Red Eared Slider rescued from canal

RedWheels

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May 30, 2021
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UK
Hi all, new here.

We have some turtle experience, as we've had 2 rescued Musk Turtles for 4yrs now. But today we rescued this Red Eared Slider from the canal - someone told us about him a few days ago and we've been keeping an eye out since, with the hot weather in the UK today we caught him out basking. Apparently he was first spotted in there last autumn, so he survived winter!

We didn't have proper setup for him (we have a huge habitat arriving on Wednesday, a 50 gal tank with a large land area), so he was in a 3ft dog paddling pool outside soaking up UV in the day, and we've brought him inside in a 4x3ft RUB overnight (short though so it only has 20cm water depth). He has a UVB light (heat lamp arriving tomorrow), water heater, & an immensely powerful filter. He's eaten a huge meal of dusted dubias & mealworms, is very alert and active, and seems to be very confident with humans.

His shell is a mess, and it doesn't look anything like what we know normal shedding to be - but we only have Musk Turtles. I can't see anything that would indicate shell rot - no soft patches, no white patches spongy parts. A lot of grime (dirt, canal scum) came off his shell in the first few hours, and the massively curled bits of his shell don't look as "yikes" anymore.

We're getting him to a herp vet sometime next week - but I'm disabled and neither of us drive yet, so we're having to arrange it around when we can get a lift.

Would appreciate any thoughts about his shell, or tips for things we could do to help him right now!
 

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Yvonne G

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The shell is ok. Their scutes shed off like that. He is male, but I'm not real sure of the species. He might be a Trachemys sub species and not Trachemys elegans scripta.
 

RedWheels

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The shell is ok. Their scutes shed off like that. He is male, but I'm not real sure of the species. He might be a Trachemys sub species and not Trachemys elegans scripta.
Ah that is so good to hear!! We were worried it could be something worse than shedding, as our Musks don't shed anything like that ?

Glad we sexed him right! We went off his claws haha. Yeah we weren't entirely sure what he was, but I thought at a guess he looks more RES than Yellow Bellied!!

Thanks for your help ?
 

Jan A

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Ah that is so good to hear!! We were worried it could be something worse than shedding, as our Musks don't shed anything like that ?

Glad we sexed him right! We went off his claws haha. Yeah we weren't entirely sure what he was, but I thought at a guess he looks more RES than Yellow Bellied!!

Thanks for your help ?
Welcome to the forum!!
 

jeff kushner

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WTTC! Yes, I remember "washing my turtles" many, many years ago....had around a dozen or so and I decided to wash them in the bathtub when my folks weren't home.............

The scutes clogged up the drain.....yeah, they found out. Dad was okay but Mom needed to vent. Ah the hell I put that poor woman through.

I am growing though, I recently had the epiphany....Mom was only the 1st in a long line of women that I have put through hell....lol For some reason, at the family cook-in this past weekend, both my fiance and my 1st wife agreed, quite enthusiastically, I might add!!

jeff
 
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