Turtle and Tortoise Health Checklist - Part One
By: Ralph & Tommy Turtle


Turtles and tortoises are remarkably hardy animals. Many
wild turtles survive multiple traumas in their lifetimes,
from attacks by animals to extended periods without food
and/or water. But, like any animal, there are diseases and
problem to which they are vulnerable.

Here are some of the more common possible health disease or
disorder symptoms to watch for in your turtles and
tortoises, along with the common causes and steps to take to
help your pets back to health.


Shell Changes

If the shell has spots that look rough as though they have
been sanded, some spots are softer than the surrounding
shell, and the color of the spots is different from the rest
of the shell, the turtle has an infection by bacteria,
fungus, or both. Basic treatment should include warmer
quarters, cleaning the shell and applying antiseptic or
triple antibiotic and scrupulous cleanliness of the turtle's
habitat, especially until the shell is healed. If your
turtle has red spots on the undershell that weren't there
before, it will need antibiotic treatment from your vet for
a bacterial blood infection.

If any part of the shell is cracked or broken by trauma such
as accident, attack by another animal, falling, etc. the
shell may need patching. If the area is small, treats as
above. If the break is serious, you will need to take the
turtle to a veterinarian to have the shell patched until it
can heal.

If the shell is softer than it should be and/or deformed
with a bumpy surface, and/or the beak is overgrown, you may
be seeing Metabolic Bone Disease caused by poor diet or lack
of sunshine. Mild cases may be cured by a diet improvement
and a good full-spectrum UVB light. More serious cases
should be evaluated by your vet.


Skin Changes

A problem with the beak (mouth) that looks like a wound may
be "mouth rot" and if so it will need immediate antibiotic
treatment from the vet.

A swelling on the side of the turtle's head, just behind its
jaw, is probably an ear infection and unless you are very
experienced with animals and their medical care, you will
need to let your vet treat the turtle, as it will need daily
care and cleaning of the infection for at least a week, and
possibly antibiotics as well.

Lumps under the skin may be fly larvae, and the wound will
need to be filled with petroleum jelly to kill the maggots,
then cleaned and filled with triple antibiotic cream daily
until healed.

Seriously peeling skin with the open areas red and moist is
a symptom of too much vitamin A in the diet. Put the turtle
into a hospital tank, treat the sore areas with triple
antibiotic, and reduce the amount of high vitamin A foods
the turtle is eating.


Eye Changes

Red, swollen eyes may be caused by a bacterial infection, a
respiratory illness or a vitamin A deficiency in the diet.
Apply a small amount of an ophthalmic antibiotic to the eyes
three times a day for at least a week. If the problem
persists, there is likely a vitamin A problem also.

White areas on the eyes are also signs of bacterial
conjunctivitis, and you will need to treat as above, plus
carefully and gently remove the white pus from the eyes with
a Q-Tip once the eye has opened enough to do so. Then
continue with the antibiotic ointment treatment until the
eyes look well.

Eyes that are sticky with the turtle keeping them closed are
usually caused by vitamin A deficiency. Soak the turtle for
thirty minutes per day to help it keep its eyes clean. A
mild case should clear up with a few drops of cod liver oil
added to the food a couple of times per week. Serious cases
may need an injection from a veterinarian.


Breathing Changes

A runny nose or bubbles on the nostrils, or apparent
breathing problems, are probably a symptom of a respiratory
infection and/or vitamin A deficiency. Help out the turtle's
immune system by keeping it in a very clean hospital tank
kept at least ten degrees Fahrenheit warmer than its normal
housing. Make sure it has plenty of healthful food and clean
water, that its diet has adequate vitamin A, and watch it
for a week to ten days. If it is not getting better, you'll
need to take it to the vet for antibiotic treatment.


See more of the checklist - Diet/Eating Changes, Bowel
Changes, General Body Changes, and Activity Changes, in
Turtle & Tortoise Health Part Two


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