Anorexic tortoise

SharenL

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Can anyone help? Our 35 year old Mediterranean Spur Thighed tortoise hasn't eaten since she woke from hibernation (April). We took her to a vets who wasn't sure what was wrong, did loads of tests and suggested it might be depleted tortoise syndrome. The vet was pessimistic about the outcome but suggested they might sew a feeding tube to her mouth, by which we could syringe feed her. We felt this was too intrusive and brought her home and have not taken her to a vet since. She drinks when we bath her and sometimes appears interested in food and will nibble something, but doesn't appear to be able to swallow it (it just stays in her mouth).
We are sort-of resigned to having her put down once she goes into hibernation at the end of this season. This is obviously upsetting for us.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to anything we could do to improve the situation?
Sharen
 

jsheffield

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Following and interested, and keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Pardon me if this is dumb, but have you tried warm soaks with babyfood (carrot and/or mango and/or sweet potato and/or banana)?

I took in a dehydrated hingeback tortoise that wasn't eating and he only turned around and began eating after weeks (literally) of daily 6-10 hour (again, literally) warm water soaks... I'd keep the baths warm enough for long enough by putting the tub in his enclosure.

Eventually, he began to eat the foods I'd put out, and he started packing weight on.

I hope something similar, or different but equally successful, can be found for your tortoise.

Jamie
 

Randy Micheals

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Agree with the soaks, can try using carrot baby food in the water, and this may help her soak up some needed nutrients.
 
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Ink

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I used baby food carrot soaks on my rescue Miss. Dexter Persimmons. He was underweight, wasn't eating much, and very dehydrated. It worked and he is doing great.
 

Tabby0318

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Can anyone help? Our 35 year old Mediterranean Spur Thighed tortoise hasn't eaten since she woke from hibernation (April). We took her to a vets who wasn't sure what was wrong, did loads of tests and suggested it might be depleted tortoise syndrome. The vet was pessimistic about the outcome but suggested they might sew a feeding tube to her mouth, by which we could syringe feed her. We felt this was too intrusive and brought her home and have not taken her to a vet since. She drinks when we bath her and sometimes appears interested in food and will nibble something, but doesn't appear to be able to swallow it (it just stays in her mouth).
We are sort-of resigned to having her put down once she goes into hibernation at the end of this season. This is obviously upsetting for us.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to anything we could do to improve the situation?
Sharen
Hi Sharen,
I have a spur thigh. I had worries about her breathing heavy and took her to Chine House in Leicester, they have a vet that specialises in exotics and reptiles. They can do xrays and scans, if you havent already had them done.

I have mashed up cucumber and a very very thin half slice of banana wrapped in a romaine lettuce (when I had to give Tabby antibiotics), not sure if cucumber helps with dehydration.

Hoping for the best for your little girl.
 

mark1

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i'd guess the tortoise hasn't eaten in 10-11months ? short of something invasive as a feeding tube , imo , you need to make this tortoise feel better in order to eat .... couple thing i believe stimulate appetite are b-complex injections and metronidazole , things i believe make an ill turtle feel better fluid therapy , sunlight , optimal temp (sick turtles or tortoises will not thermo regulate properly , they need kept at optimal temps overall , not too hot or too cold ) .... i'd definitely keep up soaking , the carrot thing actually always sounded like a good idea to me ....... my thought would be an ADE injection , a b complex injection and fluids , no stress ........ i assume folks will say tortoises are seldom deficient in vitamin A , i would be pretty sure after not eating for close to a year and having hibernated he is deficient in everything you could think of ....... if you ever been real sick and been given iv fluids , you know how effective fluids are ...... they also can mix up an iv fluid to give him a little energy .....

i'm very pro-vet (never had a bad experience that wasn't anticipated) i'm also very pro non-invasive , most any real invasive treatment i've ever been involved with went badly ..... about 4-5 yrs ago this guy did exactly what your tortoise is doing , he didn't eat for 10-11 months .... we tubed him 2x in late july/early august of that summer , was very easy to do as he was extremely weak , you could pull him out his shell with little effort ..... he came around doing most of what i mentioned ...... i didn't hibernate him the following winter but he has every winter since .....

Aviary-Photo-131712248061386469.jpg
 

Moozillion

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When the exotic vet I used for my eastern mud turtle ran out of ideas to treat an unusual problem that she developed, he referred me to our state veterinary school. The veterinary school (and many others, I’m guessing) need patients for their budding veterinarians to learn and practice on (ALWAYS with close supervision of the faculty). Our vet school runs an actual animal clinic and hospital open to the general public, and their fees are slightly LESS than other vets (like I said- they WANT patients). When I called about them seeing my turtle, they assigned her case to a graduating student who has a special interest in reptiles, assisted by a junior student who loves reptiles (and has a pet snake) and they were supervised by a reptile specialist! WHEW! Now, I live in south Louisiana here in the US, and we have tons of turtles and other reptiles. But I was confident that Jacques got the best medical attention in the whole state, at slightly less than the cost of an average vet!
So if you’re in the US, see if your state has a vet school and give them a call. Can’t hurt.
 

Yvonne G

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i'd guess the tortoise hasn't eaten in 10-11months ? short of something invasive as a feeding tube , imo , you need to make this tortoise feel better in order to eat .... couple thing i believe stimulate appetite are b-complex injections and metronidazole , things i believe make an ill turtle feel better fluid therapy , sunlight , optimal temp (sick turtles or tortoises will not thermo regulate properly , they need kept at optimal temps overall , not too hot or too cold ) .... i'd definitely keep up soaking , the carrot thing actually always sounded like a good idea to me ....... my thought would be an ADE injection , a b complex injection and fluids , no stress ........ i assume folks will say tortoises are seldom deficient in vitamin A , i would be pretty sure after not eating for close to a year and having hibernated he is deficient in everything you could think of ....... if you ever been real sick and been given iv fluids , you know how effective fluids are ...... they also can mix up an iv fluid to give him a little energy .....

i'm very pro-vet (never had a bad experience that wasn't anticipated) i'm also very pro non-invasive , most any real invasive treatment i've ever been involved with went badly ..... about 4-5 yrs ago this guy did exactly what your tortoise is doing , he didn't eat for 10-11 months .... we tubed him 2x in late july/early august of that summer , was very easy to do as he was extremely weak , you could pull him out his shell with little effort ..... he came around doing most of what i mentioned ...... i didn't hibernate him the following winter but he has every winter since .....

Aviary-Photo-131712248061386469.jpg
Gosh that's a pretty turtle!
 

Bubblesmom

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When the exotic vet I used for my eastern mud turtle ran out of ideas to treat an unusual problem that she developed, he referred me to our state veterinary school. The veterinary school (and many others, I’m guessing) need patients for their budding veterinarians to learn and practice on (ALWAYS with close supervision of the faculty). Our vet school runs an actual animal clinic and hospital open to the general public, and their fees are slightly LESS than other vets (like I said- they WANT patients). When I called about them seeing my turtle, they assigned her case to a graduating student who has a special interest in reptiles, assisted by a junior student who loves reptiles (and has a pet snake) and they were supervised by a reptile specialist! WHEW! Now, I live in south Louisiana here in the US, and we have tons of turtles and other reptiles. But I was confident that Jacques got the best medical attention in the whole state, at slightly less than the cost of an average vet!
So if you’re in the US, see if your state has a vet school and give them a call. Can’t hurt.
I’m responding to Moozillian.. I know it’s not about the original post… but I am so glad I ran across someone from my neck of the woods! I’m in central Louisiana, about an hour south of Monroe and an hour north of Alexandria …. I inherited an aquatic turtle, a Mississippi Map, a few months ago and about $1000 later I have finally gotten him set up in a great tank and gotten everything for him that I read about him needing!… and right now he is great… but it has been concerning to me that there is not a vet anywhere around, that I can find, that takes care of reptiles. So, I’m so glad to here that the vet school does!…. If I would have to take him to a vet I will be willing to drive as far as I need to. Do you mind letting me know how to get in touch with the vet school just so I can put the number in my contacts in the event I needed a vet. I’m assuming you are talking about LSU? I would greatly appreciate the info!
 

Moozillion

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I’m responding to Moozillian.. I know it’s not about the original post… but I am so glad I ran across someone from my neck of the woods! I’m in central Louisiana, about an hour south of Monroe and an hour north of Alexandria …. I inherited an aquatic turtle, a Mississippi Map, a few months ago and about $1000 later I have finally gotten him set up in a great tank and gotten everything for him that I read about him needing!… and right now he is great… but it has been concerning to me that there is not a vet anywhere around, that I can find, that takes care of reptiles. So, I’m so glad to here that the vet school does!…. If I would have to take him to a vet I will be willing to drive as far as I need to. Do you mind letting me know how to get in touch with the vet school just so I can put the number in my contacts in the event I needed a vet. I’m assuming you are talking about LSU? I would greatly appreciate the info!
Sure! I'll pm you so that we don't hijack this thread! :cool:
 

TriciaStringer

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I’m responding to Moozillian.. I know it’s not about the original post… but I am so glad I ran across someone from my neck of the woods! I’m in central Louisiana, about an hour south of Monroe and an hour north of Alexandria …. I inherited an aquatic turtle, a Mississippi Map, a few months ago and about $1000 later I have finally gotten him set up in a great tank and gotten everything for him that I read about him needing!… and right now he is great… but it has been concerning to me that there is not a vet anywhere around, that I can find, that takes care of reptiles. So, I’m so glad to here that the vet school does!…. If I would have to take him to a vet I will be willing to drive as far as I need to. Do you mind letting me know how to get in touch with the vet school just so I can put the number in my contacts in the event I needed a vet. I’m assuming you are talking about LSU? I would greatly appreciate the info!
We use LSU for all our reptiles vet needs. We love them! You can contact them at 225-578-9600, tell them you need an exotic vet.
I'm in Denham Springs, near Baton Rouge.
 

mark1

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Gosh that's a pretty turtle!
i was resigned to the thought he was going to die , he stopped eating early september and didn't eat again until august the following year ........ his shell is not as yellow as some i have , but his red , at times , is practically neon ......... i'd guess that pic was in the spring .....
 

SharenL

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Following and interested, and keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Pardon me if this is dumb, but have you tried warm soaks with babyfood (carrot and/or mango and/or sweet potato and/or banana)?

I took in a dehydrated hingeback tortoise that wasn't eating and he only turned around and began eating after weeks (literally) of daily 6-10 hour (again, literally) warm water soaks... I'd keep the baths warm enough for long enough by putting the tub in his enclosure.

Eventually, he began to eat the foods I'd put out, and he started packing weight on.

I hope something similar, or different but equally successful, can be found for your tortoise.

Jamie
Thanks Jamie,
We have tried all sorts of soft and liquid foods, but it just stays in her mouth and doesn't go down. she drinks when we put her in a lukewarm bath but that's it.
 

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