Urgent Care

Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:48 pm **Turtle scracthing neck/legs and not eating.**

I had a turtle given to me about 5 years ago (she is about 10 years old now). In the last month she started to scratch her neck and head, and now she also seems to scratch her rear legs. She doesn't swim as much as before, most of the time just hangs out under the basking lamp. I used to feed her turtle pellets, but she doesn't want to eat them any more. For the last two or three weeks, she completely refused to eat the pellet food. Even if she eats is, she spits it out right away and seems like something is bothering her in her mouth or throat. I also tried lettuce and some fruits, but she doesn't really want to eat them. The only thing she is happy to eat is feeder fish and canned cat food (fish based).

Now that I read up on how to take care of turtles, I know I've been a very bad owner, for example I have to get her a UVB light and her shell is in a bad condition, but this sickness is something new. I will also have to take her to a vet, but in the meantime, can anybody give me some pointers on what could be wrong and how I could alleviate her suffering? Thanks!

How big is your turtle? ~10 in
How long have you had it? 5 years (turtle is about 10 years old)

What is the water temperature? 80 F
Did you use a thermometer? Yes
Are you using a water heater? Yes
How much water is in there? Maybe 50-60 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? No
Are you using any filtration? Yes

What is the basking temperature? I don't know (it feels warm)
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Clay? Bought it in a pet store.
Is there a UVB light? No

What have you been trying to feed it? Turtle food (pellets), vegetables, fruit, feeder fish, tuna
When was the last time your turtle ate? Eats fish, but nothing else for weeks.

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? ~100 gallons
Is the tank near a window? No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Yes

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? A lot of scratching and a few claws are missing from rear legs.

Does she scratch often? Is her skin shedding? Any discoloration? How's the tank water?

It's good she's willing to eat and it's possible she's just bored with the usual food. What brand are you using?

When she is basking, she barely scratches, but in the water she scratches a lot (every few minutes starts to scratch). There is some shedding on her legs and feet, but not on her head. I don't see any discoloration on her skin, but I am colorblind so it's hard for me to tell. There might be some pink areas on her legs. Her shell has a lot of white patches, but it was like that for as long as I remember. The water seems to be fine, but I never tested it. I do change about 20-50% of the water every week, I will do a full change next week when I have the time, see if that helps.

I am using Zoo Med Natural Maintenance Formula. Today I tricked her into eating some of it by crushing the pellets and mixing it in with the cat food, but I don't want to feed her cat food in the long term.

Maybe you can post a picture? White patches on the shell is usually fungus. Does she shed?

The shell is in pretty bad condition, but she was like this since I got her years ago. She only started scratching and refusing to eat about a month ago. She does shed some of the shell sometimes, also her skin on her legs.

It's fungus. Once it sheds, it'll spread to the fresh layer without treatment. Are there any retained scutes? The skin looks a bit pinkish too, which might be of immediate concern.

How can I tell if there are retained scutes?
Could the pink skin be caused by fungus too?

Retained scutes usually show as a few layers building up. You can notice it around the seams and edges of the scutes. A little pink where the skin meets the shell is normal. A little pink around shedding skin is normal (usually bacteria). A general redness could be a sign of septicemia or a reaction to something else. That I would have a vet check up.

Thanks for all your help! I think she has some retained scutes. I will take her to a vet to check what's going on with her.

OK, please let us know how it goes. I know how easy it is to worry about these little guys and gals.

Urgent Care :: Turtle scracthing neck/legs and not eating.

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