Habitat - Indoor :: Dry Docking For A RES With A RI

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:47 am   Dry Docking For A RES With A RI

Hey Guys! So my Charlotte has a RI and the vet is unable to see her until next week. I have heard dry docking is the best way to keep her comfortable until she can recieve medical care.

Does anyone have experience with dry docking? Any tips to make it successful.

Heres what I have so far:
- A small Rubbermaid container with a towel lining the bottom and a shallow cup of water for her to drink from and cool off in. I've put some water conditioner in there and I have some extra household lights (to give off heat) around the container. I have also moved her to the warmest room in the house.

Hopefully this is a good start..
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Turtle Mummy 101
 
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Post Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:40 am   

Dry docking a turtle means cutting off their access to water completely for most of the day.

Is she small enough to fit in the water cup? If so, she's likely to just sit in it, and it's not heated, so that wouldn't be good for her.

Your best bet would be to give her a few hours a day in her tank (hopefully has a water heater in it) when you're not home (if you're at work or something) and bump up the temp in the tank by a few degrees to keep her warm in the water and then while you're home, take her out of the tank and keep her nice and dry in a box with towels in it. Being in the water for that time allows her to drink and go to the bathroom if she needs to, and you can also offer her food then (if she's eating still - hope she is!).

If you think she'll flip over in the box, make sure it's big enough for her to right herself inside it. You can use a household light over one end of the box to keep it nice and warm - just make sure she has the option to go under the towels so she's not under the bright lights the whole time she's in dry docking. It can be very stressful for them.

If you're going to keep her out most of the day, make sure you let her have a drink now and then in the tank every few hours.

Edit: Just found more of your posts stating that your water heater is broken! Ack. I'd buy a new one asap! A cold turtle is not a happy turtle and can soon be an even sicker turtle :(
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gwennie
 
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Post Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:53 pm   

gwennie: I did buy a new one but the only one they had was one for a 5 gallon tank - even though I removed most of the water in the tank the heater will not heat the water past 77 degrees F (WAY too cold!) I have an appointment for her late next week with a vet in the next town (the only one that would see her), but since its been confirmed she has a RI and had not been eating the nurse told me to try dry docking. It seems to have help increase her appetite (she is eating regularly - only tuna though). I have a bowl with water in the dry docking tank that is 82 degrees F that she easily goes in and out of, but only to eat and drink. She still sleeps most of the day under the towels, but at least she seems more comfortable :)
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Turtle Mummy 101
 
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