turtle, who is very
healthy, to be in water that warm too because they both live in the same
tank?
< Bacteria that cause infections do not like changes in temperature. It is
like you getting a fever when you are sick. Turtles can only change their
body temperature by moving to warmer or colder locations. If your turtle
gets sick , then he will not have the option to change his temperature if
the entire tank is the same temp.>
Also, we have been using ophthalmic ointment for the eye for my sick turtle
and it has been working very effectively the left eye has cleared up a lot
in just a
couple of days. The right eye is still pretty swollen but it has gotten a
lot better. Do you recommend that we keep using the ointment or do you think
we should get the eye drops that you recommended for us to get?
< The medication I recommended is specifically made for turtles. I am not
familiar with the medication you are currently using so I really can't
comment except I am glad your turtle is getting better.>
Also, can these be symptoms of a respiratory problem? Should we take him to
a vet or should we just wait for both eyes to clear up so that he can see
and eat again?
< Respiratory problems usually involve breathing problems, bubbles from the
nose, can't sink while swimming and wheezing. This problem needs a
vet.-Chuck>
thanks lots
One eyed Red eared slider
I just got 2 baby Red ear Sliders in in 10 gal tank 2 days ago. One has been
resting on a rock with one eye open and has been quite stationary. The other
just stays in the water and doesn't get out to bask. Could my RES already
developed an eye infection? I can't tell...so far I've been feeding them with
Gammarus pellets, and they have a tank with a heating lamp, florescent lighting,
a water and dry land area, internal filter (Fluval 2 plus) , and a submersible
heater. the temperature of the tank is usually around 79-82F. the water in the
tank has also been treated w/ those chalky white blocks. Is there also
something wrong with my set up? My RES don't look too good. Michelle.
<Hello Michelle, it could be an eye infection, or it could be an injury, or it
could be nothing. Your setup sounds good, depending on their size, these fellas
are going to need a much larger tank in the future. I would continue offering
food and keep a close watch on the one with the eye troubles, watch for
swelling, fuzz, or anything out of the ordinary; if it does start to get nasty
it may be a good time to seek out a good reptile vet. Frequent water changes
are also a must. I have found with my turtles that when the water temp is warm
they do not come out to bask as often. Best Regards, Gage>
Turtle in trouble, eye... 12/7/07
Hello Crew,
<Hiya right back! Darrel here>
My turtle is about a quarter size big, probably a little bigger and his
eye on the right side is all puffy and you can't see his retina or
whatever its called where turtles see...
<That would be Lens, Iris, pupil, retina, etc.>
Its just a yellow and poofy eye with no pupil, it looks like he may be
blind.
<Yikes! Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good>
His shell is also not as green as it should be. I've had him for at
least three months as well as the two other ones but those ones are
fine.
What do I do??
<Well, Cilenie, there's not a lot to go on here so I'll run down the
common possibilities.>
<Bacterial infection - which we can help with but ultimately may need a
vet visit. Bacteria behind the eye ball take hold and produce a gas that
makes the eye extremely puffy and essentially useless>
<Vitamin deficiency (mostly Vitamin A but where one is lacking most are
usually lacking) tends to produce pasty, puffy eyes that are a bit
yellowed, but usually they'll just keep them closed all the time>
How is his activity level? How often does he eat? WHAT does he eat?
Water temp? Is his water clean & filtered? Temp under his basking lamp?
Does he have a UV lamp, as well as a heat source? Is he active or mostly
just sits in the basking area? We really need to know these answers in
order to be of much help.>
<But let's do this for sure: He doesn't need to be wet or have access to
water, so find a place for him that's warm and dry. Wet conditions
provide wonderful homes for almost all the conditions that can hurt him.
Put him in water for 5 minutes a day in order to bathe, drink and eat --
offer a high quality Koi pellet or Repto-min food sticks. See that his
basking temperature is around 88-90 degrees (no hotter since he can't
jump into the water to cool off, but that there is a place a little bit
away from the light that is around 80 degrees.>
<Write back with the answers to these questions and we'll see what more
we can tell you
Regards, Darrel>
Turtle care question: yellow membrane and swollen eyes 11/28/07
Hello Crew,
<Hiya Miranda! - Darrel here>
A friend of mine recently got three baby turtles. I have turtles too, so
I helped him set everything up. We've been watching the water temp &
quality, the basking area, the food, and two of the turtles are doing
fine, but another one is sick. Its eyes are closed most of the time, and
when opened, they have a yellow membrane (sort of like a 'contact lens')
covering the entire eye. It is also very lethargic.
HELP!
<OK!>
What's wrong with it?
<What's wrong is most likely an eye infection. I know that seems
obvious, but the obvious is always the best place to start>
What can I do about it?
<Eye infections in water turtles is usually a sign of poor nutrition -
specifically a vitamin imbalance. A lack of Vitamin A is the primary
cause but we rarely see a lack of only ONE vitamin, so let's assume that
this little guys needs a complete vitamin supplement in his diet. Make
sure his basic diet is either a high quality Koi pellet or a commercial
turtle food - Tetra's Repto-Min is the one I'd recommend. Meanwhile he's
going to need a vitamin SUPPLEMENT from the pet store. The question is
how to deliver the vitamins. If he's still eating you can coat his food
in either a supplement powder or drop some liquid supplement on it. If
he's too weak to eat then the next course of action is to either try to
pry his little mouth open to more of less force a drop of liquid vitamin
in once a day ... or a trip to the veterinarian for some injectibles.>
Is it contagious?
<No. Yes and Yes. NO in the sense that hypovitaminosis is not
"contagious." YES in the sense that if one is subject to it, it's likely
that all are getting insufficient nutrition as well -- it's just that
the smallest or weakest show the signs first. The final YES is that any
sickness or situation causing weakness in a fish or reptile opens the
door WIDE OPEN for secondary problems, such as a fungal infection and
that is VERY contagious. For this reason, we'll treat all animals in the
collection>
<One, ensure that the diet is corrected. Two, add a vitamins or treat
for that condition. Three make sure they are getting adequate exposure
to UV-A and UV-B light. Four, keep them warm and out of water except for
a few minutes a day to bathe, drink and eat -- bacteria and fungus LOVE
warmth and wetness!>
You've been very helpful in the past with my other turtle questions, so
I'm hoping you can help me make Felicity (the turtle's name) feel all
better.
<If best wishes were fruit, you'd be swimming in a banana smoothie right
now, Miranda! Get started on the treatment, look for signs of
improvement (or signs of further problems) and write back, OK?>
Thanks in advance!
<yer welcome!>
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