Eastern

[Daisy’ s mom]

I am a new member.
I have just inherited my ex-husbands turtle. Eastern Box Turtle or Three Toes? Or a combo? I’m not trying to be funny here. Just confused.

My son is worried about her being so pale colored. Is she sick or is she normal?

I do know she has had the full run of my exes home. And existed on canned and dry cat food. I have no idea how old she is. But I’m guessing full grown.

 

[jeff kushner]

Welcome to the club!

Your little guy looks fine but a bit dry and his legs look splayed from walking on the laminate floor...it's hard for them to walk on it.

When you think about him, think BOG, not dry! Box turtles like it really moist! If you have any questions, any mod here can help!

Read the care sheets at the top of this page and you'll be set


and I've got to tease you about answering two ten year old threads below....LOL

we all have done it, don't feel bad

good luck!

jeff!

 

[Ink]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[domalle]

Bright eyes indicate Eastern box turtles health and survival capabilities under even marginal captive conditions.
Grossly overgrown beak and nails need attention. Distended beak will impede access to improved dietary items.
Splayed nails will impair mobility and lead to leg deformity, Nails and beak should be pared back. Must be addressed gradually as veins extend out in the overgrowth of each and bleeding will occur if trimmed all at once.
Benefits will accrue if housed outside in WV with protection from predators.
They are creatures of the sun and need access to natural elements.
Taper off inappropriate dog and cat food and adjust diet. They are omnivorous.
Nice female.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

Welcome to the club!

Your little guy looks fine but a bit dry and his legs look splayed from walking on the laminate floor...it's hard for them to walk on it.

When you think about him, think BOG, not dry! Box turtles like it really moist! If you have any questions, any mod here can help!

Read the care sheets at the top of this page and you'll be set


and I've got to tease you about answering two ten year old threads below....LOL

we all have done it, don't feel bad

good luck!

jeff!

Jeff, thank you for the welcome.

My ex passed away in January and I just got her a couple of days ago.

She was living on carpet. She’s in a clear under the bed type container.

She hadn’t been in water since December when my ex went in to the hospital. Until I got her.
Probably why her skin looks so flaky. But is she looking pale?

I wasn’t really prepared, but very excited to get her. I will take very good care of her.

By the way, can you tell if it’s a girl or boy? It seems every site says something different.

Oh it has three toes on the back and five in the front. That of course makes me wonder what his other ones were in the past.

Thank you. And I may need the good luck. 😂

 

[domalle]

Jeff, thank you for the welcome.

My ex passed away in January and I just got her a couple of days ago.

She was living on carpet. She’s in a clear under the bed type container.

She hadn’t been in water since December when my ex went in to the hospital. Until I got her.
Probably why her skin looks so flaky. But is she looking pale?

I wasn’t really prepared, but very excited to get her. I will take very good care of her.

By the way, can you tell if it’s a girl or boy? It seems every site says something different.

Oh it has three toes on the back and five in the front. That of course makes me wonder what his other ones were in the past.

Thank you. And I may need the good luck. 😂

The Eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina. female has brown eyes. See my post above. She needs help.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

Today’s photos. Looking for a vet tomorrow.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

The Eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina. female has brown eyes. See my post above. She needs help.

I can’t find your post above. It disappeared when I tried to login.

 

[domalle]

I can’t find your post above. It disappeared when I tried to login.

It's post #4 from this morning. She's been dehydrated over a long period and would benefit from frequent water baths and provision of succulent veggies in her diet. She also needs to get off the soft foods but once the beak has been neglected so long, it needs to be gradually reduced until she can manage intake of harder and firmer skinned foods. Otherwise the overgrown beak is susceptible to splitting and cracking as she negotiates a more appropriate dietary regimen. You can reduce some of the beak along the front and sides with a regular nail clipper if she'll tolerate it. Some people find the maintenance of beaks and nails of squirming patients out of their comfort zone but with time and perseverance she'll comply and you'll become expert. Of course, you can have a vet do it.
Time outside when the weather warms can work wonders and very quickly. Make the summer a rejuvenating one for her. She'll emerge a reinvigorated animal.
Oh, and good luck.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

It's post #4 from this morning. She's been dehydrated over a long period and would benefit from frequent water baths and provision of succulent veggies in her diet. She also needs to get off the soft foods but once the beak has been neglected so long, it needs to be gradually reduced until she can manage intake of harder and firmer skinned foods. Otherwise the overgrown beak is susceptible to splitting and cracking as she negotiates a more appropriate dietary regimen. You can reduce some of the beak along the front and sides with a regular nail clipper if she'll tolerate it. Some people find the maintenance of beaks and nails of squirming patients out of their comfort zone but with time and perseverance she'll comply and you'll become expert. Of course, you can have a vet do it.
Time outside when the weather warms can work wonders and very quickly. Make the summer a rejuvenating one for her. She'll emerge a reinvigorated animal.
Oh, and good luck.

She has a vet appointment for tomorrow morning. I am hoping she will show me how to trim everything. And how to fix her skin.

She is my first turtle. She does have a cuttlebone.

I really appreciate all of your advice. I really want to be a good mom to her.

From the photos can you tell for sure if it’s a female or male? I’m not sure. I might need to change the name.

I’m going rock shopping today . Hoping it will help with her nails too.

Planning an outdoor area for warmer weather.

Today’s breakfast.

Thanks so much for your help and advice. I appreciate it. And for the good luck too.

 

[mark1]

as said above his diet needs immediate attention ...... the problems he exhibits is surely do his diet and probably lack of uvb ......... also as stated, if possible, an appropriate outside enclosure on natural ground with plenty of cover, sun and water would go a long way to improving his health ...... if outside is not an option ,properly set up indoor enclosures can work ......

 

[TeamZissou]

Closeup of the eye photo in post #7 looks red to me, so this is a male.

As mark1 said, he needs appropriate (live) food. I fed mine earthworms for years and he would go nuts for them.

If you have found a decent turtle/tortoise vet, they should be able to a beak trim on site; this will be much easier on you and the turtle. Your turtle may also have a bit of metabolic bone disease, based on the oddly shaped feet and somewhat flared/curled up marginal scutes on the rear shell; this is due to calcium deficiency and lack of UVB lighting. Related, it probably has other vitamin deficiencies. Look into getting RepCal Herptivite and adding it to the live food a couple of times per week.

Regarding the color development, there were some studies on eastern box turtles that showed that sunlight exposure played a key role in development of yellow coloring. There was a critical time frame (around 2 years of age) in which the yellow coloring developed. Basically, young turtles without bright yellow coloration were fitted with GPS trackers that covered up a spot on the shell. When the researchers tracked them down a few years later, they had developed the bright yellow coloring as is typical of eastern box turtles, but the area underneath the tracker was still the drab yellow color. After they removed the tracker completely, and found the turtles again several years later, the covered area did not further develop the bright yellow color. This pertained to the vibrancy of the yellow color, rather than making usual darker areas more yellow. You may have missed the time window for this turtle to develop bright yellow coloring on the shell. (link)

The pale skin on the other hand may turn a brighter orange and yellow with improved diet and daily exposure to sunlight. I had this happen with a turtle that was kept poorly without any UVB--areas of skin that should have been yellow were a pale white, and turned a nice bright yellow after a summer in an outdoor enclosure.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you.

 

[domalle]

She has a vet appointment for tomorrow morning. I am hoping she will show me how to trim everything. And how to fix her skin.

She is my first turtle. She does have a cuttlebone.

I really appreciate all of your advice. I really want to be a good mom to her.

From the photos can you tell for sure if it’s a female or male? I’m not sure. I might need to change the name.

I’m going rock shopping today . Hoping it will help with her nails too.

Planning an outdoor area for warmer weather.

Today’s breakfast.

Thanks so much for your help and advice. I appreciate it. And for the good luck too. View attachment 354898View attachment 354898View attachment 354899

 

[domalle]

A rock will be useless on those nails. They need grooming. Good luck at the vet.
Male Eastern box turtles usually have red eyes, females usually brown. She's a definite female.
The skin will show improvement with routine hydration measures.

 

[domalle]

Closeup of the eye photo in post #7 looks red to me, so this is a male.

As mark1 said, he needs appropriate (live) food. I fed mine earthworms for years and he would go nuts for them.

If you have found a decent turtle/tortoise vet, they should be able to a beak trim on site; this will be much easier on you and the turtle. Your turtle may also have a bit of metabolic bone disease, based on the oddly shaped feet and somewhat flared/curled up marginal scutes on the rear shell; this is due to calcium deficiency and lack of UVB lighting. Related, it probably has other vitamin deficiencies. Look into getting RepCal Herptivite and adding it to the live food a couple of times per week.

Regarding the color development, there were some studies on eastern box turtles that showed that sunlight exposure played a key role in development of yellow coloring. There was a critical time frame (around 2 years of age) in which the yellow coloring developed. Basically, young turtles without bright yellow coloration were fitted with GPS trackers that covered up a spot on the shell. When the researchers tracked them down a few years later, they had developed the bright yellow coloring as is typical of eastern box turtles, but the area underneath the tracker was still the drab yellow color. After they removed the tracker completely, and found the turtles again several years later, the covered area did not further develop the bright yellow color. This pertained to the vibrancy of the yellow color, rather than making usual darker areas more yellow. You may have missed the time window for this turtle to develop bright yellow coloring on the shell. (link)

The pale skin on the other hand may turn a brighter orange and yellow with improved diet and daily exposure to sunlight. I had this happen with a turtle that was kept poorly without any UVB--areas of skin that should have been yellow were a pale white, and turned a nice bright yellow after a summer in an outdoor enclosure.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

Closeup of the eye photo in post #7 looks red to me, so this is a male.

As mark1 said, he needs appropriate (live) food. I fed mine earthworms for years and he would go nuts for them.

If you have found a decent turtle/tortoise vet, they should be able to a beak trim on site; this will be much easier on you and the turtle. Your turtle may also have a bit of metabolic bone disease, based on the oddly shaped feet and somewhat flared/curled up marginal scutes on the rear shell; this is due to calcium deficiency and lack of UVB lighting. Related, it probably has other vitamin deficiencies. Look into getting RepCal Herptivite and adding it to the live food a couple of times per week.

Regarding the color development, there were some studies on eastern box turtles that showed that sunlight exposure played a key role in development of yellow coloring. There was a critical time frame (around 2 years of age) in which the yellow coloring developed. Basically, young turtles without bright yellow coloration were fitted with GPS trackers that covered up a spot on the shell. When the researchers tracked them down a few years later, they had developed the bright yellow coloring as is typical of eastern box turtles, but the area underneath the tracker was still the drab yellow color. After they removed the tracker completely, and found the turtles again several years later, the covered area did not further develop the bright yellow color. This pertained to the vibrancy of the yellow color, rather than making usual darker areas more yellow. You may have missed the time window for this turtle to develop bright yellow coloring on the shell. (link)

The pale skin on the other hand may turn a brighter orange and yellow with improved diet and daily exposure to sunlight. I had this happen with a turtle that was kept poorly without any UVB--areas of skin that should have been yellow were a pale white, and turned a nice bright yellow after a summer in an outdoor enclosure.

Thank you so very much for the information. I appreciate it.

So I need to change its name for sure. As he has a Vet Specialist appointment in the morning.

He has a cuttlebone. And I am giving his a couple chunks of aloe

 

[domalle]

It's a clear female. We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

A rock will be useless on those nails. They need grooming. Good luck at the vet.
Male Eastern box turtles usually have red eyes, females usually brown. She's a definite female.
The skin will show improvement with routine hydration measures.

I am doing daily soaks. I have given a couple of chunks of aloe, but it hasn’t touched them yet.

Looking forward to the vet visit tomorrow.

I keep wanting to help her skin. Poor thing must be miserable.

 

[Daisy’ s mom]

It's a clear female. We'll have to agree to disagree.

Then I won’t have to change the name. Yay! 😂