Urgent Care :: shell rotting?

[xsaladgirl]

Hey there! I'am new to this forum and I need some advice on my turtle.. i've had him for about a year and my family has been noticing something was wrong with my turtle's shell...I just thought his shell was dry...? But now I'am taking serious concern...to be honest, i dont know much abt turtles either =/

I have some pictures, but they're not so clear because my phone doesn't have the best quality. (btw, these pictures are really huge!)






(this picture is not clear at all! Hopefully you can still notice the red lining & spots!)

The top of his shell seems to be really dry all the time and it looks like white powder is just drizzled all over it. Also, underneath him, it looks like there are a couple red spots at the top area, and there is red lining as well...which concerns me.

If anyone can share some advice, it'd be greatly appreciated! I just hope i dont end up losing another turtle.. =(

[edit 8/12/08]

Here, i've replied to the questions from the link given above..hopefully this helps, but i dont think i could have given too much information =/

How big is your turtle?
about 2 inches from the feet to it's head.

How long have you had it?
about a year.

What is the water temperature?
im not really sure, but i change the turtle tank with warm water every time.

Did you use a thermometer?
no.

Are you using a water heater?
no =/

How much water is in there?
hmm .. enough for him to sink under in, but i believe the most curved part of his shell sticks out.

Are you using a water conditioner?
no.

Are you using any filtration?
when i change the water myself ..

What is the basking temperature?
im not sure.. i put him next to a lamp.

Is there a basking light?
the lamp?

Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on?
yeahh.

What kind is it or what is it made out of?
it's this plastic circle.

Is there a UVB light?
no.

What have you been trying to feed it?
the food my sister bought for it when she bought me the turtle, nutrafin pellets. also i shed from the cuttle bone into the water because he doesn't eat the cuttlebone when i try to break it into tiny pieces for him, so it diffuses in with the water and i assume he'll drink it.

When was the last time your turtle ate?
last night.

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure?
5 1/2 inches in diameter. it's a circle

Is the tank near a window?
yes.

Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity?
yes.

Have you read the Basic Care section?
yes.

Have you searched the forums for similar situations?
no, but i was googling about the situation online, and that's when i started to be even more concern and found this forum to seek help.

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms?
i believe he acts the same, sometimes i hear noises from the water, maybe air bubbling? but he doesnt do much.. i assume it's because there isn't much for him to do, but i think he's pretty lively.

[edit 8/15/08]

thanks for everyone's replies .. when i read abt the caring situations for my turtle, i was shocked. he's been living fine for about a year and until now he's gotten worse. i didn't think this was possible. but thank you everyone, i definitely appreciate it. :] i'am going to try and take better care of my turtle or may find a new and better home for it, but thank you everyonee.

btw, i tried rubbing off the red stuff under his shell and they seemed to have come off, he got snappy too, first time i've noticed while i was doing that. but yeah.

thanks again!

ohh i've just noticed something new abt my turtle! someone mentioned that he's probably not used to swimming, so i tried adding more water so maybe he could try and swim more, when i did, he was floating lopsided... isn't that a concern? i remember reading abt that somewhere .. =/

[LeslieMW]

are the spots soft or have an odor?

[ScrewZoo]

Please answer the following questions on this link for us to help you further.
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2142

[SpotsMama]

Agree on needing the info from the questions on the above link. The pictures are very blurry, unfortunately, so it's hard to tell what's going on. what you describe could be a lot of things. Info about his setup may give us clues as to what's going on.

How does he behave? Does he have a good appetite? Is he lively and curious?

[mat012]

I would take him to a herp vet. The spots on the bottom of the shell look problematic to em but I am not shell expert. Without better pics it will be hard for folks here to know what might be going on but a vet will be able to give you good accurate advise.

I would also recommend that you read through the main sections of this site. His set up is not really adequate for good health. He needs much more space with more water and a UVB light. Without UVB and adequate calcium (cuttlebone) his shell will not grow strong and healthy. His size is a bit of concern - he is a bit small for a turtle that is at least a year old. But changes in his diet and habitat will go a long way. Turtles are easy to keep with the right equipment and knowledge. Without it they are not very likely to remain healthy.

First tho I would definitely go to a vet.

[megcornell]

To be honest, I think you're lucky he's survived so long in such inadequate conditions. Those "turtle bowls" are so deadly. The shell issues you're seeing are from poor diet and habitat.
The first thing you need to do is to upgrade his set up and his diet. Read through the main website to see what you'll need. For starters, the turtle needs a real tank, and the larger the tank you can get, the better. Since he's never swam in his life, you may need to fill the water gradually to allow him to adjust.
He's a hardy little guy. Hopefully with some changes he'll be much happier and healthier.
You also may want to look into a vet visit. I can't tell how bad the shell issues are from the quality of the pictures but it looks like you've got some shell fungus issues and a vet can prescribe cream to treat that. Just make sure you see a herp vet, regular vets will see turtles, but most don't know enough to effectively treat them and are a waste of money.

[ScrewZoo]

Wow. You need to save up 2 hundred dollars and buy him a real home. I feel sorry for him.

[marisa]

Your turtle is very small for being at least a year old (you measured the shell from the back of the neck to just above the tail and didn't include the curve of the shell, right?). His living conditions are inadequate to say the least, and over time shell problems are bound to develop. He also needs a better diet. How many pellets do you give him at a feeding? How often is he fed?

The powdery look to the shell could be some cuttlebone residue (small tank, little water, no filtration and the water will get dirty very quickly). How often do you change the water?

I can't really see much from the pictures (not clear enough), but you need to start reading on what your turtle needs to grow and stay healthy.

[Daniel3507]

wow. im surprised he has lived that as long as he has. you need to get a better habitat asap. if your not able to do that you need to look into giving him to a reptile rescue so he can get the care needed.