Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I took home a baby hatchling today from a department store petshop because the poor thing was stuffed in a 10 gallen aquarium with about 20 others and I'd noticed some of them were sick. Some had eyes shut, others were floating; there was no heater and no basking light.

Well, I've got the little guy in my 30 gallon tank but it's doing this: it's keeping it's eyes closed now and then(When I bought it it was one of the few with its eyes opened it sits on the basking spot but tries to lift its head high, as if pushing for more heat; it's gaping a little and floats; and it isn't yet eating. I got it just today.

Need advice as to why some baby hatchlings have their eyes closed, and if this is normal, and why some float(Is it lack of food?) I'd like to know what to do to help this poor little yb survive.

She's sick, probably with the same thing the other turtles in the take have.

She really needs to see a vet if you are serious about saving her. Meanwhile, keep her warm. I'm not sure of the water temp. Find out what kind of turtle she is (probably a red eared slider) and do some research on what she needs.

Tempt her with some live food: small worms, wax worms, etc. to get her to eat.

Good luck!
-----
0.1.0 snapping turtle
0.1.0 painted turtle
0.1.0 ornate box turtle
0.1.0 Australian shepard
0.0.12 chickens
3.2.0 children
1.0.0 husband

This one's just sorely malnourished, though I think you're partly right. I have a map that died recently, but it was taken from the same batch at the pet store where I'd bought the sick yb/res.

This one's a res. It's very small. It was bought at another pet shop, and all the turtles just about had shut eyes. I saw some dead in there on occasion too. Right now it just sits on the sun rock all day, but I'm trying to get it to eat.

What do shut eyes indicate? A respiratory disease? I know floating indicates this, but this could also be a symptom of malnutrition.

Pet shops really stink sometimes.

If the animal is stretching it's neck and gaping it most likely has a respiratory infection which is the bigger problem here. You do need to have a vet see this animal and most likely prescribe it some antibiotic.

Just assuming it is sorely malnurished is not likely going to resolve the problem.

You need to get it to a vet.