General Care Discussion :: blind turtle

Taking care of your turtle's overall health.

Post Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 2:19 pm   

So even though he's blind, he gets up on the basking area by himself?? that's great.. I'd be more worried about that than the food.. at least you know he's eating :) but if he can't get up on the basking area... he could get shell rot etc. How many pellets etc are you feeding him?
Carol
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:31 pm   

There is a website on the web whose mascot is an RES with no eyes. They have actually bred the turt and produced many of them and they are for sale. For what it's worth, they cost more too! Here is my original post on the topic
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewt ... highlight=
Missi

2 RES, 1 cat, and a spoiled rotten pug.
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Post Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:27 am   

i've been able to get about half a pellet and a few bloodworms down him for the past couple days. I did have a little success though because i left a piece of carrot in the tank this morning before i went to school and when i got home there were little nibbles in the carrot. I took that piece out and put a fresh piece in and i haven't yet seen that being nibbled on but he is basking on his own. I did get another turtle from someone that didn't want him and they have been hanging out together so i'm hoping that the new turtle (named squirt) will help skipy find food.

skippy pretty much finds his basking spot by swimming in circles until he hits something solid. they also like to hide underneath it (the water is rather shallow because when i made it deep skippy had trouble getting around).

I'll take a picture of their enclosure when i get the time and show you guys what it looks like. Thanks a bunch!
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Post Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:51 pm   

I somehow don't think Squirt will "help" Skippy find food. More than likely Squirt will find it first and eat Skippy's share. I'd make sure Skippy is getting enough to eat.

And maybe I'm being too cautious, but animals can sense when another is weaker or different, which can make problems for the disabled one. (I had to separate a premature hatchling from the others because it couldn't fend for him/herself). Even if things seem OK now, I'd just be careful.

I'd like to see pics of your set-up. If possible, it would be good to have things arranged for the blind baby to make it easier for him to get around.
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
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Post Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 10:44 pm   

here's a couple pics of my set up. there's a discription below. any suggestions/comments for my tank are welcome.

thanks :D
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 3:53 pm   

Is it me? There's no link to the photos here...
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
marisa
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 4:35 pm   

Yep, it's just you marisa.. we can all see the link for the pics.. no just kidding. :D It's not there.. I thought I had posted something about it yesterday, guess I didn't.
Carol
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cam722
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 4:37 pm   

Well, that's good to know. Thought maybe there was some kind of new trick to be able to see them...
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
marisa
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 4:49 pm   

oops i'm sorry! :oops: that's what i get for being in a hurry.

here's the link http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/23264859/
kayskah
 
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 4:58 pm   

Well, it looks nice. :) But just an observation/suggestion...(this is a 5 gallon tank?)

The UVB light (I'm assuming it's the tube) should be over the basking area as much as possible next to the heat lamp so your turtle will get the rays when he basks).

.
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." -Antoine de Saint Exupery-
marisa
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:13 pm   

kayskah: you mention in your blog that he's looking for his pal squirt. Do you have 2 turtles in that tank?
Carol
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cam722
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Post Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 1:24 am   

yes there are two baby turtles. it's a ten gallon tank for now, i was going to go for a 20 to start but i was worried that skippy wouldn't be able to find his way around since he is blind. I do have a 20 and a 40 on standby for when they get big.

so for now skippy (blind) and squirt (normal) are in the 10 gal. i'll move the UV closer to the basking spot, i was just worried that the heat from the other lamp would damage the uv tube.
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Post Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 1:26 am   

Are you sure you want to put a blind turt with a normal one? Especially in a small tank. two hatchlings should at least have 20-30 gallon tank.

27 Turtles. 6 Tortoises.
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Post Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 2:27 am   

they seem to enjoy each others company. They bask together and swim together. i have plenty of spare tanks to accomodate them when they get larger.
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Post Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 2:56 am   

i see you have a waterfall filter. is it really loud? for a turtle that can't see his hearing is his main line of defense. i don't know much about RESs but it was something i thought might add stress to him.
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