Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:35 pm
In advance of seeing a photo, I'm going to say what you've described sounds like a serious case of shell rot. The white stuff that's oozing out is probably pus. That means the infection has gone deep and the turtle is at risk of developing septicemia. I don't want to scare you, but you should take him to see a vet who knows how to treat turtles ASAP.
Until you get him in to see the vet, keep him out of the water most of the time except for a few hours a day to eat. Keep the water very clean. When he's not in the water, make sure he's in a safe place. Disinfect and clean the area with a 50%/50% solution of hibiclense (a hand wash for people that you can get from places like Walgreens) and water. Afterwards the cleaning, apply the antibiotic cream. Repeat this a couple of times a day. But if it's serious shell rot, he will also need treatment by a vet.
I could be wrong about this, of course, since I haven't seen a photo (and I'm not a vet). But I can't think of anything else right off the top of my hand that fits the description.
Shell rot is caused by "husbandry" problems (ie, water that isn't clean and other aspects of care aren't standard) or a wound that hasn't healed properly. it's very important that you figure out what caused the problem so you can be sure it doesn't happen again...or happen to the other turtle.
Good luck - please keep us posted as to how it goes.
SpotsMama
