Urgent Care :: Is this RES okay?

[AyaSai126]

Hi Everyone,

I have some concerns about this turtle my cousin had that I want to ask about. Recently, my cousin and her sisters went on vacation and they asked if I could take care of their turtle for them. I agreed, but while I was googling info on how to care for it I noticed the turtle doesn't really look like a normal Red Eared Slider. It looks deformed, mind you, its moving and swimming and eating normally (It eats alot too), but the shell looks way too small for it compared to the images on Google. Like she looks too fat for it. What do you guys think?

I told my cousins I'm gonna keep it, since all three of them don't really pay attention to it. They didn't care if I did, so that should show how much they didn't care.

They would keep it in a glass tank with some colorful gravel full of water all the time. They sometimes brought it out of the water outside or just to hold it around the house but that's it. And they only fed it ReptoMin pellets. That's as far as I know on how it lived before.

It's a female from what I've learned and considering the size and what Google is telling me it looks like its 6-7 years old, but I'm not sure how long my cousins had it.
So far I've only been feeding it the ReptoMin pellets my cousins gave me and some Romaine Lettuce (it never eats the lettuce however, can I change that?)
I bought a heat and light lamp for it, for the tank. I've emptied the tank of water and just let it be a basking tank for now. For the moment, the only time its in the water is when I feed it, (I leave it for about 30-1 hour or before the water gets cold). I let it roam around my room at its leisure so it can dry off and run around. It acts like its healthy.


Here are some pictures, maybe you guys can clue me in on whats up with her appearance please? I tried to take pictures from all angles lol

Please reply soon! Im looking for a Vet to check her out as well, but I'd like your opinion as well! Thanks!

[steve]

Most likely the turtle didn't get enough calcium, UVB, and the diet was probably way off. Surprised she doesn't look worse. Poor girl

The beak is also very overgrown, I'm not sure if your vet can trim it.

What's her name? She deserves a new name for her new and improved life!

[AyaSai126]

I let my brothers name her so shes stuck with Phillip lol.
Im thinking of making a pond or something like that for her in the backyard out of a kiddie pool would that work?
I want her to have the freedom of being in the sun and then in the water whenever, then at night Ill put her in her basking tank.

I heard filing the beak down would work so I might try that but I dont want to hurt her if it wont work.

[steve]

How's the swimming? I know you said it was normal, but what about diving and turning?

[TravisL]

wow, looks like it may have alot of issues. Its shell looks insanely small for its body. Its beak is massively over grown.

Being that old and a diet of only pellets might be difficult to change its eating habits.

She really needs some greens and calcium.

She is really overfed.

Im not even sure if cuttlebone will work but get one asap. The turtle needs to grind her beak down. That will help with calcium intake. Hopefully she will start using the cuttlebone right away.

Good job saving her. But it will be a long process to recovery.