Urgent Care :: HELP found Wild Red ear turtle...need advise

[sawyer]

We have a koi pond in your back yard and a red eared turtle was standing beside it...his shell is really dried out...I picked him/her up and put it in the pond but need to know what to do now...he can continue to live there I just want to avoid him eating our fish...want to know what I should put in so he has something to bask on...HELP...what should I feed him...I dont know anything....

[marisa]

Welcome. Is there any other body of water nearby where there would be other RES? If so, s/he might be better off being put there...If, however, your pond isn't fenced it, the RES might just decide to wander off again. How big is the koi pond? How big is the RES?

Could the turtle have been someone's pet (Does he act tame?) If he has no other food than koi, then that's what he'll start trying to eat. If you intend on trying to keep him in the pond, offer some other foods that wild turtles would like (earthworms, snails, insects---they're might be some of the latter two in the pond already). You could get some pellets and see if he likes those---if he does, it adds to the chances that he was someone's pet. He'll eat aquatic plants in the pond as well if you have them in there. But in spite of adding food, some koi, especially if they're really small, are likely to go missing.

You could anchor some corkbark in the center of the pond for a basking area, you could create one with rocks (be careful they're not really abrasive) or build your own.

[sawyer]

There is not a body of water near us...a few weeks ago we got a lot of flooding in the area...but have not had rain since. when I put him in the water he looked really dried out...I think he came in search of water...we are in Texas and its 95-100 degrees and have not had rain in about 4 weeks. Our backyard is fenced but there are places he could go in and out. We have lots of plants in there and about 20 koi also snails and red worms...I dont know what kind they are but see them in the filter when I clean it out. When I picked him up he did not seem to mind. Sometimes when I see turtles in the road they try to bite me when I move them. This one just sat there...I dont know if he was someones pet and got out...or was put out...he is about 6 inches in diameter...

[sawyer]

Our pond is about 400 gallons...

[TheComputerGremlin]

It's certainly possible that he came in with the flood waters and belongs elsewhere. If you happen to know of any wildlife people you can contact, they may be more familiar with places he could have came from.

The pond sounds like a lovely place to live, though. You are certainly welcome to keep him, esp. since he seems tame already. I would recommend that if you want to keep him around, though, you'll need to put up some type of blockade to keep him from wandering off. Otherwise, he may just up and leave someday. Turtles can climb fencing, like chain-link fences, so you need to be creative to keep them in.

[sawyer]

It does not really matter if he goes back where he belongs...I just need to know how to care for him until he does...dont know where he may have come from...there is a large reservoir about 5 miles from my house that I know has turtles...but that seems like a long way for him to travel...there is a creek about a mile away...maybe that is where he came from. Who knows...his shell is really dried out...should I do anything for that?

[TheComputerGremlin]

Once the shell is damaged, the only real help is to let him shed naturally. First, you can feed him as much cuttlebone (found in the bird section of the pet store, you have to remove the hard backing first, check out the sticky in the food section, I believe) as he wants. Second, see if he'll eat blueberries. You can safely give him 4-5 blueberries each week, that will assist in shedding. Lastly, a good basking area. Those three things should get him to start to shed.

As for the actual shell, it should be fine. You'll want to inspect it daily if he'll allow to make sure no more damage is occurring and that no funny colors or smells start up. Don't use the turtle wax stuff they sell at the pet stores, it will basically seal out all of the good environmental stuff he can take in naturally. Also, any veggies you can get him eating, like leafy greens and carrots, will help a lot.

I'm wondering if you could try wiping the shell with some vitamin E oil, like the human stuff they sell in the store. That would be a natural oil that might help make the shell look a little nicer. If you do try that, make sure all of the oil is absorbed or wiped off until the shell is dry again before putting him back in the water.

[jozzep]

He will probably try to nip at the Koi, but if they are big i doubt he would be able to take them down.A snapping turtle on the other hand would polish them off!
As long as he eats and is able to climb totally out of the water to bask (on a rock or the outer ledge of the pond), he should be ok.

[sawyer]

I have set up some rocks for him to climb on...I think he can also get out where we have a waterfall. How high can they get up..the water sits to the edge of the flagstone but there is about a 1/2 inch will he be able to get up it. I did not see him this morning but he was there this afternoon. I have not seen him out of the water at all...when I see him he is in the water and just sticks his head up....I am now worried if he wants to get out he cant.

[TheComputerGremlin]

It sometimes takes days and even weeks for a turtle to get used to a basking area. Also, many turtles are very shy about basking and will dive in at the slightest sound, so you may not see him bask for a good while. They can climb I'd say at least an inch, but if they've never had to do it, it could take a week to build up strength in those legs.

One thing you can do is put something yummy up there, like a freeze-dried cricket or a piece of lettuce/fruit and see if it disappears. That can tell you that he's getting up there.

[jozzep]

One thing you can do is put something yummy up there, like a freeze-dried cricket or a piece of lettuce/fruit and see if it disappears. That can tell you that he's getting up there.

I'm pretty sure aquatic turtles only eat in the water

[Diamondbacks4Life]

One thing you can do is put something yummy up there, like a freeze-dried cricket or a piece of lettuce/fruit and see if it disappears. That can tell you that he's getting up there.

I'm pretty sure aquatic turtles only eat in the water

Turtle will drag it back into the water and eat it.

[marisa]

The turtle will do that only if something else (a bird, for example) doesn't get to it first and s/he's comfortable enough to get on the basking area. I don't think that doing something like that outside is a really valid test of eating.

If dryness is the only issue, I'd just make sure he's got a good place to bask (watch out for abrasive rocks) and not be concerned about putting anything on the shell to improve appearance. A good enclosure, the sun and time is best.

I know you said that it doesn't matter if he goes back where he belongs, but if it were me, I'd make a decision as to whether I wanted him to stay where he is or find a place where you think he belongs (reservoir?) or find someone who can advise you. S/he may wander off again and not be lucky enough to find a pond like yours---I spent time on Sunday taking turtles off the road so they wouldn't be hit.