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1) Turtle not eating:
Here are some questions to ask yourself.
Is the temperature of the tank warm enough?
If turtles get too cold, they don't eat as much
and start thinking about their long winters nap.
Does your turtle like the food you are offering?
Some turtles, like humans, are very picky eaters.
They have their favorites and their not so favorites.
Start off with their favorite foods first, then
slowly introduce other menu items.
Is your turtle under any stress? Are they
being handled too much, traveling lately, or do
they have new tank mates?
Many new animals often experience this stress
and it may cause them to not eat properly. Just
keep trying and have lots of patience. They may
take several weeks before they eat again.
Your turtle not eating may also be a sign of
illness.
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2) Frequent sneezing, coughing, and
yawning:
It's okay if your turtle does this occasionally.
However, too much could be a sign of a respiratory
infection. A common infection is pneumonia. The
recommended thing to do is take your turtle to
the veterinarian. They can give your turtle x-rays
and antibiotics. Your turtle is going to need
a lot of care and chicken soup! (Just kidding
on the soup part)
A good prevention technique is to make sure that
the temperature in the tank is not too low. Raise
the temperature up a little, this will help your
turtle's immune system become more active. Colds,
respiratory infections, and pneumonia seem to
be the most common cause of death in turtles.
Treatments for this include warmth (for the immune
system), antibiotics (oral or injected), steaming,
oxygen (water in the lungs means that there isn't
enough oxygen), and x-rays (to check for water
in the lungs).
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3) Swollen eyes and Vitamin A injections:
Swollen eyes are common in turtles and usually
pneumonia related. Poor nutrition and dirty water
could cause this as well. If your turtle is sluggish,
not eating, or shows any other symptom along with
the swollen eyes, take your turtle to the vet.
It sounds like your turtle may have a serious
health problem and could need antibiotics.
Vitamin A deficiency could be another one of
the many causes for the swollen eyes. I have
read
that soaking your turtle twice a day for 15 minutes
in a separate container and using a saline solution
or Turtle Eye Clear will make
your turtle more comfortable. It will help if
you start this treatment immediately upon noticing
the problem. You can add a small amount of vitamins
to their food every other day.
Don't just assume that it is vitamin A deficiency.
Try and rule out other possibilities first. If
the problems persist and don't seem to be getting
better, take your turtle to the vet.
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4) Vitamin K deficiency:
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Bleeding through the mouth is a
common indication of vitamin K deficiency. Lack
of vegetables seems to be the main cause. To treat
this you should give the animal vitamin K and change
their diet to include more veggies. I also highly
suggest taking them to the vet.
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5) Shell diseases:
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Your turtle's shell should be hard
and solid, except for softshell turtles. You should
not be able to push dents or find any soft patches.
The most common cause of a soft shell is a lack
of calcium or vitamin D3. They can get calcium through
their food, and vitamin D3 through sunlight or UVB
rays. Be patient, this could take a very long time
to heal.
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6) Shell sores or holes in shell:
Remove your turtle immediately from the water
and keep it dry. To prevent your turtle from dehydrating,
soak them for 30 minutes twice a day. Sponge your
turtle off with Betadine or Nolvosan several times
a day, especially after soaking them. Keep your
turtle warm. Drying out the affected area aids
in the healing process. Take your turtle to the
vet if the problem persists.
You can prevent this condition with a proper
diet and clean water.
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7) Repairing your turtle's shell:
If this is the first time you have had a turtle's
shell crack on you, I strongly suggest the help
of a veterinarian. Here are the basic steps in
repairing the shell.
1. Wash the wound out with an antiseptic.
2. Apply an antibiotic.
3. Close the wound with an epoxy.
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8) Algae on your turtle:
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Some algae is ok, it helps with camouflage! You
should remove some of the algae if it seems excessive.
Ensure the shell is clean if your turtle has had
a shell problem previously.
To remove the algae, use a soft brush (like an
old tooth brush) and brush it off. You can do this
under warm running water.
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9) Skin wounds or rashes:
| Take your turtle out of the water and keep it dry.
Disinfect them with betadine or a mixture of equal
parts Nolvosan and water. Take your turtle to a vet
if the problem doesn't seem to get better or gets
worse. |
10) First aid for bite or injuries:
Is your turtle alive or unconscious? If they
are unconscious, they may need oxygen. I wouldn't
recommend mouth to mouth, however a light puff
of air in their face may help for oxygen.
If they are bleeding heavily, you need to stop
it. To slow the bleeding, cool your turtle down.
You should clean the wound with use hydrogen peroxide
or Betadine to prevent any infection.
Your turtle may be in shock For at least 48 hours
you should cover them with a clean towel and keep
them in a clean, cool, dry place. You should clean
the wound regularly.
Severed limbs may heal over with no complications
in most cases. The affected area will heal itself
as best as it can. The part that won't heal will
just shrivel up and fall away. It is your responsibility
to keep it clean. If infection occurs, take your
turtle to the vet.
Leave your turtle alone to heal, but do the necessary
tasks.
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To ensure a long
healthy life for your turtles,
I recommend this book from Amazon.com.
(link will open in a new window)
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11) Drowned turtle:
If your turtle has drowned, they may still be
alive but unconscious. Remember, they can be with
out oxygen for a long time. Never turn turtle
on its back! If you do this, you may eliminate
it's only airspace left.
Here are some steps to take.
1. Grasp the turtle's head behind the ears at
the base of the skull and extend the neck completely.
2. Turn it head-down / tail-up and open its mouth.
Some water will drip out.
3. After the dripping stops, place the turtle
on a flat surface (belly-down) keeping its neck
extended.
4. Straighten his front legs and pull them straight
towards you as far as they can go.
5. Keeping the legs straight, push them in as
far as they will go.
6. Continue pulling and pushing until the water
stops coming out.
7. Take the turtle to the vet so they can administer
oxygen.
If this happens to your turtle, they usually develop
pneumonia which will require antibiotics from
a vet.
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12) Prolapse:
What is happening is the turtle's insides are
coming out of the opening on the tail. It is the
intestines and their reproductive organs. This
doesn't hurt much, but it is very annoying. It's
a normal occurrence, and no one knows why it happens.
The turtle is not aware of this being an important
body part, so please watch them to make sure it
goes back in. If your turtle is on dry land when
this happens, put them in luke warm water to help
keep it moist..
If this happens a lot, it may cause distress
and they may need the help of a veterinarian.
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13) Rock ingestion:
This is not a good thing to happen, however,
they can survive. You must take them to the vet.
They will take x-rays to see if it should be surgically
removed.
No one knows why turtles eat rocks, maybe they
are just bored. To prevent your turtles from eating
rocks, either use rocks big enough that will not
fit in their mouth or don't use any rocks at all.
Blockage can also occur with eating sand. The
sand can build up and block its intestines.
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14) Time to see a veterinarian:
There are many instances when you must take your
turtle in to see the vet, such as for viruses
and respiratory infections. There are times when
your turtle needs antibiotics. If you can't figure
out what is wrong and you've used your other resources
like books, the Internet, and other reptile owners,
you should see the vet. The sooner you take care
of the problem, the less the bill will be.
Once you start seeing a veterinarian, stick with
the same one. They will get to know your turtle
and may be able to solve the problem over the
phone. It's all up to you, remember the vet could
be your best friend when it comes to your turtle's
health. If you need them, use them.
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15) Preserving your turtle's shell
after it's death:
Here are a couple of ways of preserving your
turtles shell after it's death. A natural way
to do it is to bury your turtle in a composite
pile, make sure you remember where you buried
it. Another option is to bury it someplace where
it's going to be moist all summer long. Check
on the progress of the shell every couple of weeks.
The disadvantage to these methods is that they
may cause damage to the shell.
If you want to speed up the process,
here is an alternate method (although it doesn't
sound too appealing to me). After your turtle
has died, you can cook (simmer) it for a long
while, and the soft parts will eventually fall
off. I have read that it causes a very bad smell.
Professionals use several kinds
of acid solutions instead of the cooking method.
Acids are dangerous. So if you've never
used them before, I recommend not using this method.
Besides, this method may turn your stomach because
it looks and smells very bad.
Note: A baby turtle shell is harder
to preserve because the shell is very small and
their bones are not calcified all the way yet.
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