Why is my turtle not moving and its shell is soft around the edges?

If possible, separate them until you get a diagnosis. Get a stool sample from the sick turtle and submit it to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial infection. An exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles is strongly recommended given the marked weight loss and lethargy. Increase water and ambient temperatures by a few degrees to support the sick turtle. Offer a biologically appropriate, species specific diet as well as proper vitamin and mineral supplementation. Check the UVB bulb and replace it of it is older than 6 months old. The symptoms you describe have multiple causes, so it is important to have an exam and testing to reach a diagnosis. Treatment will depend on the diagnosis. Follow the link below for information regarding care and husbandry of red eared sliders. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Check the water temperature and ambient temperature. Low temps can affect appetite and activity in reptiles. Keep the water between 24 C and 30 C. A basking spot out of the water should be 29 C to 31 C. UVB lighting should also be provided. Maintain water quality to prevent infections and feed an appropriate diet with vitamin and mineral supplementation. A vitamin A deficiency can cause swelling of the eyes. Repti-Turtle Eye Drops (by Zoo Med) can be used to help the eyes. Find it online or in the local pet store. Soak the little guy in a 50/50 mix of warm water and an electrolyte replacement beverage to maintain hydration. You can read more about care here: http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Sam may not be getting enough calcium and UVB light exposure. This can lead to a soft shell. Make sure he has at least 30-60 minutes of exposure to full, unfiltered sunlight each day or provide a UVB light source in his tank. It should be no more than 12-16 inches from the surface of the basking area depending on the type of bulb. It should not be blocked by glass, plexiglass or fine mesh. The ZooMed ReptiSun bulb is an excellent light source. Feed a commercial pelleted diet and supplement with fresh greens and prey. Dust with a calcium supplement and a multivitamin. Leave a cuttlebone in the tank as a source of calcium that can be munched on when needed. It would appear there may be a vitamin A deficiency based on the swollen eyes in the image posted. Feed red or orange vegetables and dark, leafy greens as these contain higher levels of vitamin A. ZooMed Repti Turtle Eye Drops should also help. You can find it online or in most pet stores. The link below will provide more information regarding the care and husbandry of sliders. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

It is not uncommon for a turtle this small to have a somewhat soft shell. Continue to monitor for bleeding, pitting or lethargy. maintain pristine water quality. At this size, water depth should be no deeper than twice the shell length.provide a water heater, water filter, basking area out of the water, a heat lamp for basking and a UVB light source. Offer a balanced diet including prey (feeder fish, nightcrawlers, etc), fresh diced greens and vegetables and commercial pellets. A multivitamin and a calcium supplement should be dusted onto foods regularly. You can review slider care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Turtles need more than a heat lamp for good health. Basic requirements include: clean water, a water heater, UVB light, basking platform, balanced diet and vitamins and minerals. Sunlight is good, however window panes and tank glass block most of the beneficial UVA/UVB rays that turtles need to synthesize Vitamin D3 and to properly utilize calcium. A good UVB bulb should be placed above the tank no more than 12-14 inches away from the basking area. It should not be blocked by glass, Plexiglass or fine mesh. The peeling and white spots may be due to poor water quality, poor diet, lack of UVB lighting or a combination of the three. Keep water clean via filtration and weekly partial water changes. Scoop out uneaten food daily. The filter should be rated for at least twice the volume of the tank since turtles can be very messy. You may be able to get Shelby to eat greens if you offer them about an hour or two after the heat lamp comes on in the morning. This will give her time to warm up. A cold reptile will not eat. Dice the greens and vegetables into manageable pieces. they should be dusted several times weekly with a calcium supplement and a multivitamin. Once she eats the greens, you can offer pellets and protein (feeder fish, nightcrawlers, crickets, raw beef heart, etc.). The spots can be gently scrubbed daily using a soft bristled brush and diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens). Allow for a 1-2 hour dry dock (out of the water) after each cleaning.If it doesn't improve or if Shelby becomes lethargic or stops eating, then have her examined by a your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. Since most aquatic turtles are red eared sliders or yellow bellied sliders, I have included a link regarding care and keeping below. If you have a different species, post a new question with the species or request a consultation and we can discuss the case in greater detail. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Thanks for reaching out about Sebastian and including pictures. Points of interest to investigate would be: (1) heat support in the water, (2) nutrition, and (3) water quality. If the water temperature gets too low, turtles will slow and stop eating (acting as if hibernating). The water quality needs to be kept clean to decrease bacterial and algal overgrowth. Regarding nutrition, the package of pellets needs to be changed every 3-4 months as vitamins degrade quickly. Offering diced vegetables and whole fish (goldfish, tetras) can provide exercise and nutrition. If Sebastian remains quiet and lethargic, a visit to a reptilian veterinarian is recommended. Good luck.

-Make sure she has a good quality UV light above her no more than 12"- it should be a tube light and not a screw in kind, like a ReptiSun. Change it every 6 months. -If she won't get up to bask, make the area more inviting- put a larger platform, make sure you have a good heat light above that area, make it easy for her to get out, make sure nothing stressed her or scares her back into he water. -If it doesn't work to get her basking and then you may need to dry dock her part of the day- take her out of the water and let her bask in an empty tub or aquarium with her heat and UV lights on above her so she really dries out (make sure to leave her a cool side to go where it is not as hot so she doesn't overheat.) - You can try to soak her in dilute Betadine solution- you can purchase Betadine at the drug store and add a small amount to water to make a weak tea color and soak in water just deep enough to cover her back end 5-10 minutes once daily. This may help if their is infection under the scutes. -If these things are not working and more scutes are loose, then she needs to see a vet for an exam and possibly antibiotics.