red ear slider problems.....?

Question

my red ear slider isn't growing and he has one big bumps on each side of his face any help or answeres

Answer 1

Turtles have very specific dietary, UV light (sunlight), heat and humidity requirements. If they are not met, the turtle gets Metabolic Bone Disease. Swelling, poor growth are both symptoms of this. At this point, he probably needs a vet.
Type "Red Eared Slider" into yahoo search and many care sheets will come up. Please read them and do what they tell you.
Good luck.

Answer 2

First call your vet to make an appointment. In the mean time, check your basking and water temperatures. They water should be in the mid 70s and the basking in the 90s. If these are too low or high it could be affecting your turtle. If your turtle is shedding a lot there could be a fungal issue. Get a sulfa dip and follow the instructions. This should help control fungal and bacterial issues. Also, get a sulfa block for the water to keep the bacteria level low. Vitamin A drops for the eyes should help open them but he shouldn't be keeping them closed in the first place. They can be found at any petstore that sells turtle supplies. Turtle poops are big. That shouldn't be an issue. Fluval internal sponge filters are the best that I've found. They are silent and won't clog as long as you are cleaning the tank often, which should be every two to three days with a turtle. UVA/UVB light should be on for 8-12 hours per day. The output should be aroun 5.0 and the light should be replaced every six months regardless of whether or not is is burned out. Sorry, turtles are a lot of work, but if you keep the habitat right they will live a long and happy life.

Answer 3

To keep an RES you need several things in order for them to be healthy and grow. You need a good UVB source. Not all UVB lights are created equal. Some decay very quickly. You need no less than two 18" flourescent UVB tubes. Short version - UVB helps the RES to process the calcium in their diet. Without the UVB...the calcium does not get absorbed and the result is Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and renal failure. The brands to go with:
Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0
Iguana Light 5.0
Exoterra 8.0
Arcadia 5.0 (UK)
...or:
Mega Ray EB (external ballast)
http://www.reptileuv.com

Many of these can be purchased at http://www.reptiledirect.com for a more reasonable price than the pet stores.

Temperatures: Use a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer w/hygrometer for the best accuracy. You can get these for about $15 - $20 at Wal-Mart. Once you get the thermometer your goal is meeting the required temperature gradients in three different spots:
Basking: 90-95 degrees F or 32-35 degrees C
Ambient: 80-85 F or 26-29 C
Cool end/night time: 75 for babies, 70 for adults. (21-24 C)
The water should be about 88 degrees. (31 C)

Diet: Greens, veggies, aquatic veggies, worms, small crickets, guppies, and even some commercial pellets which have gotten to have better quality foods over the years. Tetramin is a good one.

As for the swelling...without a picture it's impossible to say, but it does sound like an ear infection as the other post has said. Only a vet can fix this. Sometimes it just takes a course of antibiotics. If you use antibiotics you will need a product called a probiotic. The medicine used to kill bad bacteria will also kill the good microlfora in the turtles gut which is needed for digestion. Use one of three choices of probiotic.
1. Nutribac - specifically for herps (online)
2. Benebac - Made for birds - approved for reptiles (pet stores)
3. Nature Zone Essential Probiotics - specifically for reptiles (online)

I've also listed some links for you to find a herp vet. It may not be close, but if it means the health of your RES...it's worth the trip. I have to travel 73 miles one way for my herp vet...:-)

Answer 4

Probably ear abcesses (http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/medeyes.htm)

This is not a condition that most keepers can self treat, but it is usually a simple job for a vet.

You CAN try a 'hospital tank' set-up, in which you provide extraordinary care and give the turtle a chance to fight it off.

To do this, you:
- Make sure you are using a nice, big, easy to clean tank. Many of us use plastic tubs. Aim for at least 10 gallons of water space per inch of turtle.
- Heat the water a little warmer than usual- about 80-85.
- Use really strong filtration and change the water to keep it as clean as possible.
- Use good lighting that includes UB rays, and heat the basking site to about 90-95
- Minimize stress- noise, vibrations, flashings, handling, etc.
- Offer a great diet, with as much live food as possible.

If you go this route, monitor the turtle closely for a couple weeks. If things keep getting worse, go to the vet. If they get better, keep it up!

For general care articles, try http://www.redearslider.com or http://www.austinsturtlepage.com

Answer 5

I had the some problem. Those bumps are inner ear abbess. He must see a vet or he will die. He isn't growing because of the size of his tank. The bigger the tank the more he grows. This way they don't out grow there habit. Also the inner ear abbess are due to in proper care. It is so much cheaper to keep your tank up. It will cost a $100 plus dollar to fix his ear. Surgery is required.

Answer 6

He sounds very sick and the bumps are swelling of the ears which is a very serious problem....Get him to a VET soon and definantly clean his tank and keep very clean.

Answer 7

What are you feeding?