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Painter (i think) turtle rescue

22 16:16:22

Question
I found what i believe to be a domesticated(extremely friendly) Painter(two huge fluorescent yellow oblong swoops where his ears are) who was abandoned in a schoolyard. He is definitely male(huge front claws), he is very stressed and unhappy, he wont eat, he is very active though. I believe putting water in the tank will help, except he sucks @ swimming!!!! Seriously!! he actually has a hard time treading water and keeping his head out of the water! Is this normal? what can i do to help?

Answer
I am sorry for the delay in answering- the person you wrote the letter to is no longer answering, so it got bounced around a bit.

It sounds more like a Yellow-belly Slider with the yellow 'ears'.

Turtles that have been badly cared for sometimes don't swim well or show other unusual behaviors. Your best bet, if you plan to care for it, is to give it a good home as described in sites like http://www.redearslider.com and http://www.austinsturtlepage.com

It is going to take some work, some money, and some time to rehabilitate the poor old guy. If, after doing the research, you decide you can't handle it, try your local animal shelter for ideas.

Good luck!