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A possible RI?

PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:54 am
by Sparkyz2002
I'm kinda new to the whole turtle thing, but for the past four days I noticed a change in my turtle Lerham.

It happened when I was feeding him, that he somewhat choked on a baby-krill. He has opened his mouth really wide underwater but just kept on eating.

From then on, I observed him to see if anything was going wrong. When I take him out in order to clean his tank I can hear like a bubbly noise inside him. I can also sort of feel it if I put my fingers under his shell. Everytime he basks he just keeps opening and closing his mouth constantly. Today I noticed that he was like blowing out some water through his noise. All he seems to do is bask and stopped eating.

Also, everytime I put him down when cleaning the tank, he goes into his shell but his arms and head pop in and out, with his mouth just opening and closing.

I'm thinking that it could be a RI or water could be in his lungs? I'm not quite sure, but plan to take him to a vet soon.

PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:07 am
by sonyj
It does sound like RI or fluid on the lungs which can be pneumonia as well. I would see about getting him to a qualified herp vet ASAP.

In the mean time you can up the water temp to around 81-82F to help boost his immune system. This will not cure him, but it will help until he sees a vet and gets the medicine he needs. Also up the basking temp by a couple of degrees (low 90's).

What is his set up like? and How big is he (SCL = shell length from tip to tip not including curve)?