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A friend of mine gave me a turtle because his little brother wasnt taking car of it proprly. ive have 2 res before and i never had any problems. this turtle is different though. shes about 2 year old and is no bigger than a quarter only because the previous owner kept it in a very small container and never put it in the light. well my problem is that its shell is soft in some spots. i put it in a bigger tank and its swimming kinda funny. she keeps only one of her back legs out at a time,shes almost kinda lopsided. she doesnt come out of the water either but i think thats because ive only had her for a few days and shes still a little scared. my other problem is is i dont know if its illegal to OWN turtles in ny state that are under 4 inches. i know that it is illegal to seel them so i dont want to take her to the vet just in case they tell me i cant have her and wont giver her back to me. if anyone could please help me id really appreciate it.

It is not illegal to own a turtle under 4 inches, just to sell them under 4 inches.

She sounds like she's having a lot of problems due to the unhealthy environment she's been in. I don't even know where to tell you to begin besides getting her to a vet and explaining her previous living conditions to them. Hopefully, with some tender loving care and the correct habitat she will be able to recoup.

What is her set up like now that you've got her? Does she have a UVB bulb/ heat bulb/ basking area, correct water temps etc? How is she eating? Is she getting enough calcium/vitamins in her diet?

I'd see about getting her to a herp vet ASAP. It's a good thing you are trying to do. Good luck and keep us informed.

I almost have all the stuff for her. it was kinda short notice when i got her. they were keeping her outside in a tupperware container. im an animal lover and im not gonna sit there and watch something like that. but i havent really had any money to spare so im doing the best that i can. shes not really eating that much but i think its because shes still in shock from the move and some clean water. i was thinking about just taking her to a vet first and find out if shes gonna be able to recoup. how much does a usual check up run on turtles. i never had to go to one before.

The best thing you can do is find the herp vet(s) closest to you and call them. Prices will vary based on the vet, and the type of exam given. Let them know up front that you are wanting a check up, but that other medications may need to be given. Based on the information they should be able to give you a good estimate.

I would go ahead and take the turt too. Since you know the turt hasn't been in the best of conditions it would be best for a good check up.

She definitely needs to see a vet. Lack of UV would not cause the kind of drastic stunting that you describe. She probably has some other problems, such as malnutrition and/or intestinal worms.

Please keep us posted!