One of my turtles (have 4) is sick or almost drowned.
female, red eared slider, 5 years, 7.5 inches
I've had these turtles for 5-6 years now, in a very large tank with all the proper care and equipment.
The tank is in an inclosed sun room connected to my house. 3 days ago I found one of the females in the bottom of the tank, face down in the driftwood and she looked/was DEAD. I pulled her out and all of her limbs were limp noodle and there was no movement so I set her on the ground. Seriously, I started making burial plans. When I picked her up again though she moved ever so slightly. So she's still alive but barely. I immediately put her into a smaller tank by herself with warmer water. I had to prop one end of the tank up so that the water didn't cover her head because she couldn't lift her head. Over the next 4-5 hours I slowly brought the temperature up to about 83 degrees. The weather here in San Diego just started to change and I had not yet installed heaters for the winter so the temperature in the main tank was kinda cool, about 70-72 degrees. So over the next couple of days she began to lift her head and stand up a little and I added a little more water. Oh and I soaked all of the turtles, her by herself, in "Zoo Med Repti Turtle Sulfa Dip" for 3 hours on the first day and thoroughly cleaned the main tank even though I had just cleaned it a few days earlier . So yesterday I put her back in the large tank but she just stays on the basking platform not moving. I tested her out in the deep end and she cant swim, she's just able to stand and kinda grab on to things and pull herself. Aside from all of that, she's not eating. I've tried greens and stick food. My theory is that she stayed under water too long and drowned and now has brain damage??? If not could she be sick from something? I don't know, can anyone help me out?
