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What can I do for my turtle with puffy eyes, open mouth, not eating?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Reptile | Turtle | Male | unneutered

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

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on March 7th, 2020

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.org/reslider.html https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

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    Answered By Todd Cecil

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 22nd, 2019

    Thanks for reaching out about Turtle. Swollen eyes are often associated with a vitamin A deficiency and secondary bacterial infections. Water quality needs to be pristine. Vitamin A is provided through turtle pellets or vitamin A rich vegetables that are fed to the insect prey or fish. If a veterinarian is available, they should be able to provide systemic antibiotics and a vitamin A injection. Eye medications are rare sufficient. Correct diet and water quality. Good luck.

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