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Hi everyone! I'm new on the forum and I'm sorry if I'm posting in the wrong subforum.
I got a RES as a gift two weeks ago. It's small, about 6cm in length (head and tail included) and seems to be adjusting well (swims, likes to play around, has appetite, comes up to the basking area).
I feed it turtle food that I got at the pet store (shrimps I think?) and recently some lettuce (which it seems to like .
I try to keep the water temperature between 24° and 28°, although last week it was really cold and, since the water heater i bought is too big for the starter tank, I had to warm up bottled water to regulate the temperature.
I clean the tank every 2-3 days as needed and I only use bottled water to fill it.
The only thing I'm missing (besides a bigger tank) is a UVB light which I intend on getting asap. I'm currently using a regular lamp that I've placed above the basking area.

My question is as follows; I've noticed the shell has become light brown-ish in some places, and I can't seem to remove whatever that is with light rubbing with some gauze under water (to be fair I'm as gentle as possible since the shell is very soft). I was wondering what that might be? Doesn't look like scarring or shell rot. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance

Images:
https://ibb.co/hpQcak
https://ibb.co/c9dr1Q

Here's one more image after the shell's dried out: https://ibb.co/kauFd5

Does he bask a lot? How long was he dry in the last picture? It might be a bacterial infection, which will clear up after a shed but I don't think I've seen on a hatchling before.

steve wrote:Does he bask a lot? Can you post a picture of the shell when dry? It might be a bacterial infection, which will clear up after a shed but I don't think I've seen on a hatchling before.

I posted an image of the dry shell just above your post. I'd say he does a normal amount of basking, it's not like he spends all his time in the water, or outside of it. Pretty much comes out whenever he feels like it.
Anyway, i tried scrubbing it off with a soft toothbrush and most of it came out (didn't go all the way through with it cause he gets really upset when handled, so i try to keep that to a minimum.). One more bath and it should be ok
Here's a photo after the bath:

I edited my post, before your last reply when I re-read the thread. Are the spots more like pits, bumps, or just under the scute?

steve wrote:I edited my post, before your last reply when I re-read the thread. Are the spots more like pits, bumps, or just under the scute?

I'm not sure how long he was dry, 15 minutes maybe? They aren't pit-like or bump-like, just sort of on top of the shell like a plaque or something, and obviously you can scrape them off

Big improvement. What are you using to scrub? Be extremely gentle since hatchling shells are pliable (soft).

steve wrote:Big improvement. What are you using to scrub? Be extremely gentle since hatchling shells are pliable (soft).

I'm using a toothbrush and I'm being extremely careful, I know they can feel their shell
Off topic, can I use natural mineral water that is rich in magnesium for the tank? My parents bought some, and it says on the bottle that it has 290mg of magnesium per litre. Do you think it's suitable?
This is the full content of the water:
Mg : 290mg/l
Na : 400mg/l
Ca : 55mg/l
Cl : 64mg/l
SO4 : 150mg/l
HCO3 : 2500mg/l

Sorry if I'm being too specific, any information is of help

I'm not really sure but I would probably skip it. Most of the time, we're trying to remove things from the water.

steve wrote:I'm not really sure but I would probably skip it. Most of the time, we're trying to remove things from the water.

Hi Steve, sorry to be quoting you on this thread but I wasn't sure if I should open a new topic about this.
A few days ago I noticed my RES do something looking like a yawn 2-3 times in a row, but I didn't pay much attention to it since I read It didn't mean much in its own. Today however I noticed a strange movement, like an internal cough or like swallowing while he was basking.
Here's a video of it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wstxf19fhq6v7 ... 4.mp4?dl=0
I've also noticed he's blowing some bubbles through his nose while in the water, but there's no discharge around his eyes or mouth, or a change in behaviour.. I'm really worried and was hoping you could tell me what's happening?
Best regards.

Hello , it's normal ! Just breathing and sniffing the air.
There body parts are in a hard shell , unlike when we take a deep breath , our lungs waist line chest stomach all stretch out they only have there necks , normal.
Always observe a turtle they hide problems well , good eye but it's normal.
No discharge from nose eyes mouth , all good.
As most swimmers a few bubbles do come out our nose when we go under water , always observe !
Maybe he just blew his nose... had a tickle.

litefoot wrote:Hello , it's normal ! Just breathing and sniffing the air.
There body parts are in a hard shell , unlike when we take a deep breath , our lungs waist line chest stomach all stretch out they only have there necks , normal.
Always observe a turtle they hide problems well , good eye but it's normal.
No discharge from nose eyes mouth , all good.
As most swimmers a few bubbles do come out our nose when we go under water , always observe !
Maybe he just blew his nose... had a tickle.

Thank you very much, I'm so relieved! I was beginning to think he has a respiratory infection or something

As I said turtles hide problems well , it comes down to how well you observe !

Any photos of setup , got everything a baby turtle needs?
A water heater Babies need water around 80* ... UVA / UVB ? ...

I do not have access to Dropbox at the moment, but it does sound normal.

litefoot wrote:As I said turtles hide problems well , it comes down to how well you observe !

Any photos of setup , got everything a baby turtle needs?
A water heater Babies need water around 80* ... UVA / UVB ? ...

The setup is the starter one (plastic blue tank with a fake palm tree, the ones you can get in a pet shop), however I did purchase a 80cm x 25cm tank a few days ago and I'm waiting for it to be delivered, so it's a matter of days before I transfer him I'm having trouble maintaining the recommended 24°C - 28°C temperature these days since the weather's been colder and the heater I bought doesn't fit in the starter tank, so the only warming up he's getting is added warm water once a day :/ Even so, the temperature doesn't drop below 20°C at any time.
No changes in behaviour, appetite, basking or way of swimming, , so I'm hoping he can hold on just a few more days in these circumstances