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Help!!!

L

loye

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I'm in need of some help. I have done reptile rescue in the past and was recently informed of an animal in need. I was told it's a box turtle...problem is...I have NO idea how to take care of it!!! I'll tell you what I know...I was told "it's not eating well." the people were giving it one strawberry every few days. and that 'it may have an issue with its eye'. I go and pick it up and well...they are keeping it in a 10 gallon aquarium, no heat lights, sand substrate, NO floor room (there is a large bowl on one half, and a half-log hide on the other half with a small food dish taking up the rest of the room). I need help!!!
 
I also should mention he has what appears to be holes in either side of his shell...not sure what that is
 
Okay...
Go to your local Target/Walmart, and get the largest plastic storage box you can find. Floor space is more important than height. Use a peat substrate at least 6 inches deep, as they like to dig/burrow this time of year. Deeper is better. It needs a shallow water dish it can get all the way into, sunk into the substrate, and it will likely use it for both a drink and a toilet. Heat one end to around 90 using a clip-on or goose-neck light so it doesn't melt the plastic. Lay a florescent light over the top. Google the specific type of box turtle for food requirements, but it'll be insects and fruit/veg.
The holes are probably from the teeth or talons of whatever injured it in the first place. Keep an eye on the holes. They're very adept a healing, but what for infection.
When the weather warms up, if all appears well, set it free. It's illegal to keep box turtles in most states, but exceptions are made in cases of rehab. And, really, they'll never know you have one. But they do best outdoors. Good luck!

Noelle
 
Thanks so much! The people said they bought it at a pet shop. I have a large tote that I am working on switching it to this morning until I can get a larger one (get paid Friday, but want him out of that 10 gal!!!) With that eco earth work? I have a couple blocks of that. I put a mixture of kale/collared greens in a dish for it last night, he didn't eat any that I saw. But I also have wax worms...should those be ok? I took a couple pics of it hoping someone could help me narrow down what exactly it is!!! I put a heat light on him last night to try to get him warmed up. Do they sell peat at like walmart or home depot?
 
can i use sphagnum peat moss? and is it ok if it is enriched with miricale grow plant food? that seems to be all I can find...I looked at some things last night because I thought he would need dirt instead of sand...but everything I saw was enriched with miricale grow plant food
 
Here it is in the 10 gal tank to get idea on his size


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DSCF2264.jpg


DSCF2265.jpg
 
Looks like a three-toed. The holes, I would guess, are from the canine teeth of a predator.
NO miracle grow. I would go with peat. Eco-earth is fine, but it's going to be expensive to buy enough of it to fill a large enclosure. Peat you can get at a hardware store, just make sure it has no fertilizer added. Keep the enclosure humid, like the deep woods.
Three-toeds don't eat leafy veggies. They do like wild strawberries, which are plentiful in the woods. However, their main food is earthworms. You can get those at any pet store or bait shop. Wax worms are basically like french fries. They'll keep an animal alive for a while, but they're nothing but fat. You could also try holding a large cricket up to its mouth. They like live food, but can't easily catch crickets.
If you're going to keep this guy as a pet, it will probably need an outdoor enclosure in the late spring. I don't immediately see that he needs to be rescued, other than from the small tank. Oh yeah, if you buy a plastic bin, go for a colored or opaque one. They don't understand see-through, and it will frustrate them.

Noelle
 
That turtle has to be suffering from pretty severe dehydration if it has been living like that for any period of time. Give him a baby-food soak. Get the water to about 80*, make it as deep as the intersection between the plastron and top part of shell, and add a jar of a yellow or orange baby food to the water. Carrots, squash, etc... something that'll be high in vitamin A. Leave him in for about 15 minutes, then repeat daily for the next week or so. If you can do two soakings a day that'd be great. I wouldn't be surprised if the turtle take a good long drink, and even if he doesn't the soak should help to hydrate him and clear up that eye problem.
 
Thanks guys.

Chairman-I've had this little one for about 24 hours now and have yet to see it eat. I've tried different wax worms and mealworms, different greens, a slice of tomato (saw that they can have those) and I'm gonna try a banana and a strawberry...just try to get him to eat something. I gave him a soak yesterday. Do they eat baby food out of dishes? Like they would eat greens? I thought of getting some reg earthworms, and letting them get so he can dig into the dirt (I put him in a larger tote to hold him over until I get paid and can get a bigger one, added some dirt and some leaves that I found under the snow...put in a container and warmed up to crush lol, I put his log hide on one side and got one of those ceramic flower pot bottom things to put water in (it's shallow, but big enough he can get his whole body in it) and I have another uvb light ordered. As of now I put a heat light in there to get temps up, and am going to get some baby food while I'm at the store and try to do his soaks with that. I've been trying to get him 2x a day into a warm bath so I will keep that up. I'm hoping he gets better.

So, my question is...how do I get him to eat?!?!?! I know sometimes they go into hibernation...if is ok if he doesn't eat for a couple days? Is that normal? I've mostly dealt w/ lizards and snakes this is my first tortoise. So be prepared for a lot of question!
 
Box turtles would normally be in hibernation right now. I wouldn't worry about it going without eating for a while, but when it does eat, it's going to want worms. My tortoises don't hibernate, but during the winter they only eat about once a week. Can it see at all? You mentioned some eye problems. If it can see, put in a shallow dish with meal/wax worms and strawberries, and he'll eat when he's hungry. The heat will help increase its appetite. It's possible, given the holes, that it was dug up from hibernating by a dog.

Noelle
 
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!
 
Medusa's Lair said:
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
Click to expand...

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!

bigalosu said:
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!
Click to expand...

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!
 
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