guide for my turtle-tuty

Question
QUESTION: hi,
i have a Indian Roofed Turtle (Pangshura tecta (juvenile)) for last 4yrs. i rescued it from a cruel pet shop owner. i have researched on net & learned about his care & habits. initially i use to give him turtle food & coriander. but some 2yrs ago he got unwell & had swollen eyes.i showed him to vet, he suggested to give him fresh food instead of stored one. now my turtle has turned completely veggie, he like eating coriander, cucumbers etc. also he started shedding off his top layer of shell. my vet told he will get new one. but since then it has not come & i don't see any signs for new layer. can u plz help me what should i do for that. i keep him in aquarium which has water, semi-water & dry space, he chooses to stay. since its next to window & get full 8-9hrs of sunlight. he is very active, he likes roaming & exploring & plays a lot. though he has not grown 2-3mm in last 4yrsi am attaching pic which is 3yrs back, now his shell is not like this??

ANSWER: Hi Neha,

The picture didn't show up, but the primary problem is likely that your turtle isn't getting any UVB.  Sunlight through window glass doesn't contain UVB, and without it, the turtle can't metabolize calcium properly and will develop shell and bone problem.  He needs to either be outside in natural sunlight for several hours a day, or you need to provide him with a UVB light (a special reptile bulb) for 12-14 hours a day.  I can't tell you what brand of bulb to get because I don't know what's available in India.  If at all possible, I would build an outdoor enclosure for him that includes a pond area.  If you continue to keep him in an aquarium, you will need both the UVB bulb and a basking bulb to provide a warm basking area for him.  It's also very important to have a good filter for the tank, because good water quality is necessary for health.

You need to improve the diet.  Cucumbers have little nutritional value, and he also needs to be getting some animal protein along with greens.  I'm not sure what greens are available in India, but try turnip, mustard, kale, collards, romaine (cos), dandelion, etc.  Don't feed just one kind of greens, but a good variety.  Also offer snails, worms, fish, shrimp, etc.  Pelleted food is usually OK if it's good quality, but don't just feed pellets.  Think about feeding different foods every day.   

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PICS   QUESTION: hi.
thanks for ur reply.
i tried feeding him different things. he likes tomatoes & showed interest in sweet corn.he wil stay without food if i give him anything animal protein or pellets.i tried all these snails, worms, fish, shrimp but he doesn't likes it. he will not touch any of these.
i keep him in window only, where he gets sun most of the day.though he doesn't like sun much.
i am sending his recent pic & empty aquarium for you to see.
he is very active & it very difficult to catch him once you leave him open, as he runs like rabbit.

Answer
Please read my original reply.  Keeping him near a window won't give him UVB or provide a proper basking area.  He MUST have a basking area and a source of UVB if he is not outside in a pond.  He also must have an adequately sized enclosure (tank)--for his size at present, 50 gallons would be good and give him plenty of room.  He must have a good filter (external canister).  He must have a better diet which includes greens and animal protein (no corn).  It may take a while to get him on a good diet, but improving his habitat should also perk up his appetite).  If the water quality, diet, and lack of UVB is improved, his shell conditions should also get better, although his shell probably won't be perfect.  

I can't give you a miracle cure.  I can only tell you what you should be doing for him.  His health won't improve unless he's kept in the proper conditions, but if you make changes to how you're keeping him you should see a improvement over time.