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gasping crying turtle?

Posted:
Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:26 am
by richie
My Girl friend and I rescued two baby turtles that were sitting in there own feces with no water on a corner in china town they have been doing good but recently our little guy hasn't been eating and hes been gasping with a little cry we feel like hes going to die we really cant afford a vet but we care about him quite a bit and want to help somehow...
geoff is the sick one and can anyone identify gender for me
please reply so we can help our little one out
richie

Posted:
Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:52 am
by jenaero
Most turtles sold from those types of places are already sick. What is your setup like? What are the water and basking temps? Are they eating?
Start looking for a vet. Chances are you'll need to bring them in.

Posted:
Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:17 am
by Shavannah
It would help greatly if you could answer Jen's questions about the setup and water and basking temps. I don't know much about illnesses in hatchlings, I was lucky and mine never developed any problems (he's 3 yrs now). I have read many posts on here from other hatchling owners though. Try typing in the search bar key words that describe what's happening to Geoff, maybe you can get some answers through previous posts while you wait for more people to reply to your post. Also, there is an 'announcement' at the top of the topic that has a list of questions. Answer those right away and post it. It will help tremendously! Good luck with Geoff, I hope he gets better soon.
Unfortunately, you won't be able to tell their gender until they are about 4" in shell length.

Posted:
Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:09 pm
by marisa
Until you find a herp vet, keep them warm--water about 82F and the basking area 91-92F. If they're not eating, put them in a container with some Pedialyte or, if you can't get that (a pharmacy should have it, though) Gatorade that's been diluted with water (50%). Good luck.
questions for geoff

Posted:
Sat Sep 09, 2006 2:09 am
by richie
My girl friend cares for them so i will answere the best i can
How big is your turtle? 2 inches long 1.5 across
How long have you had it? month
What is the water temperature? room temp?
Are you using a water heater? no
How much water is in there? enough for them to swim around
Are you using a water conditioner? no
Are you using any filtration? no
What is the basking temperature?sun light?
Is there a basking light? no
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? rocks
What kind is it or what is it made out of? rocks
Is there a UVB light? no
What have you been trying to feed it? some worms the pet store said to feed them
When was the last time your turtle ate? few days
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 2'by 3'
Is the tank near a window? out side most the time
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no
Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? yes
Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? he makes a crying noise with his mouth open very lathargic doesnt eat regulary

Posted:
Sat Sep 09, 2006 2:53 am
by x3shift
you shoudl really get an basking light with uva/uvb. the uva will encourage them to eat, while uvb lets them process the calcium. and all the items you answered no to, should be an yes, except maybe the "is the tank in a room with a lot of activity".