DonnaM

Spencer was found wandering on the beach at Spencer Park. He has a number of issues. An overbite from inadequate diet as a youngster means he makes up to 20 attempts to grab a piece of food. His shell has tell-tale signs of living in a small tank. His muscle wasting indicates shallow water as well as a small tank. His dark colour indicates he is over 10 yrs old or so. He won't be able to be rehomed as he needs special attention to ensure he is able to eat. He could never compete in a pond with other turtles as would probably starve to death. Despite all this, he has a lovely nature, but he does NOT like being in a box to travel somewhere

Some parts are chlorinated and others not. Also different dosage in different areas and also higher if you are near a pumping station. You can contact CCC and ask for waste water dept and they can look up on the computer what the levels are in your area.

Yertle's legs were able to take her weight and move in a 'normal' manner again. 3 months after the feeding tube was inserted, Yertle died quietly in my arms. Hindsite is a great thing and we should have started treatment and medications much sooner for her to have any chance. There was just too much damage. But it was a huge learning curve for both of us and now the vet has been able to use a feeding tube on other extremely sick turtles and save their lives

One unexpected complication was that Yertle began to retain fluid due to her compromised kidneys. The vet in USA told us to use dandelion to reduce it...so capsules were found and pulled apart and made into a liquid to go through the tube.... and it worked in reducing the fluid retention! Yertle began to walk around and show an interest in life again, enjoying time in the sun.

23 yr old Yertle started off with an unexplained swollen front leg. Then she developed thick, hard areas of skin where it joined to the shell. Vet and I were unsure what we were dealing with and although I asked on various reptile sites, no-one really knew. Blood tests showed a number of problems and in consultation with a vet in the States, she was diagnoesd with gout. Eventually her only chance of survival was to insert a tube through the side of her neck and into her stomach so that fluid, food and medication could be administered. This was the first time the vet had done this to a turtle. Initially there was significant improvement. Daily doses of medicine, fluid and food...all put through the tube. Extremely time-consuming.

More layers developing and shedding. Ready to be rehomed :thup: He developed a beautiful green/yellow colour and now lives in a purpose built pond in Waimate.

"Milton" with the layers of keratin type skin rotted off exposing the bone underneath. Caused by a humid tank with glass lids causing condensation. He had no ability to dry off completely. After plenty of dry docking, basking under correct lighting and baytril (antibiotic) baths, he developed a plaque like covering over the bone. When ready, the plaque areas fell off revealing black skin covering the bone. Was very thin. Over months, the same process happened as layer upon layer built up. You can even make out the lines where eventually a yellow colour grew back.

Make sure water is as deep as possible and theres a log or ornament and fake and/or real plants of some sort for it to hide behind and feel safe. A shy turtle in an exposed tank will be stressed, especially by people looking at the tank. It must be able to come up and breathe, so will be able to swim. Check the waters not too cold as well as it may be more active with warmer water :thup:

Grossly obese, 6 yr old Bonnie. Had lived in a 3 ft tank with water so shallow she hadn't been able to swim for years. Only walk on bottom of little tank. Took months of making water slowly deeper for her to loose enough weight and gain enough muscle strength to swim. Spent summer in a pond here and now hibernating in Ohoka with about 30 other large female abandoned RES turtles in a specially built pond. (Thanks Cherie :thup: ) She lost nearly 2cm in length once all the unshed, pointy scutes were removed. The ones above her head were digging into her as so pointy and long. Removing overgrown, pointy scutes

mmmm, interesting concept......might have to try that. No I don't buy them. Some come from the compost heap. Its useful to leave worms overnight tho so they poo the dirt out.... Sometimes I find a worm and throw it in the tank...and end up with a nice dirt cloud :roll:

Thank-you people If some of these photos make people 'think' about what a turtle needs, and what can happen if some of the basics aren't done, then its well worth the time posting them :thup:

Minnie is unrecognisable from the above photo to some of these later ones. Looking for food!!! :nfs: Copying her bigger mate in the tank More Food! Cheeky You might recognise this one :love:

Thats her 'ET' pose :slfg:

+1 :thup:

8 mth old "Minnie". Eastern Long Neck. One of 2 sold by a pet shop...with a 2 ft tank full of tiny shingle, scooped up one end for a 'basking' area and a UV fish light on top of glass. Fed dry meal worms and the occasional 'slice' of a frozen piece of Hot House food. Not even a whole piece, just a tiny slice. Owner had beautiful fish in tanks and bred dogs...but relied on advice that wasnt helpful and nearly cost Minnie her (his) life. Suffered from terrible metabolic bone disease from lack of calcium and was attacked by tiny tank mate. Virtually unconscious by the time I got her. Spent 3 days just drinking antibiotics and vitamins and calcium in the water. Then had tube feeding and began to attempt to eat blood worms and calcium in the water. Slowly able to eat other food after a 2nd tube feed...not easy on something so small! Some shots of those early days. She's now a VERY cheeky, popular turtle! (Sorry, poor early photos)

This little boy was attacked by a smaller female. Once there is an injury, a turtle will just keep returning and biting at that spot. It just becomes 'meat/food' :tears: After dry docking for a night the area looked quite different. Unfortunately by the time he arrived here he was passing pus. He could only move one front leg as the other 3 were contracted up, probably due to infection in his brain. He had to be euthanased Contracted feet More bite wounds on a contracted foot His left front foot was the only thing he could move and that was very hesitent and jerky. His joints were grossly swollen as well. He could have been saved if he had been treated when they first started fighting and if they had been seperated into a tank each.

Common injuries from fighting. Turtles are territorial and much better living on their own if they live in a tank! Beginning to heal. These 3 turtles took months to heal. The dead skin had to be cut off (by the vet) with scissors several times to allow healing to take place.

Little "Easter". (Guess when she arrived here 8) ) Was thick with algae which blocked any UVB light getting through to her shell. After a scrub she was very good at basking and slowly the white/grey colour is fading as she sheds and colour is returning. (Arrived Easter 2010)

I know Just making sure no-one else reads it and trys :facepalm:

Allowing the turtle to dry off (dry docking) and then working at the scutes that are ready to come off. They will often start to lift themselves, simply because they are dry. The vet uses a dental instrument. I use a very pointy, sharp knife. BUT this should NOT be done by anyone who is not experienced and totally sure of what they are doing. You are completely right 'Squirt', if you force even the tiniest bit of scute off the turtle that isnt ready to come off...you can cause a tiny entry point for bacteria to get in and ...Ulcerative shell disease may develop! So DON'T DO IT! :tears:

Poor little Brighton with his prolapsed 'manly bits' :tears: He didnt respond to usual treatment and had to stay at the vet. Eventually it took a vet and 3 nurses to get it to retract. He never tried to bite once through the whole process and has been succesfully rehomed.

"Pancake". Earthquake refugee, now returned home last week. Owners didnt realise he shouldnt be this shape or colour. Built-up scutes due to lids on tank, incorrect lighting etc. Lack of calcium in his diet... too many blood worms...have seen his carapace underdeveloped. When I removed the unshed scutes, there were 2 areas of rot beginning underneath. They are still healing, but if they hadnt been found he would have eventually died. Plastron Removing the unshed scutes layer by layer Multiple micro-ulcers were revealed under the scutes. These were caused by grit from stones in the tank which get caught under the scutes and caused ulcers from the friction. Ouch! These will be permanent holes and have the potential to break down if they dont dry out properly when he is basking. But over time many will become shallower. He's back with his owners, loving his new tank environment and eating plenty of feeder fish :thup:

Algae and unshed scutes due to Squirt living in a tank with glass lids instead of having it open. The lids have prevented his scutes drying out enough for him to shed. He had a UVB reptile light...but sitting on top of glass so a waste of time. He didnt have a heat light, so that also prevents him drying completely and can also lead to permanent eye damage as he is likely to look directly at the UVB light as no heat is emitted from it. One month later. All the built-up scutes and algae have been removed and he is basking in the correct environment. His owners didnt recognise him. Earthquake refugee, so no idea when he can go home again.

20 yr old Sakara with her grossly deformed shell. Spent time here after the Sept quake and then returned to her lovely owners. The damage would have been caused from a small tank in the first years of her life, prior to when her current owners adopted her. She had the biggest head I have EVER see on a turtle and was very heavy. She 'walked' through the water rather then swimming. She lay several large, kidney shaped eggs while she was here.

These were caused by rough rocks in her tank. Rocks would have caused tiny wounds which have then begun to ulcerate into the bone as turtles are living in bacteria filled water.