Urgent Care :: Turtle's Foot "Swelled" up!!!

[TreyCurtis15]

Hey I need help!

My turtle's two back feet, have "swelled" up, and they kinda look like a bubble has taken over his two back feet!!

Has this happened to anybody else?? What can I do to stop it??

Thanks!!

[SpotsMama]

Can you show a photo? I'm having trouble visualizing what you're talking about. Is he using his back feet? Can he walk? How long has this beeen going on? How is he behaving otherwise (active or lethargic, appetite ok?)

Can you please answer all the questions on the sticky in the front of the Urgent Care section?

[TreyCurtis15]

How big is your turtle? about 4 inches
How long have you had it? a year and a half

What is the water temperature? -
Did you use a thermometer? no
Are you using a water heater? no
How much water is in there? half full
Are you using a water conditioner? ya
Are you using any filtration? not right now

What is the basking temperature? -
Is there a basking light? yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? rock
Is there a UVB light? ya

What have you been trying to feed it? turtle pellets
When was the last time your turtle ate? I can't remember. probably over a week ago

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? tempoarally 10 gallons. But usually he is in about a 30 gallon tank
Is the tank near a window? no
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no

Have you read the Basic Care section? ya
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? ya

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? swelled up back feet, not eating.


He still walks normally. I just noticed it, two days ago. He hasn't been eating, but not AS active.

I will post a picture soon.

[TreyCurtis15]

this link should show you the pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34892666@N03/?saved=1

If it won't work, let me know

[megcornell]

They certainly look like blisters. Is there anything the turtle could have injured or burned its feet on?

Your set up is severely lacking. At the very least you'll need filtration and a heater to ensure a recovery. Turtles in dirty, cold water cannot stay healthy let alone get healthy.

I'd probably advise a vet visit, those back feet look pretty tender.

[TheComputerGremlin]

Goodness, that doesn't look good. I'd say get him to a vet, esp. if over the course of the last few days it hasn't gone down. Even a blister would have started decreasing. Have you tried dry docking him? I'd suggest a dry dock overnight to see if it has any effect on the feet. If they are abnormally taking up water, if they aren't in the water, it may help it decrease. Have you noticed if he's been trying to scratch them at all? If it were a blister or infection, it may itch, so he might be scratching them.

[marisa]

The front paws are not affected? Do you let the turtle walk around outside the tank? If so, could the turtle have been bitten by anything?

If there has been no change in the condition, it would be really good to have your turtle checked out by a herp vet.

[bradmeisel]

good luck -- get a heater and filter ASAP ... please.