I just got a new 3 toed box turtle from LLLreptile Tuesday and it turns out she was wild caught, you can tell because she has some healed scratches on her shell and whatnot. Since she was wild caught I've been sprinkling dewormer on her food and she has been eating well every other day (so far she has eaten collared greens, grapes, romaine and a strawberry), the only problem is she has become very lethargic, just hanging around her heat lamp. Day temperature is around 80 in her basking spot and 75 everywhere else, night time is room temperature, which is 72. Is there any reason for her to be lethargic at all? I mean she just sits there without opening her eyes under the lamp, I'm worried she might be too cold or she might just want to hiberante. Right now she is in a large 70 gallon plastic tub (as soon as it gets warm enough here i'm moving her outside) with peat moss as substrate. I have 2 live plants in there and I do mist her tub 4 times a day because I know they need the moisture, so what could be wrong?
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Help With New Box Turtle
- Thread starter weedbag
- Start date
Sorry to doublepost but here is a picture of her eating a bit of lettuce (I know iceberg is bad, but it's what I first used to get her to eat the healthy stuff) http://i36.tinypic.com/1z5ptep.jpg and here is a video of it too http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=wmm1jp&s=4 . Another pic: http://i37.tinypic.com/2roro9j.jpg . That was all when I first got her, this is now that she just "idles" all day http://i33.tinypic.com/2u94ih0.jpg http://i33.tinypic.com/pvzw4.jpg
angie.h
New member
I don't know if you tried,but Google box turtle,3 toed and info will come up.It mentions a large shallow soaking pond being critical and says that eye infections are common if not in adequate habitat.It looks to me like she might? have a problem with her eyes??Also mentions that they need protein such as from earthworms,lean meat,crickets,etc.You probably should take it to a vet...also the de-wormer might be too much and adding to the problems.Hope you can help your little friend.
bigalosu
Turtle lover
Start giving it protein and see what happens. It should eat at least a 50% protein diet. Try earthworms or kingworms first and see if that gets her eating. You can also try crickets, but you'll have to break their back legs to keep them from hopping out of the enclosure if there is no lid.
Also, a dish full of water to soak in is a must. Go buy 1-2 large clay plant bottom dishes and fill them with water. My boxie soaks several times a day and defecates in the water on a constant basis. Doubtful, but maybe she's just constipated.
Either way, boxies need to stay hydrated and dehydration can cause many different health problems. The misting should be helping, but you'd be surprised how much water I see my boxies actually drink.
The eyes did look a little puffy, but it was hard to tell from the pic if they were infected. If they are cloudy or excrete any fluids or pus, then they are infected. You can buy turtle eyedrops at any Petco and I've heard they work well. I have never tried them and of course recommend contacting a vet if you have any doubts.
Unless you have proof that she needs to be dewormed, then I would stop giving her the meds. If she is a WC, then she was probably given the treatment at the store.
If she remains lethargic, then she may need to hibernate. My boxies start hiding around the beginning of October and will hibernate through April in a 60-70 degree enclosure if I let them. Temperature is only part of the hibernation mechanism and light and barometric pressure factor in to this as well. If she is sick or not completely healed from an injury...DO NOT HIBERNATE HER. You don't want her to go to turtle heaven while she's sleeping.
This is all opinion and experienced based, so don't take it as the gospel. There are tons of herp resources on the internet, so keep doing research until she perks up. If she doesn't and she turns out to be healthy, then you probably just have a chilled out turtle.
Also, a dish full of water to soak in is a must. Go buy 1-2 large clay plant bottom dishes and fill them with water. My boxie soaks several times a day and defecates in the water on a constant basis. Doubtful, but maybe she's just constipated.
Either way, boxies need to stay hydrated and dehydration can cause many different health problems. The misting should be helping, but you'd be surprised how much water I see my boxies actually drink.The eyes did look a little puffy, but it was hard to tell from the pic if they were infected. If they are cloudy or excrete any fluids or pus, then they are infected. You can buy turtle eyedrops at any Petco and I've heard they work well. I have never tried them and of course recommend contacting a vet if you have any doubts.
Unless you have proof that she needs to be dewormed, then I would stop giving her the meds. If she is a WC, then she was probably given the treatment at the store.
If she remains lethargic, then she may need to hibernate. My boxies start hiding around the beginning of October and will hibernate through April in a 60-70 degree enclosure if I let them. Temperature is only part of the hibernation mechanism and light and barometric pressure factor in to this as well. If she is sick or not completely healed from an injury...DO NOT HIBERNATE HER. You don't want her to go to turtle heaven while she's sleeping.
This is all opinion and experienced based, so don't take it as the gospel. There are tons of herp resources on the internet, so keep doing research until she perks up. If she doesn't and she turns out to be healthy, then you probably just have a chilled out turtle.
critical bill
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The scratches that you see on her shell may very well be caused from the tools that are used to drag them from their hibernation chambers. So its possible that she was in hibernation and she was recently collected and is not fully awake - hence the reason she seems to be lethargic.
Any new changes with the turtle?