Symptoms

If you think that your turtle might be sick, look to see if it matches any of these symptoms:

Diarrhea or Constipation- Diarrhea and Constipation are both caused by diet. If your turtle Scratches at its tail with it's back legs and hasn't had a bowel movement in a while, expect constipation. Change the turtle's diet and try warmer water to get the bowels emptied. If this doesn't work, try again 5-6 hours later. If the turtle has diarrhea, it will have loose stools instead of a thick smudge-like substance. Change diet, and if the turtle still has loose bowel movements after a week, consult a veterinarian (call a vet to see if they know of turtle treatments, for many concentrate on cats and dogs only).

Swollen Eyes- If your turtle keeps its eyes closed and starts to refuse eating its food, its eyes are probably swollen. This is usually caused by dirty water or lack of vitamin A. Try changing the water more often and raise the temp. to 80 or 85 degrees Fahrenheit. You can clear up its eyes with some sulfamathiazine on a cutip. Apply to the swollen eye (or eyes) and make sure the substance goes into the eye. If after 5 days no improvement is shown, consult a veterinarian immediately.

Softening of the shell-If your turtles shell is softer than it should be, offer a calcium supplement. That will help, but the turtle needs full spectrum lighting or you could let it stay outdoors for a while. Without the spectrum lighting or the sun, the turtle cannot fix its shell. If no improvements are made, consult a veterinarian.

Important: If you have baby turtles that have just hatched, don't worry. Baby turtles are born with soft shells and they harden as soon as they start basking.

Fungus Growth- If your turtle has a white fuzzy growth on its shell, you can heal it, but only if it just appeared. If it is in its early stages of growth, you can give your turtle a bath in Warm Salt Water. Continue until fungus is gone, but if no improvements are made in a week, consult a veterinarian. If the fungus has been on the turtle for over a week, consult a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY!

Pneumonia- If your turtle's breathing is noisy and the turtle wheezes while breathing, you should expect pneumonia or a respiratory problem. Move the turtle's cage into a place that is warm and has no drafts (drafts occur on the floor and next to a window). Warm up the water and make sure that it stays clean. If no improvements are shown in a week, consult a veterinarian immediately.

Mucous- If your turtle has mucus around it's eyes and nose, consult a veterinarian immediately.

Fleas, Ticks and Other Parasites- If you find fleas and ticks lodged in the folds of the turtles skin, consult a veterinarian immediately and PLEASE do not try to remove them without veterinarian permission (Some people try to burn them off--- A turtle might bite the match and burn itself!).

References:

Reslider's Swamp

Turtle Care Book