Dying turtle need help

[Brently]

I was taking my dog for a walk and found a baby yellow belly slider upside down on the side of the road. He is very dehydrated and I am not sure if I can nurse him back. I have him a bucket with a very little water so he doesn't drown as he is too weak to swim. I put in a couple minnows and some tadpoles. Anything else I should do?

[Minkness]

Try a turtle specific forum maybe? Wish I could be more help. Hod luck to you and your little one.

[prairiepanda]

You'll want to change his water every day, or else set up some filtration for him. Also give him something to climb onto when he wants to get out of the water(he probably won't if he's badly dehydrated, but if he's forced to stay in water when he doesn't want to be then it'll stress him). Since he's too weak to swim, you should also pour water over his back a few times a day. You can offer him some romaine lettuce or pond plants as well, as they're omnivores. Try killing one of the fish to see if he'll eat it pre-killed, as catching the live ones might be difficult for him. Hope he pulls through for you!

[millertime89]

Unfortunately he was probably hit by a car. People will swerve to hit turtles and other animals and the damage sometimes can't be seen. Best of luck.

[wrecker45]

Try feeding him some chicken baby food with a syringe.

[Brently]

Unfortunately he was probably hit by a car. People will swerve to hit turtles and other animals and the damage sometimes can't be seen. Best of luck.

He wasn't hit by a car. I'm certain he walked off the curb and landed on his back. He is a hatchling still had a small amount of egg tooth. He is doing much better now. I have him in a small tank with a sponge filter. He is moving around not really swimming yet. I think he was just severely dehydrated. I Have some freeze dried shrimp that I will offer and I'll get some veggies zoo thanks guys.

[millertime89]

He wasn't hit by a car. I'm certain he walked off the curb and landed on his back. He is a hatchling still had a small amount of egg tooth. He is doing much better now. I have him in a small tank with a sponge filter. He is moving around not really swimming yet. I think he was just severely dehydrated. I Have some freeze dried shrimp that I will offer and I'll get some veggies zoo thanks guys.

Awesome! Keep up the good work!

[jossh27]

He wasn't hit by a car. I'm certain he walked off the curb and landed on his back. He is a hatchling still had a small amount of egg tooth. He is doing much better now. I have him in a small tank with a sponge filter. He is moving around not really swimming yet. I think he was just severely dehydrated. I Have some freeze dried shrimp that I will offer and I'll get some veggies zoo thanks guys.


can they not right them selves once they are on their backs?

[prairiepanda]

can they not right them selves once they are on their backs?

They can, but it takes considerable effort. If the turtle was already dehydrated, ill, or otherwise weakened before getting flipped, then he may not have had the strength to right himself.

[that1guy]

Awesome save, hope he makes it.

[KyleKennedy]

If all else fails put him down humanely

[Brently]

Glad to announce that the little guy is doing well. Eating pretty good and swimming freely. We have decided to keep him for a while until he is a bit bigger and then I will release him in a pond not so near the road. Going to be buying better setup for him soon. I'll post what he is in now and what the new setup looks like when I get a chance.

[prairiepanda]

If you can, try gathering food for him from a nearby pond area(including plants, fish, and invertebrates) for at least part of his diet so that he says accustomed to those foods and will be prepared to forage and hunt when you release him, since you're going to be keeping him for a while.

[wrecker45]

If it's legal looks like you have a nice pet.

[Albert Clark]

Great work guys! Gave that turtle a second chance.

[Brently]

Okay so just an update. The little turtle has been successfully nursed back to health. He has become a good eater and powerful swimmer/crawler. We released him the other day in a local pond near to where he was found.

[that1guy]

Okay so just an update. The little turtle has been successfully nursed back to health. He has become a good eater and powerful swimmer/crawler. We released him the other day in a local pond near to where he was found.

Great news! I don't think I could have released back into the wild after taking care of him like that though, I would have gotten attached to him. I'm not saying it is wrong to keep a rescued wild animal but rehabbing and releasing him is the right thing to do.

[Albert Clark]

Good job! Born free, Live free. Plenty of captive breds available.

[TheLastBaron]

Love to see stories like this. I captured a large Yellow Bellied slider last year that had a huge fishhook through his nostril, and then a length of fishing line tied off to a floating milk jug. I clipped the barb off and removed the hook, letting my 6 year old daughter assist me so that she learns by example to be kind to turtles and not so terrible things to them (like the fisherman had). The turtle began eating regularly after a couple of weeks of what I can only assume was terrible soreness. I released him into a large pond near where he was caught, lets hope he has better luck and is still out there somewhere beating the odds!