URGENT HELP. Red Eared Slider turtle

RedhaRay

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Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Belgium
Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing great,
I'm new here, this is my first post,
I hope if you can help me save my little friend,
I bought this aquatic turtle 2 months ago,
I believe it's a Red-eared slider,
everything was fine until 2 days ago,
I noticed something strange in his leg, white fungus maybe?
Anyway I've got 6 baby turtles, as soon as I noticed, I took him out and I separated him from the rest of the turtles,

Usually, I change their water twice a day,
I even stopped using any lamps, and I bought 2 aquariums, one in the balcony +10 hours a day,
and the other inside my room for sleeping time,
and i move the turtles every day between the 2,
the water is super clean all the time, so my turtles gets the light straight from the sun, with about 5 cm of water
in each of my aquarium,

At first, I thought his leg might have been bitten by another turtle because they usually do that to each other, but after a closer look I don't think it's a bite, now he is alone in his aquarium, with a large rock for basking area,
what should I do now?

To me, it seems like it's getting worse, i don't want to lose him.
I heard that there is a powder that I need to put in the water to kill all the bacteria, but i have no clue about that,

things to know
no vets nearby would accept anything other than cats and dogs.
I tried and I had no luck.
I live outside the US, some medcines might not be available where I live

What i'm looking for:
things like, change the water every 2 hours, add salt to kill the Bactria or something, keep water temperature above that, feed him something like this etc...,
things like that, which I can do by myself.

I still remember a few years ago I had an iridescent shark in my aquarium which had a swim-bladder,
I took him to 10 vets with no luck,
I spent 15 days changing his water 10 times a day, keeping water hot, adding salt, hand feeding, and eventually I got my shark back, and I'm ready for this fight,
please help me guys,
and all what I'm hoping for now is to share his video after he gets better and thank every single one of you for that.
Thanks.

Here is a video of the issue

Update #1
the white thing seems to be vanished after my turtle was out of water for a few hours,
after putting him back in the water, that white thing is visible again.
 
Last edited:

RedhaRay

New Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Belgium
Have you picked the turtle up and looked at the leg, touched it?


@Markw84
Thanks for your comment,
i picked the turtle up, and the turtle is moving its hands and legs normally, but i haven't touched its leg.

When the turtle is outside of water, the white thing on its leg seems to be gone, as soon as it goes into the water i can see the white again on its leg. Is it a fungus? Can it be treated? Is it deadly?
i really don't want to lose my little friend.
Thanks
 

Markw84

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that does look like a skin fungus, but it also might be skin shedding. It is really hard to tell by your video. From your description of water changes, it seems unlikely that it would develop the skin fungus. Also, red-ears are quite resistant to that issue. You will see it more in diamondback terrapins, and sometimes spotted and map turtles. Not sliders and cooters.

If it is a fungus, the salt would also help and should be all you would need. Check to see if the skin looks like it is shedding in that area, or if the skin itself is a white color that does not rub off. If it is a fungus, add some betadine to some water making it look a tea colored. Let the turtle swim around in that for 20-30 minutes, then dry dock overnight in a warm, dark place in a covered container with a moist towel. Treat only once that way.
 

Jannra

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May 2, 2021
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Canadian Prairie
It might help to feel the skin in that area. Does it feel any different for his other legs? You should feel some difference if it is shedding or fungus. Fungus feels slimy. I would treat it with some salt and keep him out of the water for at least a half hour a day til it is gone if it is fungus. He should be fine. He looks very active and if it is fungus it has not spread much yet. Shedding feels flaky when dry.
 

RedhaRay

New Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Belgium
that does look like a skin fungus, but it also might be skin shedding. It is really hard to tell by your video. From your description of water changes, it seems unlikely that it would develop the skin fungus. Also, red-ears are quite resistant to that issue. You will see it more in diamondback terrapins, and sometimes spotted and map turtles. Not sliders and cooters.

If it is a fungus, the salt would also help and should be all you would need. Check to see if the skin looks like it is shedding in that area, or if the skin itself is a white color that does not rub off. If it is a fungus, add some betadine to some water making it look a tea colored. Let the turtle swim around in that for 20-30 minutes, then dry dock overnight in a warm, dark place in a covered container with a moist towel. Treat only once that way.
i appreciate your effort, i'm very grateful to you, you are a very helpful person, thank you, i will do all what you said and i will keep you updated please keep an eye on my post for the updates

To answer some of your questions
the white skin is showing very recently, it wasn't like that a few days ago, and it's only on one of its legs, the rest is fine,
i will take another video, a better one, so you can have a better look at the situation, i will upload it later.

What i'm planning to do now:
1- keep him separated from the rest of the turtle
2- change the water 3 times a day
3- add salt along with betadine "at the same time" and let the turtle swim for 20-30 min,
4- keep the turtle dry all night

How much salt for 1-2 litters of water?
Salt and betadine at the same time?
Swimming in the salty water should not exceed 20-30 min?
Is betadine safe for the turtle to swim? Wouldn't be poisoned?
Which is better, to keep him in water or dry?
Thanks.
 

RedhaRay

New Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Belgium
It might help to feel the skin in that area. Does it feel any different for his other legs? You should feel some difference if it is shedding or fungus. Fungus feels slimy. I would treat it with some salt and keep him out of the water for at least a half hour a day til it is gone if it is fungus. He should be fine. He looks very active and if it is fungus it has not spread much yet. Shedding feels flaky when dry.
Thank you so much my friend, i felt relieved after reading your comment, losing a pet is one of the hardest things,
i noticed that he keeps that leg inside more than the other one,
i was advised to add salt and betadine to the water and let the turtle swims in it for 20-30 min
i noticed my turtle try to stay dry as much as possible, it stays on top of basking area for a long time.
he is active, and he is eating a lot.
 
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