8 replies to this topic

[sheenasmom1]

Hello,

I an new to the forum.  I have two painted turtles.  I got them from a neighbor down the street.  They had them in a 20 gallon long with only a warming light.  She didn't realize they needed a UVB too.  Due to financial difficulties she said she would have to get rid of them since they needed more than she could provide.  So, I am now a turtle mommy.  Needless to say, both turtles were sick when I got them.  Once worse than the other.  So, I took them to the only local vet that takes reptiles, etc.  He said they both had a fungal and bacterial infection.  He said their weight was good for now and asked me what I was feeding.  I told him turtle pellets for now.  But since I hadn't had them but a few days, they hadn't eaten in the time I have had them.  He said to keep an eye on it and if they didn't eat, they would need additional calcium and vitamins until they started to heal.

He gave me a bottle of Chlorhexidine and told me to mix 2 tablespoons to 1  gallon of water and soak them both 30 minutes a day every other day.  To be sure to keep the UVB and Warming light going and a place for them to get out of the water when they wanted.  Which they have.  He told me to change the water a minimum of 3 times a week and in 3 weeks if I don't see an inprovement to let him know.

So, needless to say, I have additional questions I am hoping you all can help me with.  The turtles were swimming and getting in and out of the water frequently, (at least to me as Im new to this so not sure if this is normal or not).  But after 2 treatments of soaking they don't seem to be swimming around much at all, and the one that was worse, "Jolly", well, he just kind of floats in the water and barely gets out at all.  Even though I had a 2 basking platforms that it's very easy for him to get out and onto.

1)  Am I doing the soaking treatment right?  I am mixing the solution per the Vets direction, then putting them in a 5 gallon bucket and pouring enough in there to cover them but not so much that they can't lift their head out to breath.  I soak them in there for 30 minutes and during that time, I take out the basking log and platform and scrub them both with very hot water.  I then make a partial water change, (i have no gravel in the tank at this time, just bare bottom), and I use turtle dechlorinator to add to the water I put back into the tank.  It is just a 20 gallon tank but I have a HOB filter for now made for a 55 gallon.  I keep the temps in the warming area around 92-95.  The water temp is around 80-82.  I have only had them for about a week and I am sure there are many changes I could make.  To me, this is more of a "hospital" tank and when they are all better, I definately want a much bigger tank for them.  So I am already looking on Craigslist for the right one within my price range and location.

2)  A co-working messaged me on facebook and said i should try dry-docking.  He didn't advise me how to do that though.  According to the information I have read on this forum, it does say for fungal infections to dry dock.  Does this mean that I  need to make it so that can't get into the water except for a minimal amount of time?

If so, do I do that right after the soak?  And then maybe only let them in the water for feeding?

I am desperately trying to do the best I can for these little ones but I find my self in new territory here.  Being an animal lover, I just hate to see them get worse if I am not doing this soaking thing right.

Can anyone please advise on this?

Thank you for your help.

[CHELID]

http://www.austinstu...emergencies.htm

[sheenasmom1]

Thank you.

[Cheloniphile]

Hi, mom of sheena -

There's a parallel thread on the forum entitled "Mineral Deposit" check that out.

Dry docking is very effective for both fungal and bacterial shell infections, but don't underestimate the need for anti-bacterials.  I took in a 2008 northern map turtle last week.  He has the beginnings of shell rot on a few of the marginal scutes, so after letting him de-stress from the shipping, I started treatment this past Sunday.

I remove him from water and paint the affected areas of his shell with a 60% saline / 40% povidone solution.  The saline is drug store standard sterile saline such as is sold for eye care.  I'm careful about the dilution of povidone because extended contact with it can cause a mild chemical burning and scarring on affected areas.

I dry dock him overnight and then put him into new, de-chlorinated water for the day.  I feed him enough during the day that he will eat within 30 minutes.  For the first 3 days of treatment he would not eat.  Today he ate a full portion of cooked shrimp. Yea!

If you dry dock under a lamp, please be sure to check temps before you put him in that situation.  Set a bulb to the desired height and check the air and container surface temperatures several times over a few hours to make sure he can't overheat.  I will not drydock at any temps higher than 76 degrees and not for more than an hour.  That's why I chose to drydock at night in a temperature controlled room and no lights - can't overheat.  So in my scenario, drydocking is 12 hours, povidone solution in place, new water and basking area during the day for 12 hours.

There will be different opinions of Nolvasan v. Povidone.  I'll agree that Nolvasan is the better choice but Povidone is available at WalMart, CVS, etc. as is the saline.

I've done this many times over the years with turtles that have come to me in horrible condition.  Almost always works.  ATP's other suggestions of using Acriflavine and StressCoat are also effective.  I don't mix and match though, I hold to a treatment until done.

Paul (Cheloniphile)

[The Darkness]

Ive been doing some searching about bacterial and fungal infections. Does anyone on here add seasalt too aquatic turtle tanks? Also my little alligator snapper developed a small white pimple on its neck, it doesnt have a fuzzy texture too it. Ive been doing the dry dock tech. but i dont know what meds. i should use with the dry docking. So far ive just put some bactine on a q-tip and dotted the area, then put tpp dry dock. Should i just go ahead and invest in the saline and povidone? And on the nolvasan, will this have too be diluted with a saline solution too? or is it gentle enough as is? I will get best that is recommended.

I know the cause of why it happened. I was feeding it in the tank i was housing. Removed decor, tank is 100% empty except for pump. Keeping the tank like this for now on and feeding in separate container.

Edited by The Darkness, 15 December 2011 - 04:54 PM.

[The Darkness]

Well im glad i did a little reresearch before i went looking for povidone. Its an iodine solution. I didnt know whether ear drops, or what too look for.
but it did work. Ally had a small white dot on his head, looked like a little pimple. Did smaller 1 use batches 20/5, dried it up with the dry docking and the povidone/iodine solution. This is a good med, too keep around thanks, for info. even though i couldnt get a holla.

[Cheloniphile]

Hey, Darkness - glad you found your course of action.  Sorry I couldn't get back to you, I was actually out of the country on a biz trip.  Between that and the upcoming holidays, I was offline for most of the time.

Yes, the povidine is a good treatment although, as I've said and many others will assert, Nolvasan is the best for the condition.  For a small, localized area such as you describe, a short course of povidine solution and drydocking would be perfect.  Obviously it's not shell rot since it didn't occur on the plastron, carapace or bridges, but it is likely that your guy broke the skin on his head and developed a localized infection, likely fungal if it was white and fuzzy - bacterial if it was sub-dermal like a pimple.  Either way you've done him well.

Paul (Cheloniphile)

Edited by Cheloniphile, 23 December 2011 - 03:47 PM.

[Soon]

http://www.turtletim...his-new-turtle/


can anyone help me identify the problem  please? very urgent

[The Darkness]

Yeah Thanks for the help His little condition is well and he his looking awesome, will have too post you guys some pics.

Soon----I dont know bro, Looks kind of like shell rot.