Diamondback terrapin help!

[sayitaintcor]

Hi guys!
I currently have a 2 year old diamondback terrapin that's acting strangely.
After cleaning the tank and reintroducing him into the water, I noticed he was just laying at the bottom with his eyes closed moving every so often but barely. He swims to the top very lethargically then goes back down. I'm hoping you guys can shed some light on my current situation!
xoxo

 

[Sara G.]

What's the temp in the tank?
Do you have pics of the set up?
What kind of water is he in?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello

 

[sayitaintcor]

What's the temp in the tank?
Do you have pics of the set up?
What kind of water is he in?

Thank you for replying Sara!
He's been in fresh water all his life, and the temp is 83. Here's the setup

 

[sayitaintcor]

Hello
View attachment 171587

Hello!! I'm looking forward to what this site has to offer!! xo

 

[sayitaintcor]

I'm so scared, he's been sitting there for so long!! is he dying!?

 

[JoesMum]

I'd fish him out so he is at least above water and can breathe

 

[sayitaintcor]

I'd fish him out so he is at least above water and can breathe

I just checked up on him, he was at the surface getting air, still a little out of it... he opens his eyes for 2 seconds and closes them again. What's wrong with my baby

 

[JoesMum]

I wish I could help, but I am not familiar with keeping this species

 

[sayitaintcor]

I wish I could help, but I am not familiar with keeping this species

aw, thank you for trying!

 

[Pearly]

I can't help but let's see if we can get @Redfoot NERD to chime in, @Terry Kilgore

 

[Pearly]

I can't help but let's see if we can get @Redfoot NERD to chime in, @Terry Kilgore

@Yvonne G I think also keeps some turtles

 

[Markw84]

Unfortunately my experience has led me to believe Diamond Back Terrapins (DBT) just do not thrive without salt in their water. I have tried to keep them in a fresh water environment as I saw where many said they can adjust, especially if raised from hatchling that way. Brenda and I both love DBTs as probably the best personalities of turtles, but they have proven to be a lot of work and constant health battle in a fresh water habitat. Even 4 year olds we raised from hatchlings, and some 'rescued' much older captive born ones.

Does your turtle have any swelling to it's limbs? Does it seem to be using it's hind limbs less and not as vigorously? Could very well be a systemic infection it has developed and would need an antibiotic regimen. Perhaps a few pictures so we can see the shell, and as much of the legs as you can get in a picture.

The fresh water seems to me to really suppress their immune system. They are extremely prone to shell and skin fungus / infections when kept in fresh water. I have also had a few get like yours, and progressively get worse to where the swelling and use of the back legs was noticeably off. Some of ours were fine for a few years, then it started showing up. We've managed to treat and keep them as healthy as possibly, but it is a constant vigil.

If you can, for the long term I would recommend setting up a brackish tank for your turtle. You both will be very happy you did. In the meantime, please post a few pictures. It does sound like a visit to a vet is in order as I'll bet antibiotics are needed, and probably some extended dry docking. Post the pictures, I'll let you know what I think when I see them.

 

[Markw84]

I was on my iPhone and switched to my computer. The setup you show looks great and would be easy to convert to brackish.

 

[sayitaintcor]

Unfortunately my experience has led me to believe Diamond Back Terrapins (DBT) just do not thrive without salt in their water. I have tried to keep them in a fresh water environment as I saw where many said they can adjust, especially if raised from hatchling that way. Brenda and I both love DBTs as probably the best personalities of turtles, but they have proven to be a lot of work and constant health battle in a fresh water habitat. Even 4 year olds we raised from hatchlings, and some 'rescued' much older captive born ones.

Does your turtle have any swelling to it's limbs? Does it seem to be using it's hind limbs less and not as vigorously? Could very well be a systemic infection it has developed and would need an antibiotic regimen. Perhaps a few pictures so we can see the shell, and as much of the legs as you can get in a picture.

The fresh water seems to me to really suppress their immune system. They are extremely prone to shell and skin fungus / infections when kept in fresh water. I have also had a few get like yours, and progressively get worse to where the swelling and use of the back legs was noticeably off. Some of ours were fine for a few years, then it started showing up. We've managed to treat and keep them as healthy as possibly, but it is a constant vigil.

If you can, for the long term I would recommend setting up a brackish tank for your turtle. You both will be very happy you did. In the meantime, please post a few pictures. It does sound like a visit to a vet is in order as I'll bet antibiotics are needed, and probably some extended dry docking. Post the pictures, I'll let you know what I think when I see them.

Hi mark,

He doesn't have any swelling to his limbs, yes hes using his hind limbs less...

I put him in a separate dry bin to dry dock, he's so lifeless... How do i go about making brackish water for him?

 

[Markw84]

Hi mark,

He doesn't have any swelling to his limbs, yes hes using his hind limbs less...

I put him in a separate dry bin to dry dock, he's so lifeless... How do i go about making brackish water for him?

Glad to hear no swelling apparent. Looks like she is showing some signs on her shell of the fresh water. I do think it is probably a female as she does have several irregular scutes, a common consequence of higher incubations temps that also produces females. It's no problem - just cosmetic.

First, be sure you are keeping her warm. Don't let her drop below 80f. Be sure to give her about 30 minutes or so in FRESH water to eat. (Even after you have the tank set up brackish, I would recommend feeding her in a separate tub in FRESH water to drink and eat. This will also keep her tank much cleaner and less maintenance for you.) Try some of that frozen pre-cooked cocktail shrimp you can buy if she's not eating well as they really seem to love that, and mine can't resist it. Not complete with vitamins and all they need, but it will get them eating usually. She needs to warm up to about 85f to really digest and fight any infections.

If she is swimming and eating OK, put her in her tank and watch how she acts. Be sure the tank water remains at 80f and there is a basking spot that gets to 90-95f. Are you providing UVB or natural sunlight? Her shell shows she has not shedded. that is probably a combination of diet and proper basking. Is she eating any prepared turtle foods, like Mazuri aquatic turtle pellets? that's one of the best ways to ensure they are getting the vitamins, calcium, etc. they need.

To get the tank to a good brackish level, all you need is some water softener or rock salt. ( Don't use a table salt that has iodine added.) The rock salt is much cheaper than aquarium salt, but you won't need too much. Invest in a hydrometer - they're pretty cheap. Any fish store that sells salt water fish carries them. Start with about a cup of salt to each 15 gallons of water. Mix the salt in a smaller container to get it dissolved first before pouring it into the tank. Let that mix in well and in a half hour or so with the filter running it should be pretty evenly dispersed. Check the reading with your hydrometer. Let's shoot for a reading of 1.018. You will probably read less than that this first time, so now add a bit more salt water and get the level to 1.018. Anywhere from 1.014 to 1.018 is generally recommended, but let's go to the high side for now - but not higher.

If she is eating and swimming OK, she should improve with the brackish water and proper temps and diet. It will take some time, but you should see her look and act much better. If she remains lethargic and does not eat well, a vet visit and probably antibiotics will be needed.

 

[Markw84]

Just went back and looked at your picture and noticed your avatar. Looks like there is a stinkpot in there with the terrapin and your avatar shows a red-ear. Those turtles, unfortunately won't do well in brackish water. You really should be looking at separate tanks. The red-ear and stinkpot are fine together (except stinkpots are notorious tail nippers), but the terrapin needs her brackish setup.

 

[sayitaintcor]

This is a weird question, is it possible to do fresh and brackish water in one tank and just put a divider in the middle?

 

[sayitaintcor]

Cornelious ate today, thank goodness.
Still sleepy... but she basked on her own today.

 

[Sara G.]

I'm sure it's possible to have 2 tanks in one. But it would be massively inconvenient for you and it would cut the available space down for your turtles which is never a good thing.
You'd have to have a divider that isn't see through--otherwise that would confuse your poor turtles. And you'd have to have entirely separate filtration systems for each side. So it doesn't make a lot of sense to do one tank/two systems. It's just easier to have two tanks IMO.