How to care for your pet terrapin
96How to Choose and Care for Terrapins - My Experience with Young, Sick Terrapins
How to Choose Your Terrapin
1. Choose a bigger one as young terrapins tend to be weak and prone to sickness. A larger size could indicate better energy and resilience levels.
2. Pick an active terrapin. If you observe activity without any external provocation, it is usually a good sign of health.
3. Pick it up holding the top and bottom shells in between your finger and thumb. Do not hold it by the edges of the shell as a struggling terrapin will easily kick itself free, possibly with disastrous results.
4. Observe the eyes, nose and mouth areas of the terrapin to check for any unusual signs of mucus.
5. Check if the shell or body has visible signs of fungal infection.
6. For those buying from the pet shops at the basement level of Plaza Singapura, Singapore, be warned - a couple of beta fishes and the latest terrapin I'd bought from them turned out to be weak and sickly, despite their rather high retail prices and claims that all animals had been handpicked for quality.
In contrast, the cheaper ones from Serangoon Road or other suburb shops have lasted a long time.
My Experience with a Sick Terrapin
I had kept two terrapins from 12 years ago, from the time they were the size of 50-cent coins till they were the size of two palms put together side by side. Terrapin care was such a fuss-free process, I thought.
12 years on, that's 2 weeks ago, I bought another two - 1 from Yishun and another from Plaza Singapura. The one from Plaza Singapura was quiet from the time it arrived home and soon, I realized it wasn't eating. After a few days, it would neither open its eyes nor budge from its rock.
Visit to the Vet
Now, normally, we would simply replace the sick terrapin with another that costs only $3. However, my sister was heartbroken, and for her sake, I took the little one to the vet.
"How old is your terrapin?" The vet asked.
"3 months."
"Well not to worry, it's very common for terrapins at this age. What it has is a case of pneumonia."
"Isn't pneumonia what little children and old people get..?"
"It happens to young terrapins as well. So what I'm going to do... is give it an injection.."
"What! Where??" I exclaimed.
"...which I hope you can continue on your own at home."
I'd thought it would just be a case of medicated drops and a few days of monitoring. It was more complicated than I'd expected. The vet showed me how the needle was given to the terrapin on its backside, just next to the tail.
The End of a Young Life
The pre-prepared syringes were wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in the refrigerator to keep fresh. The next day, after the injections at home, this terrapin started to "burp". He pushed off his front limbs, stretched his neck out while his throat swelled and opened his mouth silently, as if to burp. This continued at a frequency of once every 20 seconds, for about 20 minutes.
I was perplexed, since this did not happen the day before. Anxious, I called the clinic but the vet was not in as they had closed for the night. Finally, the burping stopped and the terrapin fell still with his eyes closed as usual. Shortly after, its head and all four limbs stretched out in a mini spasm, then all movement ceased.
I picked up the little fella, determined to revive him somehow and made a painful discovery that his lower shell had not only softened but caved inwards. As I held him between my fingers, his upper shell softened as well - and I knew then that he was gone.
Desperate for any sign of life, I tugged on each of his limbs, fiddled with his tail and pushed and pulled his head in and out. No sign of hope to prove otherwise what was logical and obvious - my sister was traumatized.
Lessons
The difference between my previous and most recent pairs of terrapins was the location of tank. Living in sunny Singapore, we enjoy sunshine all year round. The tank was located on the kitchen cabinet where the sunlight could reach directly in my old house. At my new place, it was on the piano with indirect light. This was why the weaker terrapin was disadvantaged.
The key is for terrapins to be able to sun themselves on a warm rock. The heat warms their lungs and promotes normal circulation. It also enhances the immunity system. Provide a shaded area so they are able to choose between sun and shade.
The vet later called to explain that the sick terrapin might already be having so much fluid in itself that it could not take the injection fluid. Hence it died. Then why didn't he give me an alternative??
Well terrapin care can be fuss-free with the right condition - mainly sufficient sunlight. And if you take advice from the older generation, (aka superstition/ general knowledge), playing with young pets late at night could give them a case of bad temperament. But playing with them first thing in the morning will make them loyal pets. To first-timers choosing their first terrapins, be sure to pick the one that "speaks" to you. Besides the above pointers, your intuition will more than likely help you with the right choice.
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The bill came up to S$40 over. It was the vet at Jalan Kayu. Bigger terrapins should be more stable though. I'm just wondering now if I should get another terrapin to keep the other guy company. Would prefer a malayan box turtle but heard that red eared sliders can get violent towards the more peaceful turtles!
The vet killed the sick terrapin. Isn't that professional negligence?
I suppose not many people take terrapins to the vet so not many vets in Singapore would know how to treat sick little green-backs.
Did you know you have written a really informative article on terrapins. I feel really bad about your terrapin, one of my red-eared sliders also died so I understand how it feels. It was sick from the day I bought it. Anyways, now I know how to buy a healthy one.
thanx for sharing the info....my slider is going through the same phase....even the vet has got no clue....even worst that the sunshine is not helping me any more.....im feeling guilty to take away a life that never belonged to me...i've learnt a lesson now.....
I know how that feels. Funny thing is that after bringing another seemingly fatal case to my workplace's patio, he perked up, gained an extraordinary appetite and now even seems a little overweight. Maybe your terrapin just needs a change of location - send him to your neighbour's for a couple of days?
I bought 3 terrapins weeks ago. At first they were all active and eating well. I realised that these few days they were always sleeping and eat lesser. One died last night and I was sad. The condition that you described seems to be similar to theirs. I have change their location to be near the sunlight and hope they will live on. Great info, thanks.
I hope this helps - one of my terrapins that started showing symptoms of the Plague was thankfully saved when I medicated its water with some tonic from the local pet store. It was recommended by the lady as being good for external wounds or internal assimmilation problems. After a good two months of not eating much (well at least not dying either), it gradually regained appetite and strength.
This little slider is now 1/2 the size of its same age peer though. Can see that its sickness took a great toll on its development.
hey i have 3 terrapins,and i got 2 about 3 months ago,and one recently died of a soft shell,and now the other one is starting to close his eyes and he looks like he burps sometimes,but iv checked his shell , its rock hard,and but he opens his eyes when i hold him,but when i put him back in the tank he just lays on the rock as if hes sleeping. do you no what this could be? should i take him to a vet?
Poor slider. In my view, ordinary vets probably don't know too much about terrapins. My terrapin that managed to recover was spotted with his symptoms very early on and cured by a digestive/ assimmilation aid from the pet supplies store. Still, it took a good 2 months before he got back to proper eating. Even now, he's half the size of his 'brother' and occasionally still loses interest in his food. I suggest that you quickly get him some similar medicinal aid and have him quarantined with just enough water so that he doesn't need to strain much to keep his neck above the water line. Some sunlight will help as well but if he doesn't die, be prepared for a number of weeks before he shows any improvement though. All the best!
yeah, i put him out in the garden today and yesterday,i just put him on a towel on the ground and i sat beside him but i only keep him outsite for about 15 minutes cos im scared he may get too hot and need water . how long would you say for me to keep him out with him being ok ? .. he opened his eyes yesterday for the first time in a while,so i was pleased to see he is improving a little . but now my other terrapin is acting up, im not sure if he has a soft shell or not,but i got him about a month ago,but is it normal for baby terrapins to have soft shells,cos im worried a little cos i dont want another one of my terrapins to die of the soft shell illness, hes not very active , he still eats and when hes in the water he is in it for long enough he doesnt get straight out , could this be the illness? i hope not .
I've no idea which part of the world you're at and how much sunlight you're getting at this time of the year. It'd be good to give him a shaded area to hide so he's got a choice of sun or shade.
Unfortunately, one terrapin falling sick after another died or got well was a horrible trend with my sliders as well. Just when I thought a bad episode was over! Only one survived - the last one. I'm not able to help much, let's just keep our fingers crossed xx
i live in northern ireland,its been really sunny this week,and we have this umbrella thing in the garden and he goes under that for shade, 2 days ago another one of my terrapins died,once again, of the soft shell illnes, iv now lost 2 from that. and his shell was only a little bit soft so i wasnt really panicy, i should of got him an injection asap. so im left with 2 terrapins now,and they both seem to be fine for the mean time (:
My red-eared sliders terrapin is 7 years old, female. From yesterday (14/8/10), she did not eat and always hid in her shell. She also did not empty her bowel from yesterday. Two days before she is sick, her appetite is very good and active per normal. She does open her eyes sometimes but her eyes look normal. Her muscle and shell are per normal. I really don't what wrong with her. Really worry about her T_T. Very hard to look for vet who is specialize in terrapins in Singapore. I still can't find vet for her. Any advices? TT_TT
I recently bought two terapins last saturday and a portable small tank so that i can carry it anywhere. for the first two days they were eating and very active. just yesterday one of them is not eating anymore, i dont have much sunlight in my house and just last night i put them in my room and just this morning i saw them eating... it could be the temperature coz my room is warm compared to my living room which is cooler. i just realized from your article that sunlight is really important. the store lady didn't tell me much about the importance of sunlight though. anyways, thank you for this info. it really is helpful. thanks!
Chloe3006, does your turtle have a place where she can lay her eggs? If you can provide an area where she can burrow (mixture of soil and sand), that would be great. Even if she is not mating, she still needs to lay her eggs.
hi I have 3 terrapins and one of them are just sitting on the rock, when i put it in the water, it just went on all fours and didnt move, i dont know what to do.
Can I just check what sort of food do you feed a baby terrapin? I have 3 terrapins and I fed them turtle food but articles on the internet said they should be fed a variety of food including fish, shrimps, cabbage and lettuce. What do you feed your terrapins?
I just feed them a mixture of pellets and dried shrimp. According to the vet, dried shrimp has zero vitamins but they like it a lot, more than the pellets. Be careful if you feed them live food - one of my terrapins got his lung puctured after gulping down a live shrimp. I lost hiim within 2 hours. Small live fish should be okay provided your terrapin is quick enough to catch them. But I only throw in live fish once in a long while.. like once every half a year. The advantage is they need to exercise for their meal!
Hi my baby terrapin has sore eyes. I when to the vet & fed him medicine which they gave. But his condition has worsen as the eyes swollen even bigger. Same as your case, I went to the pet shop to ask & I bought a red color liquid medication as recommend by the sales person. He told me to gave my terrapin 1 to 2 weeks time to recover however after 2 weeks, my terrapin regain his eyesight. So I change him to normal water but few days later his eyes became swollen again.. This time place him in the water with medicine for 2weeks n it finally open his eyes.. For fear his condition occurs again, I play safe to extend another 2weeks.. After the 1month of medication, I decided to place him in normal water again.. But now it eyes seems to swollen again? Do u have any advice? I don't wan to lose him.. Any other vet or medication whom I can seek to?
One of my terrapins is prone to swollen eyes too - he gets them from time to time. As I handfeed them, it's quite easy to tell when this happens as he will mis-aim and bite at the space next to my fingers instead of at the food. The infected eye(s) will also be close for prolonged periods.
All I do is give him 2 or 3 drops of "eye drops for all turtles" from the pet store down the street. It costs less than S$10 and certainly doesn't need prescription. I then let him sun on my patio for 10-20 min before putting him back in the tank. He gets his eye drops 2 or 3 times a day and usually recovers by the 3rd day. Make sure that his water is clean and chlorine-free. If possible, add some anti-stress or terrapin tonic. Check with the pet store for the suitable types. Good luck!
I got a baby terrapin... But He doesnt eat and always slping...But he is still kinda active.. Do u know wat the problem might be?
My terrapin has nemonia & already took her to the vet, we have to forcefeed her by mixing vegetable juice with chicken froth and lettin her swim in it, the vet also gave anti-biotics she's getting better but is still gasping/yawning. Does anyone have suggestions to make her well?
At what age does these terrapins get ready to mate and breed? Because i have 2 of them at home and i don't know which is male and female. How do i get to know them. they are all healthy. I heard that they give eggs in lots of numbers. What are the ideal conditions where they lay eggs. I have kept them in my aquarium, and they are about 1 yr old.
I noticed that my terrepins eyes wernt openin an that he wasn't as active I got him out an felt that is belly was feeling soft but his top shell was still hard am so worried can't get to the vets till tomorra am scared he might not make it
Im really touched to see many others out there who do care for their terrapins. because when i try asking around for help, everyone tells me to just 'let it be' cause it costs just $3 each.
My terrapins are behaving very weirdly, as they only open their eyes when they are out of the water. The moment their eyes touch water, it remains closed. why is this so???
Also,only recently had the sun changed its direction. which means that my house no longer receives direct sunlight. My terrapins have no place to soak up the sun. what should i do??
i hope someone replies me soon, thanks!
-Singpapore
Hi Ethel, it seems to be an eye infection, try some eyedrops for terrapins from the pet store. It's an over-the-counter medication and should work for your little turtle.
Thanks Sfionn :)
Hi, I hope you all know that 'uvb' light from the sun does not penetrate through windows and aquarium tanks!! your terrapins need 'uvb' bulbs and heat lamps directed over their basking areas, without the 'uvb' light the terrapins cannot process calcium for their shells which then become soft, they loose their appetites and die.
A LITTLE RESEARCH ABOUT PETS THEIR BASIC CARE IS VITAL AND NOT DOING SO IS CRUEL AND UNKIND TO YOUR ANIMAL
Here is a link to a terrapin care site,,if you genuinely care for your terrapins please read...........
please help. i dont have enogh money to go to the vet.
for my place does not have sun light (west caost .)
or enogh money to buy a uv light for my terrapin.
now its eating.... please help dont want it to die!
Hi all, I bought 2 terrapins last year in a fish farm. They have been eating as per normal until 1 of them fall sick. It was the girl. It had swollen eyes. I seperated them n bought some eye drops from a local pet shop. A week later, her eyes were ok, so I put them 2gether again. The nxt day, both of them wouldnt eat. Even the boy. The boy 1 ate only a little but the girl didnt eat at all. A week later, I seperated them,the boys appetite improved but the girls 1 didnt. I noticed her mouth n nose hav mucus n she started "burping" occasionally... Now there isnt any mucus n she doesnt burp much... I put them near the window... Any advice?
Hi, anyone know where I can get terrapins tanks for my 3 RES?
They are between 10-12 inches and I intend to put them in the same tank. How big should the tank be?
Thanks in advance!
One of my terrapins recently bitten another terrapin of mine at the tail now the tail is have broken and it looks like it is going to drop.What should i do???I seperated them.But should i bring it to the vet or buy medicines and where can i find vets or medicine for my poor terrapin.
Cani know where to bring my terrapin if it is sick etc vet,pet shop?
opps!I forgot to say thanks.THANKS!
I live in singapore.Should i put it somewhere with sunlight?What should i feed it either then turtle pellet?Can it eat turtle pellet?
Thanks.
one of my terrapin floats but the other terrapin does not float.Is it sick or ill?PLease help me.
THANKS!
Your questions are worrying..
I guess priority should be to make sure the wound is clean. Antiseptic lotion for turtles can be bought at pet stores selling turtles. If an infection sets in, it could mean a death sentence for the poor guy. Don't see any issue with pellets.
You could try to google for a vet in Singapore but I don't know of anyone who specializes in terrapins, sorry.
Thanks sfionn.I think i will by some Antiseptic lotion from SSC pet lover.Thanks i was wworried sick about it.
Thanks.
why one of my terrapin never poen eyes
Hi why my terrapin never eat anything and then it kept on sleeping
My brother has 2 terrapins that are really really big for about 4 and 1/2 years old. Their size is like from the tip of a grown man's middle finger to his wrist. Both of them are that big.
Anyway, my brother has put them in the toilet where he lets them walk from time to time. The toilet is cleaned everyday by yours truly so I guess it's clean.
Unfortunately, he has rather been negligent about them so I take care of them more. However, I do not know a single thing about taking care of terrapins much less terrapins their size. I do not know how to see if they're sick or what-not. But they are very active. If you go to the toilet to pee or crap, they will look at you and like "ask" for your attention.
The toilet is well- ventilated; the windows are always open, the door is open when not in use (unless they're walking about).
Could you advice me on what to do? Coz I have 6 hamsters at home and I don't know if I am taking enough care of the terrapins like my hamsters. Thank you.
My brother has 2 terrapins that are really really big for about 4 and 1/2 years old. Their size is like from the tip of a grown man's middle finger to his wrist. Both of them are that big.
Anyway, my brother has put them in the toilet where he lets them walk from time to time. The toilet is cleaned everyday by yours truly so I guess it's clean.
Unfortunately, he has rather been negligent about them so I take care of them more. However, I do not know a single thing about taking care of terrapins much less terrapins their size. I do not know how to see if they're sick or what-not. But they are very active. If you go to the toilet to pee or crap, they will look at you and like "ask" for your attention.
The toilet is well- ventilated; the windows are always open, the door is open when not in use (unless they're walking about).
Could you advice me on what to do? Coz I have 6 hamsters at home and I don't know if I am taking enough care of the terrapins like my hamsters. Thank you.
Hi Junwei - I hope your terrapin has gotten better.
and Halo JemJem:
Although some people believe terrapins shouldn't be allowed to run around to avoid getting stained by bad bacteria, I think that applies more to those that are already sick or have open wounds, or if the place is really filthy.
I guess the health condition of your turtles is the best judge of suitability of their environment. If your toilet is dry, clean and well-ventilated, and they still look active after so long, there shouldn't be any problem. That said, terrapins are amphibious so if you could provide them a place to swim, that'd suit their nature better!
Thanks alot!!! Shall keep it in mind!! =D
Not true
Oh one of my terrapin suffered the same fate too. Where is the vet? I also live in Singapore. So at least I know where to go in case of emergency. The other terrapin is quite strong. Escaped twice, once falling down 2 metres - no damage. Sanitiser was poured inside his water once(Dunno which mean classmate did that). I LOVE THAT TURTLE and I am willing to bring it to a vet in case of emergency :D
I don't remember the vet's name, only it was along Jalan Kayu. It may be "All Pets". Try googling for their contact details/ reviews, good luck!
OK thx!
Plaza singapura terrapins are really of low quality. Some already have pneumonia, some i could find with a broken shell. Even worse, some with their spine exposed. Ouch.
Hello! I find your article very helpful and thanks so much for sharing your info with the other red ear slider turtle owners in Singapore! :) I keep two red ear slider turtles, one about 6 years and the other about 4-5 year old. I keep them in a container but now they have gotten so big! :( I am currently in a search for a big tank to hold these turtles of mine, and i was wondering if you could share with me the picture and position of the tank? I have no clue how to have my turtle tank positioned in a suitable environment for them. my email is lowweixin21@hotmail.com ! Thank you so much! :)
Hi Weixin, I haven't got a picture for you but Mark (one of the visitors who commented on this post 6 mths ago) has got a useful link on terrapin housing and general care. I'm pasting it here for your reference: http://www.neoterrapin.com/care/
Some possible places could be a balcony or low cabinet top that gets good direct light for a couple of hours for basking and "normal" light for the rest of the day. If you're housing your big terrapins in a rack-aquarium, you should be able to achieve this by finding a wall that gets the morning/ afternoon sun.
Hi I bought 2 baby terrapins just a month ago n today 1 of it died:( I went out for around 2hours and when I came back,one died.I do not know how it died as I was out,but 1 thing I remembered was before I went out,it kept going onto the rock I put into the tank n the water level was around 1cm.Its shell was rock hard n the bottom was too fyi.It was hyper active like 15mins before I left n was on the rock closing its eyes,I tot it was sleeping.O and, I broke a bit of tip 3 and instead hold it by the side,pls reply as soon as possible bcos I wud wan find out the cause of it as I do not want my other terrapin to be lonely n most of all,I do not want to take another life ever again -Singapore
O and mine had a bit of white patches(dont know if is fungus) on its body
Is Terrapin reptile or amphibian ? Answer is - REPTILE. Thanks!
my terrapin eye was diffrent than other
In their natural state terrapins will eat practically anything they can swallow, I feed mine on moths, soft bugs, worms, pieces of raw fish or meat and sometimes lettuce, just make sure you remove what is not eaten. I usually feed him with a bamboo meat skewer which makes it easy to reach him without getting bitten. Just make sure that any bugs are not in contact with insecticides otherwise you will kill your pet. If you put it in direct sun then make sure it can get into shade when it has has enough.
Hi, I've just gotten 2 res terrapins as a gift and I really like that alot. But I just came to notice that one of them has a whitish layer on one of its eye. It's was very active for the first 2 days but now he is just sleeping at the basking area all the time till I give him a nudge. I've got 2 filters for the tank, a basking lamp and a UVB florescent lamp. It's is enough for them? Is there anyway I can cure the poor turtle's eye?
-Singapore
Hi Zackery, if your RES' eye looks abnormal in size as well, an eye infection may be possible. I've never used UV/ basking lamps so not too sure of what should be good enough. Try describing its condition to the pet store guys and see what they recommend. If it's an eye infection, a suitable eye drop may be all that you need.
hi what kind of terrapins are the smallest, tamest, and easiest to handle? i need answers in24h or best immediatly!!!
Hi tk, I can only offer my 2 pence worth for red eared sliders which I'm familiar with. While these are generally known to be aggressive towards other turtles/ terrapins/ tortoises and are great hunters for fish and shrimps, each has its own personality and by observing their behaviour before purchase, you may find one that is extremely timid, to the point of not being able to hunt effectively on its own. I've had two like this before which were very happy to rest in my hands, and on the top of my foot as I walked around the house. As they were handfed, they did grow to considerable size despite their gentleness.
I have 3 pet terrapin and all of them is the size of 2 palms. One of my terrapin was infected around its nose for 1 month now, I dont have enough money to take it to the vet. My parents has some money issue and I currently have $32 in my saving, I feel very bad for my pet. Please help :-(
Hi rule, sorry to hear that. Do visit a good pet store for recommendation. You may be able to cure it with off-the-shelf medication under $20.
Mine had some growth on him and one tortoise recently died the disease pass to him should I bring him to a vet and how much the bill cost and he is always sleeping
what should i do as my mum say go vet use $100 when the tortoise is 2.50 sin dollars... please help answer faster
Hi Klemens, the vet cost me $40 plus, that included a bundle of syringes. I don't think you will need $100. You sound like you're in the same predicament. Well, if you care for the terrapin as a life and don't see any other option, go ahead and try the vet!
If I dun bring to the vet what can I do to save him
Do they like warm water
Hi Klemens, i don't have specialist knowledge of terrapins and actually believe neither do our local vets since people usually adopt the unfortunate "buy and throw away" attitude with the terrapins.
From experience, if your terrapin is not moving/ eating, and you've decided not to go to the vet, you should quickly try an over-the-counter medication from the pet store. They do have a small section on terrapin lotions etc. Find one that is described on the label for symptoms that your terrapin is showing. You'll prob have to keep it up for a week before you see improvement. In my case then, I was able to provide the recommended dosage throughout the day and was lucky to have it start eating again slowly in 3 days.
My terapin died ... ya the one at jalan kayu u went isit the lady vet or the guy vet?
I'm sorry to hear that.
It was the gentleman on duty the night that I was there.
Hi, um, i recieved two red ear sliders from my parents on my birthday. Now, its been only two and a half months, and one of them has a membrane like thing growing around their neck(the sagged up place) and now its going round the frontlimbs. I am really worried. And I stay in India.
PS: Its a translucent membrane like thing -.-
Yeah, and, I started to use some clean, dust free ear buds to remove that membrane. now my little beryl snaps at me real loud. But i manageed to remove some of that membrane-y thing. :)
How,I got that tortoise and his skin is peeling!!!its is white or it or fungus??
Hi Klemens and Abgail, it is healthy for terrapins to shed skin as they grow. The skin usually comes off as a thin white membrane that can roll up along the way and eventually end up in the tank as small floating white sheets. Does the white stuff fit this description?
MY TERRPAPINS DIED AFTER THE VET GAVE THEM INJECTIONS .... SO NEVER BRING YOUR SICK TERRPAIN TO VET AND ASK FOR JAB... THE YOUNGER BABIES ONES WILL DIE ...
Yup. Its now all around the neck, legs and back. That sound well to you? Some on the shell too. I really dont think its okay.Plus, when he move really fast in the water, some of them manages to come out. So you think its fungus or skin?
Hi Abigail, it's hard to say without seeing it. If it's as profuse as you describe there may be a concern. Why don't you try taking the little guy to the aqua-pet store for the pet people to take a look? I'm sure they can help with a few recommendations!
Truthfully, here vets know only about fish, dogs, cats and hamsters. It took me ages to find through the yellow pages for one place where the doctor could so about it. But my final exams are going on and i can't go out.
Anyway, thank you very much. :)
hi ! i bought a terrapin recently and it has been sleeping alot . is that normal ? and what do i feed it ? cuz it does not seem to eat the food that i gave .
Hi Didi, too much sleeping is certainly not normal as terrapins should be curious by nature. I fed mine dry pellets with small live fish once in a while. Some people feed theirs leafy vegetables. I hope we're not looking at another case of 'drowsy disease'!
well , mine does not want to eat the pellets . i don't know why . what should i do ?
Hi, I am so pleased that I have found this site, it is really hard to find info about terrapins on the internet. I bought three terrapins two weeks ago and one of them has developed a white spot on its neck. It is now spending a lot of time sitting on the rock with its eyes shut. It is eating from time to time. I am not sure what to think and the pet store where I got them is pretty useless. We live in the UAE so it is hot and sunny here. The terrapins live in a a fish tank, with a filter and a light. Do they need a heater too? The fish tank is near a window and the sun shines through it. Do I still need to put the terrapins outside in direct sunlight? Any advice is really appreciated as my son would be really upset if his terrapin died... :((
Hi Nicole, yes unfortunately most of the information available tells us how to set up the tank etc but doesn't shed light on diagnosis and troubleshooting. I'm no terrapin expert myself and can only guess from experience. White spots could be a sign of fungal infection. Depending on what it really is, it could spread over the surface or deepen into the skin like a sore. As the neck has plenty of folds for trapping moisture, try keeping your terrapin dry and medicating the area with an anti-fungal lotion (usually 1 or 2 drops). Leave it to dry in an empty tank for about ten minutes before returning it to shallow water (just below the shell line) that has an area for dry basking. You'll probably need to repeat this 2, 3 times a day. Do check this against the directions of your purchased medication however. If all goes well, your terrapin should recover significantly within the week, though treatment may continue for a couple of days more.
After recovery, fungal infections may recur. Certain terrapins are just more prone to this. The remaining medication (if it's not expired) can be used for future treatment. Good luck!
P.S. The UAE's sun is extreme so be sure not to leave it out. Indirect light will be just fine.
Thank you so much for this info. I have just returned from another pet shop and they had lots of different medications. I bought some vitamins, a heater and thermometer. I will go back and buy some anti fungal lotion and follow your guidelines. I will let you know how it goes. I checked the terrapin just as I got back from work and noticed that he has one eye opened and one eye closed... Oh dear! Too much to worry about!
Hi. Just want a little bit of info. I bought 4 terrapins almost 4months ago. Everything went well. All were healthy and naughty. But recently one of my terrapins have not been opening its eyes. She still run around as per normal but just don't want to open her eyes. Is there anything I can do about it? I get too worried now because it's been almost a week.
Hi Nora, terrapins may not eat if they can't see and can possibly starve itself. Are its eyes infected? A tell-tale sign is an overall swell. If only one eye is infected you'll be able to notice a difference in size from the other side. In this case, an eye lotion will do the trick. However, if it's not opening its eyes due to general lethargy, it could be something more serious internally which I'm afraid am unable to advise much.
Thanks for your info regarding terrapins needing sunlight. Wished I had seen your article earlier.
Hi Sfionn, I must thank you for writing such an informative piece on terrapins. i just got two recently & I'm sure one of them got pneumonia :( I wish i found your article before - that might had just saved the little one. i'll try to take him to the vet tomorrow, but i'm not sure if that'd help :(
Everyone writes about setting up & the likes but it really helped to read your article because you wrote in Singapore's context. thank you so much again :)
ps: I hope poor michelangelo survives :(
Hi Sfionn
I recently bought 3 terrapins (one male & 2 females) three days ago.On the first was fine-all 3 of them were swimming.when i feed the pellets,all but one of the female didn't seem to touch her food. Then the next morning,same thing happened.Then after she swam,she crawled up to the rock to bask and closes it's eyes-as if sleeping.I was getting worried,so before I went off to work,i'd informed my sister to observe it.When i reached home,she told me that it didn't move an inch & didn't eat.I immediately bring her down to the vet @ PetSafari Simei for some more info.As i was on the way,i suddenly started to open its eyes and actively wandering around the temporary basin.I was shocked.The vet simply told me that she just need the Sun rays and nothing is wrong with her.I told him regarding that she didn't even touch her food since I first bought here.He recommended me another type of pellets-perhaps she didn't like the one I gave to her.Then,I let her bask as much Sun rays before evening sets in.When i reach home, she already closed her eyes as if sleeping-again.I put her back to my terrapanium and observed.Since that day till now-she has been in an immobile state (even when i carry her to shift something in the tank),not eating and sleep most of the hours,literally.So,is this a case of what-you-called "pneumonia"? I'm still very worried. As for the other two,they are very active and all.Please advised.
Hi yAti, oh dear, if not for so many people sharing their experiences, I wouldn't have thought that this was so common. Unfortunately, I can't advise much other than to move the terrapin tank to a different area, since that one is definitely not working for her. Since terrapins in public ponds bask in full glory at noon daily, and that's in pretty strong light that most people can't look in without squinting, evening rays may not be strong and effective enough. You could try giving her some mid-day sun as well. My ailing baby terrapin was saved in a location on the balcony which had direct morning sun. In the afternoon, the tank was in the shade but the sun-line was just two metres away so there was good heat as well. The rock that the terrapin rested on probably helped because it was warmed by the afternoon's heat and I guess acted like a hot water bottle for the little guy sitting atop. If he wanted to cool down, there was an inch of medicated water to help him cool and heal at the same time. The medication was for terrapin digestive issues and which also works as a general supplement for healthy ones as well, bought from the small pet store along Havelock road. Hope my experience helps your little girl!
Hi Sfionn
Okay noted. As for the medication,it is just available at that pet store along Havelock Road or are they available in any other pet stores? And may I know the exact name & brand of the medication, if you don't mind? I would like to purchase it. By the way, thank you for your replies.
Hi yAti, I was fortunate to hit on the right medication on the first try so did not check if other stores carry the same. As the bottle is long gone, I can only remember that it's a brown solution in a cylindrical bottle which also simulates optimum water conditions in the terrapins'natural environment. This was from the pet store at Blk 22 of Havelock Road, on the side nearer to Beo Crescent. There's only 1 pet store (more like aquarium store now) there, you might want to drop by and enquire. Hopefully, the aunty who recommended that solution to me may be able to help you as well.
Hi
We just got 2 terrapins recently. I would like to know how long can they be left unattended, should we go away for vacations?
If you are going away at all, even if for 2 days, you will need to have someone drop by to take care of them, especially if they're housed in an enclosed tank and not an open pond where natural circulation and filtration can occur. Turtles soil their water quickly with food remains such as pellet dust and fecal matter. Algae can also be a problem in a couple of days, sometimes shorter. The messy water will encourage harmful bacteria growth and you could come back to the beginning of internal health problems e.g. intestinal and other digestive issues.
Thank u for advise. Will bear in mind of what u said.
jollytan 2 years ago
Poor terrapin.... how much was that injection? Thanks for sharing... I have one at home... belongs to my children.