Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 1:36 pm Shell Roy and Respirstory Infection (??)
About a month ago I received my (approx.) 2”-3” baby red eared slider from some online website, and right off the bat he was unhealthy. He already had pyramiding in his shell, which is not good of course but because it is permanent and the damage was done there was not a whole lot I could do about it. For the first day or two he was in the tank, the water was at 73°-75°F because my heater was broken, which was unbeknownst you me at the time. He showed signs of a respiratory infection and with time they went away on their own so I didn’t seem this much of a problem. However, he basks almost 24/7 and he NEVER swims in the water unless I put him in, and even when I do that he swims to go bask again. It is a 30 gallon tank, with both a UVA and UVB light and a water filter/basking dock that I bought on amazon. The water temperature fluctuates between 80°-83°F, as that’s what the internet said baby red eared sliders like. He showed signs of a Vitamin A deficiency for a while as well, but those symptoms also went away with time. I change 25-50 percent of the water every three or four days, and I’ve done a full water change once so far. The water continues to be foggy and murky, although I have fully-functioning filters and some water clarifier in the water. My hard water softener was not working correctly a while back, so the water was hard which resulted in hard water spots on my turtle (problem is now resolved, hard water spots slightly remain). I tried cleaning his shell lightly with a toothbrush and apple cider vinegar diluted with lots of water, which worked a little bit. I feed him the pellets he came with, Flukers freeze dried mealworms/brine shrimp/crickets, spinach and cucumbers. I feed him 1-2 times a day and I am careful to not over feed him. Shell has a dark black spot on it that I have growing concerns about. I am also worried as to why he never swims in the water. Can some turtles be like this and be healthy, or does he has an underlying health condition I’m not noticing? I have his tank in my bedroom with me, so I am with him most of the time. I am very concerned and I need help. What should I do? I also can not take him to the ever due to financial issues, and most vets in my area are closed due to the virus unless it’s a medical emergency, or they do not care for turtles and other reptiles... I glanced over at the tank and he was upside down in the water! I thought he was dead at first, but I lightly prodded him with my fish net and he flipped himself over. I looked over a few moments later and his mouth was wide open, and then he fell into the water. He did not sink, he just floated along. His swimming seems lopsided, and I see bubbles coming out of his mouth and nose. I am worried that this could not only be shell rot or a fungal infection, but this could also be a respiratory infection that he showed symptoms for almost a month ago! Like mentioned earlier, he ONLY ever basks, he avoids the water as much as he can. There is nothing wrong with the water that he should avoid? I co eco the ph level and make sure it’s around 7, and it’s a good level for it. Going to the vet is not an option at all, under any circumstances, which is very upsetting for me. I need some advice for his health! What should I do? I attached some images of his shell and an image of his tank setup for anyone who would like to see it!
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