Urgent Care :: HE JUST SHEDS AND SHEDS AND SHEDS!

[za94]

My turtle Honey just sheds and sheds every hour of everyday! I also noticed that he's a lighter green when comparing him to pictures of most RES. I know this isnt healthy for a turtle and i think it's because i've been feeding him to many constant pellets but i cant get his to eat his veggies! It comes to a point where he doesnt even try to taste them he just neglects them with disgust. I have a basking lap that is quite warm but i keep it a distance from his basking rock so that it's not to much heat. The water is mild room temp. I have a water filter that works fine and i have to say, i dont really enjoy having to clean his wispy skin out of it every other day :/ He's a happy little guy and doesnt seem to have anythin else wrong with him. Any suggestions? I would just like him to be healthy.

oh and he's 4 inches and a year and a half old if that helps.

[vear]

Do you mean shedding skin? What's the water temperature? The warmer the water the more they'll shed.

[marisa]

From your post, I'm going to assume you're talking about skin shedding. You need to check the temps of the water and basking area with a thermometer so you know exactly what they are (a lamp far enough from the basking area so that it's not too hot and a water temp that's mild room temp doesn't really say anything about how warm it is). As noted, temps that are too warm can encourage shedding. So will overfeeding and an ammonia level that's too high, among other things.

How big is the tank? How much water is in it? How often is the water changed?

Being a lighter green than pics of other RES you've seen has nothing to do with being unhealthy (overfeeding does, but that isn't going to affect how green he is). Some RES are just a lighter color than others.

[richieboy]

My turtle has had some skin hanging from the top of her neck for weeeks now. Ever since she went off Baytril which I read makes her shed. But she just won't loose it. My temps are right as far as I know too. It just hangs there.

[za94]

Yes i'm talking about his skin. I cant get my hands on a thermometer right now. I know that's not an excuse but till i get one, all i can tell u is that the temps outside are around 30degrees (i live in the middle east), and i havent used my AC yet just had the fan on low so his tank is usually a bit cooler. His tank is a two gallon one and i change the water every three days. Plus i use a aquarium water conditioner which removes harmful chlorine, nuetralizes chloramine, buffers the PH and detoxifies heavy metals. I also have a tank air bubbler and my filter oxygenates the water as well. He eats alot, since he's not a baby anymore and i really dont know how many pellets i should give him. I've recently started taking him to roam around the house, he seems to be intimidated by all the enormousness objects but it seems to have a good effect on his skin. Still shedding though.

[richieboy]

I dunno, not knowing the temps and with the amount of water he's in your gonna run into problems. You should read through the main site. I would find a nice sized tub or something. Hook up the filter if you can and do frequent water changes. I checked the conversion and 30 C is way too hot for a turtle. Too warm will promote more shedding.

[vear]

A 2 gallon tank in 30 degree weather will get very hot! Can you get your hands on a rubbermaid container of some sort? 2 gallons is way too small.

Also, I see you say you don't know how much to feed him. Have you read through the main site? If you haven't, you should - there's essential information there about everything from nutrition to housing etc: http://www.redearslider.com/

[za94]

well i solved the problem. I cut down his pellets to 6 pellets twice a day and his skin hasnt been sheddnig since.