Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Found a turtle in the rivers of Taiwan, black shell, long, thin golden stripes on its head. it sat on the river bank and wouldn't move, so I grabbed it.

Well, turns out its shell has about six spots pure bone, or white, with the scutes peeling. Some of its limbs have patches of bare skin too. IT SMELLS HORRIBLY RANCID, FLOATS A LITTLE, HAS PIECES OF ITS SHELL CHIPPED OFF.

Well, I'm doing work in Taiwan, can't find a vet, so need to ask how to help it, at least for the time being.

I put some iodine on it, have been leaving it out to dry for hours at a time. AND TODAY, BOUGHT SOME BOLIC ACID TO PUT IN ITS WATER. Will these help? Or, WHAT'S THE BEST MEANS TO HELP CURE SHELL ROT?

can you get either betadine or hibicleanse? Both of these are more effective as a topical scrub, or bath. The betadine should be 1:10 in water for a bath. The hibicleanse can be used at the same time as a scrub, and it should probably be both as it sounds like a bad case.

Yes, I just found some betadine today. Will put it in the water 'and on its shell.' But I also have bolic acid to put in its water. Will this help?

The vet gave me an antibiotic to give it orally, too. I found the turtle now has a red line along its front limb. The good news is, is it's quite alert.