Hello from Lyzz and her new boxie friend, who was surrendered to her hospital!

[LyzzaRyzz]

Hello, I'm Lyzz!

I'm 25, and work as a kennel tech as well as a assisting with surgical procedures at an animal hospital in Rhode Island. I love my job and am ALWAYS working to make my kennel a better place for my patients.

On top of my boarders, long and short term, my hospital is home to four cats that have been abandoned to us, [for a variety of well managed issues, mind you], and they have since become accustomed to life in the hospital. Though I am always looking for adopters, someone has to be a VERY special person to give one of my babies a forever home!
Sadly, they spent the past three years in cages, with supervised out time, as our hospital didn't have the proper staff or space to actually house three cats [ at the time]. But because of me and a couple dedicated co workers transformed an back area for our "Kitty City", a separate area for our cats and our other cat boarders! As far away from those pesky 'barkers' as possible! They now get alot more our side time, and are so much more happier, and not grateful than ever!

So, too cut to the chase, mid-August, a couple come into my hospital with this colorful turtle saying they found it crossing the street near the bay behind my work. They said they put it IN THE BAY, and that he didn't seem to like that! O.0

The shell was covered in painted writing and the turtle seemed generally calm, so I assumed it was domestic, and since the couple clearly didn't know what they were doing, I stepped up and took it into my care. Into a metal cage with shredded newspaper and a Litter box full of water, I started researching, and trying to find the turtles owners.

It's been about two weeks [as of Aug 31], no sign of owners, and I'm already planning an outdoor enclosure, and all my free time is spent looking up and researching turtle things! I've got an eastern box turtle, which is kind of iffy in my state, technically native but I've NEVER seen one in the wild. Either way, the turbie, which I believe is male, is very friendly, getting his neck and head scratched, covering over to you, but he doesn't like the phone/camera!

My new turtle friend and I can't wait to learn how to live together, and are super excited you guys can help us!

 

[lynnedit]

That is wonderful! Lots of good information on this site, including care sheets at the top of this section.
Sure sounds like this guy was someone's 'pet'.

Here is another good web site: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-easternboxie.htm

 

[LyzzaRyzz]

Hi Lynn, thanks for replying! The second I saw him I knew I was gonna do whatever I had to to make sure he was happy. And at that time I thought he was a colorful versions of a sulcuta!

Thanks for the link, I've checked his pages for just about everything! I've got notepads all over, slowly filling up with all the information im compiling, destined to join my notebook on my many fish and other pet escapades! I may go a bit overboard, but I like to be well informed, and ready with solutions, if [and when!] problems arise.

The only bump I'm having is eating consistently, and veggies! The big guy ,[full grown], only wants at most three earth worms every other day. I have offered horn works and meal worms, he avoided them every time I put it in front of him, but looked at me like I should know he didn't want that. But I'm having a problem finding worms, [though I have found enough plus] and the hornworm shriveled after three days of co habitation and riding around on my boxies back. The two meal worms I gave him that he spurned have been chilling in his food bowl for about a week now, I just keep flipping them into the new dish of food every night/day. They seem happy, and not in fear of their lives at all.

He now likes to eat his worms alone, without us watching, which is a problem, cause worms escape the dish, even when meal worms don't!

He is still pooping, in his water, nowhere else. =] Isn't it odd how joyous that first poop of a new pet is? It's the first step to comfortable! Lol!

Anyways, it doesn't seem as though he is eating any of the fruits/veggies I put out, and I've tried so many! Canned turtle food, canned shrimp, turtle bites, nothing! I've tried other bugs from my yard as well, and he didn't even look.

He's all about them worms. I've read over and over to just keep providing and he will eat, but as a new turtle mommy, I'm nervous, but just happy he is at least eating something, and pooping!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello Lyzz welcome to the TFO from AZ .


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[LyzzaRyzz]

Hello, GrampaTurtle! =]

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

What are you doing up this time a night your a working girl ! So do you see a lot of torts at your animal hospital or just cats and dogs ?


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[LyzzaRyzz]

I have terrible sleep habits! Plus there's so much turtle info to read! Lol it's really bad cause I've gotta be at work at seven for a split shift! Whoops!

I dealt with a few turtles during my time at the hospital, but recently our exotics vet got drafted to be the head veterinarian at a Boston aquarium, so there's won't be any more coming in unless we get another exotics vet! =[ I always jumped at the chance to do any exotics. No fear here!

One of the other vets in the hospital is helped me out with checking him out, cause he has no tail! I was worried about a prolapse organ or some digestive issue, since it seemed his anus was protruding, but there is scar tissue right above that, and you can see what's left of his tail bone moving as he walks. It took alot of worrying and constantly staring at the bug guys butt, but it looks like hee was lucky enough to lose his tail right before the anus starts..lucky break!
It's completely healed, so unsure of when it happened, or how, just that there's no cute little tail!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Well I'm at work all night . So I don't have a sleeping problem. Sense I have 2different types of box turtles ,5 different water turtles , and 8 different types of torts . I don't mind talking turtle !


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[lynnedit]

He is new to you and his new home still.
Keep offering a variety of food. Gradually he will expand his options, it may take months.

More good information about diet and care (Sandra Barnett is an excellent resource):
http://nebula.wsimg.com/91b04dd9708...784782F81D21389AD&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Abdulla6169]

Welcome

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Lyzz, and welcome to the Forum!

 

[(r.t)]

Hello, I'm Lyzz!

I'm 25, and work as a kennel tech as well as a assisting with surgical procedures at an animal hospital in Rhode Island. I love my job and am ALWAYS working to make my kennel a better place for my patients.

On top of my boarders, long and short term, my hospital is home to four cats that have been abandoned to us, [for a variety of well managed issues, mind you], and they have since become accustomed to life in the hospital. Though I am always looking for adopters, someone has to be a VERY special person to give one of my babies a forever home!
Sadly, they spent the past three years in cages, with supervised out time, as our hospital didn't have the proper staff or space to actually house three cats [ at the time]. But because of me and a couple dedicated co workers transformed an back area for our "Kitty City", a separate area for our cats and our other cat boarders! As far away from those pesky 'barkers' as possible! They now get alot more our side time, and are so much more happier, and not grateful than ever!

So, too cut to the chase, mid-August, a couple come into my hospital with this colorful turtle saying they found it crossing the street near the bay behind my work. They said they put it IN THE BAY, and that he didn't seem to like that! O.0

The shell was covered in painted writing and the turtle seemed generally calm, so I assumed it was domestic, and since the couple clearly didn't know what they were doing, I stepped up and took it into my care. Into a metal cage with shredded newspaper and a Litter box full of water, I started researching, and trying to find the turtles owners.

It's been about two weeks [as of Aug 31], no sign of owners, and I'm already planning an outdoor enclosure, and all my free time is spent looking up and researching turtle things! I've got an eastern box turtle, which is kind of iffy in my state, technically native but I've NEVER seen one in the wild. Either way, the turbie, which I believe is male, is very friendly, getting his neck and head scratched, covering over to you, but he doesn't like the phone/camera!

My new turtle friend and I can't wait to learn how to live together, and are super excited you guys can help us!

Welcome!!! Hope this forum will be of big help

 

[Ideraway]

Welcome,

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[lisa127]

Welcome! It's ok to leave earthworms/nightcrawlers alone in his cage with him. It won't matter if they escape. Things like superworms and mealworms cannot be allowed to escape though. As for fruits/veggies, try strawberries, tomatoes, blueberries, blackberries, and bananas. Those are usually favorites. One trick to get them to eat veggies is to get some Reptomin sticks, moisten and mash them, and smash up spring mix and veggies in there. Most box turtles love Reptomin. Would love to see a pic!

 

[LyzzaRyzz]

Wow Grampa T, that's allot of turtles! I'd love it!

I had two sliders growing up, but my mom thought one year to leave them in our pond over the winter, but it wasn't deep enough, and we know how that goes. We were all crushed, and wanted to get more turtles, but didn't want to catch them or buy them, [ we found one, some sized in our pool, egg sack still attached, and the other was given to us by an uninterested friends], but time went by and it's been about ten years!

 

[LyzzaRyzz]

Lynn and Lisa, thank you for the reassurance Ana the tips ! I do Leave the worms in there with him, but they escape the dish! They get lost in the shredded newspaper, and he can't find em, or doesn't, and they I look for em. Lol I'd read that bigger chucks of fruit were better ?



I'm slowly reading my way through this site's posts, I'm learning so much from each one!

 

[LyzzaRyzz]

Lisa, I started making mixes, like you said, and Onion is responding well!
I couldn't risk that the kind I didn't buy wasn't going to be "the pellet" that got him to eat, so I ended up buying three different kinds! =O
It was worth it, because something clicked, and he started paying attention, sniffing about, I was somewhat due he was eating some, the food was moved, but he's also a turtle, and they aren't known to be particularity graceful.

But cantaloupe is a wonder fruit! Onion ate three two inch pieces!! First veggie/fruit I have proof he ate! I was so happy!


I started mixing pieces of cantaloupe in all my mixes but since I'm just a bit crazy, I like to give a couple different flavors of 'salad'. I always add leafy greens, 'spring mix' with spinach added, but I change the fruit, do another dish with a veggie, one with various live bugs, that he never eats, and one of pure soaked and fluffed pellet, one of the three kinds, maybe a mix! They all are dusted with Herpivite, since he hasn't been eating proper since he came to me, so whatever he does eat gets a boost. I also turned krill pellets into mush in a jar,and I take a little bit and some water, and use it like a dressing! he seems to actually eat pieces of the lettuce, and there were no cantaloupe!

I started "infusing" sticks of cantaloupe in little jars of water, with small amounts of pellet, one with krill, and one with just Herpivite. My hope is that the cantaloupe sticks will absorb the smell of the added whatever, but still smell like a cantaloupe. Also the water should smell like cantaloupe as well, so I can entice him to eat another New things.

I'm sure he'll come around at his own pace, but I'm all for tips on speeding him up toward eating with gusto, and how to get turtles to be more comfortable around me. The first day he ate in front of me, but after that, he just stares at me after I put the food down and won't go sniff it till I leave.

ALSO a reliable earthworm dealer? Onion LOVES himself a good earthworm, and there are NO worms in my yard. Only spiders.

 

[Ideraway]

Welcome, your tort is one lucky tort, you go to a lot of effort for him/her. All the best.