Post by digitalsamurai on May 24, 2011 12:12:02 GMT
Hello everyone! First post here, a bit long but bear with me plz!
Ok i have a slight concern with my terrapin, i got him in January after his owner died and no one wanted him so im quite new to keeping them myself although i have spent the last few months doing as much research as possible. He is a RES approx 17-20 years old, bout 8 inch shell length and 3.5 deep, he was in a terrible state when i collected him, covered in algae and in a 3ftx1ft tank, he couldn't even swim, he was walking back and forth on his hind legs, almost like he trying to evolve!
But now i have him in a 5ftx2ft tank and he loves it and has been doing well in his new home and swimming! ive stripped his shell down gradually and he is looking a lot better but the vet said it could take around 2 years to get back to how it should, but we will get their!!
Since i got him ive had gravel in his tank, but in the last 3 weeks ive noticed he has been eating the smaller bits quite a lot and this is obviously coming out the other end in due course, their also seem to be some kind of matter which i can only describe as looking similar to asbestos fibre, 1-2mm in length, like little hairs, white in colour, it all floats on the top water level and when i fish the tank out a bit with the net it mixes with the water and then returns to the top, also i changed his tank 3 days ago fully and already their is like a oil looking layer on the top like a film, it looks exactly like how oil would float on water with the light splitting in colours. i use the king british water freshener and algae control to kill any fragments left on his shell, changing him fully every 2 weeks and a weekly 50% change.
He is as lively as ever, his nose and eyes are perfectly clear, no nasal blockage or clouding at all, he is very responsive and swimming and diving normally
He is eating exactly the same as normal, he has never refused food since i got him, i feed him now on a full and proper diet as before he was being fed just pond pellets, some of his plates are coming a little loose but the vet says this a growth spurt because his diet has vastly improved, only last week his underneath started to unlock and peel back a little, i am not removing anything from the shell it will come away by itself. The vet gave my povidone iodine for his shell which i apply every other day when i have him out to bask for a 4 hour stint, the vet said apart from the general look of his shell he is remarkabley healthy, i told him about this fibrous discharge and he said he is fine...... his nose and eyes are clear..........but Mr Vet how can you see whats going on INSIDE him??
Their has been a notable decrease in the amount of solid waste coming from him, it seems to be very bitty and churned up, this could be because of the gravel inside him?? would it be a good idea to remove this gravel and then observe his behaviour over the coming weeks, perhaps leaving the bottom of his tank without anything or get some bigger stones/ rocks that he cannot possible eat??
Sorry to bang on, lots of info their, any help and tips would be great....thank you.
Ok i have a slight concern with my terrapin, i got him in January after his owner died and no one wanted him so im quite new to keeping them myself although i have spent the last few months doing as much research as possible. He is a RES approx 17-20 years old, bout 8 inch shell length and 3.5 deep, he was in a terrible state when i collected him, covered in algae and in a 3ftx1ft tank, he couldn't even swim, he was walking back and forth on his hind legs, almost like he trying to evolve!
But now i have him in a 5ftx2ft tank and he loves it and has been doing well in his new home and swimming! ive stripped his shell down gradually and he is looking a lot better but the vet said it could take around 2 years to get back to how it should, but we will get their!!
Since i got him ive had gravel in his tank, but in the last 3 weeks ive noticed he has been eating the smaller bits quite a lot and this is obviously coming out the other end in due course, their also seem to be some kind of matter which i can only describe as looking similar to asbestos fibre, 1-2mm in length, like little hairs, white in colour, it all floats on the top water level and when i fish the tank out a bit with the net it mixes with the water and then returns to the top, also i changed his tank 3 days ago fully and already their is like a oil looking layer on the top like a film, it looks exactly like how oil would float on water with the light splitting in colours. i use the king british water freshener and algae control to kill any fragments left on his shell, changing him fully every 2 weeks and a weekly 50% change.
He is as lively as ever, his nose and eyes are perfectly clear, no nasal blockage or clouding at all, he is very responsive and swimming and diving normally
He is eating exactly the same as normal, he has never refused food since i got him, i feed him now on a full and proper diet as before he was being fed just pond pellets, some of his plates are coming a little loose but the vet says this a growth spurt because his diet has vastly improved, only last week his underneath started to unlock and peel back a little, i am not removing anything from the shell it will come away by itself. The vet gave my povidone iodine for his shell which i apply every other day when i have him out to bask for a 4 hour stint, the vet said apart from the general look of his shell he is remarkabley healthy, i told him about this fibrous discharge and he said he is fine...... his nose and eyes are clear..........but Mr Vet how can you see whats going on INSIDE him??
Their has been a notable decrease in the amount of solid waste coming from him, it seems to be very bitty and churned up, this could be because of the gravel inside him?? would it be a good idea to remove this gravel and then observe his behaviour over the coming weeks, perhaps leaving the bottom of his tank without anything or get some bigger stones/ rocks that he cannot possible eat??
Sorry to bang on, lots of info their, any help and tips would be great....thank you.
That's how you can tell the boys apart from the girls!!!!
Females find this claw waving irresistible, especially in spring when love is in the air.