My dog found a turtle

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Gloomy said:
It is very lethargic and his eyes are closed and puffy . What could these sytoms be?

Could be a number of things, including vitamin A deficiency, poor conditions, some irritant, etc

[quote(edit: I checked the water...ammonia was at 2.0 and we just did a pwc yesterday! How did it get so bad?[/quote]

Turtles are muey messy....consider investing in Laguna (or similar) pond canister filter...you will not regret it.

Did another pwc just now...ahh the joys of late night water changes. Could that be why his are shut?)

I would certainly see it as a contributing factor, if not the cause, yes.
 
Yikes! a pond filter? Okay...We will look for a bigger better filter, and some vitamins, and hopefully it will be okay. This morning his eyes are still closed...but they dont look so puffy and swollen.
 
Start with the better water-quality, and if that shows no improvement on the turtle, some vitimin A might be the next option.

..and yes, a pond filter...turtles create a lot of mess, and that requires more than just an aquarium filter.
 
I know nothing about pond filters...but I will look around...my 29 gal can have the one in a turtle tank...whoohoo...upgrades all around....He is more active today but his eyes are still closed. The gall of this turtle to get sick on me! How dare he...I feel like crying he has been through so much.
 
We went to a reptile store and asked about vitamins yesterday my boyfriend had read about the baby vitamins and the girl is ordering some for us (either that or something similar)...picking it up today...we also brought the turtle with us...she looked it over...doesn't think its a respiratory infection....but again she isn't a vet. Gonna do the vitamins for now.
There are all these different pond filters....what size/type would you guys recommend?
 
If it was a respiratory infection, he'd be weezing and sneezing, so I agree it's not that.

I am unsure about the pond filters as well. Canister filters may also do the trick. You just want lots and lots of filtration. Fluval is a good brand canister.
 
I have a canister filter right now...a Cascade....(looks pretty much the same as a fluval) Its for a 50 gal aquarium. I've been looking and right now a bigger filter is a little out of my price range....Could I just add on another cheap HOB filter?
 
I really like my Fluval 4-plus Internal Filter. It needs changed about once a week, but keeps the water clean enough for me. You could add one of those (really, the more the better). I used to run two internal filters, but got annoyed because the turtles kept knocking it off the side of the glass. If a pond filter is out of your price range, I would thing some other sort of internal filter would be fine. I would not get an HOB, simply because of the water splash. It would drive me crazy. The internal filters are silent.
 
Cool thanks...Will probably get another canister for now...In January we are going to start purchasing equipment to build a pond...and then get some more turtles. Also have a vet appointment on Monday. If nothing else, maybe the turtle can get a vitamin injection to boost him up a bit. We got eye drops and vitamins today.
 
Gloomy said:
There are all these different pond filters....what size/type would you guys recommend?

I like the Laguna (the 'Pressue-flo 5000' is sufficient for most) and UltraKleen (100 or 1500 models) pond canisters....they do a bang-up job (especially when I expect the turtles to be in a good 90+ gallon tank or indoor pond).
 
Its a boy! We took the turtle to the vet today. He is fine except for a vitamin deficiency...he got a vitamin A shot in the butt. The vet said it looks like his claws are worn down..probably from scooting along on the dirt...And it is definitely a boy...last night he stuck his little boy turtle parts out...the vet said that was fine as long as it doesn't stay out too long. YAY! The turtle is okay! Whoohoo! And he has been basking and not so scared of us now. YAY!
 
When you say get more turtles... where are you planning to get them from?
 
bwaymusgal said:
When you say get more turtles... where are you planning to get them from?
Er....from the reptile store...they usually have yellow bellied and red earred sliders
 
:0) Just checking... I've seen way too many people just go to ponds and pick up sliders or find box turtles only to release them later because they got too big or sick or they were moving or something. Not only is that generally against the law, but also really unsafe for natural populations. Also, in some states it is illegal to keep native species as pets (however, I don't think that is the law in Arizona, you can call your regional Department of Natural Resources to find out).

Make sure your reptile store is getting them from a reputable captive breeder and not just going to a pond to pick them up. A store around here used to do that and now it's difficult to find some turtles in certain locations where they used to pick them up from.

I'm sure you knew all that stuff, but just in case :0) I LOVE turtles and I'm trying to do research on native populations of red earred sliders around here and just want to protect all the native turtle populations I can.
 
Arizona is really strict about keeping wildlife as pets...I'm pretty sure that the only water turtles around here that are considered native wildlife are mud turtles and some sort of weird snapping turtle beast.
 
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