10 Snapping Turtle Diseases You’ll Want to Catch Early
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Snapping turtles might look like tiny dinosaurs, but they’re not invincible. When kept in captivity, they’re actually pretty prone to getting sick—especially if their tank isn’t spotless or their diet’s off.
If you’ve got a snapper at home, you need to know what can go wrong and what to do about it before it spirals into a full-blown emergency.
Let’s walk through the most common diseases, how to spot them, and what you can do to help your turtle recover.
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What Are the Most Common Snapping Turtle Diseases?
1. Bacterial Infections
Snapping turtles spend most of their time in water, which makes them magnets for bacterial infections—especially if the water’s dirty or the filter’s slacking.
These infections often hit the eyes and skin. You might notice red, swollen eyes, gunk around the eyelids, or even shut eyes. The turtle might stop eating because it can’t see its food.
Skin infections can also show up as soft, slimy patches or weird discoloration.
What to Do
First, get the turtle out of the main tank. Set up a clean isolation tub with fresh water.
Then clean the main tank—do a full water change, scrub down surfaces, and check your filter.
Next, go see a vet. They’ll likely prescribe antibiotic drops for the eyes or skin. Most need to be used twice a day for a week or more.
If the problem is linked to a vitamin A deficiency (which is common), tweak the diet. Add leafy greens, carrots, or a vitamin A supplement.
Keep the turtle warm and out of stress while it heals.
2. Respiratory Infection
If the water’s too cold or the tank’s a mess, your snapping turtle might catch a respiratory infection. It can go from mild to deadly fast—especially if you miss the signs.
Watch for open-mouth breathing, gasping, wheezing, runny nose, or swollen eyes. Some turtles even sneeze or cough. Sick ones often stop eating and get sluggish.
What to Do
Move the turtle to a warm, dry setup right away. Raise the water temp to around 83–85°F and keep the basking spot at 90°F. Use a ceramic heater at night if needed.
Separate it from other turtles. Respiratory infections can spread.
Clean the tank completely and add something like API Turtle Fix to help kill off bacteria.
If your turtle looks really weak, isn’t eating at all, or seems worse after a couple of days, don’t wait—take it to a reptile vet. They may flush its airways and give antibiotics.
You can also boost the turtle’s immune system by offering vitamin-rich foods or adding reptile supplements.
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3. Metabolic Bone Diseases
This one’s common—and preventable. Metabolic bone disease shows up when your turtle doesn’t get enough calcium, vitamin D3, or proper UVB lighting.
You’ll notice soft shells, weird shell shapes (like pyramids or humps), slow growth, or even shaky legs. In serious cases, they might struggle to walk or hold themselves up.
What to Do
Mild cases can be fixed at home. Get a proper UVB light (not just heat), and make sure your turtle can bask under it for at least an hour a day.
Dust their food with calcium powder 3–4 times a week, and use a multivitamin once a week. Leafy greens and calcium-rich foods also help.
If the shell is already deformed or the turtle can’t move properly, a vet visit is a must. They might need calcium shots or more serious care.
4. Shell Rot
Shell rot sounds dramatic—and it is. It’s a bacterial or fungal infection that eats away at the shell. Usually starts with a small cut or scrape that gets exposed to dirty water.
Instead of clean scute shedding, you’ll see soft spots, discolored patches, or peeling that looks uneven. Sometimes there’s a bad smell or pus underneath. If ignored, it can spread to the bones.
What to Do
Move the turtle to a dry tub for treatment. Gently clean the shell with a soft brush. Then pat it dry and apply an antibiotic cream—silver sulfadiazine works well, or you can use Repti wound spray if you have it.
Keep the turtle dry for a few hours after each treatment. Let it soak in shallow, clean water just once a day to stay hydrated.
Repeat this process daily for about a week. If things don’t improve—or the infection looks deep—go to a vet. They may need to give injections or clean it more aggressively.
Shell rot isn’t something to ignore.
5. Fungal Infection
Fungus loves moisture and filth. If your turtle’s tank is dirty or there’s not enough basking time, fungal infections can show up on the skin.
You’ll see white, fuzzy patches or flaky areas that almost look like it’s shedding weirdly. It usually starts on the limbs or neck.
What to Do
First, get the turtle out of the tank and dry it off. Use paper towels or line the dry tub with a clean towel. Add a heat lamp to help it stay warm while drying.
Make a diluted Betadine (povidone-iodine) solution and dab it onto the infected areas with a cotton swab. Let it sit for 30–60 seconds. Then apply a reptile-safe antifungal cream.
Keep the turtle dry for 1–2 hours after treatment. Meanwhile, deep-clean the main tank and fix the root problem—dirty water, bad filter, or poor lighting.
Repeat the treatment daily for a week. If the white patches spread or don’t clear up, it’s vet time.
6. Ear Abscesses
This one shows up as a swollen lump on the side of the head, right where the ear opening is. It’s usually caused by poor water quality or a lack of vitamin A.
Inside that lump? A nasty, cheese-like gunk that needs to come out. And no, this isn’t something you can fix with a cotton swab at home.
What to Do
Don’t try to pop or squeeze it yourself. That’ll just make it worse.
Take your turtle to a reptile vet. They’ll numb the area, drain the abscess safely, clean it up, and prescribe antibiotics—maybe even injections if it’s serious.
After surgery, you’ll have to keep the turtle warm, dry for part of the day, and give meds as directed. Most turtles bounce back fast with proper care.
7. External Parasites
If your turtle lives outdoors or in a tank that’s not well-kept, it can pick up hitchhikers—like ticks or leeches. These pests latch onto the skin and suck blood, causing irritation, stress, and sometimes infection.
You might see small dark spots moving around or stuck near soft areas like the neck or limbs.
What to Do
Don’t yank them out with tweezers right away. First, dab a little methylated alcohol or reptile-safe antiseptic on the parasite. This helps loosen its grip.
Then, gently pull it off with tweezers while someone else holds the turtle (snappers bite hard).
Once the parasites are gone, clean the area with antiseptic. And deep-clean the whole enclosure to avoid a repeat attack.
8. Internal Parasites
These are the sneaky ones. You won’t see them—but your turtle will definitely feel them. Parasites like tapeworms, flukes, or nematodes can show up from dirty water or raw food like fish and meat.
The signs? Runny poop, visible worms in the stool, weight loss, vomiting, and a turtle that just looks off.
What to Do
This isn’t guesswork. Take your turtle to a vet and get a fecal test done to figure out what kind of parasite it’s dealing with.
The vet will prescribe meds like fenbendazole (for nematodes), praziquantel (for tapeworms or flukes), or metronidazole (for flagellates). These meds are dosed by weight, so don’t wing it.
Also: stop feeding raw fish or meat for now, and clean the tank like your turtle’s life depends on it—because it kinda does.
9. Paralyzed Limbs
If your turtle can’t move one or more legs properly, it could be dealing with paralysis. This can happen from a bad fall, nerve damage, viral infection, or even advanced metabolic bone disease pressing on the spine.
Sometimes only one limb is affected. Other times, it might drag its whole back end.
What to Do
You need a vet to figure out the cause. X-rays or a physical exam can help rule out bone deformities or injuries.
At home, keep the turtle in a shallow setup where it can still reach the surface easily. Make basking and feeding simple—no steep ramps or hard-to-climb spots.
Up the UVB exposure and calcium intake just in case it’s related to bone issues.
If the turtle still has feeling and strength in the other limbs, there’s hope. With the right care, some do recover.
10. Salmonella
This one doesn’t hurt the turtle—but it can make you or your other pets seriously sick.
Snapping turtles often carry Salmonella bacteria on their skin or in their poop. They don’t show symptoms, but if you touch them and forget to wash your hands, it’s game over.
In people, Salmonella causes stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and sometimes hospitalization—especially in kids or those with weak immune systems.
What to Do
You don’t treat the turtle—you protect yourself.
Wash your hands after handling your turtle, its tank, or anything inside the enclosure. Don’t let it crawl around your kitchen or anywhere food is prepped.
If someone in the house gets sick and you suspect the turtle, go see a doctor and mention the reptile. Most people recover with rest and basic meds, but don’t ignore it.
How to Keep Your Snapping Turtle Healthy?
Most of the problems I mentioned above? They start with bad water, poor diet, or weak lighting. Get those basics right, and you’ll avoid half the vet visits.
Here’s what to stay on top of:
- Keep the water clean. Use a strong filter. Change out dirty water weekly. Scoop out uneaten food daily.
- Check the pH. Keep it between 6.5 and 7.0. Test weekly if you can.
- Dial in the temps. Water should stay between 75–80°F. Basking area should be 90°F. Use a thermometer—don’t guess.
- Feed a balanced diet. Adult snappers need about 60% protein (like worms, insects, fish) and 40% veggies or plants. Babies need more protein.
- Add supplements. Dust food with calcium powder a few times a week. Use a reptile multivitamin once a week.
- Use proper lighting. A UVB bulb is a must. No, your room light won’t cut it.
- Do a quick health check weekly. Look at the eyes, shell, skin, poop, and appetite. Anything off? Act early.
- Schedule vet visits. Even if your turtle looks fine, a checkup every few months can catch things you might miss.
Turtles don’t always show they’re sick—so prevention is your safest bet.
About Author
Muntaseer Rahman started keeping pet turtles back in 2013. He also owns the largest Turtle & Tortoise Facebook community in Bangladesh. These days he is mostly active on Facebook.
