Background on turtle - Shelley - He/She lives with a Siamese fighter in a 20 gallon. Clean tank with a powerhead, filter and ample hideouts . The betta bullies him a little sometimes but for the most part they get along just fine. 3 to 4 inches long has been sick for past 5 days..hasnt eaten anything at all..has tiny dots/ holes in his shell which can be only be seen when he is dry, small whiteheads on shell...applied fungal med ( extremely diluted betadine ) and am keeping his shell dry by letting him in water that only coats his belly and feet lightly... he is completely waterbound and am afraid he will dry up and die if left without water. This morning he ate some bread quite happily. Is this ok? Should I let him eat bread till he eats his usual bloodworm and pellet food again? I am from India and we have no reptile docs here so thats out of the question. Getting my cats and dogs treated is a blessing here.
Any surefire home remedies for treating sick turtles? Help!
2007-05-30 23:33:12 · 4 answers · asked by celeste 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Turtles need some place to get out to bask (you didn't mention if you have a heat lamp or full spectum for him/her) so you will need to but something in the tank so he can get out to do so. Also what kind of turtle is it? Betta's are hard wired to be territorial and will attack almost anything but turtles will gladly eat fish too! I would put the betta in it's own tank for it's own safety b/c the turtle will eventually go after the betta and it will not be the little "love bites" that the betta is currently doing to the turtle. I have 3 siders and they all started off as nonaggressive towards fish but they now eat them as a treat.
The small white heads could be a vitamin problem if you don't have the proper heat and basking spot for the turtle and could also be why he stopped eating. As for eating the bread that is probably why he is eating it too... his body laking something that he is not getting b/c he is not able to properly digest it. Bread can be bad to turtles b/c it will absorb the water and can bloat in the turtles stomach causing some real health issues that can kill him.
I have included a site below for Sliders that should help you if you have a slider or similar species. Ckeck it out. Any other problems don't be afraid to email me!
2007-05-31 00:44:59 · answer #1 · answered by jack07ki 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. It NEEDS a basking area- it HAS to be able to crawl out and dry off sometimes.
2. Diluted Betadine is not going to help much. Every day, apply it full strength and let it dry for about 2 hours before putting Shelly back in the water.
I would normally suggest warmer water temps temporarily (85'ish), but that might be good for the Betta.
3. Bread is not very healthy. Try other things besides bloodworms for variety- krill, shrimp, crickets, insects, snails, other worms, etc. At 4", it is OK to add some dark leafy greens to the diet as well.
2007-05-31 08:33:40 · answer #2 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally don't have experience with turtles but a friend of mine has. She suggested that you try and put a sort of a platform ( a huge rock for instance) in the tank so that Shelley can get out of water at her will. Also try and give her some raw meat very finely chopped ( just look out for your fingers when feeding her!!!) and some greens ( e.g. lettuce, spinach). Also try to find and to contact any Vets on-line for professional help. Good Luck to both of you!
2007-05-30 23:48:42 · answer #3 · answered by Olja M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bread is not a proper food for turtles.
The spots are shell rot.
You don't need a vet- you need to research basic turtle care. Don't expect people here to spoonfeed you correct information.
2007-05-31 04:28:17 · answer #4 · answered by markwedloe 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋