Sudden Death of 3 year old RES

Question
Dear Tina,

I had a RES which I got 3 years back. He was healthy/ never had any problem and had grown to be 5 inches. He died suddenly today without any apparent problem and I am writing to you in this regard. Key points are below,

Habitat:
RES was kept in a big tub with a ramp and he used to climb in and out of the tub using the same. He used to roam around the house when out of water. I am from India and we used to keep him for basking in the sunlight. We used to feed him pallets, blood worms, tube worms, carrots, coriander leaves, egg white etc. Tub water was changed on daily basis.

Health:
We consulted a reptile vet for general checkup and we were told that 1. He seem to be fat for his shell and we should avoid feeding high fat diet. 2. He may have lever problem as stripes on his legs were slightly yellow.

But vet said he is in good shape and few changes in diet and more time in water should take care of the issues.

Circumstances:
He ate blood worms yesterday (along with 3 other turtles that I have 1 RES and 2 Indian roofed turtles). Was active in the morning when he was kept in balcony for basking. In the evening when we took him back to the tub we noticed that he is not moving. Neck was half in and legs were stretched as if he is trying to move. He was lying under a cloth in the balcony. There was no marks on the body except that he has half pooped (or it might have been cut... too close to ascertain). After going through few websites we realized that he is dead (no movement/ eyes went inside, cold but no smell).

I cant help thinking as to where did we go wrong. There were no insects/ birds that could have done this (balcony is closed). Other turtles were much smaller. Is it possible that the heat was too much for him? Can you shed any light on this.

I have others and don't want them to suffer same fate so any pointers to this would be very helpful

Thanks,
AKhilesh

Answer
Dear Dear Akhilesh,    I am so sorry for your loss. Obesity in res happens so rapidly sometimes we don't notice it so quickly. Unfortunately it does alot of organ damage very quickly. The vet should have checked his blood sugar and made sure he wasn't already diabetic. Their shell is not an exoskeleton it is his rib cage and part of his spine. You did exactly the right thing at the request of your vet which was absolutely correct. You changed his diet. I think he may have died from the damage already done and maybe had diabetes. Its so ok though .....he was very loved and wonderfully taken care of. I don't think there are any problems with your other two, this is just one of them unfortunate happenstances. A little advice on the feeding. Coriander is fine but it is more of an herb than a green its kind of a vitamin. Less protein and more greens will help. Sometimes instead of worms before they get older and picky try canned tuna very lean...they also like squash and slightly overripe fruits. Try different kinds to see what they like. God Bless and Good Luck, Tina