Is my red eared slider sick? Not eating, lethargic, puffy eyes.

Question

My red eared slider will not eat and isn’t sleeping in the water. I bought her on Labor Day and she hasn’t eaten once. I’ve tried everything from live prey to turtle sticks. She doesn’t show signs of respitory trouble but her eyes are puffy and she is lethargic. I thought it might be hibernation but now I’m thinking she’s sick

Angel Alvarado, LVT · Accepted Answer

Check the water temperature. It may be too cold for her. Ideally, it should be heated to between 75 F and 86 F. It should also be filtered to keep it clean. Low temps can affect appetite and activity in turtles. The swollen eyes may be due to infection, trauma or vitamin deficiency. Warm her up and then see if she will eat. Bits of raw, beef heart can be used to stimulate her appetite. Find it at your local butcher shop. Once she is eating, feed a combination of live prey, commercial pellets and fresh greens/vegetables. Go to the local Petco and pick up some ZooMed Repti-Turtle Eye Drops. This can be used to help her eyes. If there is no improvement, she will need to see your veterinarian. You can review slider care at the link below. I will also include a link for the eye drops. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-repti-turtle-eye-drops

Is my red eared slider sick? Not eating, lethargic, puffy eyes.

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