We run a small-scale turtle & tortoise rescue and we just received a little guy who had been presumed to be a juvenile box turtle with "a significant genetic mutation", according to a friend of mine who asked us to take him. My friend, in turn, had gotten the turtle several months ago from a young woman who said she had bought him from a breeder as a three-toed box turtle. Her story seemed a little sketchy as to why she wanted to rehome him after a year...but whatever, I guess, as long as he ends up in a proper home. My friend had him for a few months then got a hold of me with some concerns over its developmental progress, as he seemed pretty frail and extremely undersized for a 2-3 year old box turtle. He also had puffy eyes and rarely was able to open them. Long story short, we ended up taking him into our shelled family yesterday. After checking him out, I realized he was in fact a Reeves aquatic turtle, not a box turtle. (Hence the mistaken impression he had a genetic defect, I suppose!) Even though he's at least 2 years old, he's still barely the size of a silver dollar, which I imagine has added to the difficulty of properly identifying his species. Anyway, we immediately set him up with a proper terrarium environment with water, fogger, heat and UVB light etc, as he had been living the life of a box turtle all this time with only a shallow dish of drinking water for hydration. He's loving his new mini-pond now, and has spent most of today in the shallow end basking under the UVB lamp. My biggest concern right now is his eyes which continue to be puffy and closed; I suspect a vitamin A deficiency among other things, but I'm not confident that supplements in his food will be enough, since he eats so little. Is there any evidence to suggest that turtles can absorb vitamins through their skin and/or shells when added to their soaking water? I've seen answers both pro and con but nothing conclusive. Or perhaps there are other more efficient, creative ways to get vitamins into such a small creature? Thanks for any advice or thoughts!
Help for a misidentified aquatic turtle
- Thread starter Don Z.
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He had told me he had a UV-B light in the tank, but when he gave me all of the accessories there was only a UV-A lamp, and a fluorescent tube fixture with a conventional full-spectrum bulb intended for an aquarium setup. I know Reeves are a smaller species, but this guy is way tinier than I would have expected to see for his age.
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One picture. You don't need foggers for aquatic turtles, they live in water. Floating turtle pellets or reptimin is a reasonable diet. But lets see an image of this animal please.
They can't swallow food unless they're submerged, so this poor little "box turtle" probably hasn't eaten much in all the time he's been captive.
Soak him in baby food carrot water. This gets some vitamin A into their system:
Using a little bowl with tall sides, but a small footprint, add a half jar of Gerber strained carrots then enough water to come up to the middle of the turtle's sides (small bowl so the carrot/water ration is about half and half). Leave the turtle soaking in the mixture for at least a half hour. If you put the bowl back into the enclosure, near, but not under the light, it will stay warm.. Check frequently to make sure he hasn't turned upside down in the water. This has never failed to get those swollen eyes open in about three days if you do it faithfully. Once his eyes are open, chances are good he'll eat.
Will makes a good point. Water turtles = living in water, so why a fogger? A picture would be great!
Soak him in baby food carrot water. This gets some vitamin A into their system:
Using a little bowl with tall sides, but a small footprint, add a half jar of Gerber strained carrots then enough water to come up to the middle of the turtle's sides (small bowl so the carrot/water ration is about half and half). Leave the turtle soaking in the mixture for at least a half hour. If you put the bowl back into the enclosure, near, but not under the light, it will stay warm.. Check frequently to make sure he hasn't turned upside down in the water. This has never failed to get those swollen eyes open in about three days if you do it faithfully. Once his eyes are open, chances are good he'll eat.
Will makes a good point. Water turtles = living in water, so why a fogger? A picture would be great!
The reason for the fogger is that right now he is too weak to safely put in more than just a shallow dish of water. Given that he has lived in a relatively dry environment with only drinking water for the past 2 years, the fogger is at least providing him some humidity that healthy and strong aquatic turtles would otherwise get via their “pond” or equivalent. The long term plan is to get him healthy and ready for a better aquatic habitat, and phase the fogger out. I will try the soaking mixture beginning tonight...thanks for the suggestion. Attached is a photo.
Sucks the turtle went through all this...BUT...AWESOME you have him/her now
I would continue to do what you are doing and while others laugh at the fogger....I would side with you on the fogger...hell, I bet it looks cool as well .....I would offer foods high in Vit a....what meat is the turtle eating right now? Does the turtle eat things other than meat? I mean, will the turtle eat softened sweet potato? Perhaps try...great source of vit a which is good for the eyes.....although I do believe that if you are slow and steady with him he will eventually pop those beauties open....patience, you know? He did not get in the condition he is in over night so likely will take a bit of time before all gets to a "normal" for this turtle....obviously the turtle is a fighter...right?
That is pure beauty man......good job. Patience patience patience followed by a grand prayer or two and this little one will likely be your best eater...best swimmer and most appreciative in your entire household......
I agree with you ascott...I was anticipating catching some flack or doubt about the use of a fogger but it has saved more than one turtle’s bacon in my experience, and given that we live in the driest state in the country (Nevada), the ambient 14% humidity we have right now is not helping this little guy’s situation much.
It’s hard to tell what he has been eating and what he likes, although he appears to have eaten a small amount of commercially prepared turtle food yesterday. I will try some sweet potato out on him, and also try Yvonne’s carrot soak suggestion as well. Thanks for the great ideas!
It’s hard to tell what he has been eating and what he likes, although he appears to have eaten a small amount of commercially prepared turtle food yesterday. I will try some sweet potato out on him, and also try Yvonne’s carrot soak suggestion as well. Thanks for the great ideas!
Totally "like" this post....I am sending out well wishes and prayers that your little guest gets it on and gets to his "normal".....
Oh, by the way.... totally understand the humidity level....I think we are high today at 20% but by Tuesday we will be right with you.....
I am in the High Desert, outside the Mojave....that is a baby eastern box turtle ........... get him some worms and bugs , high humidity , swampy conditions , sunlight would be great . beef liver if he'll eat it ......... if he doesn't eat and perk up a reptile vet would be a good idea , usually the eye thing is a symptom of other issues .............
Ha. I kept wondering about this as well. But since I’m not at all familiar with a Reeves Turtle....i passed.
Well thank goodness you didn't put him in an aquarium of water! That's NOT a water turtle, it is indeed a baby box turtle, and the way you have him set up in swampy conditions with the fogger is great for him.
Sorry man but it must be something with you because these babies eyes look perfectly wide and clear to me...don’t see any puffiness in them. As for the box turtle at hand, yep the extra vitamin a in the carrot soaks will definitely help the eyes and so will the high humidity with the fogger. I would also go increase the temp to help the immune system. Good luck!
You don't think the baby box turtles eyes in the first pic I've added don't bulge or pop out and look "puffy" more than the second Pic of a baby Russian?
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They do look more bulged than the Russian, but that is normal in young North American box turtles. I thought the eyes in the fist pic looked a little abnormal, but in the pic you just posted, they look great!
That's what I meant originally that compared to other turtles/tortoises, baby box turtles have huge bulgy eyes! Not that the ones I posted had anything wrong with em.
