I am fortunate enough to belong to a turtle & tortoise club with a retired professional turtle rehabber as its current president. I have been caring for a severely underweight adult ornate box turtle who had not eaten for about 6 weeks after emerging from hibernation. His eyes remained shut even with extensive soaks and moisture drops. After a vet visit, I began administering antibiotic injections and moved him inside for special care. Our club rehab expert taught me how to make an enclosure that causes the least amount of stress for the turtle and allows his immune system to mount a response to help the antibiotics function. I would like to share this enclosure with the forum.
Recipe for Rehab Tote
Key Ingredients:
Large (18"x31") tote with sides covered
Moist Sphagnum moss
water dish
wire racks
fake stemmed plants from Hobby Lobby and the dollar store
heat lamp for nighttime
fluorescent tube light for daytime
incandescent spotlight for daytime
Directions:
Bend stems of fake plants and hang them over wire racks
Rest wire racks over top of tote
Arrange lights on racks or hang over tote
You can lift off the wire plant racks in order to reach the water dish for emptying and cleaning.
When a turtle looks up and sees only leaves and plants, he feels safe and is able to relax. This stress reduction is a key ingredient (along with heat) to stimulate the immune system. Even without adding an antibiotic to the mix, this will give the turtle the best chance of fighting whatever is ailing him.
Within about a week his eyes opened. Within 2 weeks he began eating again. He is now eating 2 meals a day, self-soaking, and he actively searches for beetles and worms that I throw in. Even though his antibiotic course is over, I will be keeping him in his rehab tote for a few more weeks. Later in the summer, if he has gained sufficient weight, I will put him back in his outdoor enclosure.
Hanging fake plants above the tote to help the turtle feel safe and secure is a key ingredient to stress reduction.
Recipe for Rehab Tote
Key Ingredients:
Large (18"x31") tote with sides covered
Moist Sphagnum moss
water dish
wire racks
fake stemmed plants from Hobby Lobby and the dollar store
heat lamp for nighttime
fluorescent tube light for daytime
incandescent spotlight for daytime
Directions:
Bend stems of fake plants and hang them over wire racks
Rest wire racks over top of tote
Arrange lights on racks or hang over tote
You can lift off the wire plant racks in order to reach the water dish for emptying and cleaning.
When a turtle looks up and sees only leaves and plants, he feels safe and is able to relax. This stress reduction is a key ingredient (along with heat) to stimulate the immune system. Even without adding an antibiotic to the mix, this will give the turtle the best chance of fighting whatever is ailing him.
Within about a week his eyes opened. Within 2 weeks he began eating again. He is now eating 2 meals a day, self-soaking, and he actively searches for beetles and worms that I throw in. Even though his antibiotic course is over, I will be keeping him in his rehab tote for a few more weeks. Later in the summer, if he has gained sufficient weight, I will put him back in his outdoor enclosure.
Hanging fake plants above the tote to help the turtle feel safe and secure is a key ingredient to stress reduction.