Many wild turtles will not eat if placed in a separate feeding area and may need some privacy at feeding time. 2.3 Health When properly cared for, turtles are remarkably free of disease. Turtles, unlike mammals, often do not display signs of illness until the problem is advanced. Their slow metabolism allows symptoms of poor husbandry to develop slowly, often going unnoticed. Persons keeping captive turtles must be able to recognize when their turtle is in need of treatment.
Some conditions require immediate veterinary care.
Be sure to seek out a vet who is familiar with treatment of turtles. Turtles should be checked frequently for signs of disease. Pink or reddish areas on the shell indicate systemic infection. Most wild caught turtles, and many in mixed collections, have internal parasites. They should be checked for these and treated by a reptile veterinarian, and not with over the counter wormers.