Why does my turtle look ashy?
Summary. Most of the time your turtle’s shell is turning white due to hard water. You can fix this by using distilled/treated water and by cleaning the turtle’s shell. It may be due to a fungal infection as well.
Where does the red ear slider turtle come from?
They belong to the pond turtle family, Emydidae, and species Trachemys scripta elegans. The red-eared slider is a medium-sized to large-sized freshwater turtle with origins in the southeastern United States.
What’s the difference between yellow bellied slider and red eared slider?
Looks wise, the red-eared slider closely resembles its cousin turtle species, the yellow-bellied slider. The primary differences in appearance are that of the red-eared slider’s red mark by its ear and lack of spotting on its plastron (belly shell).
Why does my red eared slider have dark spots?
The dark spots on the shell are probably shell rot. Your turtle may also have something called Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). The lack of appetite only complicates things. It may mean she/he has a respiratory or other infection in addition to the other problems. Shell rot and MBD don’t show up in a matter of days.
Why are red eared sliders bad for the environment?
Turtles in the wild always remain close to water unless they are searching for a new habitat or when females leave the water to lay their eggs. Owing to their popularity as pets, red-eared sliders have been released or escaped into the wild in many parts of the world. This turtle is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species.
What should the shell of a red ear slider look like?
The shell of a Red Ear Slider should be hard and relatively smooth. The carapace should be dark green and the plastron should be bright yellow.
Why does my red ear slider turtle have mold on its shell?
When these edges break, they can poke or hurt your red-eared slider, causing them to bleed and develop an infection. One of the first indicators of shell rot is the color changes mentioned above, including white, green, and a mold-like appearance. These spots can show up anywhere on the turtle’s shell, including the top as well as the bottom.
What to do if red eared slider has shell rot?
However, it’s worth doing to keep your red-eared slider happy and healthy! Aside from cleaning, you can also help a turtle with shell rot by using a heat lamp, keeping them away from water for a couple of hours a day, and changing their diet.
Turtles in the wild always remain close to water unless they are searching for a new habitat or when females leave the water to lay their eggs. Owing to their popularity as pets, red-eared sliders have been released or escaped into the wild in many parts of the world. This turtle is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species.
