Help!!!

The baby food isn't for the turtle to eat, just to add vitamins/electrolytes to the water during the soaking process.

As for getting him to eat, getting the proper heat, humidity, and hides in place should be enough to stimulate a feeding response. Even if he was recently hibernating, raising the temps and providing 14 hours of daylight should be enough to make him think it is spring. Everyone else's suggestions about which foods to entice him with look great.

It's a 3 toed box turtle. My favorite! He looks sick, but follow all the info offered here by
other keepers and offer him earth worms. You can get them at a bait shop.
He would be hibernating in the wild, but if he has been in a cold tank, eating just strawberrys he is suffering. Keep him warm but not hot and encourage food. He may normally off this time of year but he needs to get healthy again. Warm soaks, good food
and a warm place to rest. The wounds look like probably a dog got at him. If his eye is
infected you can dab a little Terramycin, which you can find online for dogs/cats, etc.
Better yet, join our turtle & tortoise club, it's online & FB, Online lots of info.
www.turtlebunker.com or FB Sacramento turtle & tortoise club

I agree with most said on here. It's a 3-toed and it probably got chewed on by a dog. I rescued one off Craigslist awhile back and it had the same bite marks. Are they sealed with fresh keratin or can you see flesh?
Keep an eye on it's eye too. Lol. Box turtles are prone to eye infections and ear abscesses. If it's not better in a month I would have it checked out by a vet. Hydration is key for its survival right now with heat and then food respectively. The heat should help it fight off infections and give it an appetite. If it doesn't eat any creepy-crawlies, try wet dog food. If I'm in a pinch and can't get a hold of anything live, I buy a can of organic or natural food with chunks of meat and vegetables and they love it!

Originally Posted by Medusa's Lair

It's a 3 toed box turtle. My favorite! He looks sick, but follow all the info offered here by
other keepers and offer him earth worms. You can get them at a bait shop.
He would be hibernating in the wild, but if he has been in a cold tank, eating just strawberrys he is suffering. Keep him warm but not hot and encourage food. He may normally off this time of year but he needs to get healthy again. Warm soaks, good food
and a warm place to rest. The wounds look like probably a dog got at him. If his eye is
infected you can dab a little Terramycin, which you can find online for dogs/cats, etc.
Better yet, join our turtle & tortoise club, it's online & FB, Online lots of info.
www.turtlebunker.com or FB Sacramento turtle & tortoise club

Thanks. I got him in a larger tank, put some bed-a-beast in as substrate and got a heat light on him. His eyes seem to be doing a little better...he's opening them for longer periods now. I've been doing the soaks, got to see him drink...A LOT...lol so that was a good thing. However, I have yet to see him eat...I've been doing the soaks w/ baby food too. Definitely going to check out that site! Thanks again!

Originally Posted by bigalosu

I agree with most said on here. It's a 3-toed and it probably got chewed on by a dog. I rescued one off Craigslist awhile back and it had the same bite marks. Are they sealed with fresh keratin or can you see flesh?
Keep an eye on it's eye too. Lol. Box turtles are prone to eye infections and ear abscesses. If it's not better in a month I would have it checked out by a vet. Hydration is key for its survival right now with heat and then food respectively. The heat should help it fight off infections and give it an appetite. If it doesn't eat any creepy-crawlies, try wet dog food. If I'm in a pinch and can't get a hold of anything live, I buy a can of organic or natural food with chunks of meat and vegetables and they love it!

They seem to be sealed, they actually look a little better than when I first got him as well. I may try the dog food idea too.

If I get regular earthworms, do I put them in a dish? Or just let them go and bury themselves in the substrate? I really want this guy to start eating...

Try to keep it warm and get it to a vet, closed and or swollen eyes is common in box turtles usually stemming from vitamin E deficiency or possibly dehydration. The most important things you should get him now are these items
1. 55 gallon plastic tub
2. Garden soil or peat moss dirt
3. UV lighting
4. set up a heat spot around 90 degrees
5. large enough water dish for him to soak in
6. earthworms!! colorful greens and veggies (the color of the greens and veggies in combination with uv lighting has been known to stimulate appetite.)
7. Get him to a vet asap, they may be able to send you home with some antibiotics.
Additionally, consider regular soakings in luke warm water, this will help keep him hydrated and his system flushed.

Those "holes" are common in three toed box turtles. They are caused by another male attempting to mate or show dominance, which is why you see it on females more than you do on males. I'm surprised noone here knows this. They are nothing to be worried about.

UPDATE: I have not been this excited in a LONG time!!! I peaked in the cage the other day to make sure the substrate was not completely dry and to check temps etc. well...I noticed his/her eyes slightly open. I did another soak, and put more fresh food in. The next day I went in to offer the canned dog food I had been told to try and guess what...he went nuts eating!!! I was so excited! He's had his eyes open for a few days now, and is still eating!!! Still offering the bath/soaks daily, but we are finally making progress!

great to hear he is doing better!

Great news! Glad the dog food helped, just make sure to add variety to the diet (fruits and veggies, etc) when you think its ready.