Roxanne is my 6yo/F FL box turtle. I have had her for two years and all has been well until recently. She has never hibernated that I know of and is kept indoors. Her appetitie began to decline in the spring, but I didn't think much of it. Now she has stopped eating altogether. I believe the last time she has eaten was 3-4 weeks ago. She did eat one cricket in that time. She had stopped eating for a week, then I had to leave her for a scheduled trip for a week. The pet sitter said she was eating eating again (I later found out she wasn't). Now I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to nourish her.
Before I left I noticed that she appears to have lost weight. When I got back her eyes were puffy and runny, but not swollen shut or infected looking. Her activity has decreased this week and she just wants to soak in her water under the basking light. I soak her once or twice daily in a baby food or Barleygreen solution with fine calcium. I've been trying to get her outside, but it is so hot here right now. I tried syringe feeding her a baby food gruel. It worked at first, I could get maybe a mL or 2 in her. Then she began to spit it back out after a couple of days. I didn't want to stress her anymore, so I quit. She used to be really friendly now she hides from me.
OK, for the set-up. I know it is not ideal. I've been wanting to get her set-up outside, but I have dogs that urinate on objects in the yard, racoons, hawks, and fire ants. I recently bought a large Rubbermaid on wheels that can be brought inside at night, but it isn't set up yet.
Temps: I bumped them up about 2-3 wks ago. Right now the basking is 92 and the rest of the enclosure is 82-86, down to 77-78 at night.
Humidity: 50% inside and right now, about the same outside or maybe up to 60%. She does have a place to soak and sumberge her head in her enclosure.
Diet: terrible. She came to me eating only Reptomin pellets. It has been really difficult to get her to eat other things. I have kept feeding her Reptomin, but also give her berries, cherries, superworms, and crickets. The supplement is on crickets and fruit. This spring she was back to eating almost only Reptomin and refusing all foods.
At this point her eyes look so much better, but she still won't eat a thing. I'm not sure what my next step is. I could revamp her set-up, but I don't know if that is even more stressful.
Before I left I noticed that she appears to have lost weight. When I got back her eyes were puffy and runny, but not swollen shut or infected looking. Her activity has decreased this week and she just wants to soak in her water under the basking light. I soak her once or twice daily in a baby food or Barleygreen solution with fine calcium. I've been trying to get her outside, but it is so hot here right now. I tried syringe feeding her a baby food gruel. It worked at first, I could get maybe a mL or 2 in her. Then she began to spit it back out after a couple of days. I didn't want to stress her anymore, so I quit. She used to be really friendly now she hides from me.
OK, for the set-up. I know it is not ideal. I've been wanting to get her set-up outside, but I have dogs that urinate on objects in the yard, racoons, hawks, and fire ants. I recently bought a large Rubbermaid on wheels that can be brought inside at night, but it isn't set up yet.
Temps: I bumped them up about 2-3 wks ago. Right now the basking is 92 and the rest of the enclosure is 82-86, down to 77-78 at night.
Humidity: 50% inside and right now, about the same outside or maybe up to 60%. She does have a place to soak and sumberge her head in her enclosure.
Diet: terrible. She came to me eating only Reptomin pellets. It has been really difficult to get her to eat other things. I have kept feeding her Reptomin, but also give her berries, cherries, superworms, and crickets. The supplement is on crickets and fruit. This spring she was back to eating almost only Reptomin and refusing all foods.
At this point her eyes look so much better, but she still won't eat a thing. I'm not sure what my next step is. I could revamp her set-up, but I don't know if that is even more stressful.