Reptile & Amphibian Forums

One of my RES Hatchling Has been having Floating problems. HE will Float On his side and also swim like that. He Seems to be satying off one side of his body? Please HELP!

thnaks
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1. ball python
.2 anery kenayan sand boas
1. childrens python
1.1 adult leopard geckos
1. hybrid milksnake
.1 bearded dragon
1.1 red ear sliders
.1 blue tounge skink

Coastal Herps

It sound like pnuemonia. Typically they swim with one side higher than the other then they have pnuemonia. What are your temperaptures? Do you have a heat light and UVB light? How long ago did you acquire the turtles? From where did you acquire them? Is the turtle still eating?

A trip to the vet is probably in order, but for hatchlings, there's not much that can be done. A hatchling that is eating might be able to have antibiotics injected into their food.

Katrina

It is possible for a vet to dilute an antibiotic so that it can be given as an injection to a tiny turtle with a small gauge needle. I had to inject a RES maybe a month old like that. He wasn't floating lop-sided but he did tick when he breathed and wasn't eating or very responsive and he perked up within a few days and is fine now. Keep your baby about 88 degrees night and day.

I got her and her brother in about april 04. The turle eats so well. She will eat 2x as much as her brother and is bigger than her brother too. I have a UV light on and my reptile room is always kept in teh mid/low 80s. He is swimming better now that i took her out of her tank and put her in a rubbermaid with paper towels for a couple hours. Now She looks to be swimming more normal.

thanks
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1. ball python
.2 anery kenayan sand boas
1. childrens python
1.1 adult leopard geckos
1. hybrid milksnake
.1 bearded dragon
1.1 red ear sliders
.1 blue tounge skink

Coastal Herps

>>I got her and her brother in about april 04. The turle eats so well. She will eat 2x as much as her brother and is bigger than her brother too. I have a UV light on and my reptile room is always kept in teh mid/low 80s. He is swimming better now that i took her out of her tank and put her in a rubbermaid with paper towels for a couple hours. Now She looks to be swimming more normal.
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Don't keep the turtle out of the water.
One thing to remember is the water temperature will be several degrees cooler then room temperature.
Get a submersable aquarium heater and put it in the water. Raise the water temp up to 80 to 82 degrees F. for a while and make sure the basking area is 83 to 87 degrees F.
Most of the time raising the temps will help clear this problem up, if it hasn't progressed too far and the turtle is still eating well.
If you do not already have it them make sure to get proper lighting. They need the proper UV lighting.
Several fluorescent lights that work well are the Reptisun 5.0, the Desertsun 7.0 and the Reptiglo 8.0.
These combined with proper temps and proper diet will help to ensure a happy, healthy turtle.
AND CLEAN WATER.. can't ever mention that too often.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)