All Turtles Message Board

Hewwo2u2 · Level 3 Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 105 Location: SC

I have finally finished setting up a nice home for my RES! Who would have thought you could spend so much money on one turtle!?!? My wallet is dry but I think it will be worth it! My RES spent the first 4 years of her life in a 35 gal tank with no UV B lighting whatsoever (only a regular basking bulb instead) and her diet consisted of Zoomed's aquatic turtle pellets alone. Now that I have her she is in a 75 gal with a 48in UVB light as well as her basking lights. I am using a large canister filter and testing her water (all wich is new to me). My main concern right now is her diet and if anyone can help, I would really appreciate it. I posted my problem under the feeding forum so please check it out. I brought her to the vet (who does do reptiles) last week for a check up before bringing her into my home. She has a couple spots on her shell and was having some trouble shedding it; she is also a little overweight (from the commercial diet that she has been living on). The veterinarian removed some loose scutes which made the shell look much better (which is good meaning the shell "problem" didn't seem to be going deeper into her shell) and told me to apply a diluted betadine solution as well as a tripple antibiotic ointment to the parts of her shell where the scutes weren't ready to shed. Has anyone else had any luck doing this? I saw the "dip" at petsmart a few days ago and I was wondering if I should do this too? Or maybe after I've done the betadine/ointment treatment for a few days? what has worked best for you?
As for her weight, I was told to give her more veggies since mature diets should consist of mainly this and only supplemented with the pellets. She said that overtime, with the veggies and the UVB rays, her shell should shed better and other than that she looked like a healthy turtle -her eyes were clear, she's responsive and active,her shell is hard, etc (hard to believe since it's a turtle who has never seen the sun nor a green vegetable) but I guess I am just lucky ...My problem is getting her to eat veggies,which I explained further in my post under the feeding forum.
I plan to post pictures of her new habitat soon as I am very proud of it! Smile

dixieee · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:28 pm Post subject:

congrats on the new home, can't wait to see it Very Happy

ok a responsible owner so the girl is in safe hands and doing fine. yeah she's lucky to have survived and deserves a nice life for being strong Smile

i don't know about the solutions and stuff so sorry i couldn't really be helpful with that but i'll reply to ur Q in the other post so check it there Smile

the mod knows so much about shells so don't worry u'll get a response
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Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

trtlduv · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:56 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the board! Wow, she must really be a strong turt to have survived so well under such conditions. Poor thing. She must be so happy she has you now!! I don't know about the dip either, but someone will be along who does!! Wink

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shade & sweetwater!

Hewwo2u2 · Level 3 Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 105 Location: SC

thanks! It's nice to know theres other people out there who love the animals you can't "cuddle" as well!

trtlduv · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:10 pm Post subject:

Yep, my friends think I'm crazy for having a turtle as a pet... "it's not a pet, it's like a rock that you have to feed"... they have no idea!! Wink

Turtles RULE!
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shade & sweetwater!

dixieee · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:19 pm Post subject:

we can't cuddle turtles? uh-oh Wink

i kiss mine Cool

_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

Hewwo2u2 · Level 3 Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 105 Location: SC

HAHAHA @ a rock that eats! oh and sorry about the no "cuddling" thing... I just can't cuddle mine...if I tried to kiss her, she would hiss at me and then bite my lip!

dixieee · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:05 pm Post subject:

even if she won't bite, don't do it Smile

i give them fly kisses only it's not good to go that close bcz of salmonella u know..
_________________
Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

Hewwo2u2 · Level 3 Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 105 Location: SC

ah yes...i wasn't planning on kissing my turtle anyway...she's not my type