Painted turtle butt floats a little

[Insculpta]

Hi everyone, I’m a little worried about my female painted turtle (around 10YO).

in the past few months she’s been semi-buoyant when diving until she releases a breath. She’s completely able to dive and reach the bottom like this, it’s just that she very slowly rises in the water with her butt slightly higher unless she breathes out (I can see air bubbles come out of her mouth). After she releases the breath she swims completely straight and is able to stay at the bottom as long as she wants. She is also able to breathe with her head up at the surface like normal and float straight, it’s only really when she is swimming below water that this happens.

It’s been like this for a few months and I’ve checked for signs of RI but have seen next to no signs, she eats readily, basks a normal amount, is very active and I’ve never seen mucus. I’ve seen her yawn but it’s only ever about once a day when she first climbs onto her basking area. Right now she gets fed a mix of pelleted diets twice a week and greens the other days including duckweed, hornwort, carrots, dandelion greens, basil and others.

Does anyone have experience with something like this or advice? I’m trying to find a herp vet in my area but they’re virtually non existent in like a three hour radius of me. Thanks!

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Hi everyone, I’m a little worried about my female painted turtle (around 10YO).

in the past few months she’s been semi-buoyant when diving until she releases a breath. She’s completely able to dive and reach the bottom like this, it’s just that she very slowly rises in the water with her butt slightly higher unless she breathes out (I can see air bubbles come out of her mouth). After she releases the breath she swims completely straight and is able to stay at the bottom as long as she wants. She is also able to breathe with her head up at the surface like normal and float straight, it’s only really when she is swimming below water that this happens.

It’s been like this for a few months and I’ve checked for signs of RI but have seen next to no signs, she eats readily, basks a normal amount, is very active and I’ve never seen mucus. I’ve seen her yawn but it’s only ever about once a day when she first climbs onto her basking area. Right now she gets fed a mix of pelleted diets twice a week and greens the other days including duckweed, hornwort, carrots, dandelion greens, basil and others.

Does anyone have experience with something like this or advice? I’m trying to find a herp vet in my area but they’re virtually non existent in like a three hour radius of me. Thanks!

Sounds like a buoyancy issue. My diamond back terrapin experienced this when I first introduced her to the main pond.

I believe she had some sort of infection when I first got her. If you can take her to the vet, go for it. Turtles are good at hiding signs until the last minute.

I also recommend API product called turtle fix. It helped. Just follow the instructions for soaking as labeled. Hope I could help a little.

 

[EppsDynasty]

Sounds like a buoyancy issue. My diamond back terrapin experienced this when I first introduced her to the main pond.

I believe she had some sort of infection when I first got her. If you can take her to the vet, go for it. Turtles are good at hiding signs until the last minute.

I also recommend API product called turtle fix. It helped. Just follow the instructions for soaking as labeled. Hope I could help a little.

I am NO turtle specialized but ...API Turtle Fix ix for Topical infections, I do not feel this is the issue. I highly doubt that an Topical Bacterial Infection is causing Buoyancy issues. I am not sure of what is causing this issue but do not like doing medical treatments that are not needed. I do not think this will hurt the turtle but also think it won't help.

 

[TammyJ]

If it was my turtle, I would either remove her and put her in another tank with much lower water level - just so she can raise her head into the air to breathe without moving - for a few days; or just lower the level of water in her present tank and do the same. Make sure the temperatures are correct. That's what I would do rather than taking her to a vet I don't know and who may experiment with her and harm her.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

I am NO turtle specialized but ...API Turtle Fix ix for Topical infections, I do not feel this is the issue. I highly doubt that an Topical Bacterial Infection is causing Buoyancy issues. I am not sure of what is causing this issue but do not like doing medical treatments that are not needed. I do not think this will hurt the turtle but also think it won't help.

Ok.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not a water turtle person, but what I've read tells me that this sometimes means pneumonia.

@Markw84

Also, when a water turtle has been out of the water for a very long time (days, weeks) They need to be in water for a while to get their air bladder back in order.

 

[EppsDynasty]

I'm not a water turtle person, but what I've read tells me that this sometimes means pneumonia.

@Markw84

Also, when a water turtle has been out of the water for a very long time (days, weeks) They need to be in water for a while to get their air bladder back in order.

Very interesting info ...

 

[Markw84]

This often can be a sign of pneumonia or respiratory infection. However, it sounds like it could be a normal adjustment of buoyancy turtles do when diving. Inability to get underwater, and/or floating lopsided, is more often the signs of lung issues. Since yours is correcting by releasing air, that is exactly what most turtle do indeed do if you are observant and can watch them as they dive and adjust their buoyancy.

Watch the turtle, and perhaps bump temperatures a few degrees to be safe. It could be the start of something, but also does sound like it could be normal, since the turtle can swim and stay underwater normally once air is released.