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My red ear slider has shell rot on plastron. How can I treat it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Exotic | Unknown - Exotic | Male | unneutered | 1.5 lbs

Hi i have a red ear slider and i believe he has shell rot on his plastron , I have tried adding turtle fix to his water but it seems to be getting worse , what can i do to help him??

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Todd Cecil

Veterinarian

Published on October 17th, 2018

Thanks for reaching out about Frank and including the pictures. The lesions on the plastron (lower shell) doe appear to be due to an infection. Rarely do the fluid additives help in situations like this, because the infection is too deep for this treatment to work. Gently scrubbing with an old toothbrush with a dilute betadyne solution (1:10, light tan color) to remove any debris. Applying a topical antibiotics such as neosporin could work well but Frank needs to stay dry for 6-8 hours. Red eared sliders do great out of water and only need water to eat and drink. If the lesions get worse, a visit to a reptile veterinarian and systemic antibiotics is needed. Monitor water quality to provide a clean environment to live. Good luck.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on April 8th, 2018

    Maintain water quality and provide UVB lighting, vitamin/mineral supplementation and a healthy diet. You can clean spots of minor rot using a soft bristled toothbrush and diluted betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution. Allow for a 1-2 hour dry dock (keep Franklin out of the water) after each cleaning. If the rot does not resolve or if it worsens, see your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet.

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