Hello! I've been reading and absorbing info on this page for a while, but I've recently obtained a new hatchling and can't find a lot of info on how to care for it's specific issues. Both of my hatchlings were hatched in captivity. I received the first one at the beginning of the summer (Nickels). I set Nickles up outside until night temps started dropping this month, since he won't be brumating for the first few years. Now it is moved indoors. Nickels is doing great. He has more than doubled in size, is active, and a great eater.
Now onto my "problem" turtle, Tiny Tim. This hatchling was discovered the first week of October. I was out of town when my friend found him. She had no supplies to care for him so she dropped him off at my house in the same habitat with Nickels. When I got home two days later, I immediately noticed some differences and separated Tiny Tim from Nickels.
The first night, he did not move more than a couple inches from where I put him. It appears that he only uses his front legs. All his legs are reactive when I touch them and I notice small movement on the back ones when he tries to move, but for the most part, he never moves more than an inch or two from where I last saw him. He rarely retracts into his shell. He can retract, but doesn't stay that way long. Sometimes I wonder if part of it is his personality, because he just seems a lot less timid than Nickels. I swear this turtle makes eye contact. He's super alert, just not active and walks kind of weird.
Based on my research, this could either be deficiencies or bowel impaction? But I really haven't found info on this issue specific to a hatchling. I've spotted bowel movement when I put him in some water to soak (about 30 min a day). His shell is speckled as if it is dry in spots, but maybe it's just hard water? I'm afraid he was kept too dry after hatching. I believe I've identified some shell damage from when he lived with the adult turtles as well. Scratches and dents at the side and back of his shell. His limbs have no visible damage. You can still see a small spot where his yolk sack has absorbed, so I suspect he is around 2 weeks old.
His eating habits: He had a bit of night crawler the first day. The third day, I offered bloodworm and he didn't even try it. Today was the first time he truly ate. I put him in a separate container in a dark space and he ate half a chopped bloodworm and some blueberry. So, much like his walking, he just seems too weak to do it.
My first hatchling didn't eat much until the yolk sack was completely invisible, so I'm not excessively worried yet. I weighed him yesterday and he is about 8 grams. I'll continue to monitor every other day.
His habitat: organic cedar mulch with a layer of organic topsoil and compost. Dried Magnolia leaves and a hide log. UVB and Heating light for approx 10 hours a day. Daytime temps hang around 75 - 80°. Nighttime gets to 68-70° in the house. Humidity stays in the 80 - 90% range.
I've attached a video of him "walking." He does better in a container with no substrate. He seems to get stuck a lot in his habitat. He sometimes does better than these videos, but only once a day or so.
We don't really have Exotic vets here in tn since turtles aren't sold as pets, so my next option is to give him into rehabilitation care. If he can't get well with me, I think this is a great option if he is healthy enough to live.
Now onto my "problem" turtle, Tiny Tim. This hatchling was discovered the first week of October. I was out of town when my friend found him. She had no supplies to care for him so she dropped him off at my house in the same habitat with Nickels. When I got home two days later, I immediately noticed some differences and separated Tiny Tim from Nickels.
The first night, he did not move more than a couple inches from where I put him. It appears that he only uses his front legs. All his legs are reactive when I touch them and I notice small movement on the back ones when he tries to move, but for the most part, he never moves more than an inch or two from where I last saw him. He rarely retracts into his shell. He can retract, but doesn't stay that way long. Sometimes I wonder if part of it is his personality, because he just seems a lot less timid than Nickels. I swear this turtle makes eye contact. He's super alert, just not active and walks kind of weird.
Based on my research, this could either be deficiencies or bowel impaction? But I really haven't found info on this issue specific to a hatchling. I've spotted bowel movement when I put him in some water to soak (about 30 min a day). His shell is speckled as if it is dry in spots, but maybe it's just hard water? I'm afraid he was kept too dry after hatching. I believe I've identified some shell damage from when he lived with the adult turtles as well. Scratches and dents at the side and back of his shell. His limbs have no visible damage. You can still see a small spot where his yolk sack has absorbed, so I suspect he is around 2 weeks old.
His eating habits: He had a bit of night crawler the first day. The third day, I offered bloodworm and he didn't even try it. Today was the first time he truly ate. I put him in a separate container in a dark space and he ate half a chopped bloodworm and some blueberry. So, much like his walking, he just seems too weak to do it.
My first hatchling didn't eat much until the yolk sack was completely invisible, so I'm not excessively worried yet. I weighed him yesterday and he is about 8 grams. I'll continue to monitor every other day.
His habitat: organic cedar mulch with a layer of organic topsoil and compost. Dried Magnolia leaves and a hide log. UVB and Heating light for approx 10 hours a day. Daytime temps hang around 75 - 80°. Nighttime gets to 68-70° in the house. Humidity stays in the 80 - 90% range.
I've attached a video of him "walking." He does better in a container with no substrate. He seems to get stuck a lot in his habitat. He sometimes does better than these videos, but only once a day or so.
We don't really have Exotic vets here in tn since turtles aren't sold as pets, so my next option is to give him into rehabilitation care. If he can't get well with me, I think this is a great option if he is healthy enough to live.
Guess I'll have to commit to chopping those bad boys up, too.
