Turtle tummy shell care help

This is the first time Axle's tummy & tummy shell has been very very pink. I want to know anything & everything that turtle parents know about tummy shell care. Remember Axle is a water turtle & I don't take him out of water too long because he doesn't like it. But I can chang that.

Is there anything I can rub on to his tummy & tummy shell?

Is it an infection?

A rash?


I have added calcium, vitamins & minerals to his diet through pills. He eats a big meal once every 2 weeks & eats tiny tiny fish when he wants & some fishfood everyday. For his big meal he gets a whole can of cat food or 2-5 adult mice.

I added the pills to his diet because he was having proplems with 1 leg, now hes fine & can walk much further, better & faster.


If I need a special light does it come in a light bulb form? or tube form? light bulb would be best due to the pond setup.

Axle a 3 year old Male Common snapping turtle & weighs about 10 pounds.

oh ya, & his top shell is very hard, so there is nothing wrong with it, & his tummy shell is quite small & is not ment to be as hard, I know that much, its just the pink I'm worried about.

All & any help is good :)

Thanks guys

No body knows anything?

Not off the top of my head, but I'll do some lookin' ...

Try http://www.chelydra.org/ - they have a lot of snapping turtle-specific information!

Thank you soooooooooooooo very much Karen!!! This is the best site I have ever seen, I haven't gone through the whole thing yet, but I loved the diet part, it has a recipe for snappers!!

You're welcome, let us know how it goes with Axle!