Turtle ID and health??

I was at a local pond this past weekend and noticed a turtle on the bank that was not acting like the normal wild turtle. I went in for a closer look and found what I believe to be a map turtle. I grew up around this pond and Iv never seen a map turtle. It’s loaded with eastern painteds, Red bellies, snappers, stinkpots and red eared sliders. This pond is a easy spot to dump a turtle you don’t want anymore. I’m thinking this one was dumped. I don’t have any reptile vets in the area that I trust more than the tortoise forum. He is currently in a garden pond where he is safe but it is obvious that he can’t see.. any help?? I plan to get him back to healthy and keep him in the garden pond.

Ya that looks like a Map turtle to me. Definitely looks like something is wrong with it's eyes. Does it open them?

That is a Sabine map turtle. Graptemys sabinensis. Also know as the ouachita map

Toddrickfl1 said:

Ya that looks like a Map turtle to me. Definitely looks like something is wrong with it's eyes. Does it open them?

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Seems to be swollen shut

NickA said:

I was at a local pond this past weekend and noticed a turtle on the bank that was not acting like the normal wild turtle. I went in for a closer look and found what I believe to be a map turtle. I grew up around this pond and Iv never seen a map turtle. It’s loaded with eastern painteds, Red bellies, snappers, stinkpots and red eared sliders. This pond is a easy spot to dump a turtle you don’t want anymore. I’m thinking this one was dumped. I don’t have any reptile vets in the area that I trust more than the tortoise forum. He is currently in a garden pond where he is safe but it is obvious that he can’t see.. any help?? I plan to get him back to healthy and keep him in the garden pond.

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It doesn’t look like a wild turtle at all .
Use antibiotic eye ointment and dry dock it for a week . Keep temps around 80F.

might be a good idea to use the opportunity to find a vet you trust , it's something that is kind of important long term …… a willing , smart vet , interested in reptiles would be a good start …….it has seemed to me most eye problems like you see in this turtle are secondary infections …….. seems turtles are not as averse to properly dosed ade and b complex injections as tortoises …….. i'd think this guy might benefit from a round of injectable antibiotics …... I have box turtles that live in their native environment with every advantage a wild box turtle could hope for , I've had a few become ill . I asked a reptile vet one time , how does that happen ? he said when they get sick in the wild some persist and survive it . in captivity we help them survive it ……… I have quite a few turtles here that i'm positive wouldn't be without a vets help …….

I don't have experience with water turtles, but when I have a box turtle that looks like that (eyes) I soak in the Gerber strained carrots/warm water. When a turtle stops eating for whatever reason, the lack of vitamin a causes the eyes to swell shut. So soaking in the carrot/water mixture helps to get that needed vitamin a back into the turtle. It can't hurt to give it a try. I have seen results (eyes open) after soaking for about a half hour for three days in a row.

Figured I would post an update..when I got this turtle he wasn’t looking so good. He/she has made a great recovery eyes look great and is very aware of its environment it used to sit on the rock in our pond and I could walk right over and pick it up. Now it dives at first site of humans and eats like a pig.