Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Turtles > Yellow belly turtle eye infection

Yellow belly turtle eye infection

22 16:01:00

Question
Hi there, I'm really hoping you can help me. I went to a festival the other day and this guy was selling baby turtles. I bought two of them and all he told me was they were yellow bellied sliders and they were 6 months old. I got home and researched and found he actually sold them to me illegally because they need to be at least 4 inches and these two are at most, 2 inches. One of them is very active, eats the pellets and everything. I got a terrarium from my uncle, tons of room and water, UVB light above them on the dry rocks for them to climb up on and bask and I have a waterfall thing that filters. I realized that the other turtle that's not very active, had swollen eyes and puss around them. Ive had them for 5 days, going on 6 and I don't remember if the non active one ate when I first got him but he definitely hasn't eaten the past 3 to 4 days.  I went to petland and bought turtle eye drops to help with his eyes. I bought them yesterday and although it says to apply 1 to 2 drops in each eye each day for a week, I applied about 4 or 5 to each eye on the first day because it was needed. Today, I have definitely seen an improvement in one eye and half the puss is gone but the active turtle had climbed on him and made the other eye bleed a little. The eye that was bleeding a bit has had no improvement on the swelling or the puss. I don't know what to do. I need help. I just wish the guy who sold them knew better not to sell them so young. I don't know how to get him to eat either. I've tried by letting a pellet get soggy and hold it in front of his mouth but nothing's working. He sits in the basking area 24/7 now. He stretched a little when I pick him up to put eye drops in his eyes but goes right back in after. Helppp!

Answer
Chelsea,  Not only do they need to be four inches but they are far from 6 months old. Also they have to be permitted. That being said. What is going on with your babies' eyes is it has a bad upper respiratory infection. Unfortunately taking her to the vet that young it may not be able to handle the systemic medications it will need. I would say go to the Vet immediately but I see you spending a lot of money. Would you send me a picture of you set up. If you have a good amount of water I would treat with erythromycin for fish right into the water. Its not your fault you did not know shame on him. I am going to send you a care sheet to make sure you have the correct temps for their basking area and their ambient tank temp and water. If you used rocks from outside they needed to be boiled for about 1 1/2 hours to prevent parasites. Unless they were the ones that was already in the terrarium. Send me a picture Chelsea and of the turtle's eye if you can....Good Luck, Tina

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-yellowbelly.htm