Urgent Care :: Heavy Breathing

[jaz.orens]

Hello there,

I have a missisipi map turtle and he is occasionally breathing verry heavely when he is outside the water and sometimes when he is underwater, I have quarrentiend him at the momment but did anyone of you experience this as well? is this normall? I'm verry worried !

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1 Red eared slider/yellow belly cooter mix
1 yellow belly cooter
1 missisipi map turtle
1 razorback musk turtle

[worldpeace]

Sometimes they make sounds when they're basking which, in some cases, could be considered normal. Did you notice any other abnormal behaviour such as lots of bubbles coming from his mouth? Is he eating and basking?

[jaz.orens]

he isn't basking but I didn't get the needed lamp for that just yet. and occasionally when he quickly dives under water as soon as I approach but i think this is normal... but he's also breathing very loudly when outside of the aqua-terrarium

[steve]

Is the turtle overweight? My female RES is a bit big and I can notice some heavy breathing sometimes.

[jaz.orens]

no he's just breathing heavelly occasionly. he's doing better at the momment, but I'm still wondering what it could be because i've read some stuff aobut this being deadly for the guy and stuff, but I'm going to see the vet next thursday

[marisa]

By heavy breathing, do you mean he puffs out the area under the chin? If so, this in itself is not abnormal.

Does he make any noises with the heavy breathing?