Need help with my turtle! :(

[Angonzalez88]

I have a female, palm-size red eared slider turtle (i realize this forum is for tortoises) that now had an extremely swollen tail/rectum. I'm worried she might have a stone or swallowed a small rock. These turtles were gifts for my 2yr old from grandparents and I have no idea what to do for it please help

 

[Fernando]

Sorry. Don't worry...even though the site says Tortoise Forum, there are MANY experienced Red Eared owners here. Just hold a few.

Thanks for your patience

 

[Kristina]

Hi, welcome to the forum. A lot of us of have turtles as well, so no worries. I am sorry you are having problems.

The only suggestion I have is to find a veterinarian. The only true way to find out what is going on is to have an xray done.

Do you have any reptile vets in your area? If you tell us where you are located, we can try and help you find one.

 

[dmmj]

A picture would help in the meantime. I have had RES's now for 28 years.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Angonzalez88:

Welcome to the forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

 

[Angonzalez88]

Well I'm located in gilbert, az and I have no idea how to find a vet that will look at her. I'll try to post a pic. These little turtles came from about 15 hours into mexico so I'm not sure if that makes a difference. I'll try to post a pic right now thank you

 

[dmmj]

the reason I asked for a picture is it could also be a prolapsed intestine

 

[drift2sea]

Agonzales88 Did you check the main page of the Tortoise Forum?There is a list named Tortoise Vet.I know it says tortoise but maybe one of the animal hospitals can help you with your turtle.There are listings for AZ maybe there is one near you.

 

[Angonzalez88]

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb36/hueraconojosazules/2011-06-14194318.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb36/hueraconojosazules/2011-06-14194536.jpg[hr]
Thank you all for your help

---

The camera on my phone isn't very good so the pictures are a bit blurry but it's almost triple it's normal size :\

 

[Laura]

temps? diet? still eating?
better pics would be good...

 

[Angonzalez88]

Water is room temperature 78°-80° with a heating lamp, the pet shop my parents in law bought them at said we had to feed them turtle pellets the first year (not sure if that's true) but I also give them lettuce, cucumber, and the occasional feeder fish. A few days ago, my daughter's babysitter told me my daughter snuck them half a piece of hot dog. But she's still eating well and is still active. I've noticed she sticks her tail straight out and keeps it very stuff. I had no idea I'd receive these turtles and I'm very inexperienced as far as care. I'm open to suggestions if I'm doing anything wrong. I want them to be as healthy as possible

 

[drift2sea]

Water is room temperature 78°-80° with a heating lamp, the pet shop my parents in law bought them at said we had to feed them turtle pellets the first year (not sure if that's true) but I also give them lettuce, cucumber, and the occasional feeder fish. A few days ago, my daughter's babysitter told me my daughter snuck them half a piece of hot dog. But she's still eating well and is still active. I've noticed she sticks her tail straight out and keeps it very stuff. I had no idea I'd receive these turtles and I'm very inexperienced as far as care. I'm open to suggestions if I'm doing anything wrong. I want them to be as healthy as possible

Im still weary on advice from pet shops.You can get some bad or just plain false advice from there.It can cause very bad consequences.I will always get a second opinion from people with actual hands on experience,not a copy paste internet vetranarian

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Angonzalez88:

Here's a link to a good care sheet:

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm

Red ear sliders are a bit "bitey" so you may have to have someone help you, but here's a suggestion until you can get to the vet:

Get some mineral oil and an eye-dropper. Hold the turtle upside down and gently place the tip of the eye-dropper into the cloaca (that's the hole in the tail where the poop comes out) and squirt a whole dropper-ful inside the tail. You can also squirt some mineral oil down her throat when she opens her mouth to bite you.

Mineral oil is non-absorptive, so it just passes right on through the turtle without causing any damage. But on the way through, it coats everything in the digestive tract with oil, which helps it all to pass through.

Red ear sliders always eat pebbles and small rocks. She may have a bunch of them piling up together and not being able to pass through. Or maybe there's one big one that she swallowed.

Good luck with your turtle . Please keep us informed on her progress.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[Angonzalez88]

Thank you all for your help! We did mineral oil in a dropper and she pushed out a pebble! Plus lots of other stuff. The swelling seems to be going down. What kind of food can I give them so she'll stop eating rocks? We feed her turtle pellets everyday is that not enough?

 

[dmmj]

I would advise no more rocks or pebbles in his enclosure, they look neat, but they cause to many problems and no matter how much you feed it, it will still try and eat them out of curiosity not hunger.
Good news on the passing of the rocks

 

[dmarcus]

I can't help with this, just want to say welcome..

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know why water turtles eat rocks. My main interest in in tortoises, so I've never done any research on the rock-eating. I do get many water turtles in through my rescue, and I keep them in water troughs with no rocks in the bottom, only fresh water. After a day or two there is always a few pebbles on the bottom of the trough. Its just something they do.

I'm so glad you were able to help the turtle.

 

[drift2sea]

Glad the turtle is doing good.I was thinking of getting one at first but i heard they bite

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Angonzalez88:

Water turtles will eat bugs and worms, crickets, stuff like that. They will also eat some fruit and veggies. They particularly LOVE water hyacinth. Some cut up chicken or turkey. Any of the water plants. A leaf of romaine every so often. I give my pond the occasional zuchinni. And I use Trout Chow as a staple.