My baby turtle floats...Is this normal?

Question

I have recently purchased a Baby Eastern Painted Turtle from an online retailer Reptilecity.com

He has been in his aquarium for two days now. The water has been kept at 75, for the past day it has been kept at 80. He has yet to eat anything. I have bought bloodworms, an edible plant kept in his tank, reptomin and fish pellets.

I will sprinkle a few of each in and leave it in for a half hour then clean the tank. I count the food each time and none was consumed.

Also, my turtle floats evenly in the water. Its not a lobsided lead, perfectly balanced. (It doesnt appear like hes filling his throat with air to stay afloat.) However, when he wants to, he can dive to the bottom of the tank and stay there. His underbelly is considerably soft, but is slightly firm

So i guess what im asking...are these common symptoms for a baby turtle about an inch in size? Should i just wait...and eventually he will eat?

Answer 1

Floating is a problem if it seems to try to fight it. Floating unwillingly is a sign of pneumonia- a serious problem.

Soft plastron (belly shell) is a bad sign... if it is really 'soft'. If it is like a stiff but resilient plastic- resisting being pressed and immediately going back into shape- this is normal for a young turtle since it allows the baby to grow more rapidly than a strongly rigid would at this stage.

True 'soft shell' feels more like leather- not very resisting. True softshell is a metabolic disease usually involving poor diet and general cares.

It is common for new animals to not eat for a week or so- don't sweat it yet... if everything else is OK.

To determine if everything is OK, try http://www.austinsturtlepage.com

What you say sounds OK, but you can learn more there.

Answer 2

i dont think u have anything t worry about if turtles are dead there head will be be down and their arms and legs

Answer 3

Floating does = dead

1. Give it CPR

2. Make sure it hasn't swallowed its tongue.

3. Let the cat play with it

4. Spin it a few times on its shell

5. Remove the shell (hammer or knife) but try to avoid small pieces because it will be harder to glue it back together

6. Run, turtle, run!!!!!

Answer 4

floating = dead

Answer 5

go to a pet shop and ask about it

Answer 6

*****check out the LAST line and get help..****

I have had 2 sliders for 36 yrs now plus a 7 yr old and a 5 yr old. This is how I have taken care of them for 36 yrs. Great pets.

I have had them in a stand alone 150gal pond from sears..for about 6 yrs now..

Here is some important and a lot of info. If he or she is small get feeder guppies or small feeder goldfish, frozen brown worms ..or live brown worms from a fish store. petco and or petsmart do not carry live worms..

Red-eared sliders, Gender especially juveniles, can be difficult to s*x. Gender in adults is determined by external physical characteristics and behavior. In Comparison to females, males have longer fore claws (which are use in courtship), a longer tail length, a longer distance from the body to the vent opening, a tail that is thicker at the base and generally a smaller body size and shell length. Turtles are considered juveniles till after 5 yrs old.

Their Home

The minimum enclosure size for hatchling re-eared slider should be a 20-gallon aquarium. As a general rule, the water depth should be at least 2 times the turtle's length, with several extra inches of air space between the surface of the water to the top edge of the tank to prevent escapes. For 4 to 5 inch long sliders, the recommended minimum enclosure surface area is 50 gal plus tank with an extra square foot for each additional turtle.

What to Feed

In the wild, re-eared sliders eat both animal and plant sources of food. However, juveniles are mainly meat eaters but still love the greens.

In captivity, the diet for juveniles should consist primarily of a commercial aquatic turtle pellet. Hatchlings and juveniles should be fed on a daily basis; however, they should be offered no more than they will consume during a single session to minimize water contamination. The diet can be supplemented with live fish of an appropriate size (guppies, goldfish),  tubiflex worms and earthworms. Plant matter, in the form of chapped leafy greens or finely chapped mixed vegetables, can be offered once weekly but may not be readily accepted until they grow older. Fill tank with approx 20 feeder guppies and or 10 to 15 small goldfish. you’ll know when to replenish the live food supply. just count what’s left

For adults, 20% of the diet may consist of commercial turtle pellets. Plus 80% of their diet is fresh alive fish to catch in their water which also gives them exercise when trying to catch to eat. Adults should be fed greens kale, romaine, red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, dandelion, watercress, parsley. Swiss chard, shredded carrots, shredded squash, thawed frozen mixed vegetables and miscellaneous fruits. Adults can be fed every two to three days. NO iceberg or cabbage!!

Vital Statistics

Total Body length: 5-8" average, up to 12 inches max.

Life span: 15-25+ years

Males have the longer foreclaws..

Water quality and Filtration

Sliders are voracious feeders and tend to foul the water quickly with their messy eating habits and frequent defecation. Therefore, a system needs to be in place for good water quality. Partial to full water changes can be performed. Many different filter systems are available ..

Common Health Problems

If you take proper care of your red-eared slider by providing excellent housing, nutrition, lighting, and heating, it is unlikely to ever become ill or injured. However, it’s still important to familiarize yourself with ailments common to sliders so that you can quickly identify them in your own slider, should it become ill. The following are some of the most common medical problems among red-eared sliders.

Fungal Infections

“Fungal infections are fairly common among red-eared sliders, especially younger ones. If you notice what looks like a light layer of cotton on your slider’s shell or eyes or in its mouth, this is most likely some form of fungal infection. Although their appearance can be alarming, most infections in their early stages are fully treatable at home. If a fungal infection remains untreated, however, it can spread across the entire body and cause serious harm to your turtle.

To treat a mild fungal infection, immerse your red-eared slider in a warm saltwater bath for about half an hour each day, using a soft sponge to gently scrub the infected regions. You can also treat patches of fungus with topical applications of a mild antiseptic, such as povidone-iodine. As long as the problem isn’t severe, you should notice signs of recovery within a day or two, and a full recovery in about 10–14 days.

If your turtle has a persistent fungal infection that home treatment isn’t curing, take it to the vet for treatment. Several medications are available that can address a fungal infection if it hasn’t spread too far.”

Respiratory Infections

“Slider turtles and other aquatic species are susceptible to respiratory infections. Most respiratory infections that can affect sliders are mild and easily treatable in their early stages, but there are also some particularly virulent infections that can kill a turtle very quickly without veterinary attention. Sliders usually develop respiratory infections when their tank is too cold.

Symptoms of an infection include a runny nose, wheezing, lopsided swimming (an ailing lung changes the turtle’s buoyancy), lethargy, and a refusal to eat. If you identify the illness in its early stages, you may be able to treat it by removing the sick slider from its quarters into a new, clean tank (especially if you keep multiple sliders, since the majority of respiratory infections are contagious) and keeping it a few degrees warmer than normal. Warmth is the most crucial factor in treating respiratory infections in the home. If the condition persists for more than a few days or worsens, bring your slider to your veterinarian, who will treat the infection with antibiotics.”

Contact the “herpetologicalsocieties.com“.

Good luck

Answer 7

It is still trying to get used to its new home. If it refuses to eat for more than a week, try tempting it with live food: small earthworms and fishes (not goldfish) or soft-bodied insects. Once it starts eating, you can feed it things like strips of liver dusted with bonemeal. Or you could get overpriced food from the petshop.

Answer 8

if the water temp is cold, they hibernate. mine do it all the time they are fine, now if they wont get active when you poke them, u have a problem