What to Expect at Your Turtle or Tortoise’s Wellness Visit
The treatments and services below are what you can expect when you bring your turtle or tortoise in for their routine wellness visit.
- New pet exam – Physical exam, fecal analysis, CBC
- 6 Month exam – Physical exam, fecal analysis
- Annual exam – Physical exam, fecal analysis, CBC/Blood Chemistry Panel
- Senior exam – Just like the annual exam, and we also recommend imaging (radiographs, ultrasound or CT) to screen for internal disease
Common Diseases & Conditions in Turtles and Tortoises
The most common diseases and conditions seen in turtles and tortoises include:
- Inappetence
- Parasites
- Ear infections
- Malnutrition
- Metabolic issues
If your turtle or tortoise is not eating normally or is showing other signs of a health problem, please call us at (843) 216-8387.
Signs of a Health Emergency in Turtles and Tortoises
While some cases require urgent treatment, most after-hours concerns are best evaluated by our experienced team. Rather than going to an emergency clinic, the best thing for you and your pet is to come see our specialists at our next available appointment. If no appointments are available, we offer Emergency Admission Mon-Saturday beginning at 8am.
Signs Your Turtle or Tortoise May Need Urgent Care
- Weak/unresponsive
- Open-mouthed breathing
- Tremors/twitching
- Prolonged inappetence
- Regurgitating/vomiting
- Making frantic movements
- Blood in droppings
- Prolapse
- Straining to pass stool/egg
Signs Your Turtle or Tortoise May Need Emergency Veterinary Care
- Most turtle/tortoise concerns can and should wait to see a specialist, except in cases of major trauma, uncontrollable bleeding, or unconsciousness
It is essential that you keep your turtle or tortoise warm before you bring them in to see us for treatment.
Save on Essential Care with the Turtle VetCare Package
Bringing home a new turtle or tortoise comes with a lot to learn, and we’re here to make getting started easier. Designed specifically for new turtle and tortoise owners, our Turtle VetCare Package provides a convenient, affordable way to cover essential routine wellness and preventive care for a healthy new turtle or tortoise. With our Turtle VetCare Package, you receive $570 worth of care for only $360.
Book your VetCare Package appointment below. Select the “Other Visit” option when booking, and select your VetCare Package from the “Appointment Type” drop-down menu.
This VetCare Package is intended for essential care for new turtle and tortoise owners only and does not cover visits, diagnostics, or treatments related to illness or injury. Because our VetCare Packages are already discounted, they cannot be purchased with CareCredit, Cherry, or Scratchpay, and no coupons or other discounts can be applied.
Includes Everything Your Turtle or Tortoise Needs to Give Them a Great Start in Life:
Comprehensive Health Checkup
Turtles and tortoises conceal pain and illness well. The Turtle VetCare Package includes a full physical examination by one of our vets. These checkups help us look for underlying issues that may not be outwardly noticeable to you.
Intestinal Parasite Screen
The Turtle VetCare Package includes a combined test to screen your turtle or tortoise for pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms, coccidia, giardia, and other harmful parasites, all of which can be harmful to their health.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
The CBC uses a small drop of blood to screen your turtle or tortoise for issues such as infection, inflammation, and/or anemia.
Blood Chemistry Panel and Bile Acids
The Blood Chemistry Panel tests for mineral and electrolyte abnormalities and internal organ diseases. Bile Acids tests the functionality of the liver.
To ensure the safety and comfort of your turtle or tortoise during treatment, we might need to sedate them. This will incur an additional fee. Larger tortoises will also incur an additional fee.
Disclaimer: Our VetCare Packages are for healthy pets only. Because the VetCare Packages are already discounted, they cannot be purchased with CareCredit, Cherry, or Scratchpay, and no coupons or other discounts can be applied
Need to Board Your Turtle or Tortoise While You’re Away?
Your pet is in the best hands at our exotic pet boarding facility, where our experienced staff caters to their individual needs and offers them all the comforts of home. Birds, reptiles, pocket pets, and other exotics require a lot of time and attention that most pet sitters and boarding facilities cannot provide.
Turtle and Tortoise Care Sheets and Handouts
Please consult the handouts below for more information about caring for your turtle or tortoise.
Box Turtle Care
Red Footed Tortoise Care
Red-Eared/Yellow-Eared/Yellow-Bellied Slider Care
Russian Tortoise Care
Sulcata Tortoise Care
Chelonian Hibernation Information
UV Light Information