Urgent Care :: Red Ear Slider Heat Stroke!

[hechen]

Today I decided to let my turtle outside for a few hours. It around 81 degrees here. I tied a long piece of fishing line on him to a tree. I check on him every 30min and he seems to be fine, I have 2 bowls of water dig into the ground so he had water if he needed it. After checking on him about 4 times after that I left him for 1 or 1.5 hours because I was changing my oil. When I was done I went back to check on him and he was turned upside down and looked really sick. I put him in a bowl with cold water to a little more then half way up his shell. Before I put him in water he didnt respond much and now his left arm won't more. What should I do?

[marisa]

Supervised or not, do not tie your turtle to a tree like a dog!!!

The fact that he was upside down is not good---they have difficulty breathing in that position, and if he was that way for any length of time, his access to oxygen was compromised.

I would hydrate him, but I would not subject him to any big temperature differences by putting him in cold water. I would put him in a container of warmish water (78 - 80F) with the water level lower so he doesn't have to try to expend energy swimming. You might get some Pedialyte, dilute it 50/50 with water the same temp and and soak him in it so he gets some electrolytes in him.

Do his other limbs move? Does the left arm look injured? Does he respond at all if you gently pull on his limbs? If he does, I'd give him a little time and see if he becomes more responsive. If not, I'd look for a herp vet, pronto.

[hechen]

Everything seems normal now excpet for his left arm. He can move it now but he is having more trouble with it and anyother limb. There is no signs of injury. I ahve tried repeatly to put him back in his tank but he cann't swim up because of his left arm so I left him in a bowl of water.

[steve]

Make certain that he can't drown if he were to flip over in that bowl of water.

[untsmurf]

one leg not working shouldn't prevent him from being able to swim.