I got home from work and snappy was on his back at the bottom of the tank.

is he dead? is he moving at all? are his head and limbs in the shelll, out of the shell, in the middle?

Well, it was a turtle 911 last night. Got Snappy out of the tank and onto the log. Noticed that he seemed swollen and couldn't pull his limbs in either. He seemed weak and kept his mouth open. We werent sure if he was having trouble breating or just threatenting to bite since he couldn't pull inside. At any rate, I knew he was sick and wouldn't make it if we didn't do SOMETHING.

So my room-mate and I started calling around and found an exotic vet (way on the other side of Miami) that would meet us at the Clinic for $150. Emergency fee. :blink: The vet told us that if we didn't come, the turtle would worsen and most likely die. From the sounds of it over the phone, he gave 10-20% chance. OR that I should euthanize him before he suffered too much if I choose not to make the trip. My options for euthanization were to smack him in the head really hard w/somthing, put him in the freezer, or cut his head off w/sissors....I didn't care for those options...and one look into Snappy's eyes said "I'm a fighter! Take me to the vet". So we loaded up (around 10 pm) and drove the hour across town.

Snappy got shot of antibiotics in the foot, and a shot of vitamin A in another leg. We also have a weeks worth of antibiotics to give at home. He was a little better this morning. Swelling had gone done. My room-mate took him to work w/her today to watch him (plus she works not far from the vet in case he worsens). The vet made a few suggestions on uping the tank temp a few degrees and adding some salt to the water. He was really nice guy and gave us loads of info. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Snappy snaps out of it. I think my decision to take to the vet last night was wisest....I just don't think he would have made it thru the night w/o the antibiotics.

Opps. that was me replying....forgot to log in. :P

well definitely let us know how things turn out. it is really good to hear of people more than willing to spend so much on a turtle. did he say what he thinks it might be? how he may have gotten it? or is he still running tests to determine what the pathogen is?

He thinks it was a cold/start of pneumonia. Maybe from the tank temp not being enough. The temps have dipped here recently and maybe it had an effect. Not sure. But at least I have a real vet for the turtles now to call w/questions.

I knew some ppl would think I was crazy for spending so much on a tutle that I found, and could probably replace for $20., but if it was one of my horses, I would have loaded it up w/no questions asked...and I figured Snappy deserved the same.

My poor room-mate had no idea how attached she has become to the little guy until she found herself in tears on the phone w/her Mom explaining the situation. She said if I had decided not to take Snappy to the vet...she probably would have gone w/o me.

Poor Snappy! Sounds like he has a massive internal bacterial infection or something. I'm so glad you took him to the vet. The antibiotic shots, Vitamin A, more heat, and salt were just what I'd suggest. Normally, if a turtle is upside down on the bottom, they're a goner so hopefully you caught it in time. Snappy is the mud turtle right?

thats a more common event than most would think, becoming so attached to such non-cuddly animal. how long is he now? small turtles are more susceptable to repiratory infections. do you use a submersible aquarium heater now? what is the water temp? basking temp?

Yes, Robin, Snappy is a mud turtle.

I'm so glad we got home just in time to save him from drowning. The light sure seemed to help him perk up and come back to life. I assume he just got weak from the infection and found himself at the bottom of the tank where he spends most of his time.

He sure was mad when we gave him the shots. :P

Snappy is still about 2 inches. I had the tank temp at about 78-82, but the vet said bump it to 88. Not sure what the basking temp is, but Snappy is not a big basker. That is Slider. I sometimes worry that he is in the light too much. It is very warm.

he likes to hang out on the basking site with the slider though, right? i wouldnt have thought going up to 88 was good, but now i know.

He does bask w/the slider, but not all the time. He spends considerable less time basking than Slider. And vise versa for Slider handing out at the bottom. Snappy likes to hide under round shells I have in the tank. He burrows down into the pebbles under them hiding....I guess like he would if it were mud.

I would have thought 78-82 would have been warm enough. Maybe it's because you're in Florida, right, where it's warmer. For water temperature, 88 seems really warm. Since you have some depth to your tank, it probably made it harder for Snappy to go up for air when he was weak from the infection.

I got Snappy a smaller turtle environment for the time being until he is back to full strength. He still seems a bit weak in the big tank. But we are still giving him antibiotics. Hope it doesn't take him long. :(

That's good that you have another place for him for now. Keep the water shallow, no more deep than twice his length. If he's really sick, he may need it even more shallow so that his head is always out of the water when in the water.

I have the water to where it only covers about half his shell. So he can easily stick his head out.

But since I raised the temp in the big tank, Slider has been spending a bit more time off the log and swimming around. :D