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My turtle won't eat, has brown lumps on its skin. Is it sick? Help!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Unknown - Small Animal | Female

My new turtle doesn't eat any food but has energy to swim around,it also likes to sunbath .Yesterday I noticed there are brown tiny lumps on one paw and on its neck,i dont know what to to to make it eat and i dont know if it is sick,what should i do?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM

Veterinarian

Published on July 9th, 2018

I am sorry that Snappy isn't feeling well! Reptiles can take a long time to show that they are sick, and often the signs that they are sick can be subtle, such as a decreased (or lack of) appetite. With what you are seeing, it may be that Snappy has been hiding his illness from you for a while.
I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian. They will likely ask you a great deal about Snappy's husbandry, as this is very important in reptiles. If the husbandry isn't perfect, often they can get very sick. They can perform a thorough examination, and can evaluate the brown spots that you are seeing. They may be able to take a sample of the areas, and evaluate the material under the microscope to see what it is. Also, they may recommend other diagnostic testing, including radiographs (x-rays) and blood work to evaluate systemic health.
I hope this gives you a place to start, and I hope that Snappy feels better soon.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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