Urgent Care :: Tearing Nails

[Sweeney_45]

I am getting frustrated because my turtles nails are really really long. They keep catching on the aquarium equipment and ripping off which causes blood loss and wounds on my turtles. I take her out and put QuickStop on the nail bed to stop the bleeding but a few days later she does it again. All the sites I hav been to say to not trim the turtles nails but I dont want her ripping them off either. Is it ok to use Bird QuickStop on the turtles? It does not seem to hurt her, I also use kids Polysporin to heal the would quickly as its not water soluable, is this ok as well? If I can trim the turtles nails how do I do this? They are both female but their nails are so long I keep getting asked if theya re males. There in a 100 gallon tank and they are about 5 inches each. They get them caught on their basking units and the filter because they love to climb. Please Help

[missibsu]

are you absolutely positive that they are females? Do you have any pictures that you can post so that we can see?

I don't know about putting the bird stuff on them, or the polysporin. I would say that if you use the polysporin, to leave them out of the tank for a period of time to let it soak in. I have heard of people using neosporin on their turts and it is primarily the same thing.

The other thing you need to try and do is remove the objects from the tank where she is getting caught. If she is doing it over and over, then maybe the object shouldn't be in there...if it is removeable.

[Sweeney_45]

I know they are absolutly females. I cant remove the filter or the basking units. They are necessary. I usually leave them out for a hwile when I put the polysporin and the quickstop on them. They are positivly females.

[cam722]

If their nails are that long my guess is they aren't females. How are you absolutely sure they are females? What does their tail look like?

As for the nails, what sort of basking area do you have? and are you feeding them any calcium supplements, I'm not sure if this helps nail strength or not. You are correct in that it's not recommended to cut a turtles nails. I think that keeping them out after putting the medicine on is the proper way to do it.

[steve]

What kind of filter are you using and what are you using for the basking area?

[Sweeney_45]

They have a Fluval filter and the basking area is 2 round disks that are hung from the top of the cage, they are slanted on an angle to help them with getting on and off. The tails are short and stubby and the underside of the shells are flat. I have looked up males and female red ear sliders and they are females. The wire that is hanging the disks is covered in a plastic sheath so they cant hurt themselves. I give them fruits and veggies, they also get a treat of shrimp pellets and they have Wardleys Premium Reptile sticks as a base pellet. I also cut up some cuttle bone for them to chew on. Its usually just the one female. I have noticed that she also has some pyramiding happenning on her shell. I received them about 7 months ago and had to change their diet. They are still not eating some of the greens.

[marisa]

I like suspended basking areas and if possible would like to see a picture of these disks that area being used for them. How textured are the surfaces?

You're correct that the filter and basking areas (one good one would be sufficient) are necessary, but if your turtles are ripping their nails trying to climb on the basking areas, it sounds like they're not easy to get on. Larger turtles might have more difficulty getting on the type of basking area you're using. Rather than thinking of cutting their nails (you already know you shouldn't), it would be better to change the basking areas to make them more accessible.

I'm assuming in a 100-gallon tank the Fluval is a canister? If so, how exactly are they trying to climb it?

[Sweeney_45]

The Fluval is a canister and the basking disks are round and flat. They are relativly smooth with very little bumbs, nothing big enough to get their calws caught on. The only spot is where the holes are for the wires are going through tosuspend them. i wish I had pictures but picture a lage dinnerplate size and then wires running through them to suspend them. Thats what they are like. The canister is upright so that the water goes across the tank for a ripple effect. The one likes to sit on the top.

[missibsu]

Since you don't have pictures, do you think maybe you could find a picture online from one of the stores that sells them? You could then send us the link. Just a thought!

[marisa]

Every canister filter I've seen sits outside the tank and has two hoses or other tubing to bring the water to the filter (inlet) and return the water to the tank (outlet). How can the turtle possibly be sitting on the top of the canister??? What is the name of the Fluval you have?

It would be good to close up the holes that the wiring goes through if this is where the nails are getting stuck. Perhaps the surface of the basking area doesn't have enough traction to enable them to get on it easily. If they have to struggle to pull themselves on the basking area and have to use the wires to help them get on it, it still sounds like the basking area should be made more accessible...

[RESCHIU]

why couldn't you trim the nail of the turtle? I'm just curious....isn't it just like human nail that if you trim it, it should grow back? I don't see why would it hurt your turtle if you are being very careful

[sonyj]

why couldn't you trim the nail of the turtle? I'm just curious....isn't it just like human nail that if you trim it, it should grow back? I don't see why would it hurt your turtle if you are being very careful

I've heard that it can cause them pain and infection. Also you could cut into the blood line which would not be good.

[marisa]

It's a secondary sex characteristic of male RES (and some other species), and they really should be left alone. The veins extend quite a way down to the tip of the nail, and if cut by mistake will cause a lot of bleeding (not to mention infection if bacteria gets in the system).