Red eared sliders have problems that are common to reptiles and quite unlike the issues that other pets – cats, dogs, and other mammals have. You can do a lot of research online and treat some of the issues yourself, but eventually you will probably need to see a veterinarian. Before you take your slider to the same vet you take your dogs and cats to, you need to do some research.
First, consider the problems your red eared slider is having. Have you been able to find answers online? Unfortunately, many veterinarians will be doing the same research you just did to find the answers. For many, they haven’t dealt with reptiles since vet school and in fact you may be more familiar with reptiles than they are at this point if you are a serious turtle hobbyist.
Give your vet a call and ask if he or she deals with reptiles often. Don’t be afraid to ask a few questions, such as: has the office has dealt with red eared slider problems before? Has the vet had any continuing education or special training for dealing with herps? Does the vet subscribe to the Journal of Small Exotic Animal Medicine or belong to the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV)? Does the vet attend any reptile veterinary conferences or belong to any herpetological societies? Does the office have any reptile veterinary reference books, such as Biomedical and Surgical Aspects of Reptiles or Reptile Medicine and Surgery? It may seem a bit forward, but don’t let them look down their nose at your probing questions; this is your turtle and your money we’re talking about here. In general, most vets will be straightforward and tell you if you should take your slider somewhere else, and will probably give you some recommendations.
If this is the first time you’ve had problems with your red eared slider, you may not even have a vet yet. In this case, you can easily look online for a list of good reptile of herp vets by country and state and find one. The reptile community is fairly tight-knit and keeps track of what vets are herpetologically knowledgeable and which ones aren’t.
Once you take your red eared slider problems to a certain vet, pay attention to how the vet interacts with your pet. Does he or she seem to know what they are doing? Is the vet tentative when handling the animal or does he or she appear comfortable? Does the vet ask you questions about the turtle’s housing and food and listen to your responses? All of these details will tell you if you are dealing with an experienced herp vet or not.
