My year old eastern box turtle stopped eating

Leavy

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Just do me a favor would ya? Get a buncha Gerber strained carrots and start soaking her every day making the carrot water mixture just a bit hotter than warm. I make the stuff just a bit higher than the bridge. I mostly soak for 30 to 45 minutes, but I have been known to forget I was soaking somebody for several hours. Give wet cat food a try, it smells like dead stuff. I also get a nightcrawler and cut it up like Hannibal Lecter making several sections of cut wiggling worm and put them on the top of the cat food.
Will definitely get the gerber food. Been using the organic carrot juice and I tried wet dog food. Will pick up cat food tomorrow. Thank you thank you.
 

Leavy

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I don’t think you should hibernate her if she is sick. I would make a smaller “hospital “ habitat that can be easily heated with proper temperature etc. If you think she is getting worse feeding tubes by trained Vets are a good for getting her metabolism back on track. Duckster needed help and that was a wonder for him. I was reluctant but it saved him. Either way I’m hoping it works out.
Calling the vet again tomorrow. The thought of hibernation is so frightening to me. Thank you for your help.
 

Leavy

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Me too! I took this baby a few months ago having NO idea how much work would be involved to ensure she’s healthy. My kids had box turtles back in Texas fir a short time. Those guys had nothing like this spoiled little princess. Lol.
How do you keep water warm that long? I’ve tried so many ways to no avail.
 

jeff kushner

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You don't, water cools very quickly. Some of us will prewarm the tub or sink but if it's not cast iron, it's not going to hold the heat too long. I typically add an inch or so to the bottom the big tub at 90-95F....she has room to get out of the water or in.....and it's still 70-75 an hour later so it's fine.

I read the entire thread and would suggest if all is as it appears to someone reading this thread, Sammy might be an oddball. Yup, just a little strange.....I used to have one that would lose a ton of weight each Fall to the point of feeling like he had an empty shell but darn if he didn't come back every Spring. Sammy @ 50+ grams gives him some overhead so even at 6-8 weeks, it's not time to make funeral arrangements yet(hopefully never!).

You've got him under a Vets care and you are here....that alone shows a lot...pretty cool of you. The talent here exceeds that of any vet short of a specialist.....that's been my observations here anyway. There will always be good and bad suggestions so I recommend using your head to decipher.

Little Matilda, whom I live with has pretty much stopped eating organics and non-moving food for now but like us, when given choices, they quickly develop favorites. She likes Super-worms and the red wrigglers sold to composters.

Posting pictures of Sammy here will make him get better, nobody here told you that? LOL

Forum users love pictures, especially of the littlest guys!

Good luck,

jeff
 

Leavy

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Location (City and/or State)
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You don't, water cools very quickly. Some of us will prewarm the tub or sink but if it's not cast iron, it's not going to hold the heat too long. I typically add an inch or so to the bottom the big tub at 90-95F....she has room to get out of the water or in.....and it's still 70-75 an hour later so it's fine.

I read the entire thread and would suggest if all is as it appears to someone reading this thread, Sammy might be an oddball. Yup, just a little strange.....I used to have one that would lose a ton of weight each Fall to the point of feeling like he had an empty shell but darn if he didn't come back every Spring. Sammy @ 50+ grams gives him some overhead so even at 6-8 weeks, it's not time to make funeral arrangements yet(hopefully never!).

You've got him under a Vets care and you are here....that alone shows a lot...pretty cool of you. The talent here exceeds that of any vet short of a specialist.....that's been my observations here anyway. There will always be good and bad suggestions so I recommend using your head to decipher.

Little Matilda, whom I live with has pretty much stopped eating organics and non-moving food for now but like us, when given choices, they quickly develop favorites. She likes Super-worms and the red wrigglers sold to composters.

Posting pictures of Sammy here will make him get better, nobody here told you that? LOL

Forum users love pictures, especially of the littlest guys!

Good luck,

jeff

You don't, water cools very quickly. Some of us will prewarm the tub or sink but if it's not cast iron, it's not going to hold the heat too long. I typically add an inch or so to the bottom the big tub at 90-95F....she has room to get out of the water or in.....and it's still 70-75 an hour later so it's fine.

I read the entire thread and would suggest if all is as it appears to someone reading this thread, Sammy might be an oddball. Yup, just a little strange.....I used to have one that would lose a ton of weight each Fall to the point of feeling like he had an empty shell but darn if he didn't come back every Spring. Sammy @ 50+ grams gives him some overhead so even at 6-8 weeks, it's not time to make funeral arrangements yet(hopefully never!).

You've got him under a Vets care and you are here....that alone shows a lot...pretty cool of you. The talent here exceeds that of any vet short of a specialist.....that's been my observations here anyway. There will always be good and bad suggestions so I recommend using your head to decipher.

Little Matilda, whom I live with has pretty much stopped eating organics and non-moving food for now but like us, when given choices, they quickly develop favorites. She likes Super-worms and the red wrigglers sold to composters.

Posting pictures of Sammy here will make him get better, nobody here told you that? LOL

Forum users love pictures, especially of the littlest guys!

Good luck,

jeff
sammy hides.JPGsammygreets.JPG
 

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Leavy

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Sammy is no longer in her large enclosure. We relocated her several weeks ago to this smaller home which can be warmed much easier. Sammy greets me in the morning when I turn on her lights-- with her little head poking out of the substrate. She will climb on her hide for a few minutes,, but then she digs in and burrows when I give her food. I am continuing her carrot soaks in hope that she is drinking in some liquid. I don't see evidence of her being in her water dish at all during the day.
 

Maggie3fan

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