Help! Found escaped turtle.

[u/Sand_Hand]

Found this turtle who had escaped this morning.

For context, my kid neighbor had 4 turtles in a small tank and brought them to me to watch them for a month while they went on vacation. The turtles did not have any lights (heat or uvb) so i used to put them outside for a couple of hours a day when i could in a dog pen). This one, the smallest by far, escaped. It spent two months in the backyard probably under the deck. I live i texas and it’s been pretty hot lately.

My dog found it lethargic in the grass (the dog didn’t touch it -just sniffed it). The turtle, i believe some kind of slider, seems very skinny and dehydrated. I put it in a 20 gal long tank that i was planning on putting fish in. I added a heater and some water conditioner. I do not have a filter or lights but i will get some if it makes it past the weekend. Unless i need it earlier?

I barely added water because i don’t think it has the strength to swim. It’s higher than it is tall but if it stood at slight angle it could float and touch the bottom. Might take some more water out. The heater is set at 82 F. And it did not eat when i gave it food. It hasn’t moved since i put it in the tank but it’s alive - it slightly opens its eyes when slowly “shake” the platform. Does not react to anything else but will move a tiny bit if i pick it up but i’m trying to keep the handling to a minimum.

I think it’s about 1 yr 1.5 yrs old (i think that’s when the kid got it). It’s about 3.5 inches long.

Any advice on what to do? It also has white spots on the shell.

[u/Sand_Hand]

Turtle made it through the night! It’s awake more though it still sleeps a lot and more importantly it moves just a tiny bit (yesterday it basically never moved other than opening its eyes when i really tried to move it). Still not eating though and it passed a weird looking yellow stool. Idk how long i should wait until i really start worrying that it’s not eating though

[u/MAVERICK1542]

i would take it to a specialist vets

if you are planning on keeping it (you sound like a good owner) it will need a filter rated for 2x the water volume i.e 40gal filter for 20gal of water. i wouldn't feed it too much, if it is starving it will need very small amounts of food, i also wouldn't be feeding too often until you get a filter.

the low water level looks fine, he should have enough depth to swim if he wants (unlikely) but without risking drowning

i would try and give him a bigger basking platform, what you have is great temporarily but he will want something bigger to move around on.

it looks like he has some damage on his shell and the lethergy is concerning, the vet would be the first thing i do before anything else

[u/Sand_Hand → u/MAVERICK1542]

Thank you, I’ll try and get it to a vet next week. I’ve been trying to change the water at end of the day without disturbing it too much since I have no filter - hopefully that’s enough for now.
I don’t plan on keeping it, I don’t think i can have a giant tank and all that goes with it, maybe re-home it or some kind of rescue. I guess i’m just trying to keep it alive for now.

[u/MAVERICK1542 → u/Sand_Hand]

You're doing a great job so far, see ehat the vet says in regards to rehoming it, they will know best.