Comments on: help! red eared slider in a fatal situation.? http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/ Aquarium sharing blog and videos Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:01:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: purfectpeek http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-45883 purfectpeek Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:00:51 +0000 http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/#comment-45883 Sliders are great for decorating ponds or large tanks. I have had two for 36 yrs now plus a 8 yr old and a 5 yr old. This is how I have taken care of them for 36 yrs. Great pets. I have had them in a stand alone 150gal pond from sears..for about 6 yrs now.. **Here is some important and a lot of info. If he or she is small get feeder guppies or small feeder goldfish, frozen brown worms ..or live brown worms from a fish store. petco and or petsmart do not carry live worms.. **Red-eared sliders, Gender especially juveniles, can be difficult to sex. Gender in adults is determined by external physical characteristics and behavior. Males have longer fore claws (which are use in courtship), a longer tail length, a longer distance from the body to the vent opening, a tail that is thicker at the base and generally a smaller body size and shell length. Turtles are considered juveniles till after 5 yrs old. Their Home **The tank size for small 2” re-eared slider should be a 20-gallon aquarium minimum. As a general rule, the water depth should be at least 2 times the turtle's length, with several extra inches of air space between the surface of the water to the top edge of the tank to prevent escapes. So if your turtle is 4” around he needs at least 10 to 12” of water to swim. For ONE 4 to 5 inch long sliders, the recommended minimum enclosure surface area is 50 gal plus tank with an extra square foot for each additional turtle. What they EAT. ****In the wild, re-eared sliders eat both fish, crickets, worms basically anything that moves and plant sources of food. However, juveniles are mainly meat eaters but still love the greens. The diet for the lil guys s should consist of a commercial aquatic turtle pellets and small feeders guppies or goldfish or minows. Hatchlings and juveniles should be fed on a daily basis. The diet can be supplemented with live fish of an appropriate size (guppies, goldfish), tubiflex worms and earthworms. Plant matter, in the form of leafy greens or finely chopped mixed vegetables romaine and butter lettuce, can be offered once weekly. Fill tank with approx 20 feeder guppies and or 10 to 15 small goldfish. you’ll know when to replenish the live food supply. just count what’s left and then fill it up again. Get a cuttle bone from the bird dept and drop in the water for added calcium. Hopefully they may eat it and that’s what you want. They need the calcium for shell growth and a good healthy turtle. Adults diet may consist of some commercial turtle pellets. Plus 80% of their diet is fresh alive fish to catch in their water which also gives them exercise when trying to catch to eat. Adults should be fed greens , romaine, red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, dandelion, watercress, parsley. Swiss chard, shredded carrots, shredded squash, thawed frozen mixed vegetables and miscellaneous fruits. Adults can be fed every two to three days. NO iceberg or cabbage!! Total Body length: 5-8" average, up to 12 inches max. Life span: 15-25+ years Males have the longer foreclaws.. Water quality and Filtration ***Sliders are voracious feeders and tend to foul the water real quickly with their messy eating habits and frequent pooping. You need a filter for good water quality. Partial to full water changes can be performed. Many different filter systems are available. *** Health Problems. If you take proper care of your red-eared slider by providing excellent housing, nutrition, lighting, and heating, it is unlikely to ever become ill or injured. However, it’s still important to familiarize yourself with ailments common to sliders so that you can quickly identify them in your own slider, should it become ill. The following are some of the most common medical problems among red-eared sliders. “Fungal infections” are fairly common among red-eared sliders, especially younger ones. If you notice what looks like a light layer of cotton on your slider’s shell or eyes or in its mouth, this is most likely some form of fungal infection. Although their appearance can be alarming, most infections in their early stages are fully treatable at home. If a fungal infection remains untreated, however, it can spread across the entire body and cause serious harm to your turtle. To treat a mild fungal infection, immerse your red-eared slider in a warm saltwater bath for about half an hour each day, using a soft sponge to gently scrub the infected regions. You can also treat patches of fungus with topical applications of a mild antiseptic, such as povidone-iodine. As long as the problem isn’t severe, you should notice signs of recovery within a day or two, and a full recovery in about 10–14 days. If your turtle has a persistent fungal infection that home treatment isn’t curing, take it to the vet for treatment. Several medications are available that can address a fungal infection if it hasn’t spread too far.” **Shell Rot. *** First make a dry box to keep the turtle in, shell rot needs water to grow. Keep it warm and give it plenty of light. Scrub the shell gently with a toothbrush and water. Let the turtle swim for about 20 minutes a day in something other than his pond or tank that has real clean water. 1-2 times a day take a cotton ball apply Hydrogen Peroxide to it then to his shell. It'll start bubbling which means its cleaning it. it. DO NOT get it in his eyes. Then clean the shell and apply providone-iodine solution to the shell, coat the shell and don't clean it off until he is ready to swim the next day.** Keep this up for several weeks and it should go away. . MOST important !!! TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium. it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!! Respiratory Infections *****Sliders, cooter, map, painted, yellow bellied and other aquatic species are susceptible to respiratory infections. Many respiratory infections that can affect sliders are mild and easily treatable in their EARLY stages, but there are also some particularly virulent infections that can kill a turtle very quickly without veterinary attention. Sliders usually develop respiratory infections when their tank is too cold. **Symptoms of an infection include a runny nose, wheezing, lopsided swimming (an ailing lung changes the turtle’s buoyancy), lethargy, and a refusal to eat. If you identify the illness in its early stages, you may be able to treat it by removing the sick slider from its quarters into a new, clean tank (especially if you keep multiple sliders, since the majority of respiratory infections are contagious) and keeping it a few degrees warmer than normal. Warmth is the most crucial factor in treating respiratory infections in the home. If the condition persists for more than a few days or worsens, bring your slider to your veterinarian, who will treat the infection with antibiotics.” Contact the “herpetologicalsocieties.com, for a turtle vet in your city and state. Ps..I have arthritis in my hands, so I have pasted my answer for you. I just try to help you the pet owner as much as I can. I wish you Luck. Sliders are great for decorating ponds or large tanks. I have had two for 36 yrs now plus a 8 yr old and a 5 yr old. This is how I have taken care of them for 36 yrs. Great pets.
I have had them in a stand alone 150gal pond from sears..for about 6 yrs now..
**Here is some important and a lot of info. If he or she is small get feeder guppies or small feeder goldfish, frozen brown worms ..or live brown worms from a fish store. petco and or petsmart do not carry live worms..
**Red-eared sliders, Gender especially juveniles, can be difficult to sex. Gender in adults is determined by external physical characteristics and behavior. Males have longer fore claws (which are use in courtship), a longer tail length, a longer distance from the body to the vent opening, a tail that is thicker at the base and generally a smaller body size and shell length. Turtles are considered juveniles till after 5 yrs old.
Their Home **The tank size for small 2” re-eared slider should be a 20-gallon aquarium minimum. As a general rule, the water depth should be at least 2 times the turtle’s length, with several extra inches of air space between the surface of the water to the top edge of the tank to prevent escapes. So if your turtle is 4” around he needs at least 10 to 12” of water to swim. For ONE 4 to 5 inch long sliders, the recommended minimum enclosure surface area is 50 gal plus tank with an extra square foot for each additional turtle.
What they EAT. ****In the wild, re-eared sliders eat both fish, crickets, worms basically anything that moves and plant sources of food. However, juveniles are mainly meat eaters but still love the greens. The diet for the lil guys s should consist of a commercial aquatic turtle pellets and small feeders guppies or goldfish or minows. Hatchlings and juveniles should be fed on a daily basis. The diet can be supplemented with live fish of an appropriate size (guppies, goldfish), tubiflex worms and earthworms. Plant matter, in the form of leafy greens or finely chopped mixed vegetables romaine and butter lettuce, can be offered once weekly.
Fill tank with approx 20 feeder guppies and or 10 to 15 small goldfish. you’ll know when to replenish the live food supply. just count what’s left and then fill it up again. Get a cuttle bone from the bird dept and drop in the water for added calcium. Hopefully they may eat it and that’s what you want. They need the calcium for shell growth and a good healthy turtle. Adults diet may consist of some commercial turtle pellets. Plus 80% of their diet is fresh alive fish to catch in their water which also gives them exercise when trying to catch to eat. Adults should be fed greens , romaine, red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, dandelion, watercress, parsley. Swiss chard, shredded carrots, shredded squash, thawed frozen mixed vegetables and miscellaneous fruits. Adults can be fed every two to three days. NO iceberg or cabbage!!
Total Body length: 5-8″ average, up to 12 inches max. Life span: 15-25+ years
Males have the longer foreclaws..
Water quality and Filtration ***Sliders are voracious feeders and tend to foul the water real quickly with their messy eating habits and frequent pooping. You need a filter for good water quality. Partial to full water changes can be performed. Many different filter systems are available.
*** Health Problems. If you take proper care of your red-eared slider by providing excellent housing, nutrition, lighting, and heating, it is unlikely to ever become ill or injured. However, it’s still important to familiarize yourself with ailments common to sliders so that you can quickly identify them in your own slider, should it become ill. The following are some of the most common medical problems among red-eared sliders.
“Fungal infections” are fairly common among red-eared sliders, especially younger ones. If you notice what looks like a light layer of cotton on your slider’s shell or eyes or in its mouth, this is most likely some form of fungal infection. Although their appearance can be alarming, most infections in their early stages are fully treatable at home. If a fungal infection remains untreated, however, it can spread across the entire body and cause serious harm to your turtle.
To treat a mild fungal infection, immerse your red-eared slider in a warm saltwater bath for about half an hour each day, using a soft sponge to gently scrub the infected regions. You can also treat patches of fungus with topical applications of a mild antiseptic, such as povidone-iodine. As long as the problem isn’t severe, you should notice signs of recovery within a day or two, and a full recovery in about 10–14 days.
If your turtle has a persistent fungal infection that home treatment isn’t curing, take it to the vet for treatment. Several medications are available that can address a fungal infection if it hasn’t spread too far.”
**Shell Rot. *** First make a dry box to keep the turtle in, shell rot needs water to grow.
Keep it warm and give it plenty of light. Scrub the shell gently with a toothbrush and water. Let the turtle swim for about 20 minutes a day in something other than his pond or tank that has real clean water. 1-2 times a day take a cotton ball apply Hydrogen Peroxide to it then to his shell. It’ll start bubbling which means its cleaning it. it. DO NOT get it in his eyes. Then clean the shell and apply providone-iodine solution to the shell, coat the shell and don’t clean it off until he is ready to swim the next day.** Keep this up for several weeks and it should go away. . MOST important !!! TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium. it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!
Respiratory Infections *****Sliders, cooter, map, painted, yellow bellied and other aquatic species are susceptible to respiratory infections. Many respiratory infections that can affect sliders are mild and easily treatable in their EARLY stages, but there are also some particularly virulent infections that can kill a turtle very quickly without veterinary attention. Sliders usually develop respiratory infections when their tank is too cold. **Symptoms of an infection include a runny nose, wheezing, lopsided swimming (an ailing lung changes the turtle’s buoyancy), lethargy, and a refusal to eat. If you identify the illness in its early stages, you may be able to treat it by removing the sick slider from its quarters into a new, clean tank (especially if you keep multiple sliders, since the majority of respiratory infections are contagious) and keeping it a few degrees warmer than normal. Warmth is the most crucial factor in treating respiratory infections in the home. If the condition persists for more than a few days or worsens, bring your slider to your veterinarian, who will treat the infection with antibiotics.”
Contact the “herpetologicalsocieties.com, for a turtle vet in your city and state.
Ps..I have arthritis in my hands, so I have pasted my answer for you. I just try to help you the pet owner as much as I can. I wish you Luck.

]]> By: Lee http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-45882 Lee Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:52:46 +0000 http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/#comment-45882 Smack on the wrist for not finding out how to care for an animal before getting one. carries anything your petstore doesn't that you might need. There are also a wide variety of other online vendors that can help if you can't get everything locally. How big is the tank? Aquatic turtles of any size or species need at least 10 gallons of water per INCH of shell. This doesn't include the space taken up by the "land"-one of those floating docks seems to work best and doesn't take up any swimming room. Most aquatic turtles only need a basking spot large enough for them to be completely out of the water-no other land needed. A cheap alternative to a large aquarium are those plastic storage tubs (the ones with wheels crack too easily). My 12 month old (I know when he hatched) *male* RES has a shell that is nearly 6" long and already needs 60 gallons of water. Females can get as large as 16 inches long-in just the shell. Bigger tanks are also easier to take care of. ***No turtle or other animal will grow only to the size of it's container-that only works for goldfish and even then it doesn't work very well. The only way to keep a turtle small is to starve it...in which case whoever does so should be arrested for animal cruelty. Turtles of any size should be fed a good commercial pellet food (reptomin is one of the best) in a volume equal to the size of the turtle's head at every meal. Under 3", a turtle should have two such meals a day, 3-6" a meal once a day, >6" and it should get a meal every other day. Fruits and veggies can be fed whenever as their calories aren't very concentrated. Live food such as guppies, rosy red minnows, and bloodworms should also be available although many pet turtles are too lazy to do their own hunting. Never feed a turtle goldfish as they contain a poison that will slowly kill your turtle over time. Further supplements aren't necessary if you are feeding remptomin or one of the other really good brands (the only good one available around here is reptomin) and supplementing with fresh fruits, veggies, and live food. DO NOT use any rocks or aquarium gravel smaller than the turtle's head or he could swallow them. I personally like the look of a bare bottom tank and it's nearly care free. It might take a couple of days for a turtle to get used to seeing right through the bottom. Mine did but now he loves checking out the fish and the other turtle I keep below. The tank should have water filtered with a filter that has a capacity two to three times that of the tank-turtles are messy. Even with the filter you should do a 50% water change weekly. The tank does need a sheilded heater to keep the water at 75-80 degrees: any cooler and the turtle can't digest its food. The heater does need to be sheilded because reptiles don't realize they are getting burnt until it is far too late. There nervous system doesn't work the same way as ours. Below is the link to a pretty good one if your tank is on the small side. . For the basking spot you need something stable that is large enough for the turtle to get completely out of the water and dry while not cutting into the swimming space. Turtle docks (link below) work really well but you shouldn't use the suction cups that are supposed to go on the bottom as some people have had their turtle drown because it got stuck there. You need a lamp focused on the basking spot powerful enough to raise the temperatures into the 90s (energy efficient bulbs don't work). Ideally you should also have a UVB specific light on the basking spot (UVB can't travel through water) but if you're feeding reptomin you might be able to get away without one. For my oldest turtle I use a mercury vapor bulb (MVB) that emits both UVB and heat, it can be a little expensive but it's cheaper than having two separate bulbs and fixtures. . Smack on the wrist for not finding out how to care for an animal before getting one.

carries anything your petstore doesn’t that you might need. There are also a wide variety of other online vendors that can help if you can’t get everything locally.

How big is the tank? Aquatic turtles of any size or species need at least 10 gallons of water per INCH of shell. This doesn’t include the space taken up by the “land”-one of those floating docks seems to work best and doesn’t take up any swimming room. Most aquatic turtles only need a basking spot large enough for them to be completely out of the water-no other land needed. A cheap alternative to a large aquarium are those plastic storage tubs (the ones with wheels crack too easily). My 12 month old (I know when he hatched) *male* RES has a shell that is nearly 6″ long and already needs 60 gallons of water. Females can get as large as 16 inches long-in just the shell. Bigger tanks are also easier to take care of.

***No turtle or other animal will grow only to the size of it’s container-that only works for goldfish and even then it doesn’t work very well. The only way to keep a turtle small is to starve it…in which case whoever does so should be arrested for animal cruelty.

Turtles of any size should be fed a good commercial pellet food (reptomin is one of the best) in a volume equal to the size of the turtle’s head at every meal. Under 3″, a turtle should have two such meals a day, 3-6″ a meal once a day, >6″ and it should get a meal every other day. Fruits and veggies can be fed whenever as their calories aren’t very concentrated. Live food such as guppies, rosy red minnows, and bloodworms should also be available although many pet turtles are too lazy to do their own hunting. Never feed a turtle goldfish as they contain a poison that will slowly kill your turtle over time. Further supplements aren’t necessary if you are feeding remptomin or one of the other really good brands (the only good one available around here is reptomin) and supplementing with fresh fruits, veggies, and live food.

DO NOT use any rocks or aquarium gravel smaller than the turtle’s head or he could swallow them. I personally like the look of a bare bottom tank and it’s nearly care free. It might take a couple of days for a turtle to get used to seeing right through the bottom. Mine did but now he loves checking out the fish and the other turtle I keep below.

The tank should have water filtered with a filter that has a capacity two to three times that of the tank-turtles are messy. Even with the filter you should do a 50% water change weekly.

The tank does need a sheilded heater to keep the water at 75-80 degrees: any cooler and the turtle can’t digest its food. The heater does need to be sheilded because reptiles don’t realize they are getting burnt until it is far too late. There nervous system doesn’t work the same way as ours. Below is the link to a pretty good one if your tank is on the small side.
.

For the basking spot you need something stable that is large enough for the turtle to get completely out of the water and dry while not cutting into the swimming space. Turtle docks (link below) work really well but you shouldn’t use the suction cups that are supposed to go on the bottom as some people have had their turtle drown because it got stuck there. You need a lamp focused on the basking spot powerful enough to raise the temperatures into the 90s (energy efficient bulbs don’t work). Ideally you should also have a UVB specific light on the basking spot (UVB can’t travel through water) but if you’re feeding reptomin you might be able to get away without one. For my oldest turtle I use a mercury vapor bulb (MVB) that emits both UVB and heat, it can be a little expensive but it’s cheaper than having two separate bulbs and fixtures.
.

]]> By: fastfoward5k http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-45881 fastfoward5k Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:40:18 +0000 http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/#comment-45881 See if you can order a reptile bulb off the internet and get it shipped to your country first thing. Your RES is suffering from lack of Vitamin A and D3. Go to a pet store, reptile shop, etc. and get bottle of reptile multivitamins with D3 and Vitamin A (if not available, order online). Since he is a baby his diet should be: 50% Pellets or Sticks: ReptoMin, Reptile 10, etc. 40% Meat and Fish: Live Guppies, Raw Hamburger Meat, Crickets (with vitamin), Mealworms (with vitamin) 10% Vegetables: Spinach, Collard Greens, Carrots (give a lot until eyes are better), Dark Green Lettuce, etc. Put live crickets, mealworms, or other meats dusted with vitamins in front of the turtle. If he still won't eat, try to take him to an exotic animal vet. Good luck. See if you can order a reptile bulb off the internet and get it shipped to your country first thing. Your RES is suffering from lack of Vitamin A and D3. Go to a pet store, reptile shop, etc. and get bottle of reptile multivitamins with D3 and Vitamin A (if not available, order online). Since he is a baby his diet should be:
50% Pellets or Sticks: ReptoMin, Reptile 10, etc.
40% Meat and Fish: Live Guppies, Raw Hamburger Meat, Crickets (with vitamin), Mealworms (with vitamin)
10% Vegetables: Spinach, Collard Greens, Carrots (give a lot until eyes are better), Dark Green Lettuce, etc.
Put live crickets, mealworms, or other meats dusted with vitamins in front of the turtle. If he still won’t eat, try to take him to an exotic animal vet.

Good luck.

]]> By: Ever see this before? – TanToday – Tanning Salon Business Forum « Fun, Sun and Tanning http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-45959 Ever see this before? – TanToday – Tanning Salon Business Forum « Fun, Sun and Tanning Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:46:48 +0000 http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/#comment-45959 help! red eared slider in a fatal situation.? | Aquarium Blog help! red eared slider in a fatal situation.? | Aquarium Blog

]]> By: jesska http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-45880 jesska Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:41:17 +0000 http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/#comment-45880 never listen to everything you hear on the internet...ecspecially when it has to do with medicating a reptile..with human medication...its very dangerous and you see what can happen...death. if you want the animal to survive you have got to get the right stuff...lighting, diet. And your going to need a vet visit....if he was sick before hes even more sick now from the ampicillin...basically he is poisoned. What do you mean they dont sell reptile bulbs where your from.....WHY DO THEY SELL REPTILES THEN???? Honestly you should have done a little more research before you brought them home ....and if you knew the lights werent available...you should have never got them. GET TO THE VET>>>> or he will be dead in a day or two...seriously im not trying to be mean but im not gonna powder puff it for you either! never listen to everything you hear on the internet…ecspecially when it has to do with medicating a reptile..with human medication…its very dangerous and you see what can happen…death.
if you want the animal to survive you have got to get the right stuff…lighting, diet. And your going to need a vet visit….if he was sick before hes even more sick now from the ampicillin…basically he is poisoned.
What do you mean they dont sell reptile bulbs where your from…..WHY DO THEY SELL REPTILES THEN????
Honestly you should have done a little more research before you brought them home ….and if you knew the lights werent available…you should have never got them.
GET TO THE VET>>>> or he will be dead in a day or two…seriously im not trying to be mean but im not gonna powder puff it for you either!

]]> By: Justin G http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-45879 Justin G Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:26:47 +0000 http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/#comment-45879 First of all, you will need a dry area for them to climb up on in case they want to get out of the water. Make sure your 60W bulb is facing on that dry area. Then, about the bulging and shut eyes, I can only ask did you apply anti-chlorine to the water? As you did not mention anything specifically, I felt that I should ask. Don't just feed them dried worms and pellets. Not complete. Try giving them vege or the occasional mealworm. As for you not having reptile bulbs, try putting him in sunlight for 1-2 hours a day. Make sure it has half shade and half sun. Any more questions and you're welcome to ask. First of all, you will need a dry area for them to climb up on in case they want to get out of the water. Make sure your 60W bulb is facing on that dry area.

Then, about the bulging and shut eyes, I can only ask did you apply anti-chlorine to the water? As you did not mention anything specifically, I felt that I should ask. Don’t just feed them dried worms and pellets. Not complete. Try giving them vege or the occasional mealworm.

As for you not having reptile bulbs, try putting him in sunlight for 1-2 hours a day. Make sure it has half shade and half sun.

Any more questions and you’re welcome to ask.

]]> By: SPend_day http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-45878 SPend_day Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:43:25 +0000 http://aquarium-fishtalk.com/help-red-eared-slider-in-a-fatal-situation/#comment-45878 sound seroius also u need a uv light take it to the vet now and next time properly research an animal and get the correct kit before u buy it sound seroius also u need a uv light

take it to the vet now

and next time properly research an animal and get the correct kit before u buy it

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