Ok so 5 weeks ago we rescued a turtle hat had been hit by a car. Her name is Nelly Faturtle. All her wounds are healed amd the first couple weeks she didnt really do anything. Now she gets n her 3 or 4x a day soaking with warm water which she drinks very well. I have only been able to get her to eat 2x. I gave her 2 slugs. That was 2 weeks ago. I have tried strawberries bananas tuna greens kale boiled chicken worms meal worms bee larva amd slugs. No interest. She is drinking fine and has her own tote with uv lighting one for day amd one for night. She has a substrate bedding with plants. She past couple weeks has started to walk more and is gettin better and better. I actually hold her shell and she think she is walking cuz she uses her front feet decent but is havin a hard time gettin coordination with her back. Please help. No vet anywher I live and none that will see a box turtle
Eastern box turtle need help
- Thread starter christy
- Start date
Lyles
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- Sep 29, 2014
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- 39
Was the damage to the shell extended toward the strip down the back? If so she is most likely paralyzed in her hind feet.
Boxies' spinal cords are attached to their shells.
Have you tried to pull on her feet to see if she pulls back?
Boxies' spinal cords are attached to their shells.
Have you tried to pull on her feet to see if she pulls back?
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- Aug 27, 2012
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- 2,238
The under heater is not a good idea.
Does she get UVB?
Feeding: not all wild caught turtles recognize supermarket vegetables as food for a long time. Banana is an exception. Try the farmers market or your own garden, and offer fruits that are overripe. Think windfall & smelly, yellow, orange, red, and seasonal.
Try a boiled egg. Hard veggies should be old & wilted or lightly steamed or actually cooked. Offer leftovers. Try sweet potato, squash, carrots, corn on the cob, cantaloup, worms, brussel sprouts, cooked fish. Mine eat soaked reptomin on occasion. They love the chicken & carrots from the soup I make.
Soaked quality dog biscuits can be fed. Canned cat food is not a good staple, but it is very appealing and can have other foods mixed in. It's a good jump start.
Raw hamburger is not recommended any more, but sometimes it's what you need to get a turtle to eat. It should be low fat. One of mine liked it rancid.
Does she get UVB?
Feeding: not all wild caught turtles recognize supermarket vegetables as food for a long time. Banana is an exception. Try the farmers market or your own garden, and offer fruits that are overripe. Think windfall & smelly, yellow, orange, red, and seasonal.
Try a boiled egg. Hard veggies should be old & wilted or lightly steamed or actually cooked. Offer leftovers. Try sweet potato, squash, carrots, corn on the cob, cantaloup, worms, brussel sprouts, cooked fish. Mine eat soaked reptomin on occasion. They love the chicken & carrots from the soup I make.
Soaked quality dog biscuits can be fed. Canned cat food is not a good staple, but it is very appealing and can have other foods mixed in. It's a good jump start.
Raw hamburger is not recommended any more, but sometimes it's what you need to get a turtle to eat. It should be low fat. One of mine liked it rancid.
She isnt paralyzed as she will raise her whole back end up n the air and she does move yhem. Iys kinda like she is relearning to use them or they r weak but she shows more progress everyday. She moves the best when I take her in the yard n kinda guode her but she is getting better. Its just the food issue I worry abt. I out her in her water prolly 4 or 5x a day and she drinks plenty.
I dont use the under heater anymore. That was a temporary use whwn she first came in. I now have a uv nighttime lamp and a uv daytime lamp that I use. I try take her outside as much as possible as that is when she is at her most active but it is starting to get cold here so I worry about her getting to cold.
You might have to start tube feeding her, also keeping her in a room that is warm at night helps a lot too. If she is a wild one, she naturally hibernate this time of year, you just need to trick her that it is still summer.
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Hello Christy welcome to the TFO from AZ . I know your getting a lot of help . But before you try tube feeding it you may want to add some baby food to the soak water and while your soaking the turtle it will suck up some food . Good luck !
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You add 1 jar of pureed orange baby food (carrot, sweet potato, squash) to the warm soaking water.
OR, about 2 tbsp of unsweetened (not pie) canned pumpkin.
Then add a squirt or two of bird vitamins like Vit-A-Sol or something similar.
Ideally do this twice per day.
This can help boost their hydration as they drink the water. Boosts their vitamin A and other deficiencies.
Also, as mentioned, you are trying to mimic summertime, to avoid the turtle wanting to hibernate. So good temps, basking and background, lights on 12 hours per day.
Keep offering a variety of foods.
OR, about 2 tbsp of unsweetened (not pie) canned pumpkin.
Then add a squirt or two of bird vitamins like Vit-A-Sol or something similar.
Ideally do this twice per day.
This can help boost their hydration as they drink the water. Boosts their vitamin A and other deficiencies.
Also, as mentioned, you are trying to mimic summertime, to avoid the turtle wanting to hibernate. So good temps, basking and background, lights on 12 hours per day.
Keep offering a variety of foods.
