Urgent Care :: Turtle threw up long worm

[Nelson Manshella]

Hello, We obtained a tiny baby turtle a couple months back from a restaurant that had caught him in a shipment of crawfish. He acclimated to his new home quickly and very well and has had no signs of health problems prior to this. He is approximately 3in long head and tail included in a 30gal tank with a large rock for sunning, 2 small live plants from the pet store, 3 minnows and 2 guppies from the petstore, a water filter, air stone, turtle water cleaner, medium sized (non eating sized) river rocks. No tank heater. (We live in Texas, apartment doesn't get to extreme temps that often )

He has grown steadily since we got him and has kept a good appetite and activity level the whole time. Aside from getting lucky and snatching up 2 of his fish tank mates, his diet consists of mainly turtle pellets with the occasional dried shrimps and mealworms. He gets a live mealworms on some occasions.

Earlier today I happened to catch out of the corner of my eye him vomit a small cloud of digested food with what upon first glance looked like fish guts in it. I went to retrieve the item and realized it was 2 separate worms all knotted up. I will attach a photo.

I have not before noticed anything similar in his stools or in the cage and I've never had any similar issues with past RES turtles, so it definitely took me by surprise.

I plan on calling my herp vet ASAP to get a professional opinion and maybe dewormer, but since the vet might not reopen until Monday I wanted to see if someone here might be able to help identify what type of worm this is, how it might have been caused and what treatment might entail.

Any clues or advice?

Thank you!

(Attached is also a photo of handsome Nelson)

[Nelson Manshella]

For some size reference, the worms are about as thick as mechanical pencil led. Pretty zoomed in photo. Sitting on paper towel.

[steve]

It's likely some sort of nematode worm. It's possible he ate something infected or already was when you picked hum up. I would consider keeping his tank bare with a basking area, do not use any live prey and carefully check his stool.