Urgent Care :: new turtle keeper

[SpotsMama]

You and your turtle are in our thoughts. Here's hoping he continues to improve! Believe me, I understand about how thoroughly you can get attached to the little guys.

[flutterby]

Congrats!! Thats really great, I'm glad Horus is doing better.

[scripta_elegans]

I am so happy Horus is feeling better and eating. It is amazing how attached we all get to the little guys.

[lamatrudo]

Horus is much better the vet could not believe it was the same turtle that he saw, unfortunatly he has worms. He is now on a dewormer that I give every day for the next 3 days now, He ate for the first time in 4 weeks. A whole worm. His mouth has had this red sticky stuff on in all day, we have wiped it off and it keeps coming back. I thought it was the worm at first. Can he have another problem? Has anyone ever heard of this before? Or is it just the dewormer which is a white sticky stuff I suringe in his mouth mixed with his breakfast. We have come so far with this little guy, I just want to be on the right track with him. Vet is in on monday. Would love some help.
lamatrudo

[grey goose]

If Horus has parasites, I'd lay off the live food, Stick to feeding him high grade commercial pellets for now. Zoo-Med aquaitic is probably the best, next to Mazuri, which is hard to find in small quantities.

[marisa]

Your vet should be able to pinpoint what that red substance is.

I'd keep him off the live food until you know what it is. Reptomin is another good pellet, as is Nutrafin.

Good luck at the vets.

[scripta_elegans]

I know that bacteria called serratia Marcesens can form a red biofilm in large colonies. I also know that it can be a pneumonia causing organism. I might ask the vet if it could be a secondary infection. S/he should be able to do a culture of it if there is any doubt. I wish I were closer, and I would come do a culture! I hope it's something else that's harmless!

[lamatrudo]

The red stuff has stopped, and never returned. I am syringe feeding him because he took another turn for the worse. HE wouldnt' eat at all. He has responded great to the syringe, I get a wet goop of the reptomin pellets, we are on the second day of it. He is still on the antibiotics, The scud on his shell is still there, I just feel so helpless, I wish I was more turtle savy. We are still cleaning his tank every other or third day. You all will laugh but I play him my massage music and he always picks up with it on so we have it on 24 hours a day. I don't even know if he can hear, but it works. Tonight he fell in the water and just kind of floated there with his nose out of the water...anyone ever hear of this? My vet is getting sick of me he said we are doing everything we can but if he does not eat than no matter what I do he will continue to get worse. Keep all the good advise I can always use it.
Lamatrudo