Unhealty baby EBT

[Yurtle]

Today I adopted a babby box that was previously living in subpar conditions. He keeps closing his eyes and sitting still and its getting me worried, the bottom of his shell is also very soft. Is there anything I can do for the little guy?

Right now he's living in a ten gallon glass tank, with several inches of Eco earth and an additional inch of leaf litter the substrate is very moist. The cage temp is 75 on the cool side and 81 on the warm side and there's a UVB bulb on the tank too.

 

[MichaelaW]

If he's not using his water dish, be sure to give him a daily soak in shallow water. Have you tried offering live food? Also pictures would be helpful.

 

[Yurtle]

I've soaked him a few times today already. He hasn't wanted to eat any food since I got him, but I think he might just be stressed. Here are some pics of him:

 

[MichaelaW]

Any idea of his age?

 

[Yurtle]

I think he's around a year old.

 

[MichaelaW]

Are there lots of hiding spots on his tank? He also may be stressed depending on how long ago you got him. Make sure the food is wiggling so it will attract his attention. They are especially fond of earthworms. I feed my hatchlings red wigglers from the pet store. They are smaller than earthworms. The soft plastron may be due to lack of calcium in the diet. You can keep some cuttlebone in his tank or dust his food with a calcium supplement if the cuttlebone is ignored. You can also try strawberries and raspberries to get him eating. They are attracted to the color red. Hope this helps.

 

[dmmj]

Have you tried live food? Eye pronlems in boxues ie ueually diet related.

 

[CanadianTestudo]

He is so tiny, you sure he is a year? Younger turtles will often have a shell that is flexible (almost feels soft) so maybe it doesn't have to be a calcium issue?

 

[MichaelaW]

That's what I was thinking also. Unless his growth had been stalled from improper care..

 

[Yurtle]

I've tried feeding him mealworms and he hasn't taken any interest, I've also tried feeding him raspberries, but he didn't eat them.
He was being kept at a nature center and had been living there for about a year now, so he's definitely at least a year old by now.
His eyes have a little bit of guck in them and I've flushed them out with water, but he just keeps closing them and they get gucky again. I doubt that he had a good diet this past year, I know he was being fed earthworms and slugs mainly (not dusted). I know they have turtle eye drops with vitiman A, in them at the pet store. Could these help him at all?

 

[MichaelaW]

Pus in the eyes can be caused by a vitamin A deficiency in the diet, a dirty environment, or low humidity.The eye drops will help but the vitamin A needs to come from a food source. Keep soaking him daily and try the eye drops for a week and see if there is any improvement.

 

[CanadianTestudo]

Guess it is from an improper diet then. My suggestion would be getting the basking temperature up to 90f and not just 81f, torts don't eat if they are too cold as they need the right temps to digest. If he has been eating earthworms and slugs before maybe continue using them while also dusting them with calcium, this will get the calcium in his body. Box turtles are mainly carnivorous during the first couple of years in their life anyways, and worms and slugs is what he would be getting in the wild. Once he is eating without missing a meal at your place upgrade his cage (10g is just way to small) and then try feeding him other life food. You can buy a 50g rubbermaid storage box for around 20$ which would make a much better home for your box turtle.

 

[MichaelaW]

I agree, either diet or just residual effects from his previous environment.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Many turtles don't like the taste of calcium dust. If he's not eating well, don't use it, or use only the tiniest amount and not every day. Cuttle bone is good.

What kind of bulb are you using?

How about a much bigger habitat?

Try feeding in the water dish. Don't eliminate earthworms from the diet, just add variety. Babies are largely carnivorous.

 

[Eric Phillips]

I would add some calci worms in the diet instead of trying the dust or cuttle bone. To be honest, my hatchlings or yearlings never touched the cuttle bone much but you can try. As for temperature, just remember Eastern Box Turtles aren't a Tortoise and they don't need the temps in the 90's. Temps can range from 65-85. So your temps are fine. Keep one side of enclosure in shade other with a regular 60 watt incandescent bulb will work. Since its summer I would get it about a half hour to hour of sunlight a few times out of the week. Come next year I would look at housing it more outside in a protected enclosure. As little as it is it doesn't need a large enclosure for now. 30 gallon tank would work fine or rubbermaid bin. But they do need High humidity at this age so I would have the substrate moist to wet. Come winter use your UVB light. Just remember there are a variety of reasons it might not be eating.....parasites, viral or bacterial infections, lighting(coil bulbs), or just natures way of acclimating to its new surroundings. For precaution, I would give it some baby food soaks(carrot or sweet potato), make sure the conditions stay wet and humidity runs high, and make puree meals and coat the live food with the puree or place them in the puree. I puree mustard or collard greens, zucchini, squash, sweet potato(softened) strawberries, etc. A happy habitat helps make a happy turtle. Good luck.

 

[MichaelaW]

Let us know how he does.

 

[Yurtle]

So unfortunatly the little guy passed on Wednesday. I guess he was just too malnourished to fix.

 

[Eric Phillips]

Major bummer, so sorry, you had a lot against your efforts