How to get a turtle to eat a worm...

[ShellyGinny29]

Please see my other thread about my poor little turtle Ginny, who is not opening her eyes or eating anything to be filled in if you need to. HELP turtle sleeping all the time, not moving.

We have tried feeding her EVERYTHING possible, from worms to kale leaves to lettuce to strawberries, but she just isn't eating anything. Her tank is warm, so she should be warm, but I don't know.

Last night, my dad and I got her two worms and splashed her with some water in her tank (it was mostly to keep the small amount of dirt in the tank moist so the worms wouldn't fry) and she reacted to that, and a few minutes later she looked like she was trying to hunt the worm that was next to her, and she knew it was there, and she looked like she was trying to attack it but couldn't. It looked like she was trying to eat the dirt. She did that with one of the strawberries, too.

Anyway, now we're on desperate measures, trying to get her to eat anything at all (not really anything-anything, more like anything turtles eat) I've tried picking up the worm with a stick and putting it against her mouth, but she wasn't doing anything.

We've had the light over her cage off for a long time because it was making it too hot (97 degrees at the most is what my dad said)... should I turn it back on?

Any advice?


...and yes, she IS still living. I was going to give her a soak after I post this

Thank you all! Please keep Ginny in your prayers/thoughts!

 

[Laurie]

Were you going to bring the turtle to the vet tomorrow?

 

[Jacqui]

Have you tried to do a warm soak and then feed the worm or whatever? With the worm, sometimes the key is the correct size worm. Bigger ones or one who fight, seem to be a turn off for some turtles and tortoises. Did you happen to try a roly poly/pillbug on her? How about some very ripe banana? Often really ripe fruit is not only bright colored and sweet tasting, but has a lot of smell. Your turtle's sight sounds like it might be a bit off, but then again often they do miss their worms a bit at first, but the increased amount of smell may be a help.