boxie neglected.

[dreadyA]

Last month or so I went into a petshop just to checking out their "grand opening ".
The place was crammed, smelly, and plain dirty. The Guy had no organization at all. Although he did have to giant red parrots (don't know its proper name but they're jungle type.)
This Guy had two hatchling sulcatas in a Viv with pyramiding alreadytaking place. And waaaay at the bottom of a shelf, there was this poor Guy.


http://picasaweb.google.com/m/viewe...dyAbe/5393372819165227441/5393373424698783986

As you can see, he/she has a bad case of MBD. I was furious when I saw him with NO substrate,water or any Lighting. I was even more mad when i found out he was $300.I wanna rescue this boxie but iknow it willbe no easy task. I might go backand try to convince the dude to give it up for much less&show him how horrible his health is.
Any opinions ob rescuing him?

 

[Yvonne G]

I couldn't get in to see the picture.

But box turtles sell for around $50 apiece. You need to do some research on the places that sell them online and print it out and take it to the guy. BUT...if someone is willing to pay that price, chances are pretty good they're going to take good care of their investment. (hopefully)

Yvonne

 

[dreadyA]

Oh darn. I do everything over my mobile phone &photobucket never loads for me. I will try later on my gfs laptop

 

[dmmj]

at my local pet shop, which his animals are kept in horrible conditions. rabbit pelllets for substrate, no water, no hide boxes, only fed lettuce. the box turtles run around 100, some species sell for more like the florida box turtles he has sell for like 250. I would suggest talking with the owner about a price reduction since it is in bad shape, and try to inform on better husbandry. but I agree that someone who spends 300 on a boxie will most likely take good care of it.

 

[Yvonne G]

DreadyA sent me the picture to post for him.

Yvonne

---

When Abe first sent me the picture to post, I misunderstood and thought he was sending me a picture to put in the calendar submissions thread. Imagine my surprise when I posted it in the submissions thread and it turned out to be this poor little MBD guy with long claws and over grown beak!! I hurried up and deleted the post before anyone could see it there! Whew!!

Yvonne

 

[dreadyA]

oh,that was close! Thanks for posting it.
Poor little one. He looks more like an elephant than a turtle. Can any one I.d. this box turtle?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Looks like a 3 toed box turtle to me. $300 is seriously over priced...you can get them anywhere for $25 to $50. I would take a care sheet to show them how to set up the turtle and offer them $50 and if they won't sell him at that price ask them to set him up correctly or you will be calling the health dept or DFG. The turtle is in a situation that is life threatening.

 

[Yvonne G]

Maggie's correct...its a 3-toed box turtle, Terrapene carolina triunguis. Looks to be a female. She deff. needs her toe nails clipped and a good filing or clipping on the beak wouldn't hurt. That looks to be about a 7 gallon aquarium she's in. Way too small. And no substrate!! And what on earth is that in the food dish? To tell the truth, I don't see anything about that picture that is correct.

Yvonne

Oh, and, how does she get into the water dish without tipping it over?

 

[dreadyA]

thanks. not having a substrate has got to be hurting his nails more. When I looked at the food plate, it looked like dried up grapes...I will do a search for a caresheet and take it to him. I will keep y'all updated

 

[Maggie Cummings]

thanks. not having a substrate has got to be hurting his nails more. When I looked at the food plate, it looked like dried up grapes...I will do a search for a caresheet and take it to him. I will keep y'all updated

Sorry...I should have given this to you before. It's pretty much the best care sheet for them...

http://aboxturtle.com/

 

[terryo]

Oh...that is pathetic ! Please keep up posted on this.

 

[dreadyA]

I know, right?! Will do!

 

[cordell]

That is so sad... Turn his arse in! I dont know how anyone could even put that guy out for sale in his condition. You would think he would let it go for cheap/free to someone who can give it a proper home. Or he is looking for someone with a soft heart to come out the $300 to save the turt. Sick, just plain sick that people let these animals go like that. Its not a dog or cat who can fend for itself in some form or fashion. These turts are kept in cages with only what is given to them!

cordell

 

[cordell]

any update??

 

[dreadyA]

No
Ive been dealing my share of issues...in the process of trying to find a home for myself!

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Just curious Yvonne, how do you identify MBD on a box turtle? To my untrained eye, the shell has no pyramiding, which is the only symptom I would recognize.

Dready A, do you need a donation to help you buy the poor thing? If you decide to buy her, I'll try to help, though hopefully the dumb-as-a-rock owner will cut that price substantially.

 

[dreadyA]

Although that would be very generous, I don't think I can take someone else's money. The dumb rock needs to lower his price. Thank you tons though!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Just curious Yvonne, how do you identify MBD on a box turtle? To my untrained eye, the shell has no pyramiding, which is the only symptom I would recognize.

The first thing you notice is long, curly toe nails. Then a stunted tail that seems to point to the sky. Then over-grown beak. When it gets real bad, you see it in the distortion of the shell. This turtle isn't too bad, shell is still growing smoothly. And, really, her toenails might just be because she's kept in an aquarium with no substrate. Might not be MBD at all.

Yvonne

 

[cordell]

If he wont drop the price it is obvious he will keep suffering as $300 is a lot of money, plus its way to much for a sickly looking turtle. Its not the turtles fault, poor thing. Maybe if everyone pooled $5 or $10 to help get the money to get him out of that environment. He would do better on his own than their!


cordell

 

[tortoisenerd]

I don't believe in buying the tort in a bad situation, because then it will just get replaced with another one. I do however believe in trying to educate the seller.