How long can my pet turtle be out of water before it gets sick?

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.

What you have appears to be an aquatic/semi-aquatic species of turtle. Basic requirements include a tank of at least 10 gallons initially, a water heater, a water filter, a basking area out of the water, a heat lamp and a UVB light source.

Thanks for your question about Bolt. I think it is great that you are taking him out to interact on a daily basis, and I would recommend that you also provide him with a haul out area in his tank. This haul out will allow him to get out of the water when he would like. This area is also important because aquatic turtles need to bask and get exposure to UV light to stay healthy. You should have both UV lighting and a basking lamp available for him above the haul out area, and the UV light should be changed every 4-6 months. If you would like to discuss Bolt’s husbandry in detail, I would be happy to do a consult with you. I hope this gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Leo. Many aquatic turtles won't bask if they feel safe. Also if the air is cool, and the heat lamp over the basking site not adequate, they might be warmer in the water. If the heat lamp is too close and too hot, Leo might feel uncomfortable. Check out those parameters and fix any problems. Good luck.

Clean the tank and perform a partial water change. Rinse the filter media in some tank water, not tap water, to preserve beneficial bacteria. Make sure the water is warm, between 75F and 86 F, and the basking area is at proper temp ( 85 F to 90 F). Low temps can affect activity in reptiles. She may need a few days to reacclimate to you, even though you weren't gone long. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite, swimming crooked, difficulty breathing or discharge from the eyes or nose. If necessary, have her examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet to diagnose and treat injury or infection.

Blandings are semi aquatic and will spend significant amounts of time basking or out of the water. As long as she is eating regularly and behaving normally otherwise, there is likely no cause for concern.