I have 3 sliders, but one of them has been sick for quite some time. Vets around here don't really know much about turtles, so I don't know what to do. He has been floating for quite some time and vets are saying he's supposed to cure on his own... Plus, he is a little fat, and swollen on both sides of his head, but it doesn't look like ear abcess to me. And the incision part is out of the question, since the vets only suggest shots - vitamins. I can't trust them to cut my little turtle!! Does anybody have any suggestions??

Hello,

Welcome to Herp Center! Would you happen to have a picture of the swelling? I am not much of a turtle person, so I won't have many answers but it may help other users offer advice.

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Are you certain he's not just overweight? I'm not entirely sure what to picture when you mention the swelling on the sides og his head, so pictures could be helpful. Judging by the description you've provided though, it sounds as though your turtle may simply be obese. Fat floats.

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red ears are known to get obese...

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Sounds like you've got yourself a fat turtle plain and simple. How often are you feeding him and how much? As a rule your turtle should only be able to eat for a few minutes during each feeding and the rest of the food should be removed from the tank. You may also want to either lower his food intake or frequency of feedings.

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obsoleta lindheimeri(texas ratsnake)
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