Gnarly looking 3-toe, advice needed!

[Herphiles]

So, to start off I am fairly new to the tortoise and turtle side of reptile keeping, I've kept snakes for years though. So my girlfriend is a manager at a great local pet shop, she's the fish and reptile girl and she knows her stuff! Well, yesterday someone brought a couple of boxies to the store as a rescue/surrender (she was sending me pics throughout the night) and one of em, a little three-toed (took me a little while to even figure out the species from the amount of shell deformity) is definitely in some rough shape. I've never personally seen an animal with this degree of shell deformation, it's supposedly three years old but it's shell is smaller than a pack of cigarettes!
The turtle is in good hands now, Jess is going to make sure that everything that can be done for it will be done and he'll be staying at the store and seeing a vet til he's fit to be rehomed. What I'm wondering though is what do you guys think could have caused this much deformation? Is there a chance that this little guy could make it and live a healthy happy life without significant medical costs to either the store or the person who adopts him? We're considering taking him in ourselves but I really don't want to take him home just to have him die on us. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[yagyujubei]

Severe Metabolic Bone Disease. It needs calcium and UVB, preferably sunlight.

 

[Neal]

Severe Metabolic Bone Disease. It needs calcium and UVB, preferably sunlight.

Ditto.

Poor guy is completely trashed. Good luck with him and keep us updated.

It is going to be a challenge...which may require frequent trips to the vet and lots of $. If you have the time and a little extra cash, go for it.

 

[SailingMystic]

Give him a chance!! That's why he's in your hands and made it this far . He seems active and curious - a good sign. Get him sunshine water and calcium and fresh organic food -- do you have a yard where you could build a pen to house him outside? There are a lot of people on this forum who can offer good advice. He deserves a chance and some worms!! He needs love and a lot more-- but I'd try!!

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Where are you located? Can you get to a vet to check for worms?

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[dmmj]

Probably was an indoor guy his entire life, with no access to sun or UVB.

 

[turtlemann2]

He has potential to live a long life, he seems alert and active despite his circumstances... It is so unfortunate that hehas recieved such shotty care in his 3 years of life

 

[SailingMystic]

He has potential to live a long life, he seems alert and active despite his circumstances... It is so unfortunate that hehas recieved such shotty care in his 3 years of life

I agree I'm so upset to see this! I'd take him he needs love

 

[Herphiles]

Give him a chance!! That's why he's in your hands and made it this far . He seems active and curious - a good sign. Get him sunshine water and calcium and fresh organic food -- do you have a yard where you could build a pen to house him outside? There are a lot of people on this forum who can offer good advice. He deserves a chance and some worms!! He needs love and a lot more-- but I'd try!!

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Where are you located? Can you get to a vet to check for worms?

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Where are you located? Can you get to a vet to check for worms?

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We are in seacoast new Hampshire, getting him to the vet to get a fecal would be my first stop before I would bring him to the house, gotta watch out for the critters we already have first! An outside pen would be difficult for us though, we're in an apartment and don't get much of a yard lol but I'm getting a little playpen type setup for our red foot so they would be able to have a little time outside.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Give him a chance!! That's why he's in your hands and made it this far . He seems active and curious - a good sign. Get him sunshine water and calcium and fresh organic food -- do you have a yard where you could build a pen to house him outside? There are a lot of people on this forum who can offer good advice. He deserves a chance and some worms!! He needs love and a lot more-- but I'd try!!

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Where are you located? Can you get to a vet to check for worms?

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[wellington]

Most likely the store will never sell him. Most will not buy a pet that looks like he is in need of medical care and in such poor shape. I would let the store pay for what they will as far as vet checks and such and then take him home and give him the love and good care the poor thing never got. Good luck, keep us posted and hoping the best for the little thing

 

[jojodesca]

Despite the look of this turtle, she still may have many years where she can live comfortably. It looks like a rough road ahead, but maybe with love she can get through it. Poor ttbt! If you do take her home and she were to die, just know that you gave her love in the end and she wasn't left in a pet store to die alone. You would be compassionate to take care of her.

 

[fbsmith3]

It's very sad. My Cleo has lived with me for 25 years, she has been with me through apartment living, tanks, wrong diet and somehow looks like a perfect Three Toed Box turtle. I've had Grumpa for only a few months and she's gone from a calm quiet three toed to a pain in the neck.

Sunlight, proper varied diet vegitable, lean meat and fruit for picky eaters, D3 vitamins, sunlamp is what will get the boxy in good start.

I've always lived in New England and getting your reptile friends a little sun and a proper diet is easy. This is unforgivable. I'm glad the boxie is in good hands now.

Good luck

 

[Herphiles]

Thanks guys! I'll definitely be doing my research on three toes to make sure if we do bring him home he gets the best possible care. He is getting around well and doesn't seem to have any major problems with his legs. For some reason he does not seem to have a tail, not sure why that might be since we did not get much history on them.

Thanks again for all the advice I will keep you updated on him/her!

 

[dmmj]

If he was kept in the past with another 3 toe in a cramped place it might have been bitten off in a fight, it happens with box turtles in confined spaces.

 

[Herphiles]

If he was kept in the past with another 3 toe in a cramped place it might have been bitten off in a fight, it happens with box turtles in confined spaces.

Ahhh, yeah that would make sense. The only back story Jess got on the two turtles they took in was that they had the ornate boxie first (who is actually in pretty decent shape besides needing his beak trimmed) and then got the three-toed, probably got her as a "friend" for the ornate . Not sure how they had them set up but if I had to guess they were probably in far too small of an enclosure and the ornate was protecting his territory.

I've already got some really fun ideas in my head for tortoise table set ups, I think I can design something pretty cool that will allow us to house the three-toed and our redfoot (in separate spaces of course) with plenty of space for each (at least til the redfoot gets a lot bigger). Oh and in my very preliminary research on them (I'm a college student I have to know as much as I can before I even consider taking on a new species lol) I saw a couple of places mentioning that males will have red irises? So, based on that I think jojo may be correct in referring to her as a female.

Again, thanks for all the advice! I'm really digging the atmosphere on this forum!

 

[jojodesca]

I am also wondering if this ttbt was basically "born this way"...I have had Ninja in a glass enclosure since I got her...Pokey and Lefty were kept in a fishtank with WATERFALLS for over 10 yrs when I got them off Craigslist..And Charlie was kept in a shoe box in a garage for his whole life until i got him and he is maybe 5-8 yrs old or even more. They are all in a glass enclosure now since i live in an Apartment. They get proper nutrition, uvb and i have basking lights for them.

Maybe some Box turtles develop some sort of gene in the egg that makes them prone to deformities. IDK, however it is a thought. Just by looking at the pics of this ttbt make me wonder is it was basically doomed from breaking through the egg.

 

[yagyujubei]

It wasn't born this way.

I am also wondering if this ttbt was basically "born this way"...I have had Ninja in a glass enclosure since I got her...Pokey and Lefty were kept in a fishtank with WATERFALLS for over 10 yrs when I got them off Craigslist..And Charlie was kept in a shoe box in a garage for his whole life until i got him and he is maybe 5-8 yrs old or even more. They are all in a glass enclosure now since i live in an Apartment. They get proper nutrition, uvb and i have basking lights for them.

Maybe some Box turtles develop some sort of gene in the egg that makes them prone to deformities. IDK, however it is a thought. Just by looking at the pics of this ttbt make me wonder is it was basically doomed from breaking through the egg.

 

[Herphiles]

I am also wondering if this ttbt was basically "born this way"...I have had Ninja in a glass enclosure since I got her...Pokey and Lefty were kept in a fishtank with WATERFALLS for over 10 yrs when I got them off Craigslist..And Charlie was kept in a shoe box in a garage for his whole life until i got him and he is maybe 5-8 yrs old or even more. They are all in a glass enclosure now since i live in an Apartment. They get proper nutrition, uvb and i have basking lights for them.

Maybe some Box turtles develop some sort of gene in the egg that makes them prone to deformities. IDK, however it is a thought. Just by looking at the pics of this ttbt make me wonder is it was basically doomed from breaking through the egg.

I suppose it's possible that she was born with a genetic propensity for shell problems but my theory is that she was housed with the larger ornate boxie who probably ate the vast majority of the food and kept her from getting proper nutrition (if proper nutrition was provided at all). Coupled with the apparent lack of UVB that would definitely do a number on a little turtle like her.

 

[terryo]

I have seen worse. Read the story of Scotter the Eastern Box Turtle. This is from a rescue near me.
http://www.turtlerescues.org/scooter.htm[hr]
I have a little one now that is two years old and the size of a hatchling. Very bunpy...a little mess. I've had her for a few months now and she's eating and getting sun when ever the weather permits, and she's doing fine so far.

 

[Herphiles]

I have seen worse. Read the story of Scotter the Eastern Box Turtle. This is from a rescue near me.
http://www.turtlerescues.org/scooter.htm[hr]
I have a little one now that is two years old and the size of a hatchling. Very bunpy...a little mess. I've had her for a few months now and she's eating and getting sun when ever the weather permits, and she's doing fine so far.

Oh wow, Scooter is just awesome! Is that picture down on the bottom of him as well? If so, that definitely gives me some hope that this little girl may just pull through this. It looks like we will be bringing her home once we can get a proper setup for her and get her to the vet for a checkup and de-worming! We both just want her to have a long happy, healthy life with us!

Any tips as far as setting up an enclosure for a special needs turtle like her? Is there any normal substrates that might need to be avoided?

Jess just texted me and said that she's got a great appetite, she's had a few worms and greens already!