I am caring for a terrapin that gets a crusty build up of a chalky whitish substance in its mouth. I dont know if this is caused by an RI infection or what, any help would be appreciated.
thanks
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
diamondback terrapin mouth problem
pelcman
Jan 12, 2006 07:13 PM
Replies (7)
Katrina
Jan 17, 2006 05:09 PM
Can you describe it more? Is it all over the mouth, or only on the bottom jaw? On each side, or just on one side? Is it one layer or lumps? Is it hard or soft?
Katrina
-----
1.2 Eastern Muds - Fred, Ethel, Edith
0.1 Iguana - Tiffel
0.1 Bearded Dragon - Foster
Foster turtles: More than I'd like the husband to know about.
pelcman
Jan 17, 2006 08:39 PM
It lines the upper and lower inner jaw. It just kinda looks like it calcifies and the turtle cannot close its mouth. Its more hard than soft but can be chipped away. I just started caring for this turtle and the only thing else i could think of is that it has not been kept in anything resembling brackish water, other than that all of its requirments are met. Temps, space, full spectrum lighting, diet. I dont know the sex, and it spends a majority of its time on land.
thanks
d
Katrina
Jan 17, 2006 09:56 PM
What is the diet? How big is the turtle?
Katrina
wpglaeser
Jan 18, 2006 05:15 PM
DBTs can do fine in fresh water. They don't absolutely require brackish unless they're wild-caught. Hatchlings can be started on fresh water. Mine's thriving in fresh water for the past 4 years.
Walt
honuman
Jan 18, 2006 05:50 PM
Actually wildcaughts can do just fine in fresh water as well. The important thing with ALL diamond backs is water quality (especially if you keep them in fresh). CLEAN well cycled water is more important than having salt in the water. They are more suseptible to fungal and bacterial infections especially when kept in a freshwater environment so keeping a good pristine tank is the best way to ensure good health.
Steve
Katrina
Jan 18, 2006 06:14 PM
Please see the discussion below on map turtles. It sounds like the crushing pads in the mouth are overgrowing, which can happen in captivity on a typical commercial "slider" diet. It is fed the typical commercial diets? It might need more natural food items (clams and other molusks) as part of the diet. Do you have a good turtle vet in your area?
Katrina
-----
1.2 Eastern Muds - Fred, Ethel, Edith
0.1 Iguana - Tiffel
0.1 Bearded Dragon - Foster
Foster turtles: More than I'd like the husband to know about.
pelcman
Jan 25, 2006 05:01 PM
Yes it has been kept on a store bought turtle diet. It is a full grown terrapin in a large 1000 gallon freshwater aquarium with other native turtles. Ill try and get a picture of it and post it within the next few days, so ya'll can get a better idea of what im seein.
thanks
