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Red Eared Slider - skin issue

22 16:02:37

Question
Hi there, Jeannie! I see you're not the aquatic turtle expert, but I'm hoping you could help/guide me to some answers. I've been Goggling for 30 minutes and came up empty. I have 2 RES, they are 4 1/2 years old, and have been great and healthy since we adopted them. I noticed one of my turtles has, for lack of a better description, an ashy neck. This turtle is my shy one, likes to hide at any approach until food is offered, so it could have been present for a few days, but I'm not sure. He doesn't seem sick, or differently mannered in any way, but it doesn't look like skin about to shed. It really looks like he might need some lotion! :) Have you ever heard of this? Thanks so much!

Answer
Hi Tori,

I can't really say what the problem is without seeing it (can you post a really clear picture?), but maybe I can give you some ideas that will point you in the right direction.  Is the entire neck area gray, or do you see any reddened/sore areas?  Is there any odor?  Oozing?  My guesses would be fungal infection, bacterial infection, or excessive shedding (sloughing) of the skin.  I would first look at two things in your setup: water temperature and filtration.  Check the water temperature; 78 degrees is about as warm as it should be, and the basking temperature should be 10-15 degrees higher.  If the water is too warm, the turtle won't bask enough, and that can lead to shell/skin conditions.  You should have a really good filter, ideally an external canister filter rated for higher than the tank capacity.  Also look at the size of your tank.  Your RES are mature or nearly so, and two RES really need a tank size of 100 gallons or more.  The larger the tank, the easier it is to maintain good water quality.

I'd try dry-docking your turtle for a few days and see if the condition improves.  That means keeping your turtle in a separate enclosure on a dry substrate (newspapers, hay, towels) with a basking light.  Soak him daily for 15 minutes in clean water, but otherwise keep him dry.  If his skin starts looking worse, or he becomes lethargic or stops eating, you may need to take him to a reptile vet for treatment, especially if you're not sure what the problem is.

Here's a couple of websites that may give you some more information or help you pinpoint what the problem is:

http://redearslider.com/physical_conditions.html
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/medshell.htm