My Pink Belly has a swollen arm.

Meens

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Good evening All

I don’t know what to do.. My pink belly has not been moving around or swimming for the last 4/5 days, I took her out today just to check she is ok as she is generally very active and I’ve noticed her right arm is very swollen and she cannot swim.
can someone please help in what I should do.
Thanks
Malisa

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Maro2Bear

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Greetings.... probably not a lot of keepers familiar with this type of turtle! Has anything changed in the set#up? Food, temps, lighting, etc?

Maybe @zovick or @Markw84 can help with the diagnosis.

Good luck
 

Meens

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Hello,
Thank you for your response.
We recently changed the filter in the tank as the old one wasn’t working that great. We’ve had it for just over a week. She hasn’t been eating as much in the past few days, and she’s been staying by the heater all the time.
 

Jan A

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Hello,
Thank you for your response.
We recently changed the filter in the tank as the old one wasn’t working that great. We’ve had it for just over a week. She hasn’t been eating as much in the past few days, and she’s been staying by the heater all the time.
She's gorgeous. Welcome to the forum. I have no expertise in turtles or torts. So you'll probably hear from people w/turtle experience fairly quickly.
 

ArmadilloPup

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Hey there, Malisa!

It's hard to diagnose these things online, but I know of two common issues with turtles in captivity that can cause swelling, and both are diet related.

One is too much/too little vitamin A, from feeding mostly pellets/store food (hyper/hypovitaminosis).
The second is related to a high protein/high fat diet and not enough exercise (liver issues).

These things are remedied with the right amount of fresh foods (if still eating) and a proper enclosure at appropriate temps/UV. This is where I would link a caresheet, but we don't have one for sidenecks :( If she can't currently climb to her basking spot, this will need to be remedied as she still needs the right heat/UV balance for metabolism.

If you head to a vet, be sure that they are experienced with turtles. If they can't give you a diagnosis, don't settle for "vitamin shots."
 

Maggie3fan

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Meens

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Hi guys
I took her to the vet today as I was extremely worried. They’ve said she has fractured a bone in her leg as to why she couldn’t swim. They’ve advised me to keep her in a separate tank with minimal water to help her with recovery x
 

Ink

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I hope your beautiful turtle feels better soon. Good thing you took her to the vet!!!
 

Ink

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Awww....
 

ZenHerper

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Poor kid! ((turtle hugs))

Review your original set up to see if there were places for feet/legs to get stuck.

Make sure she is getting the proper Balance of calcium and vitamin D3.
 

Meens

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Thanks guys.
Yes I am making sure she is getting plenty of D3. She isn’t eating at the moment though! Not sure what to do? I have added a little more water so she can submerge her head in to the water but she still isn’t eating the food :/
 

Ink

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Did the vet give her any medicine or a shot? Some medicine makes them loose their appitite. Hopefully an expert will be able to help about feeding.
 

ZenHerper

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Going to the vet, being examined, x-rayed, bandaged...just over-handled in general: puppies and kittens bounce right back, reptiles not so much. The bandage hampers her natural movements, and there is no doubt pain when she moves her head/neck.

Offer the yummiest things you can think of...cooked shrimp, fish, scallops, snails...crickets...and any dark green leaves (chicories, curly endive). If you can find dried hibiscus flowers in a "health food" shop, soak them in warm water to get the sweet, tangy flavor going.

Keep her room quiet and check on her from a doorway so that she can get all of her "YIKES!" systems back to low settings.
 

Meens

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Did the vet give her any medicine or a shot? Some medicine makes them loose their appitite. Hopefully an expert will be able to help about feeding.
Yes I have 2 meds for her. Hopefully she will try to eat soon.
 

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