Reptile & Amphibian Forums

he is having a balance-coordination problem the last few weeks. he has to try several times to snatch a floating food pellet... shakes head before he tries to do so and usually misses. now, he only eats shrimp. also, when he swims fast, its rapidly and in circles, sometimes in loops similar to backflips.

i have taken him out of his tank and put him in a seperate container with minimal water. he will occasionally race in circles, even when not swimming. he still has a healthy appetite and semi-good appearence. he sticks his head out looking up (at a perpendicular angle) alot, sometimes with his head tilted.

the condidtion came pretty suddenly and as a shock. he's been getting anti-biotics from a vet for 2 1/2 weeks (every 3 days) but there has been no improvement. the vet beleives its a type of infection, but it seems like a mental prob.

i will have to cease his treatments cause i'm $200 in the hole and he has not gotten better. i'm not sure what to do, meds arent helping but he's not getting worse. i fear that he will have to live in this handicapped state, in which he's in very little water and unable to get the nutrition he needs.

any helpful suggestions out there??? i really want to do as much as i can, but i've exceded my financial means.

thanks

wow.
sounds like a neurological disorder. i don't know what to tell you other than make his tank as "safe" as possible.
minimize places from which he could fall or in which he could get stuck, maybe keep an area of extremely shallow water and have lots of floating objects so he doesn't drown. try to get him to eat a wider variety.
you might want to try to see a specialist. there are a few people out there you have years of turtle veterinary experiece.
some might do the work for free if ther case is interesting enough.
good luck
keep us posted.