Why is my turtle not eating and has a white bump on its neck?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
My turtle has got a white colour pimple on his neck .I has stop eating food also. What should I do?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on February 22nd, 2020
This may be localized infection or inflammation. It could also be an old injury. Keep the area clean. You can use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution to gently clean the area daily. Maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. Check temps in the tank as well. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. You can review slider care at the links below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Red-Eared-Slider-Care-Sheet/ http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
10Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on October 2nd, 2017
This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and eventually antibiotics are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can eventually be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, i have two RES that i bought from fishshop, i have an aquarium that dont get any direct sunlight, so i help them basking under the sun, one of my RES showed white spot like this, is it fungus? Or shedding? And what should i do? I tried using m
Thanks for reaching out. The lesion on the neck is probably due to pulling the head in repeatedly and traumatizing the skin on the shell edge. Putting a visual blind around the tank might be less stressful. Not sure if the white is exposed bone, infection or hard water deposit. Can you gently scrub it off? The eyes on the first turtle appear a little swollen and this could be due to poor water quality or vitamin A deficiencies. What does the diet include? Check and correct water quality. Review diet. If lesion grows, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I found a depression over my turtle neck since two days It was not there before Is it anything serious Plz tell me any this And what should I do And he doesn't come to bask by himself ? I put him in sun for an hour a day.
It could be local infection. Monitor it for change or growth. You can gently cleanse the area using diluted betadine or chlorhexidine once or twice daily. Confirm adequate water quality to prevent secondary infection and to promote healing. Consider increasing the water and basking temperatures by a few degrees to aid in recovery. Ideally, a UVB light source should be provided for 12-14 hours daily. It should be no more than 14 inches away from the basking spot and unblocked by either glass or plexiglass for maximum benefits. If the spot does not heal or spreads, have Tabby examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. You can read more about care at this link: http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have pet snapping turtles that refused to eat since yesterday. A white infection is also visible on their tail. Plz advice
This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and eventually antibiotics are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can eventually be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, i am afifah from malaysia. May i know what are the white patches on her neck and legs? Is my turtle sick. She is less active and not eating well now. yesterday she started to climb on the tree in her basket as usual but she like to stay dry as co
Thanks for reaching out about Bubu and including photos. The white lesions appear to be an infection, either bacterial or fungal. These could be secondary to bite wounds from the other turtle or a primary problem. Check and correct water quality problems. A veterinary visit can help with a diagnosis and treatment plan. Treating with a topical medication such as Neosporin might help but is not a systemic treatment, which might be needed. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, my tortoise (small one) has black dots since I bought it and today, I noticed the black dots are expanding. He didn't eat anything himself except when I fed him with a stick. He also didn't move and sleep for 23 hours a day. What should i do?
You have a slider, which is a semi aquatic species of turtle. Tortoises live on land exclusively. The black spots may be some algae growing or it could be early rot (infection). Maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. Use a soft bristled toothbrush to gently clean the shell. If the spots persist, use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution along with the brush. Scrub once daily and allow for a 1 hour dry dock (out of the water) after each cleaning. Promote shell and overall health by providing UVB lighting, vitamin and mineral supplementation, a balanced diet and appropriate heat support. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Red-Eared-Slider-Care-Sheet/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, i just got a 2 new turtles yesterday and one of them has this bump on his head/neck, he doesnt like to swim that much and i am pretty worried that he might be sick, i looks like he has a hard time eating, but he likes to walk, i dont have a UV
From these pictures I'm concerned that Emelia may have an abscess or infection. I strongly recommend a visit to a reptile veterinarian ASAP. Correct husbandry and environment and feeding may prevent this from happening in the future but if she is already acting sick she likely needs antibiotic therapy and potential he injectable vitamins in order to recover. Try to get their lighting correct ASAP, and here are some links on Karen husbandry as well as the reptile veterinary Association if you need help finding a vet. Good luck with them. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/turtles-aquatic-diseases http://www.anapsid.org/mainchelonians.html http://arav.org/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Have a painted turtle who we think has a respiratory infection. His eyes are puffy and he makes a noise and has his mouth open but won’t eat. What can we do for him. No vet in our area treat turtles
The swollen eyes may be due to a vitamin A deficiency. You can pick up Repti Turtle Eye Drops by Zoo Med ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-repti-turtle-eye-drops ) at the local Petco. Follow label directions. Next, maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. Confirm proper environmental parameters, especially temperature. Low temps can affect activity and appetite in reptiles. The symptoms described could be a respiratory infection. Unfortunately, you will need to see a veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. You can take Jeffrey to the local clinic. The veterinarian may be able to consult with a specialist to devise a treatment plan. The antibiotics used are the same that are used in dogs and cats. Review slider care at the links below. I have also included a link to find the nearest veterinarian with experience treating reptiles. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Red-Eared-Slider-Care-Sheet/ http://www.anapsid.or
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have red ear slider turtle it’s lossing some of its shells and lost of appetite. It only want dry worms n shrimp. What’s wrong?
Although a picture of it would help to determine the underlying cause more specifically, this problem could be to shell rot. The loss of appetite could be due to the infection. Swab the infected area with a diluted povidone-iodine solution twice daily. Scrape away the infected area gently with a blunt tool or a cotton pad. If this time of first line treatment does not help and you do not see any improvement in 48hours a check up at your local veterinarian would be required as antibiotic ointment and more aggressive treatment may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
My Red Eared Slider turtle is not eating anything. I have two of them- Ruro and Tobi. One day I mistakenly put them under the sunlight for an hour instead of 20-30 mins. I don't know if that's the reason, but after that tobi stopped eating and rarely
They may have gotten a bit overheated. Tobi may be developing or has a respiratory infection. The wheezing is a common symptom. You would need to have your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles perform a physical exam for confirmation. Antibiotics are typically required to treat an infection. In the meantime, maintain pristine water quality, soak them in a warm 50/50 solution of water and an unflavored electrolyte replacement beverage fro 30 minutes daily until the appetite returns. Keep them out of direct sunlight for extended periods of times, especially if it is hot outside. Consider raising the temp in the tank and water by about 5-10 F temporarily to aid in recovery. Offer bits of beef heart to stimulate the appetite. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
hello I have a red ear slider turtle . his eyes are swollen its been 3 days already he hasn't ate any thing he doesn't move around. he only comes up for air. I have bought the turtle fix solution for his water but not sure is working. what shouls I d
Check the water temperature and quality. Perform a partial water change and rinse filter media if necessary to maintain or improve water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Use tank water to rinse filter media to preserve beneficial bacterial populations. The swollen eyes may be caused by bacterial infection or by vitamin deficiency. Infection will need to be diagnosed and treated by your veterinarian after a physical exam. You can purchase ZooMed Turtle Eye Drops online or in the local Petco. This product may resolve the swelling if it is due to vitamin deficiency. You can review slider care at the link below. www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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