How do i cure my turtle from Fuzzy white stuff?
- Saturday Nov 14,2009 11:33 AM
- By diddy
- In Others
I like, i forgot to clean the turtle’s tank, so hes starting to grow fuzzy stuff. How can i get rid of it? Where are some places that sell the medicine?
I live in Diamond Bar, if you want to know.
I cleaned the turtle with a gentle toothbrush, but what kind of soap do i use?
Diamond Bar, Medicine, Soap, Toothbrush, Turtle, Turtle Tank, White Stuff
3 Comments
a pet store perhaps.
OMG my turtle had the same thing i mix baking soda with peanut oil works great!!!
It sounds like potential shell rot. TREATMENT:
Step 1: Correct the cause of the problem. For turtles who live in captivity, poor conditions will cause shell rot. Dirty water, and lack of appropriate basking area and light are the most likely culprits. If your turtle has developed shell rot in your care, the first step is to correct your husbandry. Extensive information is available on correct care of a wide variety of species, on the internet and in books. Once you have corrected your turtle’s housing, you may turn you attention to the shell condition.
Step 2: Clean the turtle’s shell. Using a soft toothbrush and mild soap, clean off any dirt, algae and damaged pieces of the outer layers of the scutes. After the bath, dry the turtle off as thoroughly as possible. Gently peel off anything that will come off easily. Try to scrape out the white pits. If they do not come out easily, leave them in place. Further treatment will loosen them up. The small white spots often come out easily when the turtle is completely dry, even if they stay stubbornly in place while wet. Scrape them with the edge of a clean, old credit card or some other plastic utensil. Do not use a knife. The infected material needs to be removed so that the treatment can reach the tissue below it. Large areas and deep infections should only be cleaned by an experienced veterinarian. Extensive debriding is incredibly painful for the animal and should be done under anesthesia.
Step 3: Air! Place the turtle in a dry container for at least 2 hours. Some turtles are not overly stressed if left in the dry container overnight (in complete darkness), returning it to the aquarium for at least a portion of the day. Air is the enemy of shell rot pathogens, so it is important to keep the animal dry for a lengthy period of time. But dehydration and excessive stress must also be prevented. So the turtle MUST spend some time each day in water.
Continue to clean, disinfect and air dry the turtle each day for a 5 to 7 days. By that time, all the white pits will have loosened and been removed. If not, continue treatment.You will need to remove all the whitened material to get to the healthy shell underneath, so that it can heal and grow normally. If there are discolored areas remaining after 2 weeks, consult a veterinarian.
When the turtle has been returned to the aquarium full time, it is vital that you maintain conditions that will prevent a recurrence. Keep the water clean. Provide a dry area with a warming light for basking. Natural healing will continue until the damaged areas are filled in (or nearly) with new epithial cells.
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