Please.. I need advice ASAP! (septicemia??)

Bubblesmom

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I’ve had my Mississippi Map Turtle for about 8 month or so.. he is approximately 3 y/o…and about 5 inches long.. I have him in a 55 gallon tank.. running a Pen Plax 1200 Cascade canister filter.. which I’ve had about 2 months… his diet is Mazuri pellets ( which he really don’t like but I give them anyway), Fluckers pellets (which he loves), sometimes the Hikari wheat germ pellets, reptosticks(again he doesn’t really like, but I offer), dried shrimp and mealworms every other feeding day. I always drop in a cube of Mazuri aquatic turtle gel which I made up..again, they usually just melt cause he turns his nose up at that also! Will not touch a green leaf vegetable so I stopped floating any! Needless to say that he is a picky little thing! I also drop in a pink calcium block every few days and he does nibble on that. He has always had a slight reddish/ pinkish tent to a spit between his eyes. So, today, I’m doing a partial water change, about 90%, which I faithfully do weekly…I do a complete and rock cleaning about every 3 weeks….and as I’m slightly scrubbing his shell I notice his plastron has a small bit of a pinkish tint, not all over but in the middle area. So, I’m worrying myself sick! Is this septicemia??? And why if so! He has no injuries ever… nothing else live in his tank! He’s active all day, he basks a good amount of time.. but he does not ever sit inside his shell. His water temp is between 74 and 76… above tank basking area is approximately 86-88… I built an above tank area with a basking stone in it. He eats good.. always begging! Could the pinkish plastron be from the pink calcium block or the pin and red Fluckers pellets? Or do I need to see a vet? I’m so worried!… he was not in ideal conditions when I took him… although I know they did weekly water changes and provided uvb and heat and basking area, he was kept in a 10 gallon tank and fed nothing but “Turtle Delight” flakes from Walmart! I do notice that he has a bit of a hard time when he grabs his pellets or mealworms… it’s as tho he has a hard time holding on to them… help please! What do I do?
 

ZenHerper

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We need really good, clear photos of what you are seeing.

Water turtles need to be held out of water to be photographed. Take your time, use good natural light. Check that the photos show what you are seeing before you post them. (The post photo tool is the little rectangle with a mountain inside it at the center of your reply box.)

The diet could be much better...but let's see what you're seeing first.
 

Bubblesmom

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This is as good as I can get but that is exactly what I see…. I honestly don’t know any other food to get him… seems I’ve gotten every brand or type of food that I read suggested… I will get whatever is best.. but to be clear… he no longer gets Walmart turtle delight and has not since the day I got him… that is the only thing the previous owners fed him… they gave him 1 tsp 3xdly! I couldn’t believe that.. so please tell me what he needs
 

zovick

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This is as good as I can get but that is exactly what I see…. I honestly don’t know any other food to get him… seems I’ve gotten every brand or type of food that I read suggested… I will get whatever is best.. but to be clear… he no longer gets Walmart turtle delight and has not since the day I got him… that is the only thing the previous owners fed him… they gave him 1 tsp 3xdly! I couldn’t believe that.. so please tell me what he needs
From what I can see, the turtle does appear a bit septic. Just FYI, there does not need to be an obvious injury for septicemia to set in. There could be a perforated gut or other internal problems causing it.

The front legs look pretty thin also. It is probably suffering from malnutrition and losing its appetite due to that and the apparent infection. Have you tried giving it any live food? That might pique its interest enough to make it eat something and turn itself back on again. Maybe snails, crayfish, small fish, various insects, or even brine shrimp would interest the turtle.

Captives have been known to eat pieces of liver, kidney, clams, and fish if you are reluctant to try the live foods.

Good luck!
 

crimson_lotus

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I feed my turtle every 3 days, once a week protein, and greens in between feedings. I am not sure how everyone else feeds (daily, etc.) but my turtle eats everything he is given.

I would suggest doing a 50-60% water change and feeding him in a separate bin to keep the main tank clean. Bacteria is not always bad which is why we never replace the filter components 100% - only partially.
 

Bubblesmom

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From what I can see, the turtle does appear a bit septic. Just FYI, there doers not need to be an obvious injury for septicemia to set in. There could be a perforated gut or other internal problems causing it.

The front legs look pretty thin also. It is probably suffering from malnutrition and losing its appetite due to that and the apparent infection. Have you tried giving it any live food? That might pique its interest enough to make it eat something and turn itself back on again. Maybe snails, crayfish, small fish, various insects, or even brine shrimp would interest the turtle.

Captives have been known to eat pieces of liver, kidney, clams, and fish if you are reluctant to try the live foods.

Good luck!
But he eats great! He’s very very active… I have a bubbler in his tank and he plays with that constantly and is a very active swimmer. I’m getting such conflicting answers on the food… one place I’m told no live food as there is a good chance of him getting parasites. I’ve bought every food that is suggested.. he loves the Fluckers pellets which are a bit pinkish and brown in color… I feed him the Mazuri pellets but he doesn’t really like them so much.. he of course loves dried shrimp and mealworms but I know not to give them every day…I offer the reptosticks but he won’t touch them… I’ve put 2 calcium blocks in his tank over the last month and he nibbles that… they are a pinkish color when in the water… so there is no chance that the colored pellets and pinkish calcium block could cause the pinkish? And is there another food I could get? What do I do if it’s septicemia?
 

Bubblesmom

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I feed my turtle every 3 days, once a week protein, and greens in between feedings. I am not sure how everyone else feeds (daily, etc.) but my turtle eats everything he is given.

I would suggest doing a 50-60% water change and feeding him in a separate bin to keep the main tank clean. Bacteria is not always bad which is why we never replace the filter components 100% - only partially.
My little guy absolutely will not touch greens.. I float romaine lettuce constantly but he goes right past it. I have always done more than 60%.. more like 90% water changes weekly… I’ve had my canister for about 1 1/2 months … last week I did rinse my floss out in the tank water and added bio balls and bio rings in the two middle trays with the charcoal on the top tray. I did a 90% change today but did touch the media. What else can I feed this guy… I’ve bought everything suggested to me. He eats good and is very active and basks often.. the pellets I give him are colored and the calcium Block has a pink tint when I drop it in water… how would he get septicemia??
 

zovick

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But he eats great! He’s very very active… I have a bubbler in his tank and he plays with that constantly and is a very active swimmer. I’m getting such conflicting answers on the food… one place I’m told no live food as there is a good chance of him getting parasites. I’ve bought every food that is suggested.. he loves the Fluckers pellets which are a bit pinkish and brown in color… I feed him the Mazuri pellets but he doesn’t really like them so much.. he of course loves dried shrimp and mealworms but I know not to give them every day…I offer the reptosticks but he won’t touch them… I’ve put 2 calcium blocks in his tank over the last month and he nibbles that… they are a pinkish color when in the water… so there is no chance that the colored pellets and pinkish calcium block could cause the pinkish? And is there another food I could get? What do I do if it’s septicemia?
Sorry, I seem to have misread some of your post. You wondered what else you could try to feed him, so I thought he wasn't eating very well and responded with what I know they will eat.

Maybe the pink IS due to the pink color of the calcium blocks and the Fluker's pellets. If the turtle is active and eating, I would tend to think it does NOT have septicemia in spite of the color on the plastron. Have you tried rubbing it with a mildly abrasive sponge to see if it will come off?
 

Toddrickfl1

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I’ve had my Mississippi Map Turtle for about 8 month or so.. he is approximately 3 y/o…and about 5 inches long.. I have him in a 55 gallon tank.. running a Pen Plax 1200 Cascade canister filter.. which I’ve had about 2 months… his diet is Mazuri pellets ( which he really don’t like but I give them anyway), Fluckers pellets (which he loves), sometimes the Hikari wheat germ pellets, reptosticks(again he doesn’t really like, but I offer), dried shrimp and mealworms every other feeding day. I always drop in a cube of Mazuri aquatic turtle gel which I made up..again, they usually just melt cause he turns his nose up at that also! Will not touch a green leaf vegetable so I stopped floating any! Needless to say that he is a picky little thing! I also drop in a pink calcium block every few days and he does nibble on that. He has always had a slight reddish/ pinkish tent to a spit between his eyes. So, today, I’m doing a partial water change, about 90%, which I faithfully do weekly…I do a complete and rock cleaning about every 3 weeks….and as I’m slightly scrubbing his shell I notice his plastron has a small bit of a pinkish tint, not all over but in the middle area. So, I’m worrying myself sick! Is this septicemia??? And why if so! He has no injuries ever… nothing else live in his tank! He’s active all day, he basks a good amount of time.. but he does not ever sit inside his shell. His water temp is between 74 and 76… above tank basking area is approximately 86-88… I built an above tank area with a basking stone in it. He eats good.. always begging! Could the pinkish plastron be from the pink calcium block or the pin and red Fluckers pellets? Or do I need to see a vet? I’m so worried!… he was not in ideal conditions when I took him… although I know they did weekly water changes and provided uvb and heat and basking area, he was kept in a 10 gallon tank and fed nothing but “Turtle Delight” flakes from Walmart! I do notice that he has a bit of a hard time when he grabs his pellets or mealworms… it’s as tho he has a hard time holding on to them… help please! What do I do?
It's hard to tell from the picture but if he's eating and active I would not worry too much.
 

Bubblesmom

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Sorry, I seem to have misread some of your post. You wondered what else you could try to feed him, so I thought he wasn't eating very well and responded with what I know they will eat.

Maybe the pink IS due to the pink color of the calcium blocks and the Fluker's pellets. If the turtle is active and eating, I would tend to think it does NOT have septicemia in spite of the color on the plastron. Have you tried rubbing it with a mildly abrasive sponge to see if it will come off?
Yeah I tried to wipe it… it is very faint. I actually spoke to an online vet s while ago and said that septicemia tends to turn white then back to pink when slightly pushed in… so I did that and it did not turn white and is not spongy at all. Yes he eats good…. Well he will only eat the colored pellets and mealworms… but I still offer him all the other foods.. he did eat the calcium block tho. I do 90-100% weekly water changes and today is the first time I’ve noticed this. At every water change I use a toothbrush and brush his shell top and underneath. I just don’t know how he would have this… he is very active.. always swimming or playing with his bubbler.. which he constantly tries to mate with.. or basking… he’s never in his shell… even when I take him out for water changes.. I just don’t understand and feel so horrible that he would have this…
 

mark1

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how much time does he spend out of the water ? i've noticed a pink tinge to turtles plastrons that have been submerged all winter (hibernated) .... i'd offer him worms occassionally , also on occasion some liver , it is high in vitamin A ....... all the turtles here really like hikari cichlid gold , and aquamax gamefish pellets ..... be careful cleaning your aquarium , it can be detrimental to your water quality ...... i've kept a lot of water turtles , i've never used a calcium block ........
 

Bubblesmom

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how much time does he spend out of the water ? i've noticed a pink tinge to turtles plastrons that have been submerged all winter (hibernated) .... i'd offer him worms occassionally , also on occasion some liver , it is high in vitamin A ....... all the turtles here really like hikari cichlid gold , and aquamax gamefish pellets ..... be careful cleaning your aquarium , it can be detrimental to your water quality ...... i've kept a lot of water turtles , i've never used a calcium block ........
I only take him out weekly to do changes… he basks off and on all day. Probably 1/2and 1/2. Live worms? What type of worms? Raw lever? Chicken liver? I do offer him the cichlid pellets.. he passes them by… he eats a lot of the flukers pellets and mealworms… he seems really picky…. But he’ll eat as many mealworms as I’d give him. I’m not going to use another calcium block. Am I changing water too often?
 

mark1

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I only take him out weekly to do changes… he basks off and on all day. Probably 1/2and 1/2. Live worms? What type of worms? Raw lever? Chicken liver? I do offer him the cichlid pellets.. he passes them by… he eats a lot of the flukers pellets and mealworms… he seems really picky…. But he’ll eat as many mealworms as I’d give him. I’m not going to use another calcium block. Am I changing water too often?
that's sounds like a proper amount of time out of the water to me ...... night crawlers ....... when i give mine liver i cut it in strips and slightly cook it in little bit of water in the microwave , cook it too much and it gets tough , too little and it's pretty bloody , i've rinsed it off and fed it raw , it seems to me it comes apart a bit too easily ....... hikari cichlid gold large floating pellets just slightly softened with water before i feed them , the pellets are very red and i have nothing that doesn't eat them ..... i also believe they are partially responsible for the bright coloring of my turtles ......i don't see anything wrong with the flukers pellets .......... as was said previously if he eats good and acts normal i wouldn't worry ..... also as said septicemia can be caused by any untreated bacterial infection , external or internal ....
as far as cleaning your tank too much , depends on your filtration , but yes , imo someone , and i've known people who did , can "clean their tanks too much" ...... imo , to keep water turtles , understanding water filtration should be another hobby of yours , i don't believe you can have too much filtration , i know you can have insuficient filtration ......
 

Bubblesmom

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Thank you… I have ordered a couple of different Hikari foods..floating sticks and a wafer.. I read several places that these were to very nutritional staple foods… I ordered a cuttlebone and am not putting anymore pink colored calcium blocks in his tank… I also ordered a vitamin A supplement… I’ve been reading that growth spurts can also be a cause of a pinkish tinted plastron.. of course I read so much and seem to always get conflicting info and I am usually left more confused than when it started!… I do think I’ve been cleaning my tank too much… I do have a good canister type filter.. I have a 55 gallon tank full and am running a Penn Plax 1200 Cascade.. which I’ve only had for a bit over a month… I’ve been doing 90-100% changes weekly so I think that’s been overkill! He is a very very active little guy.. and does a good amount of basking… he is either swimming or playing with the bubblers.. or trying to mate with them.. constantly. He never hides or goes into his shell. He’s a begged of food!… but picky!… but he does eat.. he’d eat as many mealworms and dried shrimp as I’d give him!.. but of course he only gets that a couple times a week. Also there is no other pink or red places on him.. not just skin or carapace. He has always had a bit of a pink/red marking between his eyes..
 

Cathie G

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Thank you… I have ordered a couple of different Hikari foods..floating sticks and a wafer.. I read several places that these were to very nutritional staple foods… I ordered a cuttlebone and am not putting anymore pink colored calcium blocks in his tank… I also ordered a vitamin A supplement… I’ve been reading that growth spurts can also be a cause of a pinkish tinted plastron.. of course I read so much and seem to always get conflicting info and I am usually left more confused than when it started!… I do think I’ve been cleaning my tank too much… I do have a good canister type filter.. I have a 55 gallon tank full and am running a Penn Plax 1200 Cascade.. which I’ve only had for a bit over a month… I’ve been doing 90-100% changes weekly so I think that’s been overkill! He is a very very active little guy.. and does a good amount of basking… he is either swimming or playing with the bubblers.. or trying to mate with them.. constantly. He never hides or goes into his shell. He’s a begged of food!… but picky!… but he does eat.. he’d eat as many mealworms and dried shrimp as I’d give him!.. but of course he only gets that a couple times a week. Also there is no other pink or red places on him.. not just skin or carapace. He has always had a bit of a pink/red marking between his eyes..
I think you're right about cleaning your tank too much. What you want is to establish a cycle between the parameters in the water. If you take out all of the water that has to start all over again. I've only done fish but I'm sure a tank is a tank. You have to do what is recommended for turtles of course. Vacuuming, a test kit, and such stuff helped me keep an eye on the water quality.?
 

Bubblesmom

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I’ve read so much about how the perimeters for a turtle are not as important as for fish.. so I’ve not been testing… but that willl be changing tomorrow as soon as I can get to PetSmart and buy the test kit… I think it is very important.. the thought of my guy being sick because of something I may not have been doing is not acceptable to me…
 

Cathie G

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I’ve read so much about how the perimeters for a turtle are not as important as for fish.. so I’ve not been testing… but that willl be changing tomorrow as soon as I can get to PetSmart and buy the test kit… I think it is very important.. the thought of my guy being sick because of something I may not have been doing is not acceptable to me…
I'm not an expert on turtles so don't take my word for it but really a test kit does help ease your mind. You might be able to get it cheaper online. I just thought you were right that you were changing the water too much. Also other TFO members that have answered you are saying that you probably don't really need to worry so much and they are way more experienced than me. Probably you have to keep tanks cleaner for fish than a turtle but I could be wrong about that too. The test kit shows you what's going on but doesn't catch everything. A vacuuming hose helps get rid of the debris from poop and food etc that settles down and under from the suction of the filter. ?
 

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I can't make anything out on the photo. lol If a turtle is healthy enough to make motion-o-graphs, they're probably fine.

Septic animals are sluggish and don't eat, and they look bruised, not pink.

So food. Read labels. They'll tell you all you need to know. Pellets are supplemented with vitamin A, so don't add any more. Too much vitamin A is dangerous...vitamin A gets stored in the liver and can be overdosed.

I like the ingredients in Omega and Cobalt pellets.

Omega floats:

Cobalt sinks:

Find the best-quality ingredients you can that your turtle likes...Hikari is a good brand, but if your pet won't eat it, you're just bumping your water's ammonia level and wasting money. My observation is that Omega is hands-down a favorite for all sorts of turtles.

Shrimp as an occasional treat are fine, but bear in mind that they do damage vitamin B1 (thiamine).

Mealworms are basically candy. Fatty, minimal protein, lots of chitin. Nightcrawlers are far more nutritious. If you gather them from a clean, pesticide-free garden or forest, they're fine.

Turtles have rudimentary mouths with no teeth -- no real gripping ability there. So they can seem to fumble with small food items and to be outright uncoordinated with larger prey. Normal. As long as they do eat, no worries. And, what else do they have on their schedules? lol

Turtles are less sensitive to things that will kill fish (fish breathe the water, turtles don't). But you want to make sure that there are not toxic ammonia levels, or that the pH is not acidic. If the water is clear, then your filter is working well and you only need, say, 50% water changes weekly. If your water gets cloudy and stinky quickly, rethink your feeding routine (too much food lying around is the same as too much poo lying around), and evaluate if your filter needs an upgrade.
 

crimson_lotus

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Building off of Zenherper's post - here is a page I found extremely helpful when picking out my turtle's food:


granted, it's a few years old and may not include everything...it's nice to have a thoroughly researched list of turtle food and recommendations
 

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