My red eared slider floats lopsided. Is this normal or a health issue?

Question

Our Fergus red eared slider is twenty years of age. He floats lopsided....we've noticed for years. Can you tell us if this is a concern and why this occurs?

Jessica Keay, DVM · Accepted Answer

One of the most common causes of lopsided swimming/floating in a water turtle is pathology of the lung. If it just occurred, we would be concerned about pneumonia. If this has been going on for years, I wonder if he could possibly have a collapsed lung or a mass on one side making his balance off. A vet may be able to x-ray your turtle to check for signs of disease that could be causing his issue.

My red eared slider floats lopsided. Is this normal or a health issue?

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