Help! Adopted Map Turtle Broken Shell/Shell Rot/Fungus
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:12 pmI work at a small pet store and we get reptiles dropped off all the time and all kinds of animals. A few days ago we had a small map turtle dropped off (I wasn't there to ask the necessary questions about him) so my coworker knows I have RES's and asked if I would take him. Naturally I said yes because a turtle in need is a friend indeed (harhar). Anyway, upon receiving this little guy I was horrified to see the condition of his shell. My RES's have never had any shell problems (despite being overfed when they were young 
) so when I saw this I was astounded that someone could allow their turtle's shell to get this bad. I mean I don't know if I'm looking at shell rot, retained scutes (and thus shell rot), or if he's got a fungus, or both. I definitely know he's got broken scutes on the sides of his shell and the entire back right area seems really week to the point where I'm thinking he might've been crushed under something.
I was hoping to put him in with my RES's (they're all roughly the same size about 4.5-5inches long (I have 2 RES's in a recently upgraded 65 gallon with an ATBA and a Fluval 406)). However if he's got a fungus than I heard that can spread to other turtles right? And I don't know too much about shell rot. I read that it can be cured but I'm not really sure how.
My RES's tend to ignore each other and, naturally if there were any issues with the introduction of this Map (i.e. fighting or anything of that nature) then this Map would have to find a new home (aka. my local turtle rescue). However I kinda doubted there would be any fighting issues, certainly not at this age and size anyway.
However, if this little guy has a broken shell that might complicate things severely. I do not have another water tank that I can set up for him. The best I could do would be a 10 gallon which is unacceptable in turtle standards.
I have no idea what he was fed or if he's even eating. I tried to brush off some of the algae (there was a LOT of it on his shell) with the soft side of a sponge just so I could access the damage but his shell is still really messed up. So I need much needed advice and I need it ASAP.
) so when I saw this I was astounded that someone could allow their turtle's shell to get this bad. I mean I don't know if I'm looking at shell rot, retained scutes (and thus shell rot), or if he's got a fungus, or both. I definitely know he's got broken scutes on the sides of his shell and the entire back right area seems really week to the point where I'm thinking he might've been crushed under something.I was hoping to put him in with my RES's (they're all roughly the same size about 4.5-5inches long (I have 2 RES's in a recently upgraded 65 gallon with an ATBA and a Fluval 406)). However if he's got a fungus than I heard that can spread to other turtles right? And I don't know too much about shell rot. I read that it can be cured but I'm not really sure how.
My RES's tend to ignore each other and, naturally if there were any issues with the introduction of this Map (i.e. fighting or anything of that nature) then this Map would have to find a new home (aka. my local turtle rescue). However I kinda doubted there would be any fighting issues, certainly not at this age and size anyway.
However, if this little guy has a broken shell that might complicate things severely. I do not have another water tank that I can set up for him. The best I could do would be a 10 gallon which is unacceptable in turtle standards.
I have no idea what he was fed or if he's even eating. I tried to brush off some of the algae (there was a LOT of it on his shell) with the soft side of a sponge just so I could access the damage but his shell is still really messed up. So I need much needed advice and I need it ASAP.