Red Eared Slider Help??

Turtle Lover <3

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
16
Hi guys!
The past few days I have noticed that one of my red eared sliders, were wheezing, for about 10 seconds at a time. When her head was out of the water. She's active( begging for food, basking normally,etc). And looks normal too. Can this be signs of obesity?? Please amswer, I'm really worried and she does not look fat though... Thanks a lot!! ;)
 

SarahChelonoidis

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Messages
1,895
Location (City and/or State)
Toronto, Canada
I've never heard of wheezing with turtle obesity, but it is a symptom of respiratory infection. What temperature is the enclosure (water and basking?).
 

mike taylor

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Oct 28, 2012
Messages
13,461
Water needs to be around 75/78 .
 

Turtle Lover <3

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
16
Water needs to be around 75/78 .
Yeah...I suspected RI infection too, so I raised the water temperature to 82 degrees fahrenheit (before it was 75 degrees fahrenheit)... Just in case, I put her on a diet. However she didn't show any other symptoms for RI infection (basking alot with neck stretched, bubbles coming from nose, cloudy eyes, etc... So I'm assuming it is obesity. It did say on the website on RES's with RI that some people mistake obesity with RI infection in the wheezing symptom. The basking temp is around 90 degrees, I have a UVB and UVA light. Mini(that's her name) is the biggest and most active turtle. So maybe she ate most of the veggies, pellets, shrimp, red wigglers, etc... Because I kind of make it a free-for-all for all my 4 turtles... Maybe that's why she's obese... I put her on a diet, anyway. When she shows any of the other RI symptoms I will take her to the vet ASAP. Thanks for the answers!!:)
 

Turtle Lover <3

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
16
Yeah...I suspected RI infection too, so I raised the water temperature to 82 degrees fahrenheit (before it was 75 degrees fahrenheit)... Just in case, I put her on a diet. However she didn't show any other symptoms for RI infection (basking alot with neck stretched, bubbles coming from nose, cloudy eyes, etc... So I'm assuming it is obesity. It did say on the website on RES's with RI that some people mistake obesity with RI infection in the wheezing symptom. The basking temp is around 90 degrees, I have a UVB and UVA light. Mini(that's her name) is the biggest and most active turtle. So maybe she ate most of the veggies, pellets, shrimp, red wigglers, etc... Because I kind of make it a free-for-all for all my 4 turtles... Maybe that's why she's obese... I put her on a diet, anyway. When she shows any of the other RI symptoms I will take her to the vet ASAP. Thanks for the answers!!:)
Her leg and arm "armpits" do look kind of 'baggy' though.:( I'm really worried
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
is she swimming lopsided? sometimes you don't need more than one symptom of an RI for it to be an RI
 

Turtle Lover <3

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
16
is she swimming lopsided? sometimes you don't need more than one symptom of an RI for it to be an RI
No,l she's swimming fine... the wheezing is the only symptom that possibly could be RI. She's not wheezing now... only sometimes... for 5 seconds or so
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
yes but the wheezing gets progressively worse as more more fluid buildls in the lungs. you can wait if you want to see if it gets worse or if more symptoms appear. But it's risky to wait
 

Turtle Lover <3

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
16
yes but the wheezing gets progressively worse as more more fluid buildls in the lungs. you can wait if you want to see if it gets worse or if more symptoms appear. But it's risky to wait
Okay... Thanks for the answer... I'll take her to the vet... Just in case. :)
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
19,695
Location (City and/or State)
CA
just be warned depending on her size some vets won't treat her
 

Turtle Lover <3

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
16
She's lost enough weight since yesterday such that she's no longer obese? Hmm...
If you read my first post, I said that I had put her on a diet. She started on Thursday. She is fed separately, and sparingly. She is definitely showing improvement. Just yesterday, her wheezing has at a minimum. Today, I found that she didn't at all. Maybe I just caught her at a non-wheezing time. But I continuously checked and I didn't hear her wheezing. So I'm assuming she has gotten much better. Although she does seem a bit more aggressive for food,,,
 

Turtle Lover <3

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2015
Messages
16
If you read my first post, I said that I had put her on a diet. She started on Thursday. She is fed separately, and sparingly. She is definitely showing improvement. Just yesterday, her wheezing has at a minimum. Today, I found that she didn't at all. Maybe I just caught her at a non-wheezing time. But I continuously checked and I didn't hear her wheezing. So I'm assuming she has gotten much better. Although she does seem a bit more aggressive for food,,,
I mean,my second post--- the longest one. Sorry about that
 
Top