About 4 inches
How long have you had it?
Over 4 years.
What is the water temperature?
68F degrees but going up (I changed water not long ago)
Did you use a thermometer?
Yes.
Are you using a water heater?
Yes.
How much water is in there?
Don´t know precisely.
Are you using a water conditioner?
Yes. Tetra's Aquasafe.
Are you using any filtration?
Yes. Tetra.
What is the basking temperature?
Do not know.
Is there a basking light?
Yes. Regular 60w and ReptoSun 5.0 26w.
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on?
Yes.
What kind is it or what is it made out of?
It's a river rock.
Is there a UVB light?
Yes. ReptoSun 5.0 26w.
What have you been trying to feed it?
Pellets, bloodworms.
When was the last time your turtle ate?
Today at noon.
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure?
Not big enough.
Is the tank near a window?
No.
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity?
Kind of.
Have you read the Basic Care section?
Yes.
Have you searched the forums for similar situations?
Yes.
Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms?
No.
_______
Here's the deal, guys:
4 and a half years old brazilian red ear slider.
About 3 months ago stopped getting sunlight at all (I moved into a rather daaaark apartment).
Bought her a ReptoSun 5.0 26w about 10 days ago, after searching for LITERALLY over a month.
Lamp is installed since about then and for two days now she's been lethargic - slow, moves very little, seems to spend most of the day 'sleeping'. Still eating and going up to the basking area when I turn its lights on though. But 'sleeping' too much.
Today I noticed - right eye, the one that she uses to stare DIRECTLY into the very strong, still on the burning period, brand new UVB lamp, is swollen. Not hooooorribly swollen, but it's a bit ugly, with the corner slightly reddish.
She was not very hungry today, but still ate plenty after some enticing - pellets, bloodworms as well as some cuttlefish bone.
During the afternoon I removed her from the tank and made a complete water change. Heck, it could be the water, right (although unlikely. Only one eye?).
After removing the turtle from the tank I noticed the eye was watery (entire body dry but the right side of her face was wet) but she was NOT blinking too much or keeping it closed anymore. I mantained her outside the water for about 2 hours, I believe. She was calm, quiet and very ok, it seemed. Both eyes opened, one eye watering.
Not long ago I placed her back into the tank with treated (Tetra's Aquasafe) water. It was immediate: going into the water, the right, swollen eye shut down.
For about 20 minutes now she' s been opening and closing her eye, keeping it closed for a little bit.
My question, after this entiiiiiiiire thing is:
What is the correct protocol? -
- I have changed water completely in order to make sure it was not the water.
- I have COMPLETELY turned off the UVB light as soon as I realized the eye was swollen. I kept the regular heating lamp.
- I did not apply anything to the eye - haven't found eyedrops for sale in my city (my city and pet turtles ARE NOT COMPATIBLE) and haven't purchase cod liver oil yet.
- Should I remove the turtle from the water? Would it do any good?
I apologize for yet another swollen eye question, photo-kerato-conjuntivitis doubt, but I do have an honest doubt I didn' t find answers to: should I keep the turtle in the water or should removing her from it do any good and speed up the healing process?
Thank you so very much.
