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Red Eared Slider Turtle - problem with glue on shell
Sent to Pet Experts April 30 01:32 PM

My husband and I provide a "home shelter" for rescued (unwanted, abused or abandoned) red eared slider turtles. We have outdoor ponds and do our best to maintain a healthy environment for them. Most of them are thriving. However, a new red eared slider recently joined us. Her shell had been crushed, possibly runover by a car, at least 7 months ago. The woman who gave her to us also shelters turtles, and when she found this one, in a Las Vegas city park, she glued the shell together with Krazy Glue. Our concern is that though the glue held "Luna''s" shell together and possibly saved her life, the ingredients may, in the end, be toxic to her. Other than the broken shell, there is no other observable damage. She is 5 inches long, and there is a line of breakage on the bottom, appx 3 inches long. The top has two breaks totalling 7 inches. She seems very lethargic, but perhaps it is just fear and stress - getting used to a new home. What do you think we should do? Thanks!

 

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Age: 5; Female; Breed: Red Eared Slider Turtle

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Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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April 30 3:54 PM (2 hours and 22 minutes and 25 seconds later)
         
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Hello Customer (name blocked for privacy): Whenever I have to do a shell repair on a turtle, I also start antibiotics. I feel that this new injured turtle may be having problems with infection. A traumatized shell is a pretty serious and deep injury. The infections associated with shell trauma can be very stubborn. I usually will not attempt to close a fractured shell until I've treated the underlying infection first because if you close a shell fracture before the underlying infection is controlled, you're sealing in the infected material. I know you have no control over this with this turtle because it was already "super glued" before you got the turtle, but I suspect this may be part of the turtle's current lethargy. I don't know if any toxin in the super glue is playing a role or not. I've seen articles and reports of vets using epoxy to close shell fractures and not heard of any toxicity. I usually use tape or I utilize orthopedic screws and wires for shell fractures. For this turtle in question, if you can afford it (I know you care for so many turtles), it would be best to get him to a vet for a check up and likely starting on antibiotics. If not, I'd dry dock the turtle, clean his wounds if they're open at all with dilute betadine solution, and see how he does with this adjustment. Let me know if you have more questions. Best wishes.




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