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Red ear slider baby turtle has light patch on foot. Is he okay?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

I have a red ear slider baby turtle and a light patch is on his foot is he ok

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on March 4th, 2018

It looks like he has an injury on his toe or foot. A close up image would be needed to determine where the injury is located. A physical exam with your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet would be recommended to diagnose and treat any infection. Raphael may need antibiotics.
For now, keep the water in the tank as clean as possible. Rinse the foot a couple times daily with diluted betadine or chlorhexidine solution. Allow a 1-2 hour dry docking after each cleaning. Monitor for lethargy or decreased appetite.
Confirm proper environmental parameters. Consider increasing tank temps by about 5-10 degrees F to aid in recovery.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on June 8th, 2017
There are several possible causes. Potential diagnoses include kidney disease, bacterial or fungal infection or nutritional deficiency. Ideally, Bepbeys should be examined by a veterinarian experienced in treating turtles. You may be able to locate one here: http://www.anapsid.org/vets/wisconsin.html
In the meantime, confirm proper environmental conditions. Water temperature should range between 82 F and 85 F for young sliders. The basking spot should be 85F to 88F. Use an adequate UVB light source not obstructed by glass or plexiglass. Supplement with reptile vitamin, mineral and calcium supplements. A cuttlebone can be left in the tank as a calcium source. Maintain water quality via strong filtration and water changes. Use aged or treated water. Feed a varied diet including commercial pellets, fresh greens (continue to offer, he will eat them eventually), and prey such as earthworms or small feeder fish.
Peroxide is not recommended as it can cause tissue damage which will slow healing. You may need to dry dock him and use a broad spectrum antibiotic dip. You can purchase an antibiotic for turtles at most pet stores. Follow label directions.
You can request a consultation to discuss the case in greater detail.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

My turtle has white spots on his foot and yellow patches. Is he sick?

This could be due to a bacterial or fungal 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.

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My red-eared slider has a grey patch on its neck. Should I worry?

It may be local infection or irritation. Female sliders can be territorial, so injury is also a possibility. If Jenny is behaving normally, you can monitor the spot at home. Maintain pristine water conditions. You can gently cleanse the area daily using a diluted betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution followed by a 1-2 hour dry dock. If the spot doesn't clear up, have her examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. Yes, Jenny is female. Short nails on the front limbs and the thin tail are indicative of a female slider.

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Health & Wellness

My baby red-eared slider has white spots on its shell. What is it?

It could be some minor shell rot. Use a soft bristled toothbrush and some diluted betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) to scrub the affected area once or twice daily. Allow for a 1 hour dry dock (out of the water) after each cleaning. Maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. If the spots do not resolve or if they spread, have Squirtle physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. A UVB light source, calcium powder and multivitamin will promote shell health. You can also float a piece of cuttlebone in the tank for him to munch on as needed. It will provide additional calcium. Find the cuttlebone in the Bird section of the local Petco. The link below will provide additional information regarding the care of sliders. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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

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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Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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