Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My first concern is that my Soft-Shell turtle is not eating much. And now I saw something else...When I checked on him yesterday night I saw some small wrinkles on his shell. Can it be caused by lack of calcium?
He won’t eat turtle food. I have been feeding him crickets and sometimes small pieces of raw meat...but like I said, he is not eating much. I've tried live fish and he won’t eat them either.
Can it be cause by not receiving direct sun light?
Should I put UV light on him?
Other than the wrinkles on his back he looks physically fine...he has clear eyes and nostrils. He is 1 year old.
I also have two red-eared on a separate tank and they are doing fine.

I appreciate your help!

Softshells can be naturally a little wrinkled in certain areas. It would be tough to say that this is unusual or normal without a picture.

Regardless, most experienced keepers recommend UVA/UVB lighting for chelonians. Even partially nocturnal, nearly fully aquatic turtles will occasionally bask. Softshells are frequent baskers, and should benefit greatly from both UVA and UVB lighting. Calcium deficiency, metabolic bone disease, and other thyroid issues aren't as straight forward as people used to think. It's possible that there could be a problem, but only a herp Vet. that could get his or her hands on your turtle would be able to evaluate that. In the meantime, UVA/UVB lighting should be added. You can get a good UVA/UVB light and heat spotlight in a Zoomed Powersun or T-Rex Active UV bulb. Place it the appropriate distance from the basking spot to accomplish like a 90 to 95 degree hotspot.

Have you read a lot of information specifically for softshells? Which species do you have? How long have you had the turtle? Is it defecating? Lethargic? Has it grown much since you've had it?

Thanks for your response kensopher.

I will buy the UV bulb today! At what distance should I place it?
I read some info about shoftshells when I got it, I am not really a turtle guy, I am into snakes...he was doing so well since I got him as a present for my girlfriend at a reptile-show last year. He is a Spiny Soft-Shell. He is approx. 1-year old and he has double its size in the last year. He was defecating fine...to tell you the truth I do not know if he is doing it now.
What is LETHARGIC?

"I will buy the UV bulb today! At what distance should I place it?"
That depends. First, on which type you buy. The commonly available bulb are either full spectrum or heat emitting. Most flourescent bulbs for herps are completely full spectrum with both UVA and UVB. The Zoomed 5.0, 8.0, and 10.0 are my flo. bulbs of choice, though there are a handful of others which are probably just as good. Read the directions on the package...most need to be within around 12 inches from the turtle. These aren't basking lights, though, as they don't emit enough heat. So, in addition to the flo. bulb, you should buy a basking spot bulb.

Second, the distance is related to temperature. Keep bulbs at a distance where the spot reaches around 90 degrees.

OR, buy a heat and full spectrum UV bulb all in one with the Zoomed Powersun or T-Rex Active UV. They project UV up to 6 feet, so distance is related to temperature only. You'd be fine with the 100 watt bulbs. They're around $40, but they're well worth the money!! Many pet stores aren't carrying them yet, so you may need to order it online. It's a piece of cake.

"I read some info about shoftshells when I got it, I am not really a turtle guy, I am into snakes...he was doing so well since I got him as a present for my girlfriend at a reptile-show last year."
I'd recommend reading as much as you possibly can about Spiny Softshells...just type "Spiny Softshell turtle" into your web browswer. You'll get nearly a dozen care sheets, as well as natural history. Both would help you out. We can't possibly tell you all of the information that you should know in the time that most of us have on this forum.

"He is a Spiny Soft-Shell."
I asked because some are easier than others. Spiny Softies are about average for a softie.

"He is approx. 1-year old and he has double its size in the last year. He was defecating fine...to tell you the truth I do not know if he is doing it now."
It sounds like the turtle has been doing fairly well, which makes me think that this is most likely seasonal. The UV issue can take years to affect the turtle, so I'd get that addressed regardless. One thing that can happen with young aquatic turtles...Sometimes, they'll grow like weeds and eat everything in sight and then suddenly stop for no apparent reason. This can often be related to the size of the enclosure. A larger turtle produces more waste, and your softie may be fouling its water and raising the level of the toxic chemicals that naturally build up. It reaches a certain threshold, and the turtle gets ill and loses its appetite. Sometimes, they'll also get shell/skin infections. It may be a good idea to increase either the size of the cage, the size of the filter, or both. Water testing is always a good idea, and it's painfully easy. Just something to think about. Most softies need VERY CLEAN water!

"What is LETHARGIC?"
Lazy, sluggish, and just general sick-looking.

One more thing, softies LOVE crayfish. If you can get your hands on some small crayfish...stick them in the freezer for 24 hours, thaw them in hot water, and see if that sparks some interest. You can do the same thing with "ghost shrimp", which you can buy at nearly any fish store. Freezing first kills the parasites/parasite eggs that are extremely common in these crustaceans.

Good luck and please keep us updated. Also, I'd love to see a picture.

kensopher,

It is interesting what you said about the "VERY CLEAN WATER". I read in a care sheet that I should not change the water very often because they are very sensitive to changes in the water's PH.

Thanks for the definition of "lethargic". Yes, he looks a little lethargic...I remember when he used to get crazy going after the crickets! now he does not do anything. After that I tried fish...he just ate 1 out of 6. I am going to try to find crayfish and ghost shrimp.

You also asked me about the enclosure size...it is 2.5' x 1.5' and 7" high. Water level is about 3".

Water changes, if done properly, shouldn't necessarily alter water pH. Also, very clean water should be accomplished not only through water changes, but also with a high powered filter. If an adequate filter is provided, water changes may not be required very often.

It's a balance...if you don't change water for fear of altering pH, the turtle will likely suffer from dirty water. There are many chemicals available to easily manipulate water pH. You could literally remove the turtle, test the pH, change the water, retest pH, and alter with the addition of these chemicals in a matter of just a few minutes.

Care sheets can be a real nightmare to sift through. A good method is to see which items tend to be repeated by multiple experienced keepers. If only one person is saying it, or if it just seems odd, it is either very new information or misleading/incorrect. Note-I don't question that softies are sensitive to pH...they absorb water through their skin more like an amphibian than a reptile. I just don't think that water quality should take a backseat.

Austin's turtle page is an excellent resource for turtle keepers. It's more of a broad turtle website, but this dude has really done his research. Give that one a read if you haven't yet.

I think that your enthusiasm to address this issue is just great!

Thanks for the response!
I think you are right about the water. Lets see how he does with the UV light. I forgot the pic...but I will take one today and post it as soon a possible! Thanks again.