Reptile & Amphibian Forums

There is this thing that you can put in the water, called Dr. Turtle. Has anyone heard of it? Well, mine ate one of them. Should I be worried? He eats and swims fine. So nothing is unusual besides his shedding, everywhere!

I am curious as to this as well since mine started eating it for some reason. I wouldn't think so since it dissolves in the water and they drink that water. However, it could be bad in large quantities. Hopefully someone has a definitive answer.

I had a thought of putting in my Fluval filter. In one of the chambers. it still would dissolve in the water as it gets filtered but they couldn't eat it. I hid it behind their cave and they started trying to push the cave away from the wall to get at it. Strange. it can't taste that good..

exactly! I had mine under the filter and under a couple of rocks, so it could dissolve but he couldnt get to it. Now he's pushing away rocks for it and eating it! So I took him out, and I put it under diff. rocks so he cant see it, so far, he hasnt eaten it. But he ate the whole thing last time! Surely the people who made knew that there were risks to keeping it in the water where the turtle could eat it.

I don`t think it will harm your turtle (I`m sure the mfger. took into consideration turtles would eat it before putting it on the market). It sounds like your turtle is looking for some calcium to chew one. Do you keep any cuttlebone (the same thing you buy for birds) in your tank? If not, consider giving it a try. It`s primarily calcium carbonate, which your turtle can ultilize better (if I`m not mistaken the calcium in those turtle shapes is calcium sulfate, which cannot be utilized as well). Be sure to peel off the hard backing on it before you put it in (if your turtle is small, break it into pieces and let the some float in the tank.

It's not a good idea to medicate your turtle if there is nothing wrong with it. Thats basiclly what it is, a medication to keep shell rot from forming. The turtle may become immune to it so when you really do need to treat the turtle it will no be effective. I would reccomend taking it out.
Chris D.
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Hey mine name is Chris and I currently have 1.0 Midland Painted, 1.0 YBS, 1.1 Leopard geckos, 1.0 Bearded Dragon
My female Leo

This block is to PREVENT, not cure bacterial and fungal diseases. It is needed for him while he is shedding.

If you turtle has clean water and a proper basking area with a UVB light, he shouldn`t need Dr. Turtle while he is shedding.

OKok, well it's just there for any help it can do, and it has helped. So, I have a 50watt bulb over the basking area in a basking lamp. He loves getting up there. Its pretty nice.

Ok..I left the message yesterday about the black areas on one of my hatchlings shell, and at the pet store last night, that is what they recommend too, the Turtle Dr...mine are not eating it, not yet anyway. I will keep ya posted as if it works!!
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