Poor two day old turtle. Any ideas why?

[AndreaRosie]

My turtles laid eggs and they finally hatched! One is a beautiful thing. The other is only .2 ounces. He has only one nostril. No eyes I can tell through magnifying glass. Also only has a right front leg, and a weird left front leg. His face has patches that look like there is no skin on them. I fed him two tiny crickets. He seemed to move around more after that. He goes back and forth around his enclosure. Any idea why this birth defect could have happened? I will keep him until he passes, because with me he will be loved, warm, and as happy as he could be.

 

[chester tortoiseson]

Awh, poor guy! As long as he is happy, it can't be too bad for the little guy❤.

 

[SulcataSquirt]

aw, poor little guy, you should take some pictures of this little guy, if hes so small you can get a good picture, most camera have a macro mode that takes great up close pics.

 

[AndreaRosie]

Here is the little fellow.

 

[shellysmom]

Do you know if the parents might be related to each other? Or if the eggs were exposed to something toxic while the little guy was forming--what kind of substrate were the eggs incubated in? Maybe the mom was exposed to something toxic before she laid the eggs...???

Poor little guy. It looks like his eyes never formed where they are supposed to be. Keep us updated.

 

[wellington]

Awww, poor little fella. I doubt any reason could be determined. May be one of many. Glad to see you will do for him, until he can't do no more. He may just do with some extra help

 

[yagyujubei]

Very strange. Looks like an injury that has healed.

 

[Jacqui]

The toxic questions are a great idea. You took such nice and clear pictures of the little guy. So sad to see them however. Poor baby.

 

[mainey34]

Awww. Poor little guy. So sorry. Glad your taking care of the little sweetie.

 

[Yvonne G]

It also looks as if he doesn't have the correct number of scutes. I think there are supposed to be 5 vertebral scutes (or maybe its 4), and your little guy looks like there are only three.

Who really ever knows why birth defects happen.

 

[AndreaRosie]

The parents aren't related. They are rescue turtles from Texas and Louisiana. Closest ones were 60 miles apart. The soil was just regular dirt from my backyard. Others last year hatched fine and were released. Even his egg mate is fine and healthy running around.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

Oh my gosh, just seeing the pictures makes me want to cry. Poor fella. I'm glad that it sounds like he is doing okay, all things considered :'(

 

[l0velesly]

Poor guy! I hope he's not blind and that he lives a long life

 

[Mojo's Mom]

It must be so sad to have eggs hatch to have one turn out unhealthy. All you can ever hope for is that your baby is healthy and has all of its limbs and toes. That is the same for torts, sadly like anything there is always that unique case that is heartbreaking.

I am sure that he is in good hands having a person like you to watch out for him for however long he stays on this planet.

Good luck to both you and him!

 

[NinjaTortoises]

How sad, at least he has you, its saddening when stuff like this happens

 

[ascott]

I think the little one is absolutely beautiful exactly the way he was meant to be .....sounds as though he was hatched out to the perfect caregiver and you two are a great match.....Please keep the pics and updates coming....

 

[AndreaRosie]

I think the lil guy might have an eye! It seems like there is a dot, and he keeps trying to blink. Fingers crossed!

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I hope he has an eye! That would make his life a whole heck of a lot easier, wouldn't it? Good luck!

 

[Ashleigh B]

Was his egg accidently turned? My friend at school had a bunch of turtle eggs last years and two of them came out almost like that because her dad accicidently turned them

 

[AndreaRosie]

Was his egg accidently turned? My friend at school had a bunch of turtle eggs last years and two of them came out almost like that because her dad accicidently turned them

No never touched them. Saw mama lay them and walked away. I let her do her thing.