Trouble with 2 red eared sliders!?

Question

My red eared sliders has had this white spot on it's shell. What is it? And they have began to form black lines in between its scutes. Could this be dangerous? Or is it normal? Also, one of the turtles shell is becoming lighter and lighter and the other darker and darker...The eyes also look a bit puffy...What should I do???? One more thing, the scutes look as if they are sbout to fall off.

Answer 1

The lighter colored turtle sounds like it is in bad shape. Puffy eyes is a sign of dietary problems, infections, or soiled water, and the shell sounds like it is showing shell rot.

Black lines is not usually a concern, and general darkening is common as they grow.

I hate to say this, but I think your overall cares and diet may be messed up. A lot of turtle owners get bad info and their poor turtles die because of it. Turtles are really not a super-easy to care for pet.

For some GOOD care info, try http://www.redearslider.com

Go there soon- I think the light turtle really needs some help fast.

Answer 2

Feeder Items: live feeder fish (guppies, goldfish, minnows), earthworms, crickets, waxworms, earthworms, silkworms, aquatic snails, blood worms, daphnia, shrimp, krill, mealworms. For very small turtles, prey may have to be cut into smaller pieces. Larger turtles can be offered larger items like tadpoles. Leafy greens: collard, mustard and dandelion greens, kale, bok choy. Head (iceberg) lettuce should never be feed as it contains very little nutrition, but dark green leaf lettuces (e.g romaine) can be feed sparingly Aquatic plants: in an aquarium or pond you can add aquatic plants on which turtles usually love to snack. Submerged plants like anacharis are often eaten, as are water hyacinth, water lettuce, duckweed, azolla (fairy moss), and frog-bit. Other vegetables: carrots (tops are fine too), squash and green beans. Supplements A good reptile multivitamin with calcium and vitamin D3 shoule be mixed with the food a couple of times a week. Also, an excellent way to provide additional calcium is by putting a cuttlebone in the turtle tank. These are often avaiable in the bird section, and they can be affixed to the tank or just floated in the water Set them on a 20 gallon tank per dozen turtles . Provide them with a dry land area and a shallow water area. Newborns need to master the art of floating and staying underwater for long periods of time. Don't assume that they will survive only with water. Newborn Red-Ear sliders can actually drown if you neglect them a dry land area. The water should be not too deep. As with adult sliders, newborns need to have their full spectrum light. So don't forget to include that in the tank. The full spectrum light will help the newborn shells to harden. Keep the water neatly clean. If you don't have a filter change the water every two days. This is very important since baby sliders are more prone to getting eye infections (that can leave them blind for life or even kill them) than adult sliders. Keep the water neatly clean, provide him with a full spectrum light, keep him warm (about 80 degrees), and add vitamin supplements to his diet. Make sure the supplements are high in vitamin A and calc they are friendly but always wash your hands after, some carry salomales

Answer 3

Algae

It is normal if there is a small amount of algae on the shell, but it is not a necessary condition. It is usually seen on wild turtles or RES kept in outdoor ponds. Most captive RES that are kept indoors have little or none. Algae should be easy to remove if the area is wiped down with a towel or gently scrubbed with a toothbrush and water. Adding a pleco, an algae eating fish, is not a reliable way to control algae on your turtle or in your tank. A pleco will become a potential meal itself and contribute to the waste added into to the water.
Discolored Spots

Spots that are white or discolored can either be a bacterial infection, fungus, shell rot or mineral deposits. Bacterial and fungal infections can develop from a lack of water quality and inadequate basking. They can start in one particular area and gradually spread outward. These conditions are often contagious and your turtles would require separation during treatment. While there are off the shelf treatments available, you will likely need stronger and specific prescription medication.

Mineral deposits can form if you are using hard water. The excess minerals in the water build on the outer scutes. The development would affect all areas of the shell. If that area is still hard but lighter in color, it is possible a scute is beginning to shed. An air pocket forms under a scute, usually starting at the edges and gives it a golden appearance.
Fungus

A white cotton-like coating or patch over the shell may be a fungal infection. Fungus may appear in varying degrees of whitish to brownish color. Inadequate filtration and lack of basking greatly contribute to this condition. If this condition is caught early, it should be easy to treat once you provide a proper habitat. A commercial product such as Repti Turtle Sulfa Dip (sodium chloride, sulfisoxazole andneomycin sulfate) allows you to prevent and control external bacterial diseases and fungal infections. If the condition is excessive or does not improve, then you should consult a veterinarian for an appropriate diagnosis and medication.
Mineral Deposits

A build up of minerals on your turtle's shell is another water quality-related condition. Having hard water - water that is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium - will lead to this whitish build up all over the shell. This is not a threatening condition but it should be addressed. Refer to the hard water section regarding solutions.
Pyramiding

Overfeeding leads to an unhealthy large intake of protein and fat. This intake leads to rapid growth, which can cause shell pyramiding. Too much protein can also cause internal organ damage like kidney failure. The scutes on the carapace are not smooth as they should be and appear in a pyramid shape. There are varying degrees of severity, and the areas between scutes may not have their normal strength.

This is a completely avoidable situation. The diet really needs to be corrected and treats or anything carrying large amounts of protein should be reduced. Avoid giving in to the begging and make sure no one is offering additional food. If not immediately corrected, pyramiding is a permanent disability.
Scute Shedding

Over a period of time, the scutes will begin to shed. This is completely normal and you can notice the process when their appearance begins to lighten or become a golden color. This is due to the air seeping between the new and old scutes. It should not be necessary to help or force the old scutes off, especially when there is a proper basking area set up. It is important for your turtle to be able to regularly dry off completely. Without proper conditions, your RES will retain scutes (dysecdysis), which can lead to an infection.

Answer 4

Please listen carefully. I was a first time owner of two beautiful baby red-eared sliders, but one, I noticed, had a white spot on it's shell and dark lines in beetween the cracks.
I thought nothing much, I thought this is normal. Soon after, my turtle stopped moving altogether. Then stopped eating. And soon, Baby Smile died. He might have had a common desiese, Salmonella, or more likely, a hole in his back. It was too late before we took him to the vet. Please, please, please save your turtle's life and go to the vet AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT. IT IS VERY SAD WHEN AN ANIMAL IS SERIOUSLY SICK. AND I HOPED I HELPED YOU, AND AM GLAD 2 HELP SOMEONE ELSE WITH THIS PROBLEM.

PS. This only happened to one of the turtles. The other one is perfectly fine, and growing bigger each day, but is showing some signs of mourning. So sad. :(

Baby Smile, rest in peace!!!

Answer 5

Even if you don't take them to the vet, it's worth a call. They can't "diagnose" over the phone, but they will be able to tell you if you should be concerned and if it deserves a trip to the vet.

Answer 6

honestly you should take them to a vet and let them check.. maybe something is wrong with the water that your using or chemicals your putting in your tank but seriously take them to a vet they will be able to tell you whats wrong.. and get them the help they need fast

Answer 7

Its very important you take them to a vet as soon as posible !!! They need profesional attention, they are starting to get ill....

Please try your turtles get more sun oo UVA ( about 14 hours a day ), Try to give them more calcium ( do not forget it !!!), try to give them multivitamins and vitamin A.

Try to use a heat water to prevent they get ill ( pneumonia ).

Please take them to a vet...their shells are a sing that things are not ok !!!

Please go !!!

From Argentina.

Answer 8

Madkins is right..thumbs up

Answer 9

i think they need more light