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Turtle Troubles2007-11-24 2:02:52

Here are some ideas for treats. They really like shrimps and ham. Good luck.

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Swollen eyes can be a sign of a vitamin A deficiency in turtles. A vet experienced with reptiles should be able to give him an injection of vitamin A. Swollen eyes can also be a sign of an upper respiratory infection in turtles. Either way, it should be seen by a vet!!

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Red eared sliders, being aquatic in nature, tend to breath using a pulsating motion from their necks. There is also a section of baggy skin just in front of the rear legs that will occassionally inflate with air. Turtles, lacking a flexible ribcage (their ribcages are fused to -- and part of -- their shells), have no diaphragm like we do. That, and their reduced metabolisms (they don't have to heat their own bodies like we do, relying instead on environmental temperatures), mean that their breathing is very subtle unless they're stressed or excited.

The spasms that you've noted aren't necessarilly anything to worry about -- in fact, you may note that he appears to be straining when climbing up to bask. Water turtles have relatively poor skeletal-muscular efficiency outside of the water, despite their grace while being submerged. This inefficientcy can cause poor motor cordination and make them appear. well. old. They're water hunters, so this doesn't present a problem for an actively feeding turtle while it hunts underwater. In fact, pitty the grasshopper that falls into the water!