Urgent Care :: HELp twitching turtle

[hvincent]

Hello everyone
I have a RES named Howard. I have had him for about 3 years. He is about 4 - 5 inches ( he has grown a ton). I am really scared because tonight I noticed that he is twitching. He is still actively swimming and eating a ton of food! Its like he cant control it. It is mostly just his head. He remains primarily in the water. Does anyone know of any infections that may cause this? Is diet involved at all? I havent been too adventurous with trying new food ( mostly pellets). What about light quality?If it is normal, why has he suddenly started doing this after never doing it before? Please post any information you know. Very few (practically zero) websites even mention this behavior! I am really sad to see him like this because he has a really fun personality and seems distraught!

[sonyj]

Could he have swallowed something that is lodged in his throat? He could be trying to cough it out.

Please answer the questions at the top of this forum as well, to help us get a better overall view of his habitat and lifestyle. In some instances it's these questions that can help all the pieces of the puzzle fit together to find out what's wrong. Thanks.

[gammeragirl]

My turt does the twitching thing, too! She has done this for a long time (at least a year or more that I can think back). She seems very healthy, happy, and active. The twitching isn't constant, but sometimes she will do it for a long period of time. It's when she is basking. I've checked the temperature, and its about 88 degrees at most, so I don't think that has anything to do with it. Maybe Merle is like my Sheba.

[gammeragirl]

Oops, I mean "Howard", not MErle....

[marisa]

Twitching when basking isn't unusual. Hard to say what it could be if he's twitching in the water, though--worst case it could be neurological or it could just be something irritating him in the tank. Just his head twitches? When it's out of the water? Underwater? Absolutely no other odd behavior?

[RESCHIU]

My turtle twitched sometimes when he's basking, I thought I read this somewhere before that it is normal that they twitch when under temperature changes?

[marisa]

They can twitch when they're getting a little too warm.

[grey goose]

It could be an impaction. Do you have small sized gravel or sand in the tank? Excess silicone anywhere within his grasp? I have a 7 y.o. male RES that became impacted and the symtoms you describe are the same. First came the twitching, then he was ravinous, eating everything, then he started to prolaspe, then he stopped eating and became very weak.
The vet took x-rays, and said he was "clogged up". She gave the poor guy an enema (I'm not making this up), and the next morning he pooped out two small stones and a bite-sized piece of silicone (I used it to glue his basking ramp to the tank). Needless to say he now has a bare bottom tank, and the excess silicone was trimmed away. All is well now......