A sudden swelling of your animal’s abdomen is a sign that your turtle is bloated, and a turtle that suddenly becomes bloated will understandably be quite concerning to you as a turtle owner
This article looks into why your turtle may suddenly be bloated
Table of Contents
Why is my turtle bloated?
Turtles aren’t known to have round plastrons and they aren’t known to be bloated, so seeing this in your pet will definitely pique your interest and make you wonder if this is happening because of an underlying health issue.
Here is why your turtle may be bloated:
The animal is getting fat:
One reason why you may see bloating in your turtle may simply be because the animal is getting fat and looks like it is bloated.
These animals are opportunistic feeders, they will beg for food even when they are not hungry and they will eat anything in sight even past the point of being full.
The result is that your pet will gain weight and look bloated.
If your pet turtle doesn’t seem to show any signs of being ill along with the bloating then weight gain is likely the reason for the animal’s bloating.
What to do:
Excessive weight gain is generally not a good thing, changing your pet’s diet should remedy the problem.
You can start off by stopping the treats that you give your pet, do this until your pet’s weight is at a healthy level.
Once the animal’s weight is at a healthy level you can get back to giving it treats but make sure treats are given very sparingly.
In the meantime flot a piece of romaine lettuce 24/7 in the tank, your pet will be able to snack on this.
Change your pet’s diet to a healthy diet for its age and species, doing this will get the reptile back to a healthy weight.
Feed the animal only as much food as will fit inside its head, minus the neck, every few days or every other day.
Your pet is ill:
Your pet may be ill and the bloating may be one symptom caused by the illness. Your turtle may be swollen or bloated because it is retaining fluid in its body, this phenomenon is called lymphoedema.
Lymphodema can be caused by fungal infections, kidney failure, bladder problems, heat problems, viral infections, liver problems, or an abscess that disrupts the flow of lymphatic fluid in the animal’s body
What to do:
Many illnesses can cause Lymphodema in your pet, because of this it is recommended that you take your pet to a vet, or better yet a reptile specialist vet, to have it examined and diagnosed.
Finding a reptile specialist vet around you may be difficult and a vet who does not have turtle experience may not be able to examine and treat your pet effectively.
If your local vet does not have turtle experience then having them refer you to an experienced vet or asking them to do a conference call with a more experienced vet is recommended.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Is My Turtle Lethargic?, Red Worms In My Turtle Tank, My Turtle Was Upside Down, My Turtles Eyes Are Sunken, My Turtle Keeps Wiping His Face, My Turtle Egg Has A Dent In It, My Turtle Keeps Rubbing His Eyes, My Turtle Eats A Lot, My Turtle Won’t Stop Splashing
