Dirty Turtles

[dtocher]

A couple of my turtles have been developing dirty little "whiskers"... looks like slime hanging off their necks. When I go to clean them, they shove their heads away. Any advice?

And for the record I change their water once a week and have a good filter. It never gets bad.

[marisa]

Give them baths with aquarium salt or betadine once per week. The white filmey stuff is fungus.
Once per week baths in either will help.

Marisa

[dtocher]

Awesome. Thank you.

[Shad0w]

First off.. what kind of turtles?

Second, are you sure the wiskers are not algae?
Some sedintary turtles like snappers will grow algae on them and its fairly normal.

However, Marisa's advice would not hurt and if it is fungus.. its the right thing to do...

[snakers55]

It could also just be shedding skin.

[Shad0w]

Good point snakers55 :)

[marisa]

It *could* be shed but I don't see why both turtles (or more as he used plurals) would be shedding. But it might be.

The baths are safe regardless of what they have or don't have. I'd be doing it as a safe gaurd anyways.

Marisa

[dtocher]

I definately think Marisa is right. All three of my little bitty red-ears have it. I'm picking up some aquarium salt this afternoon.
Danke!

[marisa]

Yeah if all three have it, it's probably fungus. Try the aquarium salt once or twice per week....just shallow water thats pretty salty...not a tank full or anything. Just a quick bath.

If it doesn't improve then pick up some Betadine which is available at drugstores. That should do the trick.

I'd also throw a tablespoon of the aquarium salt into their normal tank.

Marisa

[Wu-Gwei]

How about the three RES are overfed and the water is too warm, therefore there is excessive shedding? Or just regular growth and shedding of the skin.

I know with some of the RES I have had in the past, it takes a few weeks (2-4 weeks) for them to shed their skin completely.


Cheers,
JJ ;)

[snakers55]

My growing turtles almost always have shedding skin on their necks.. With my first red eared sliders when I was 8, I used to think they were sick, but it was just the skin.