NEED HELP with geoemyda spengleri !

Xpxgizmo

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I got a 2 year old spengleri (black breasted leaf turtle) from a captive breeder about 2 weeks ago. These breeds are known to have a voracious appetite but she shows little interest in food. She also doesn't move for days and has low energy. I took her to a reptile vet and found out she has had internal parasites. We gave her antibiotics for a week. It's been about a week since her antibiotic treatment and no change. Still has very low energy and shows little interest in food. Here are some additional details:

- years old, female
- 30 grams
- I try feeding her live earthworms, superworms, crickets, and snails
- The daytime temp. of enclosure is 70-75 degrees
- Humidity is at 80-90%

If anyone has had experience with this species, please help!!! Thank you.
 

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PA2019

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While I do not keep spengleri I think it would be helpful if you added more information such as:

1) Her age again, your description doesn't say the age
2) Pictures of the enclosure
3) The types of parasites found by the vet
3) The antibiotic that was given
4) Her weight when she first arrived
5) Her latest weight taken
6) If she is housed with other spengleri or if she has been exposed to other turtles/tortoises
 

mark1

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never had one , but I would be more inclined to keep the temp 80-85 …….. I know it's said they inhabit cooler areas in their habitat , but I've never seen 80-85 be too warm for anything I've kept , and I am absolutely positive there is no place in their natural habitat that approaches the cold temps the stuff here inhabits …….. these guys here are active at sunny and 40 F , they'll eat when it's sunny and 50 F , but they still thrive best when it's 80-85 F . jmo …….
 

Xpxgizmo

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Location (City and/or State)
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While I do not keep spengleri I think it would be helpful if you added more information such as:

1) Her age again, your description doesn't say the age
2) Pictures of the enclosure
3) The types of parasites found by the vet
3) The antibiotic that was given
4) Her weight when she first arrived
5) Her latest weight taken
6) If she is housed with other spengleri or if she has been exposed to other turtles/tortoises

1. 2 years old
2. Enclosure photo attached
3. The vet just wrote that she had high azurophil count, which indicates internal parasites)
4. CEFTAZIDIME is the antibiotics given
5. 30 grams when I first got her
6. Weighed her two days ago and she is 31 grams
7. No other spengleri in the enclosure
 

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Xpxgizmo

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never had one , but I would be more inclined to keep the temp 80-85 …….. I know it's said they inhabit cooler areas in their habitat , but I've never seen 80-85 be too warm for anything I've kept , and I am absolutely positive there is no place in their natural habitat that approaches the cold temps the stuff here inhabits …….. these guys here are active at sunny and 40 F , they'll eat when it's sunny and 50 F , but they still thrive best when it's 80-85 F . jmo …….

I guess I can try that. I have a temperature timer with a che bulb so I will set it at 82 degrees. Thank you.
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

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I've had good results with snails (like the ones you'd find in an aquarium) and little bits of ground turkey or chicken with a little bit of ground insect protein for picky eaters. Careful about the poultry, however, because some become "addicts" and will refuse other forms of protein. I've never had this species, but I've had water and box turtles in the past. Usually they are voracious, but sometimes when new they can take a week or two before they decide hunger is more important than trying to escape.
 

mark1

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that's a really nice enclosure …...how cold does the enclosure get when the timer shuts the che off ? how accurate are your temps as to where the turtle is ? I would think your vet thinks the high azurophil count is indicative of a bacterial infection , therefor the ceftazidime …… how many hours of daylight does the turtle get ? I believe you'll find these turtles come from an area where much of the year is hot and oppressive , with very little temperature fluctuations on a daily basis ……… as far as breeding they probably need a cooler season , I think cold is not something they need , it's something they endure ……….
 

Xpxgizmo

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that's a really nice enclosure …...how cold does the enclosure get when the timer shuts the che off ? how accurate are your temps as to where the turtle is ? I would think your vet thinks the high azurophil count is indicative of a bacterial infection , therefor the ceftazidime …… how many hours of daylight does the turtle get ? I believe you'll find these turtles come from an area where much of the year is hot and oppressive , with very little temperature fluctuations on a daily basis ……… as far as breeding they probably need a cooler season , I think cold is not something they need , it's something they endure ……….

I'm in Southern California so it doesn't get too cold. Coldest it's gotten is probably 68 degrees. It gets about 8 hours of daylight.
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

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Forest animals have a lot of unique needs. They require lots of hiding places, "warm shade" (places to warm up without being out in the direct light) as well as a basking spot if they choose to use it. Remember, in it's natural habitat, the canopy of the rain forest blankets out much of the light, so only a few rays manage to get to the floor. I had a forest monitor that refused to bask, and refused to leave her hide. I added a ton of silk plants, multiple hides, and placed a hide directly under the basking light. She perked up immediately and was a happy monitor, slinking around her pen all day, looking for prey. Sucked for me, as an owner, since I rarely saw her except dinner time and baths/pen cleanings, but I knew she was doing better, and her rustling around the silk banana plants reminded me of the Velociraptors from the Jurassic Park movies.
 

mark1

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you might want to try 12-13hrs daylight ……...

Field surveys: During the field transects, we recorded seven individuals of G. spengleri and one of C. mouhotii (Online Appendix 4). Individuals of G. spengleri were observed at an average elevation of 699.7 ± 31.6 m a.s.l. (range = 651-725 m, median = 710 m). Their relative frequency of observation was 0.037 individual/person/hour. Among our observed G. spengleri individuals, four were adults, one sub-adult, one juvenile and one hatchling. Two were males (one adult and one sub-adult), four were females (all adults) and one was a hatchling of unidentified sex. Out of seven free-ranging G. spengleri, only one individual was found by a hunting dog. The turtles were found from 10:47-13:45 h, in all cases when the weather was sunny following heavy rains. Turtles were observed at 25-30 ˚C temperature range. Three turtles were found in rocky caves while four turtles were found in a forest patch dominated by bamboo (Arundinaria sp) (Fig. 3). The individuals found outside of rocky caves were not too far from a rocky area (range from 10-50 m) when first seen and all were found on but not hiding under leaf litter. The forest cover at the location of G. spengleri ranged from 70 %-90 % (mean =76.4 ± 7.4 %, median = 75 %), thus showing that this species inhabits dense forest patches. However, there were no turtles found in wet forest areas with canopy cover higher than 90 %. The slope angles where turtles were found varied considerably, from 5-45 ˚, with an average of 24.6 ± 17.5 ° (median = 25 °).
Thong
 

Xpxgizmo

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you might want to try 12-13hrs daylight ……...

Field surveys: During the field transects, we recorded seven individuals of G. spengleri and one of C. mouhotii (Online Appendix 4). Individuals of G. spengleri were observed at an average elevation of 699.7 ± 31.6 m a.s.l. (range = 651-725 m, median = 710 m). Their relative frequency of observation was 0.037 individual/person/hour. Among our observed G. spengleri individuals, four were adults, one sub-adult, one juvenile and one hatchling. Two were males (one adult and one sub-adult), four were females (all adults) and one was a hatchling of unidentified sex. Out of seven free-ranging G. spengleri, only one individual was found by a hunting dog. The turtles were found from 10:47-13:45 h, in all cases when the weather was sunny following heavy rains. Turtles were observed at 25-30 ˚C temperature range. Three turtles were found in rocky caves while four turtles were found in a forest patch dominated by bamboo (Arundinaria sp) (Fig. 3). The individuals found outside of rocky caves were not too far from a rocky area (range from 10-50 m) when first seen and all were found on but not hiding under leaf litter. The forest cover at the location of G. spengleri ranged from 70 %-90 % (mean =76.4 ± 7.4 %, median = 75 %), thus showing that this species inhabits dense forest patches. However, there were no turtles found in wet forest areas with canopy cover higher than 90 %. The slope angles where turtles were found varied considerably, from 5-45 ˚, with an average of 24.6 ± 17.5 ° (median = 25 °).
Thong

wow! What great information. Thank you! Do you have the link to this article?
 

Lcmacg

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1. 2 years old
2. Enclosure photo attached
3. The vet just wrote that she had high azurophil count, which indicates internal parasites)
4. CEFTAZIDIME is the antibiotics given
5. 30 grams when I first got her
6. Weighed her two days ago and she is 31 grams
7. No other spengleri in the enclosure
Hi,
High azurophils in a turtle reflects chronic disease, especially infection with bacteria or virus. Not parasites, which cause elevated eosinophils in blood. The vet gave you an antibiotic, which treats bacterial infections, not a medication for parasites. It seems like your vet thinks the turtle has a bacterial infection. Usually parasites in the gut are diagnosed using exam of a stool sample. Hard to get if your turtle isn't eating, but can sometimes be done with a cloacal swab.
 

Xpxgizmo

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Hi,
High azurophils in a turtle reflects chronic disease, especially infection with bacteria or virus. Not parasites, which cause elevated eosinophils in blood. The vet gave you an antibiotic, which treats bacterial infections, not a medication for parasites. It seems like your vet thinks the turtle has a bacterial infection. Usually parasites in the gut are diagnosed using exam of a stool sample. Hard to get if your turtle isn't eating, but can sometimes be done with a cloacal swab.

Thank you for your response. Sorry, I misspoke. I meant to say internal bacteria, not parasites. What does chronic disease mean?
 

Hutsie B

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I had some splengeri. The females were kept separate from the males. They needed a very wet environment, but the females did not make it. The male is still alive and feeding well. He loves earthworms. It is good yours is eating now.
 

dionaeamuscipula2

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Hi, how is your turtle doing now? I am interested in potentially acquiring one of these turtles and was just wanting to ask who you got yours from. Doubly so as it was captive bred and Anthony Pierloni notes that the acclimation of wild caught geoemyda spengleri is a difficult process
 

FengDian

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In my country, there is a whole set of conditioning procedures, but I don't know how to say it to you. This turtle is prone to stomach problems, parasite problems are more common, and liver problems are also common

It is recommended that you supplement it with electrolytic multivitamins ➕ astragalus polysaccharides after deworming. Then feed it with worms and ask your doctor for the rest.

There are more people raising it on our side, so there are more treatment methods, but I don't understand English, and many can't describe it.
 

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