What's wrong with my eastern painted turtle?

Question

I've had an eastern painted turtle for three months now, I got him for my birthday. up until recently, every morning and every night he'd be really excited to eat. I feed him reptomin food sticks twice a day, and I give him freeze-dried krill and shrimp every couple of days.

two days ago, I gave him nothing but the freeze-dried krill in the morning and at night, because I had a lot left over and thought he'd like that for a day. but yesterday, he showed absolutely no interest in the food sticks and didn't look like he wanted to eat at all. but when I gave him the krill, he wanted those and ate plenty of them.

and today it's the same thing. this morning, I put a couple of food sticks in and he ate about three of them before losing interest [he normally eats 10 in a sitting]. I didn't offer him the krill because he's also not pooping and I'm getting really concerned.

also, when he's swimming, it looks like he's struggling a little bit and he gets a little lopsided. I really have no idea what's wrong with him...can someone help me?

Answer 1

I've done some research and I have a good idea on what's happening.

First of all, in my research that I've done, you should provide a variety. If he's eating nothing but freeze dried krill and food sticks, he might want something else. Try some good veggies like celery, and wild plants. Try earthworms every now and again. A bland diet might be to blame for it's swimming issue. My tortoise is pretty broad about it's eating, and I know the most turtles are the same. About the swimming, I think that some turtles are just like that.

Also, I found out that these turtles will sometimes go in a period of about 2 maybe three weeks without eating. It's not that bad. However if you're guy does what he's doing for more than a month, I would check it out to a vet.

Answer 2

Respitory issue..Respiratory Infections *****Sliders, cooter, map, painted, yellow bellied and other aquatic species are susceptible to respiratory infections. Many 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, for a turtle vet in your city and state

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