help with my red eared slider!!!!!!

[Murray of the Deep]

my red eared hasnt been swimming or diving underwater it just stays on a rock and does not even eat!!!why!!!he is also a hatchling and i tried to touch it's shell the downpart it was very soft like cotton!!! help!!

[flybyferns]

my red eared hasnt been swimming or diving underwater it just stays on a rock and does not even eat!!!why!!!he is also a hatchling and i tried to touch it's shell the downpart it was very soft like cotton!!! help!!

You need to take him to a vet !!!!
This question should be posted on a 'turtle' forum

[ejh805]

Jerome,

Before this started happening, where you giving the turtle any calcium supplements or special lighting?
Please read this link. I'm afraid it may be metabolic bone disease.

Softshell syndrome in young turtles


In section number 3, it says that if the disease has progressed so far as to cause a soft shell, calcium injections from a vet are often the only way to reverse it. Also says, that
"the calcium could be diluted it in saline of LRS and the injection given intraceloemically,"

[Murray of the Deep]

he was eating high protein goldfish pellets but he is still floating!!! is he getting a little bit fine now?

[ejh805]

Is that all you've been feeding it?

[Murray of the Deep]

no it was just for now i fed him last time frozen bloodworms, tubiflex worms, mealworms,veggies and some goldfish pellets.

[ejh805]

Are you using anything to give him extra calcium? He's going to need a lot.

[LauraCox]

I have four rescue red-eared sliders! They're a lot of work and get BIG fast (as large as a dinner plate within two years if properly taken care of). Here is my advice:

1. Make sure that he has UVB and UVA (otherwise he can't metabolize the additional calcium and it won't do any good)

2. Make sure that everything is the correct temperature (water should be heated to about 78 degrees and basking spot about 89-91 degrees). If he's not warm enough he won't eat and he certainly won't digest what he's eating.

3. Try feeding small pieces of chicken or turkey. They LOVE it. My RES Jack actually begs for it!

4. CALL YOUR VET. This is the single most important thing. If you bought him from a surf-shop or larger pet chain even if they're "captive born" they probably come from breeding farms with wild-caught parents. This means one thing is for certain: PARASITES. I do my own fecal exams but play it safe: see your vet. If you don't have a reptile vet call a vet that see BIRDS. They typically went through the same training as herp vets.

5. Keep your tank clean. I clean out my guy's 40 gallon tanks ( has a bio-filter )every 4 days. The 300 gallon pool every other week (on a sump pump 24-7). And my large 800 gallon "pond" gets emptied and scrubbed every 5 months. If it's dirty these guys can get FUNGUS infections and infestations REALLY easily.

Other questions? Just ask!