Urgent Care :: Tiny turtle in bad shape

[timmytommytutu]

Just got home 3 hrs ago from "rescuing" two tiny turtles. I thought they were babies but the woman stated she has had a year. She stated they lived in a 10-gallon tank. One is the size of a quarter...that one is acting normal. The other, the size of a 50-cent piece, became limp on the way home. Now it wont leave the basking area and I think it is going to die. My observations 1) very soft shell 2) extremely thin legs 3) seems like light hurts his eyes 4) stays in his shell and floats if I put him in the water. My question is is there anything I might be able to do right now to help revive him? I have three other happy, healthy turtles and I'd really like to help this tiny fella.

[steve]

Only thing I can think of is letting him soak in some diluted Pedialyte, and add a few crumbled up pellets in there. Keep him separated from the others as well and have him in a quiet area.

[timmytommytutu]

Thank you. How do I dilute the Pedialyte? He is in a separate tank and the UVA and UVB lights are shining on him from a distance. It seems she had him in the dark because any light causes him to close his eyes tightly. I put him on my chest and lay very still for half an hour this morning to warm him up since the light bothers him so much. He seems a little better. He crawled off his basking rock and is swimming just a little. He tried to take a bite of pellet but it floated away and he did not pursue it since he is very weak. His little legs are the size of Q-tips...so thin. (My big turtles' legs look like sausages.) He is also doing what a baby bird does when it is hungry. I dangled some food in front of him when he was doing this but he didn't eat so I am wondering if his lungs are damaged and he is gasping for air. I know his shell and little bones are not developed correctly.

[steve]

I'd try 1:1 with warm water (around 80F). How close is his light? Maybe slowly introduce him to something brighter and focused on one end of his tank. Limit handling him as it seems he's having a hard time adjusting. Do you have any live prey for him?

[timmytommytutu]

Thank you so much for caring. He JUST started eating.

[steve]

YES! Keep up the good work.