The red-eared turtle does not eat and opens its mouth. Why does the red-eared turtle open its mouth? Symptoms of this disease

Pneumonia and other respiratory diseases

When talking about serious illnesses during which turtles squeak, one cannot fail to mention pneumonia.
If your turtle has pneumonia, it must be urgently treated with medication. Ulcers, saliva coming from the mouth, mucous discharge, swollen eyes and yellow plaque can help identify pneumonia in a turtle. If any of these signs are present in your turtle, take it to the vet immediately. A squeak when a turtle breathes only means that there is an obstacle in the larynx area that causes sound vibration. This may be pulmonary sputum, but most often it is saliva, food fragments or mucus from the stomach that accidentally enters the trachea. If these episodes recur, a drop of 24% aminophylline can be injected into the trachea during inhalation.

Progress of the procedure:

1. Open your mouth, press on the throat from below so that the root of the tongue rises.
2. There is the entrance to the laryngeal fissure.
3. During inhalation, it opens (two petals diverge to the sides).
4. At this moment, drop aminophylline there through a thick syringe needle, cutting off its sharp tip.

Common conjunctivitis

A sure sign of this sore is inflammation of one eye. If the disease starts, both will swell and close, and the mucous membranes will turn dark red. A red-eared turtle can “catch” this eye disease due to insufficient clean water. For treatment you will need:

1. Place the turtle in any dry container and completely disinfect the aquaterrarium.
2. Wash your pet with warm running water and pat dry thoroughly but gently with a simple cotton or linen towel.
3. In the morning, at lunch and in the evening, drip sodium sulfacyl (aka albucid) into the eyes; in severe cases, a special tetracycline ointment in a small tube will not hurt.

Possible reasons

• ORZ or . In other words, a respiratory tract disease of both viral and infectious origin.
• Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Processes of decay in the oral cavity.

It is very important to pay attention to such a factor as the discharge of various types of secretions from the oral cavity with the presence of a large number of air bubbles. This is necessary in order to indicate, during consultation with a specialist, the exact characteristics of the animal’s abnormal behavior in order to establish a preliminary diagnosis. In the case of an accurate description of the clinical manifestations, the veterinarian, even over the phone, can determine the exact diagnosis and give recommendations on the method of treatment

In the case of an accurate description of the clinical manifestations, the veterinarian, even over the phone, can determine the exact diagnosis and give recommendations on the method of treatment

This is necessary in order to indicate, during consultation with a specialist, the exact characteristics of the animal’s abnormal behavior in order to establish a preliminary diagnosis. In the case of an accurate description of the clinical manifestations, the veterinarian, even over the phone, can determine the exact diagnosis and give recommendations on the method of treatment.

Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, as this can lead to disastrous results. The best option is to take the animal and take it to a veterinarian who has certain knowledge and experience. The doctor will quickly and accurately determine the diagnosis of the existing disease and prescribe qualified treatment.

Such diseases, especially pneumonia, are quite difficult to cure without the use of antibiotics, which are introduced into the turtle’s body by injection.

In any case, you should pay attention to the living conditions of your pet. As a rule, most diseases, such as pneumonia or acute respiratory infections, develop in conditions where temperature conditions are low and unsanitary conditions are observed within the reptile’s habitat

Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract are treated by normalizing nutrition.

Often the cause of various kinds of diseases in turtles is improper care and maintenance of the animal. When the first signs of any disease appear, many owners panic that the disease is serious and the pet may die.

Although in most cases the owner’s concern is justified, first of all it is worth paying attention to the symptoms and determining whether everything is really that serious or whether you can cure the turtle yourself

Before starting treatment yourself or with a veterinarian, you need to analyze whether you have properly cared for and maintained your turtle. Further treatment will depend on this.

In addition, you need to know what diseases are most common in different types of turtles.

Differential diagnosis

Differentiate leptospirosis from canine distemper.
Distemper is more often diagnosed in young dogs, and leptospirosis in adults. Leptospirosis can be distinguished from plague by the presence of bloody vomiting, an increased amount of protein in the urine, and the presence of bile pigments in it. Often, at an early stage of the disease, it is possible to differentiate plague from leptospirosis only with the help of laboratory tests.

It is also necessary to exclude piroplasmosis, a dangerous disease in dogs - the blood is examined for the presence of blood parasites, food poisoning, immune hemolytic anemia, viral hepatitis, herpes virus infections, brucellosis, canine distemper, toxoplasmosis, liver and kidney neoplasms, urolithiasis.

Other turtle sounds

It is believed that turtles are the most silent animals in the world and cannot make sounds. The most common “screams” heard from male land turtles are when they mount a female or what they think is a female during mating. It is believed that each species has its own voice, by which this species can be recognized. Females usually do not make any sounds when mating.

Some turtles, once in captivity, make different sounds, but then, having gotten used to them, they go numb. But in addition to screams, turtles can occasionally make various sounds that can frighten the owner or mistress.

Sometimes when closing the mouth of aquatic turtles, the tips of the horny jaws “click” against each other can be heard. If a large turtle sharply draws its head into its shell, then the air forced out of the lungs may emit a “hissing” sound, and the turtle itself may hiss if it is very frightened (and again sharply draws its head in).

Red-eared turtles may whistle when they stick their nose or muzzle out of the water. This often happens when they are unhappy with something, or just because. If there are no alarming symptoms, then such whistling is normal, and nothing can be done about it. For example, red-eared turtles make a sound similar to “croaking” for no particular reason.

But if your turtle regularly opens its mouth, stretches its neck and squeaks, start sounding the alarm and is lethargic and refuses to eat. This is likely a sign of pneumonia, which turtles do not live long with. So start looking for veterinarian herpetologists in your city.

Draw conclusions

It happens that the owners have already studied the habits of their pet turtle, and then suddenly something new in the form of a squeak. Either she squeaks at the sight of another turtle, then she seems to be sneezing, or she doesn’t want to eat. She can't tell you!

If this condition continues for several days, say, more than a week, and is accompanied by some other factors, then it’s time to sound the alarm: something is bothering the pet, and it is not necessarily external reasons. And the disease, as we know, is most easily treated at its beginning.

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Eye diseases of red-eared turtles and their symptoms

The following symptoms may indicate eye disease in a turtle:

• Redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes.
• Swollen eyelids.
• The appearance of a white coating on the eyeballs.
• The turtle is unable to open his eyes.
• Cloudiness of the cornea.
• Slow reaction of the eyeball to current events.

Such symptoms indicate the presence of an eye disease such as conjunctivitis. It is caused by bacteria staphylococci and streptococci.

This serious illness can be caused by poor diet or unsanitary conditions. If the water in the aquarium has not been changed for a long time, then the red-eared slider’s eyes will first of all become swollen, which will indicate that the water is polluted.

Another serious turtle eye disease is panophthalmitis. This disease is caused by a purulent infection that affects the tissue of the eyeball. Evidence of such a disease can be clouding of the eyeball, and if appropriate treatment is not started immediately, the turtle may lose its vision.

Why is this happening?

A turtle is a creature that is extremely dependent on its environment. This environment must be organized in a terrarium or aquarium. More details

First of all, we are talking about temperatures (on the shore and in the water). Neglecting the correct temperatures , keeping a turtle without lamps , or releasing it onto the floor of an apartment will sooner or later lead to pneumonia . For example, the slightest draft, even one that we do not feel on the floor, can be destructive. Delay in treating this disease is fatal.

Symptomatic treatment

If after 6 hours the eyes have not opened, then the pet is sick. In this case, it is necessary to wash the turtle in warm running water and place it in another container, and thoroughly disinfect the aquaterrarium and add a few drops of a diluted solution of methylene blue to it.

Eye drops will help relieve symptoms (they are instilled under the eyelid twice a day): Albucid (another name is sodium sulfacyl), Sofradex, Tobradex, Tsiprovet, Floxal, Eleovit. You can also use tetracycline ointment. If your turtle is rubbing its eyes, you will need hydrocortisone ointment. Before using eye drops, it is necessary to remove plaque by wiping the eyes with a chamomile decoction or a 3% solution of boric acid. In case of suppuration or cheesy nitrates, wash the eyes with Ringer's saline solution. After the procedure, the animal is left on dry land for 30-40 minutes.

A chamomile bath will also benefit the animal. To prepare it, pour 100 grams of chamomile flowers with 2-3 liters of boiling water. Infuse the decoction for 15-20 minutes and pour it into a container with warm water. Leave the turtle in the medicinal bath until it cools down. Then the pet is warmed up well for 6 hours under an ultraviolet lamp.

But the above methods are only used as temporary measures to help your pet open his eyes. To find out the cause of the pathology and eliminate it, you need to contact a veterinarian. In most cases, antibacterial drugs will be required, which only a specialist can select.

DISEASES OF THE SHELL

If you notice signs of shell disease (rickets), this may be caused by the following factors:

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• lack of ultraviolet radiation;
• lack of calcium and other trace elements in the animal menu.

Treatment consists of irradiating the red-eared turtle with additional sources of ultraviolet radiation, including small fish in the diet, specialized food with a high content of minerals, as well as periodically placing the turtle in the open air. In case of medical intervention, the animal is prescribed calcium gluconate injections and the drug “Trivit”.

Video: how to treat?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=M6pUoBrH1is

Respiratory diseases

If a turtle is hypothermic, it may get pneumonia

To treat this disease, all precautions should be taken. Otherwise, the animal may die. Monitor the water temperature, which should be +25-28 degrees. Under the supervision of a specialist, you can make intramuscular injections with the drug "Baytril", "Katozal" or "Furosimide"

Be sure to calculate the required dose of medication according to the total weight of the turtle

Under the supervision of a specialist, you can make intramuscular injections with the drug Baytril, Catozal or Furosimide. Be sure to calculate the required dose of medication according to the total weight of the turtle.

At the same time, do not forget to subtract the weight of the shell. As additional prevention, you can use inhalations and daily bathing of the animal in a chamomile solution.

In rare cases, red-eared turtles can develop tuberculosis. However, treatment of the disease must be carried out under the strict supervision of a veterinarian, as he will be able to select the optimal medication option and carry out the necessary procedures.

What to do if red-eared turtles don't grow?

If by the age of two the reptiles remain at the level of newborn turtles, the reason lies in the violation of the feeding and maintenance conditions of the cute reptiles.

Errors in care and an unbalanced diet will inevitably lead to incurable pathologies in young animals and metabolic disorders, which can cause the death of animals.

To maintain health and ensure the harmonious development of all organ systems, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for the life of young pets:

• a free aquarium with a volume of at least 150-200 liters for one individual;
• the presence of a convenient island measuring from 25*15 cm;
• the aquarium should not be completely filled so that the turtle can freely get out onto land and warm up;
• installation of a daytime and ultraviolet lamp for reptiles with a UVB power of 8% or 10% at a height of about 40 cm;
• the water temperature in the aquarium should be at least 26C, on land -28-30C;
• the soil in the aquarium should be coarse to prevent it from being swallowed;
• installation of a water purification system;
• It is regularly necessary to wash and change the water in the aquarium;
• It is necessary to feed a young turtle daily, mature individuals feed once every 3 days;
• the animal's diet should consist of sea fish with bones, shellfish and snails with shells, liver or heart, vegetables and herbs, dry food can only be used as a supplement;
• During the growth period, it is necessary to provide your pet with vitamin and calcium supplements.

With proper care, cute red-eared turtles grow sufficiently and intensively; the indicator of health in young individuals is not the growth rate, but motor activity and excellent appetite.

Prevention

In order to prevent eye problems in your pet, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• Inspect your turtle's eyes regularly;
• observe the coordination of the animal’s movement;
• change the water in the aquarium regularly;
• feed your reptile healthy food that contains vitamins and nutrients;
• Monitor the temperature of the water in the aquarium - it should not be cold.

Did you know?
There are reptiles that can survive in the absence of food: swamp turtles can go without food for about 5 years.
To ensure that your pet is always healthy and makes you happy, pay attention to it and take care of its health. Unfortunately, animals often suffer from the same ailments as people and need timely treatment and care. Note

Note

In natural conditions, red-eared turtles

have fairly good health. But in home conditions, which do not always meet sanitary and hygienic requirements, turtles become vulnerable to all kinds of diseases.

As a rule, the cause of disease and sometimes death of animals is their keeping in unsatisfactory conditions (dirty water, low temperature, lack of ultraviolet radiation), and deficiencies in feeding.

The main task of the owner of red-eared turtles is disease prevention, which comes down to creating normal conditions for keeping animals and feeding them properly. Ultraviolet irradiation and adding vitamin and mineral supplements to the diet prevents many diseases.

If the turtle

My eyes are swollen, what should I do? First of all, you need to find out the reason: hypovitaminosis A or dirty water? The main cause of the disease is vitamin A deficiency, the absence or small amount of carotene-rich feed (milk, egg yolk, carrots, liver). The turtle's eyes first become swollen, and then a white coating of an unpleasant odor forms on the tongue and ulcers may appear on the skin. For prevention, turtles are given food high in vitamin A: “Trivit”, “Tetravit”, and they also monitor the cleanliness of the water in the aquaterrarium.

Sick animals

must be separated from healthy ones and kept in a dry place. Every day, the turtle is given many hours of warm baths (water temperature - 26-28 degrees). During treatment, muscle injections of pure vitamin (retinol acetate) are used internally at the rate of 6-12 thousand NA. per 100 g live weight. The medicine is administered with an insulin syringe twice at an interval of three weeks. Affected eyes are washed 2-3 times a day with a 3% boric acid solution. Antibiotic eye ointments can be used.

At the same time you need to take care

about a balanced diet for black-eared turtles. In addition to animals, it is necessary to add vitamin-rich plant foods to their diet, because red-eared turtles are not strict predators. They also eat aquatic plants with great pleasure: duckweed, crawfish, ludwigia, ceratopteris. They can be grown in a separate aquarium, and twigs or leaves can be periodically thrown into the aquaterrarium.

Red-eared fish also do not refuse lettuce leaves, amaranth, slices of fresh cucumbers, cabbage scalded with boiling water (without this procedure the water will spoil very quickly), dandelion, clover, and watermelon rinds. Turtles also eat clumps of filamentous algae.

There is information in the literature that for red-eared turtles

harmful (poisonous) are nightshades, buttercups and medicinal plants containing alkaloids. Poisonous indoor plants include: difinbachia, euphorbia, azalea, oleander and others. Among algae, turtles should not be given Elodea (a fairly common aquarium plant), Lagenander, or Ambulia (limnophils).

Scientists' opinion

According to researchers, adult turtles communicate with each other and with their hatchlings using at least six different types of sounds. The findings, published in the journal Herpetologica, suggest that turtles live more complex social lives than previously thought.

The study was carried out from 2009 to 2011 on the Trombetas River, located in the Brazilian state of Pará in the north of the country. Using microphones and hydrophones, scientists were able to record over 250 sounds made by river turtles. They then analyzed them into six types that correlated with specific turtle behaviors.

“The exact meaning of these sounds is unclear. However, we believe that turtles exchange information,” Dr. Camila Ferrara, who took part in the study, told the BBC. “We believe that sounds help animals coordinate their actions during egg-laying season,” Ferrara added. The sounds produced by the turtles varied slightly depending on what the animals were doing at the moment.

For example, a turtle made a specific sound when adults swam across a river. When the rest of the turtles gathered on the shore where the clutches were made, she made a different sound. According to Dr. Ferrara, female turtles use sounds to direct their newly hatched offspring into the water and back to the shore. Since many turtles live for decades, scientists suggest that during their lives, young turtles learn to communicate using sounds from more experienced relatives.

Possible reasons

• ORZ or . In other words, a respiratory tract disease of both viral and infectious origin.
• Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Processes of decay in the oral cavity.

It is very important to pay attention to such a factor as the discharge of various types of secretions from the oral cavity with the presence of a large number of air bubbles. This is necessary in order to indicate, during consultation with a specialist, the exact characteristics of the animal’s abnormal behavior in order to establish a preliminary diagnosis. In the case of an accurate description of the clinical manifestations, the veterinarian, even over the phone, can determine the exact diagnosis and give recommendations on the method of treatment

In the case of an accurate description of the clinical manifestations, the veterinarian, even over the phone, can determine the exact diagnosis and give recommendations on the method of treatment

This is necessary in order to indicate, during consultation with a specialist, the exact characteristics of the animal’s abnormal behavior in order to establish a preliminary diagnosis. In the case of an accurate description of the clinical manifestations, the veterinarian, even over the phone, can determine the exact diagnosis and give recommendations on the method of treatment.

Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, as this can lead to disastrous results. The best option is to take the animal and take it to a veterinarian who has certain knowledge and experience. The doctor will quickly and accurately determine the diagnosis of the existing disease and prescribe qualified treatment.

Such diseases, especially pneumonia, are quite difficult to cure without the use of antibiotics, which are introduced into the turtle’s body by injection.

In any case, you should pay attention to the living conditions of your pet. As a rule, most diseases, such as pneumonia or acute respiratory infections, develop in conditions where temperature conditions are low and unsanitary conditions are observed within the reptile’s habitat

Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract are treated by normalizing nutrition.

Many owners, faced with such a problem, are perplexed what to do if they don’t eat. There may be several reasons for refusing food, including both natural and harmless ones and those that are associated with poor health of your pet.

Why doesn't the red-eared slider eat anything?

Natural and fairly safe reasons may include the following: the turtle’s desire to hibernate and puberty. The turtle is a cold-blooded animal and with some changes in housing conditions (lighting, water temperature), it can hibernate. This is a completely normal condition. Another reason for refusing food is the individual’s puberty. In general, turtles can go without food for up to two months without harming their own health.

More serious reasons for not eating and opening your mouth could be constipation or poor diet. Finally, the most dangerous diseases that deprive turtles of their appetite include various infections and the growth of the “beak”, which prevents the animal from eating normally.

How to feed a turtle if it doesn't eat?

If you are sure that your turtle is not going to fall asleep, then you should carefully analyze the conditions of detention. The water in the aquarium must be warm enough, and a UV lamp is required. Perhaps the turtle does not have enough light, this can happen in autumn or winter. Then you need to add another llama to illuminate the aquarium. Analyze your pet's diet. Turtles are predators, so in addition to dry food, it should include fish and seafood. Cucumber, seaweed or lettuce leaves are suitable as a herbal supplement. If you suspect your turtle is constipated, give it a warm bath. This will also solve your thirst problem. The “beak” is removed only after consultation with a veterinarian, and to prevent its formation in the future, a little chalk is added to the turtles’ food. But most importantly, if you suspect that the turtle is sick, urgently show it to the veterinarian and then act according to his instructions.

Hearing diseases

The most common disease affecting the auditory organs is otitis media. The severity of otitis is that the disease goes unnoticed for a long time, as it often develops asymptomatically, and subsequently leads to serious problems.

You can identify the presence of otitis media in a pet by the following signs:

• The turtle's cheek is swollen and asymmetry is noticeable.
• The pet becomes apathetic and turns away from food.
• The turtle's coordination of movements is impaired.

Otitis in reptiles can be unilateral or bilateral, when swelling is observed on one side, or both cheeks of the turtle are swollen. With the development of otitis, veterinarians assume the following consequences:

• The release of pus through the skin.
• Exit of purulent discharge through the mouth.
• The need for surgical intervention.

If the pus comes out through the skin, the resulting wound is treated with disinfectants. If no breakthrough is observed, the area where pus accumulates is massaged, stimulating exit through the mouth. If attempts fail, surgery is required. After removing the pus, the animal is provided with good nutrition, vitamin complexes and the administration of calcium gluconate.

Stages of opening a turtle's mouth

Before starting the process, you need to take into account that in the process of opening the turtle’s mouth, the main thing is not to overdo it. You need to make sure your pet decides to open his mouth.

It should also be taken into account that a turtle can live up to three months without food. Therefore, if you fail, do not be upset

Maybe next time you will succeed and opening your mouth will be successful.

Stages of installing a probe for a turtle:

• Position the reptile vertically, with the head facing up.
• Using a wooden device, try to open your mouth.
• Insert the probe very carefully. The position of the animal cannot be changed.

If your pet turtle is of impressive size, then you should get someone's help.

If you need to simply feed your pet, you need to do the following:

• Fix the turtle's head.
• Gently press on the points located behind the reptile's ears.
• Lower your lower jaw down.

Prevention measures

Proper care of your pet can minimize the risk of developing diseases. A balanced diet and compliance with sanitary standards allows you to maintain your cat’s immunity at the proper level.

Pets are sensitive to stress. Therefore, at such moments, plant-based sedatives can be given.

To prevent colds, wrap your cat in a dry towel after washing or being exposed to rain. Drying should take place in a warm room without drafts. If the pet calmly accepts the hair dryer, then the drying process can be accelerated with its help.

In cool and humid weather, you should stop walking outside.

A decrease in immunity can occur due to infection with parasites. Therefore, all animals must be regularly treated with anthelmintics.

In order to reduce the likelihood of rhinotracheitis, vaccination is done. It is carried out once a year at a veterinary clinic. The vaccine is inexpensive and provides good protection.

Feed

For nutrition, cats use food ranging from premium to holistic. They have a balanced composition, which includes not only nutrients, but also essential vitamins and minerals.

If the owner is a follower of natural nutrition, then the cat's diet should consist of raw meat, a small amount of vegetables and vegetable oil. If necessary, additional supplements with minerals and vitamins are given.

Stress

A stressful situation for an exotic pet can be a banal change of habitat, rearranging the aquarium, introducing new neighbors into it, mating games, sharp noises and sounds, new food, careless handling, falling from a height, injuries and annoying attention from the owners. Under stress, the reptile becomes inactive, does not eat anything, reacts weakly to touch and constantly sleeps

What to do if your exotic pet is stressed?

The best treatment in such a situation is to create a calm, quiet environment and optimal living conditions. As the animal gets used to it, it will recover from stress and begin to eat without the use of medications.

Devices in the form of a wooden stick or strip of paper

You can also use another, quite good method. To do this you need:

• Fix the reptile's head.
• Insert a wooden stick or strip of paper between the turtle's jaws.
• Apply gentle pressure, after which the turtle’s mouth should open.

The device should be chosen based on the age of the pet. If the individual is an adult, you need to take a stick, and if the turtle is young, then a piece of paper will be enough.

You can open the turtle's mouth with an ordinary match. To do this, you need to insert the tip of a match, which does not contain sulfur, into the corner of the reptile’s mouth. Next, you need to try to open your mouth by pressing on the lower jaw. Since it is a moving part of the body, all attempts should be made with the lower part of the mouth

However, you must remember to be extremely careful and careful not to harm your beloved pet.

For their slowness and sluggishness, as well as an interested turn of the head and an inspiring look, cute animal turtles can be called royal. They are unpretentious and require a little free space to place an aquarium/terrarium.

At the same time, rest assured that you will spend more than one evening looking at the rich drawings with various shades of green. How do children love turtles?! Watching the behavior and grace of these little creatures is a pleasure. Naturally, in a pet store you examine the pet you are purchasing and fix your gaze on a healthier individual. It often happens that in a store with an animal, everything seems to be fine at first glance, but when you move a new friend to an unusual habitat, the question arises about the behavior of the reptile - why does the turtle squeak? The root cause may be the move itself and the stress of the animal, which is reflected in this reaction. This does not mean that you should rush back to the store with a live purchase. It also does not indicate illness or debilitating illness in your new pet.

The reasons why a turtle (most often the problem concerns the red-eared slider) makes a squeak can be the following:

The most common reason for a turtle squeaking is sexual maturity.

When a reptile reaches sexual maturity and is preparing to reproduce, it squeaks to attract the attention of individuals of the opposite sex. If you only have one turtle in your apartment, it is unlikely that this is the reason for the squeaking. A turtle may be trying to convey its displeasure by squeaking.

Carefully study the conditions in which your pet is kept - perhaps some external factor is simply causing him discomfort. If your turtle squeaks, inspect it carefully. A pet can express pain by squeaking. Often it is with a squeak that the reptile notifies of injury. Examine its skin and shell. The most unpleasant reason why a turtle may squeak is because of illness. Many diseases of the lungs and respiratory system in general have exactly this symptom. It is not recommended to prescribe treatment on your own without special knowledge - this can only cause harm.

In any case, if your pet squeaks for more than 7 days, a visit to the veterinarian is recommended. If your animal has lived with you for a large amount of time (several months or more) and you begin to notice some sound reaction to certain of your actions, such as being pulled out of the aquarium, the pet’s lack of desire to get out onto a dry island, some changes in the skin, then you should immediately contact qualified specialists.

What diseases cause a turtle to swim sideways, backwards or belly up?

A change in the flotation properties of the animal’s body is observed in various diseases of turtles, which develop as a result of prolonged violation of housing and feeding conditions. A roll to one side or a complete turn of the body can be observed both in pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and in respiratory diseases, therefore, a veterinary specialist or herpetologist must determine the cause of the flotation disorder, make a diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Most often, when flotation is impaired, turtles are diagnosed with pneumonia without a clinical examination. This is a fundamentally wrong tactic, since a change in the position of the reptile’s body in water is observed with the following turtle diseases:

gastric tympany;

• bronchial collapse;
• foreign body in the gastrointestinal waste;
• pneumonia;

• emphysema or aerophagia when swallowing air;
• rickets.

With pneumonia, a general disturbance of buoyancy is observed, that is, the animal drowns. A roll to the right or floating butt up is characteristic of tympany. When lying on the left side, a valve effect of the left bronchus can be assumed; swimming upside down is characteristic of emphysema or rickets.

Diseases

If, in addition to refusing food, external changes in the skin, eyes and shell are observed, lethargy, an imbalance in the reptile’s body position in the water, or a reluctance to swim, it is necessary to urgently contact a specialist. A sick reptile that does not eat for more than a month may die. Refusal to feed is observed in the following common diseases of ornamental turtles:

1. Rickets is a disease caused by a lack of vitamin D and calcium. Sometimes a metabolic disease occurs due to impaired absorption of calcium by the body. The cause of rickets is improper feeding, lack of a source of ultraviolet radiation, kidney and stomach diseases. A sick pet experiences softening and deformation of the shell, swelling and fractures of the legs, bleeding, prolapse of the cloaca and failure of the hind limbs.
2. Hypovitaminosis A - a lack of retinol manifests itself in a slowdown in the growth rate of young animals. When the disease occurs, the eyes become swollen and the oral mucosa becomes inflamed.
3. Pneumonia is a deadly disease for turtles. Inflammation of the lungs in reptiles occurs as a result of hypothermia, being on a cold floor, complications of rhinitis, or being kept in dirty or cold water. With pneumonia, the turtle refuses to feed, becomes lethargic and inactive, often stretches its neck and opens its mouth. A characteristic symptom of pneumonia in a reptile is falling on its side when swimming. The breathing of a sick animal becomes heavy and noisy, sometimes wheezing, clicking and squeaking can be clearly heard.
4. Eye diseases - ophthalmological pathologies in aquatic turtles develop due to a lack of vitamin A, keeping the reptile in dirty water, burns from an ultraviolet lamp and injuries. The reptile's eyes become very swollen, close and stick together, the animal stops moving and feeding on its own.
5. Intestinal pathologies - diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are the result of improper feeding, keeping the reptile in dirty water and the animal being infected with helminths or intestinal infection. A sick turtle tries to sit on the shore, refuses food and becomes lethargic; when swimming, the pet cannot dive, the back part lifts up. The main symptoms of pathologies of the digestive system in reptiles are constipation or diarrhea with an unpleasant odor.
6. Injuries - various microtraumas, scratches, burns, broken limbs and cracks in the shell, the animal most often receives as a result of careless handling of the owners or attacks by other pets. Sometimes the cause of injury is bloody fights between males and competitors during mating games, the female’s refusal to accept a persistent gentleman, and aggression towards introducing new relatives.
7. Dermatomycoses are fungal diseases of the skin and shell that develop in reptiles through contact with an infected animal, exposure to dirty water, or complications from bacterial infections.

With dermatomycosis, red-eared turtles refuse food, lose weight and become lethargic. White or red nodules, ulcers, and white plaque appear on the skin and shell. The scutes of the shell begin to peel off and become deformed; if left untreated, the animal may die.

What to do if a red-eared turtle refuses food due to illness?

The causes of diseases in pet turtles are violations of the conditions of keeping and feeding of aquatic reptiles. If an exotic animal has stopped crawling and swimming, constantly lies on the bottom, floats up or falls on its side, the reptile’s eyes are swollen, there is deformation or softening of the shell, fractures, a rash on the skin, bleeding, clicks and wheezing are heard when breathing, you should not waste time or do it yourself Treat your pet with medications from your home medicine cabinet. Prescribing specific drugs and calculating the dosage in each specific case should be done by a veterinarian; it is best to find an experienced herpetologist. A specialist will understand the reasons for refusing food and tell you how to feed a sick reptile.