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I've noticed recently that out of the two RES's I have, one of the smaller females (I think they're female) has what looks like a red bruise. It's not bleeding as i took her out and attempted to pat it down. She's very active and her diet is spot on. She is the one who loves diving everywhere though, and as i've only recently sorted out a proper dock for them, I wasn't too sure about the extent of their diving. I've only now realised that either side of the dock should be cleared of obstructions, but they move stuff around so quickly!

Although they're both the same age, one of the females is larger. As I'm in for most of the day, I keep an eye on them, and have never noticed any fighting at all.

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How big is your turtle? approx 4"
How long have you had it? since August 2006

What is the water temperature? 23 degrees celsius
Did you use a thermometer? yes
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? a 90 gallon tank is filled approx 60%, around 8 - 10"
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? yes, external Eheim

What is the basking temperature? 30 degrees celsius
Is there a basking light? yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? cork bark
Is there a UVB light? yes

What have you been trying to feed it? regular diet greens/King British turtle food
When was the last time your turtle ate? regular eating

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 90 gallons
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? yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? no

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Here are some pics:

The symptom:




The terrapin with the larger terrapin in the background:



The larger terrapin:



Any one have any ideas? Any help is really appreciated!

Are there any sharp objects in your tank ? It may have come in contact with it...

Maybe your other turtle bit it by accident or aggresion.

Try applying Neospirin to the area and dry docking the turtle for a few hours...

I've moved anything which they can hit while diving. There aren't any sharp objects, even the cork bark is fairly soft.

I'm in the UK and trying to find the equivalent to Neospirin.

Cheers for the advice!

It looks like she tried to retract her leg and something got in the way.

Neosporin is also called Polysporin in some countries. It could be a bruise from a bite, is the area sensitive to touch?

It looks like a pinch, maybe from a bite. Their skin is a bit thinner in that area and probably a lot more sensitive. Ouch!
But if it's not a cut, I'd just keep an eye on it. It'll probably clear up on it's own. If it gets worse, or you see these marks somewhere else, take her to a Vet.

She did seem to moan a bit when I patted it down, but that might have just been because she doesn't like being handled. Other than the red mark, she's absolutely normal. I'll get some Polysporin (Cheers Steve) and give that a go. I'll keep an eye on her, and any signs of it looking bad, she's going straight to the vet.

Cheers for the support and info guys!