Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone! I have a dilemma that I am trying to figure out. I am really hoping that someone in here knows what is ailing my baby Reeves. I have had my Reeves Turtle for just a little over a year and during this time he has grown from an inch to just above 3 inches long. Last month, while changing his tank I noticed that he had developed a white skin around his eyelids. The care that I have provided him is as follows: 1)approx. 6 hours of sunligh each day 2) a wide variety of food, ranging from gold fish, koi, minnows, dry dog food, nutritional pellets and lettuce every so often 3) Clean water 3 times a week ( 25 gallon aquarium ) 4) I bring him in at night in another 25 gallon aquarium. I live in Florida, so the only thing that I do not provide for him is a heat lamp at night because my house is always a steady 80 degrees. This has me worried a bit along with his stubborness of being on dry land. As previously discussed, I am also concerned with shell rot. In both of his aquariums he has about 5" x 6" of raised gravel that provides him with more that sufficient dry land to either sun on or sleep on. Is that normal for Reeves Turtles to act like snapping turtles in that respect? Any help is appreciated, God bless, Mark

Okay. A few things here.
The white skin around the eyes is common in turtles that have been kept too dry and or over fed protein. Its is often seen in conjuction with fast growth and or shell deformities/pyramiding.
I have had several turtles develop this when i was keeping them improperly.

I do have a large colony of reeves but i have never seen this occur with them.

Growing to three inches in a year is not ridiculous growth but its alittle on the quick side.
I would recommend offering more fruit and some lower protein pellets.

I keep all my babies and early juvenile reeves in a tank with a few inches of shallow water and a marshy area made by sinking a plastic box into the tank at the level of the water line and then filling it with soild and a few poted plants and a large flat stone.
The basking light is aimed at the stone and the soild tenbds to get wet and "marshy". the turtles bask frequently but also spent considerable time in the cooler marshy area.

I do not think its ever a good idea not to have ashade spot and a heated baking spot and thermo-regulation is very important. turtles can be kept for short periods at a constant temperature but they do better over all when they can come and go from warm to cool as they please. I live in Arizona...its always warm here too...you still shoukd have abasking light.

I am also not a fan of moving the turtle around so much (though reeves are prety hardy with reagrd to these kinds of stresses).
I also think your tank is a bit on the small side now that he; thre inches long.

If he is resting for long periods he is likely ill or too cold or both. reeves are very active turtles.
I would suggest gett a basking light as "thermal therapy" is sometimes the best way to kick start a turtle's immune system if indeed it id sick. Byt make sure there i a cool area (on the land or as a floating log or plastic island) where it can rest and be out of the heat.

Can you get a picture of the eyes so we can be sure?
Do you have reptile vet nearby?