EBT won't eat and strange feces

Yurtle

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An EBT that I'm watching for the time being has stopped willingly eating and has become extremly inactive. He's been living in a 4x2 wooden pen, theres 4 inches of eco earth multiple hides, a deep water dish, 1 ceramic heat emitter that I keep on 24/7 , one UVA heat bulb and a UVB light that are on a 12 hour cycle. I soak him bidaily and he was being fed (before his hunger strike) earth worms, crickets, occasionally mealworms and super worms, and a vegatble blend. I feed every other day alternating between the bugs and plant matter.
Three weeks ago he suddenly stopped eating and really just slowed down, I thought he'd be back to his old self in a matter of days, but that wasn't the case. After 2 weeks of not eating I started to force feed him, he's been being force fed sweet potato (baby food form) through a syringe. The other day he pooped while sitting on my carpet right before his soak. His poop was very liquidy, green and yellow. He was unfortunately wild caught, so could this diet have upset his stomach? I did get a look at his mouth the other day and it looked completely normal. Any ideas why he's stopped eating? Again he isn't my own turtle, I'm watching temporarily for the local nature center.
 

Yvonne G

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The poop was probably just from the liquidey food you fed him. More than likely the turtle wants to hibernate. Because he's in an open wood pen, the temperature probably isn't as warm as it should be to keep him awake. You may need to cover it or partially cover it, or set up another light, one on each end. You can move your timer to have the lights be on 14 hours a day and see if that doesn't wake him up.
 

Yurtle

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I moved the timer to a 14 hour cycle and still no change with the turtle. The temp is 73 on the cool side, 78-80 in the mid area of the cage and 85-90 degrees in the basking area.
 

johnsonnboswell

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Is thus an adult?

Wild caught turtles often have a terrible time adjusting to captivity in the winter. Some of those that do survive the first winter still take years to adjust to not hibernating. Some of them slow down and eat very little for 6 weeks or so before perking up when the light returns.

Is the habitat situated where it gets sunlight? Is there a water dish available 24/7?

Turn off the heat at night unless the house is colder than 60 degrees. A turtle won't eat or be active if it's too hot.
 

Yurtle

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Yes this turtle is an adult. The turtle cage is not getting direct sunlight, but the room does get natural lighting during the day. I do have a UVB bulb on during the day, I understand though that natural sunlight is a bit different than what the UVB bulb provides. The only thing that stays on at night is a ceramic heat emitter that only heats a small part of the pen. Should I turn this off too?
 

leigti

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I have a wild caught three toed box turtle. As far as I know this is the first winter she has not hibernated. And she has barely eaten anything until the last couple weeks. and she spends most of her time hiding. So it may just take your Boxturtle a little time to be used to being up.
 

johnsonnboswell

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I use a UVB light for 14 hours. My group gets up early but often digs in before the lights go off. Their habitats get as much sun as there is and it makes a difference to have both. They are more active on sunny days.

I've had my oldest for more than 38 years. I can tell the difference the UVB makes in their color, activity & appetite. I would not give up either the bulb or the sunlight coming in the window.

In the summer they are outdoors, and everything is different. They love cloudy days and rain.
 

TortsNTurtles

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I use a UVB light for 14 hours. My group gets up early but often digs in before the lights go off. Their habitats get as much sun as there is and it makes a difference to have both. They are more active on sunny days.

I've had my oldest for more than 38 years. I can tell the difference the UVB makes in their color, activity & appetite. I would not give up either the bulb or the sunlight coming in the window.

In the summer they are outdoors, and everything is different. They love cloudy days and rain.

38 years! I hope I can say the same thing someday.
 

Yurtle

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Okay, I made it so the CHE will go off at night too. Should I continue to force feed him?
 
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