What have you tried to feed? Maybe try a treat like a grape or a strawberry? Wont even touch any Romaine? Have you tried any moist tortoise pellets? I hope the lil guy/girl eats soon! They can go some time without eating id make sure it stays very hydrated. If i couldnt get it to eat in the next couple days id find a tortoise vet. Goodluck💙
Found a prematurely hatched turtle
- Thread starter Jumhur
- Start date
It started eating but only baby tortoise pellets. When it smells them, it rushes towards them instantly but doesn't yet want to eat any greens, tomatoes, grapes and such. I put to walk a little bit around the house and it did pee clear color liquid which is good. One thing I noticed that while it walks, it keeps rubbing the cut yolk cord. I had a look and under it, there is clean open flesh. I applied some cream and I intent to keep it in a small box until the bottom shell close to avoid infections. Also I haven't seen its poo poo yet but I keep an eye on it. Also came across another turtle at the construction and put it far in the woods. Apparently people from the nearby village walk the woods to catch and eat turtles. You would think its still the 15th century.
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Hey guys, it's been some time since I last post here so I thought to update you as well as thank everyone who tried to help. The hatchling wasn't doing very good because I think it never did its poo poo since it started to feed. I took it to a few vets but they all said to just give olive oil drops with its food. It didn't work so I had to improvise thinking it would die if I don't act. I found some laxative drops in the pharmacy , checked ingredients if they harm animals and gave like 1/20th of a drop with its food pellet. Thankfully the risk paid off and it worked. Everything works fine since then. It poops daily or every 2 days as it should. My only other concern is that it doesn't want to eat any greens yet so it's diet is only turtle pellets. Also its bottom shell started to close nicely so I'm confident it has already made it and will live. Haven't named it yet but will come up with something soon hehe. Thank you all for everything!
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Congratulations - that's wonderful !!!
What was the laxative you used which did the magic ?
Angie
Hey there,
I used Dulcolax. For children between 4-10 years old the dose can go between 5-10 drops, with second use up to 20. That lead me to think the dose is quite flexible which is good when it comes to such small animal. I just brushed the food to a single drop and that was enough. Hope it is helpful info.
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Thanks - that might be very useful to know- it is available in the UK, where I am, and I will make a note of it for future reference. You never know when something like that could be useful.
Best wishes to you and your little one
Angie
UPDATE: the tortoise was doing really well. I went to holiday for a week and left its care to my parents and today (the day I arrived ) I found it dead 😭 it was eating well , had water pool with fresh water being changed twice a day. have no idea what went wrong and it died , I'm crushed 💔
So sorry to hear that. You went above and beyond to give this little guy a good start. Sad it didn't make it.
Thank you so much for letting us know, even though the news is sad.I'm so sorry that it didn't survive, but you did all you could, and gave it a good chance of life.
Maybe you will come across another little one which you can help - or even consider a slightly older baby which is in good health , that you can take care of for many years to come.
So very sorry
Angie
I thought mine had made it through the worst already. Since it has been healthy for many months , and without issues. It was eating well, sleeping well. Was very active , I don't know what could have killed it so quick. I found another turtle at the same size 5 weeks ago. After keeping them separate for a week I put them together. I don't know of the wild one could have infected mine with something somehow. And even if it got sick , I don't think it would perish in hours.
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Hello guys, I hope all are doing well. I wanted to ask you about some opinions of why the hatchling could have died as its not giving me any peace of mind. From the info I have, it has been energetic all week, up until a few hours I before arrived since thats the last time it was checked. My mom said it ate some grated carrots, dandelion, lettuce and some pellet food too. It always had big pool of water which was changed every day twice. The enclosure was shaded from the sun and the soil it was on was with good humidity. So I scratch off the heat , and the diet, and if it was sick it wouldn't have been energetic since I've seen it when it had constipation, it barely moved or wanted to eat then. I've noticed before that when it was sleeping once some wasp land on it. I wonder if it could have got a wasp sting on the neck area and make it enter into some shock state which eventually lead to death ?
Jumhur,
It's hard to say, but the first year of life is the hardest on these lil guys.
Sometimes it is just how the stars align. We can do all the right things, but without us knowing, things go wrong. I know this is NOT answering your question's, nor giving you closure.
But the shear fact you were able to get this lil one so far in it's life, where it surely would have died without anyone even knowing it existed @ the construction site, is a blessing in itself.
The powers that be, have seen how you cared for this lil one, and you too will be blessed, in time. This I am sure of...
Thank you for careing for this lil one, in it's time of greatest need.
It's hard to say, but the first year of life is the hardest on these lil guys.
Sometimes it is just how the stars align. We can do all the right things, but without us knowing, things go wrong. I know this is NOT answering your question's, nor giving you closure.
But the shear fact you were able to get this lil one so far in it's life, where it surely would have died without anyone even knowing it existed @ the construction site, is a blessing in itself.
The powers that be, have seen how you cared for this lil one, and you too will be blessed, in time. This I am sure of...
Thank you for careing for this lil one, in it's time of greatest need.
I am so sorry this happened,but many wild animals manage to conceal the fact that something is wrong with them as a protection from predators - until they give up. I'm not really suggesting that this happened, but it could be the case. Or, as you say, a wasp sting . Or an infection which it had even before you found it, and which finally took over. I can only say for sure that you gave it every chance to survive - and it is very very sad that it couldn't quite make it.
I hope you will be able to care for the other one you found, and give it a happy future - at least you be well informed about how to look after it from the start. Please let us know about its progress - with photos !
Very best wishes from Angie
Thanks for the kind words. Yeah it could be anything. I just had a strong bond towards the little fella, finding it straight from the broken egg and taking care of it all the way till the end I can't stop thinking about what went wrong with it seeming so healthy and energetic. I wasn't looking for a pet when i found it and things just happen that way.
I buried it close to where I found it mixed up in sweat and tears under the heat and marked the place with some sea stones i collected from Greece for its pool area. I will be visiting it often.
On the other hand I got my timeline wrong. Found the other tort July 2nd and put them together July 10ish , according to photo dates. Not sure why I thought I had it for so long. Before putting them together I had rubbed the new tort with a cotton bud dipped in Fipronil , 1ml fipronil to 1 liter water ratio just as a precaution against ticks. Today I decided to have a closer look at it since it trusts me more and I could inspect around it's neck skin easier and surprise surprise. Around 10 larva stage dead ticks.I pulled some with tweezers and some fell off with cotton bud rub. So far the other tort is doing great. It won't fill the gap the first one left but I will do my best to help this one as well.
I buried it close to where I found it mixed up in sweat and tears under the heat and marked the place with some sea stones i collected from Greece for its pool area. I will be visiting it often.
On the other hand I got my timeline wrong. Found the other tort July 2nd and put them together July 10ish , according to photo dates. Not sure why I thought I had it for so long. Before putting them together I had rubbed the new tort with a cotton bud dipped in Fipronil , 1ml fipronil to 1 liter water ratio just as a precaution against ticks. Today I decided to have a closer look at it since it trusts me more and I could inspect around it's neck skin easier and surprise surprise. Around 10 larva stage dead ticks.I pulled some with tweezers and some fell off with cotton bud rub. So far the other tort is doing great. It won't fill the gap the first one left but I will do my best to help this one as well.
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Thank you so much for describing your little one's burial - though I must say it had me in tears too. You did so well caring for it and making progress, and it seems so sad to have lost it in the end - but, you know, you may well become more and more fond of the other one as time goes on and it gets to know you and relate to you. They are such interesting creatures, and so different from humans that it is remarkable how close a bond one can have with them.
Very best wishes from Angie
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