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hey i dont know if this is bad or ok when ever herby(my turt) comes up for air he keeps opening his mouth like he is gasping for air or some thing he only does it every once and a wile they are about the size of about 2 in

thanks
wwe_freak

what's the set up like? Does it look like he's gasping, bubbles around the nose, lop sided swimming?

What are teh temps of your tank?

set up is fine no lopsided swimming he just opens his mouth as he comes up for air

what are the temps of your tank?

like the air is about 88 and the water is 78 or 79

what about the basking temp?

90 i think

He might just be breathing. Though your water temp is a bit too high, it should be around 75 degrees.

Gasping for air? Does ur turtle seem to be "yawning" because yawning can mean pneumonia, water in the lungs, or infections. Check it out asap!

no.. high 70 temps are good for adults. try adjust the temp to 80-83 for the younguns.. this will inhibit their growth and appetite, and maybe then they'll eat. And don't expect them to eat right away.. let the pellets float around.. leave the room or go out somewhere.. come back in a few hours or so and see what's up. Don't be pushy with the food.. they don't like to be rushed.. Also, If you've made or continue to make drastic tank changes, they'll not eat for a little while. New surroundings make for stressed turts. But they will or should start getting their appetites up soon. Keep up with the pellets. No bigger than the size of their heads.

And get that gravel out of there. Later on as they get bigger, they'll eat it and become impacted.. ie; full of rocks. Plus, poop and uneaten food that sinks to the bottom will stay in the gravel and become an omnipresent source for dirty water.

so.. get the gravel out of there.. bring the temp to between 80-83.. and keep up with the pellets. they contain all the nutrients that the youngsters need. You could try introducing some greens too like romaine lettuce.. but some younguns don't like to eat greens..

and if you ever want to feed them meat like chicken.. MAKE SURE IT'S COOKED OR BOILED.

If we're talking water temps, I think having the water 80-83F is a bit too high for healthy hatchlings/younger turts. I'd have the water temp about 78F for them. For a healthy adult, a water temp of about 76F is OK.

wwe_freak, does your turtle breath with his mouth open frequently?