Baby Eastern Box Turtle Help

[Eric Phillips]

so last evening after work.... he seemed a little more awake (not totally dug in) when i picked him up to soak. i gave him his a soak with pedialyte. i dropped in a small red worm after about 10 minutes. not interested. then i emptied dish and left him with just the worm...misted him a bit. he went after worm a lil bit, took one bite at it...then it slid underneath him and stayed there. i didn't want to move him or drop another in front of him because then he gets spooked and goes and hides. he looked around and then just gave up. man so close. when i try to put him back in front of worm....he lost interest. it seems almost like he forgets how to eat.

Challenging little booger My EBT Hatchling went about a month when I changed Indoor Enclosures just dug in and hid. I put him in a side box put meal worms, wax worms, a few pill bugs, and small crickets with the hind legs removed in a bag dusted with calcium and vitamins. Released them all in the box with Charlie Houdini Brown and let him go after his liking.

 

[ratbones7]

My baby 3-toed boxie baby (closely related to EBTs) went at least 2 months without eating (mainly due to my failure to provide long winter photoperiod). He never seemed ill, though.
Once he started eating again, he became much stronger and faster in his movements, and is now growing again and doing well.

thanks for this. great to hear. can't say my guy really seemed ill either...just lazyish and disinterested in eating. i never saw any discharge or breathing problems. he does do that twitch with head every now and again and does make a calling out sound every once it while...like he's crying for help? he did rub his eyes alot before but i think that was compact uvb i had and since replaced with long tube. vet i took him to about month ago said his eyes looked clear. he said to just keep doing what i have been. he did rec anything force feed or tube.

 

[ratbones7]

Are you able to see him? Is he in a tank vivarium or a plastic type tub? Is it possible he is hunting up worms when not looking? I place pile of worms on my turtles tile and walk away. They will sometimes eat on the slate and other times take the worm and run for cover to eat under the plants. I also will see them eating a worm that got away throughout the day. I toss in a few crickets every so often and they disappear.

he's in a big black rubbermaid. it's possible he may eat but i really dont think so. there is always a couple earthworms and meal worms that i leave in there. i dont keep great track of the numbers so there's a chance.

 

[ratbones7]

Challenging little booger My EBT Hatchling went about a month when I changed Indoor Enclosures just dug in and hid. I put him in a side box put meal worms, wax worms, a few pill bugs, and small crickets with the hind legs removed in a bag dusted with calcium and vitamins. Released them all in the box with Charlie Houdini Brown and let him go after his liking.

haha. yeah i've tried something like this. im gonna party when this guy finally eats! :crossfingers:

 

[ratbones7]

still no eatin that ive seen. drinks like a champ i think during soaks. please make it until april!!!

 

[TortsNTurtles]

Keep adding worms to the enclosure and maybe he will eat away. April is not far now!

 

[Loohan]

Maybe bathe him in fresh-squeezed veggy juice?

 

[ratbones7]

he just ate!!!!!! he went crazy!!!! 2 meal worms and wiggler. 2nd one i got some vitamin drops on too!!! he had trouble with red wiggler. so i dropped meal worm on top. he was in feed mode!!! thanks everyone!

 

[Eric Phillips]

he just ate!!!!!! he went crazy!!!! 2 meal worms and wiggler. 2nd one i got some vitamin drops on too!!! he had trouble with red wiggler. so i dropped meal worm on top. he was in feed mode!!! thanks everyone!

That a boy! Awesome!

 

[ratbones7]

video attached?

 

[Ciri]

he just ate!!!!!! he went crazy!!!! 2 meal worms and wiggler. 2nd one i got some vitamin drops on too!!! he had trouble with red wiggler. so i dropped meal worm on top. he was in feed mode!!! thanks everyone!

Fantastic!!! This is wonderful news. Good job!

 

[TortsNTurtles]

That is wonderful news!

 

[ratbones7]

man did he snap out of whatever funk he was in. wont stop eating. now i give him a soak and he just starts snappin' at dirt on the bottom ,etc. he's a real clumsy eater. misses worms half the time.

i have to watch not overfeeding and now get his diet more diversified.

 

[TortsNTurtles]

man did he snap out of whatever funk he was in. wont stop eating. now i give him a soak and he just starts snappin' at dirt on the bottom ,etc. he's a real clumsy eater. misses worms half the time.

i have to watch not overfeeding and now get his diet more diversified.

That is wonderful news!!