I have a wild RES and I have a few question. I have her in a box but I have no light source. I leave her out on my terrace to soak up the sun. My question is Should she stay in her water overnight or be on dry land to avoid getting colder? On one occation I heard her breathing and it sounded like she was sick but it went away the next day.
Another question is my turtle is from the wild, and I would like to know any symptoms of problems in health to look for.
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Health questions about Red Eared Slider
liltrip420
May 14, 2004 07:51 AM
Replies (3)
JOSTA
May 14, 2004 11:56 AM
You need to get an aquarium, and yes keep it in the water at all times, make sure it has a rock or something to bask on. Get a submersable aquarium heater if the water is too cold.
Natural sunlight is very good, but not for just a little bit at a time, you either need to leave the turtle outside all of the time(not in an aquarium!) or get a uvb light as well as a heat light.
The turtle will most likely not have any diseases from the wild. They usually get sick when you take them from the wild.
erico
May 14, 2004 03:18 PM
The main condition to look for is pneumonia, characterized by a "Wet hiss" when you force your turtle to withdraw into its shell. This may be a crackling sound as the turtle expels air from its lungs. It must be treated with an injectible antibiotic, if it occurs. Occassional brief exposure to direct sunlight will keep your turtle in good vitamin D status, but feed a proper diet. If your turtle seems to fail to thrive, it may be infested with parasites and an experienced reptile vet will be necessary. (Do NOT use Ivermectin). In genreal, RES are quite hardy and long-lived in captivity. I have several subspecies going on 15 years-plus.
liltrip420
May 15, 2004 09:00 AM
Thanx, My RES is about 14, my little cousins brought her home not knowing that shes better off where she was. She has no whistling sounds, only once when I was feeding her, when she came up for air i heard a little "sick" breathing as if she had asthma or something. That day I kept her outside in the sun and it seemed to have helped. Thank you for your advice.
PS Ive also bought her turtle shell cream to maintain a healthy shell, and JurassiCal vitamin supplement. Hopefully that keeps her problem free.
