Urgent Care :: Clicking Noise=RI?

[TNTurtles]

Hi, I have a baby RES who opens his mouth just a little bit and makes a clicking noise. Sometimes he will open it big like a yawn but he does this very rarely. Except for that, Davinci seems to be normal. He is eating normally, basking, and swimming level. Is this a sign of a RI?

His old tankmate, Bailey, died of a RI but as soon as I realized it i made sure to get everthing required to help her out and even increased basking/water temp. She was floating and swimming lopsided but Davinci doesn't. I'm a college student so can't really afford a vet right now, so whatever advice you have would be appreciated.

How big is your turtle? 1' 1/2"
How long have you had it? 1 month

What is the water temperature? 80F
Are you using a water heater? No, the guy at the store said the light would keep it warm enough
How much water is in there? not sure but PLENTY enough for swimming, maybe about 6 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes
Are you using any filtration? Yes

What is the basking temperature? 90F(day), 80F(night)
Is there a basking light? yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? yes
Is there a UVB light? yes

What have you been trying to feed it? ZooMed Hatchling Aq. Turt. Pellets
When was the last time your turtle ate? this afternoon (regular eating time)

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 10 gallons(all i can afford for another 2 months)
Is the tank near a window? not directly in the sunlight
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? yes, dorm room, its where my whole life is

Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes, but they all had different things going on

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? just the clicking noise when he opens his mouth, sometimes there is a bubble coming out but i cant tell if thats just him coming to the surface

Here is the tank:


-I was also wondering if any of you guys have a night time red light on the basking area to keep the air temp around 80F? Is it necessary?

[staman]

Its hard to say at this point. If hes acting normally (eating,basking,swimming) i wouldnt be too worried. Turtles do yawn albiet infrequently. Ive caught mine doing it a few times when theyve been basking for hours... What does the clinking noise sound like?

When your first turtle died was he in the same tank as Davinc? If so that could be a BIG problem as RI is contagious...

[sonyj]

I'm not sure about the clicking noise. If there's no other symptoms I'd just keep an eye on him.


You need a fully submersible water heater for your tank. This is extremely important for their health. Maintaining a steady water temperature is a must or they will get sick (RI). Water temp for hatchlings should be a steady 78 degrees. The heat light (which I see in the pic) and the UVB light (I don't see one of these in the pic) should be on a day/night cycle, on for around 12 hours during the day and off at night. No other lighting is needed if the tank is set-up properly.

And just a couple of suggestions, remove any small gravel in the tank that can be ingested. The turtles will become impacted if they eat the gravel and it doesn't pass.

Also, I'd fill the tank up with more water, especially since it's already too small for two turtles. Minimum tank size is 10gallons per inch of turtle. So give them all the swimming area that they can in this tank until you can upgrade for them. And you may want to put some fake or real plants in there. This gives them resting and hiding places and helps them feel secure.

[TNTurtles]

Hmm i dont know how else to describe the noise, its almost like the sound of a clicky pen. And yes Davinci was in there when Bailey was sick, i had no other place to put her, and now if Davinci is sick, Leo is in there with him. I cant really afford another tank setup to put him in.

I raised the water level pretty high now but not so they can escape. Do you recommend a type of water heater and UVB light. Keep in mind, I HAVE LITTLE MONEY!! However the water actually stays 80F with just the light. I have bought so many different type of lightbulbs but none of them actually say UVB. Is it possible to have just one lightbulb that does everything? My tank didn't come with a type of hood or screen so i need a type of bulb that can go in a clip on lamp.

Thanks alot for your help!

[TNTurtles]

I asked my boyfriend to look at it(seeing as it is his turtle, but i take care of it) and he said its the sound of the water popping in his mouth. when i took him out for a second a bubble came out of his mouth, but he wasn't in the water. Like i said though, everything else is normal, no lopsided swimming and eats normally....

[sonyj]

It is recommended to separate ill turtles from healthy ones. This is a factor that must be taken into consideration if you decided to keep multiple turtles. Since turtles do not require companionship and aren't social creatures like we tend to think, owners must take things like illness, aggression and incompatibility into account when keeping multiple turtles. In these cases the turtles may need to be separated into their own habitat either temporarily or permanently.

The mercury vapor bulb provides both heat and UVB but it isn't recommended for tanks under 50 gallons due to the amount of heat it produces and it is fairly pricey. Look for a UVB bulb that says it produces 7-10% UVB and you can use a regular household bulb for the basking light, (basking temp should be 88-90 degrees). Check online for the UVB bulb. Sometimes you can get a better deal when ordering it online rather than buying it at a pet store.

As for heaters, I'm not sure of a specific brand (visitherm is a good one I think) but what you buy should be fully submersible and get one that can grow with your upgrades. Just remember that the turtles habitat must grow as they grow, so if you buy equipment now that can grow with the tank size it will save money in the long run.

[fishandcandy]

If your water is staying at 80, you're okay without the heater. I have a small tank, also, and the water stays warm enough, so I don't have a heater. But when you get a larger tank, the lightbulb won't be enough. Since you're turtle is probably sleeping most of the night, not basking, I wouldn't worry too much about keeping the basking area warm.
Are you sure the water is staying around 80 all night? Since one may be sick, you want to make sure the water is staying warm.

[TNTurtles]

I've been watching Davinci this morning and while he is basking or swimming he will sometimes opens his mouth and a small bubble will come out along with the noise. If this is a RI is there a possiblity for him to recover on his own? Should i raise the air temp above 90 to boost his immune system?

It's kind of strange b/c everything else is normal, i even have to seperate the 2 for feeding times cuz he is a bully when it comes to food.

[TNTurtles]

Hey I just thought I would let everyone know an update on Davinci just in case you were wondering. I took him to the vet and she said he had a bad case of pnemonia(sp). She gave him a couple injections and i have to continue his shots for 2 weeks every 3 days. The funny thing is that she gave me this little plastic tube for a muzzle for him b/c he will bite when he see the needles. Hes so little, its funny watching him try to turn his head to bite me. But, i think he will be ok. I have to take him for a check up in 2 weeks. the only thing im worried about is the other one since i didn't have the ability to seperate them before he got sick. The vet said he showed no signs of illness and that she would check him up for free when i bring in davinci in 2 weeks. Shes so nice to a poor college student!! =)

[sonyj]

That's good to hear. Glad you were able to get him treated.

[cam722]

That's great news that you found a good and understanding vet..

Remember that with most antibiotics that the turtles appetite will sometimes decrease, so if it happens don't panic

[marisa]

It's very good you took him in to be seen.