My newt is bloated and upside down but still alive. How can I help?

He may be constipated or may have a severe infection. You can separate him out or place him in a breeding net and offer bits of cooked and shelled green peas. This should help relieve the constipation. If it is infection, a salt treatment or antibiotics may help. Place him in a separate tank and dissolve 2 1/2 teaspoons of Epsom salt (NOT table salt) per ten gallons. This can help draw out excess fluid in the body. If there is no improvement, add a broad spectrum antibiotic such as kanamycin or Maracyn 2 to the tank. You can purchase either in your local fish store or in the aquarium section of most pet stores. Follow label directions carefully. Once he is recovered, you can return him to the main tank. Monitor water quality. Many infections can be caused by poor water quality, overfeeding or overstocking the tank. Use a home test kit to check ammonia, nitrates and nitrites. The first two should always be 0 ppm (parts per million), nitrates can read 40 ppm or less. Dropsy is a condition caused by infection that results in fluid retention. If your guppy's scales are sticking out (like a pinecone), he is likely in end stage Dropsy and humane euthanasia should be considered.

Thanks for reaching out about Rem. Continue to provide 5-10 minute warm water soaks, a few times daily to stimulate defecation. Intestinal infections, parasites, ingested foreign bodies (substrate, bark, etc) or metabolic disorders can all lead to bloat and anorexia. If this continues a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and assist with a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out regarding Redd and including pictures. It does appear as his abdomen is distended. Are there possibilities he ingested something that could be obstructing his intestinal tract? Providing a shallow warm water soak for 5-10 minutes might stimulate defecation. Intestinal parasites or bacterial infections might also cause distention. If Redd continues to eat, you have some time to monitor things, but if he stops eating, becomes painful, or the distention increases, seek a reptile veterinarian sooner than later. Good luck.

Check the water chemistry and quality. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. Perform partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and improve water quality. use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Fast Froggy for 2-3 days then offer bits of cooked and shelled green peas. If the issue s constipation, this should help. Maintain water temp at the upper limit to aid in digestion.For ADFs, this is about 78 F. An Epsom salt bath may also decrease the bloating. Do NOT use table salt or aquarium salt. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of Epsom salt in 1 gallon of conditioned water and allow for a 30 minute swim once daily. If the bloating is due to bacterial infection, Maracyn 2 can be found in the Aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and consider moving the frog to a hospital tank during treatment.

This is a classic sign of swim bladder disorder. Check water quality and chemistry. use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. pH should hover around 7 and water temp should range between 65 F and 72F. Perform a partial water change is necessary to stabilize chemistry and improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Pristine water quality is the foundation for recovery and healing. Next, fast her for 3 days. Resume feeding bits of cooked, shelled green peas until she is swimming and defecating normally. You can fast her one day a week in the future and offer green peas to maintain regularity. If symptoms persist, consider a broad spectrum dewormer and a broad spectrum antibiotic. You can find both in the aquarium section at Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment in indicated.

I didn't see that you mentioned what kind of turtle Mr. Giggle Bottom is - if there was water involved, he may have inhaled some water. If that is the case, he needs to go to the veterinarian immediately. If there was not water involved, I would recommend monitoring him for a few hours to see if he improves. When a turtle ends up on his back, all of the organs in the body will put pressure on the lungs which makes it hard for them to breathe. Depending on how long he was stuck, it may have been quite stressful for him and he is recovering. The longer the time, the more stress he was put under. I see that your question was posted a couple of hours ago. If he has not improved at all in that time, I would consider taking him to the veterinarian. They can perform an examination on him, and can help to make husbandry changes to try to prevent this from occurring in the future.

Take him out of the water. If he responds or retreats into his shell he is, obviously, alive. Have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. If he is floating and lethargic, he may be sick. This could be infection, malnutrition or parasites. Confirm proper environmental parameters for the species of turtle you have. Low temps can affect activity in reptiles. Feed an appropriate diet, commercial pellets supplemented with greens and some protein (crickets, feeder fish, earthworms). Dust food with a calcium/D3 powder and a multivitamin. Provide a UVB lightsource to promote shell health. If you post a new question with the species, I can provide more specific care information and a care sheet for future reference. You can also request a consultation to discuss the case in greater detail.