I think Oliver may be sick?

gabby.santana

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So for a while now, maybe a lil over a month I have noticed Oliver hasn't been eating like he usually does. He just picks at his food. I have noticed that he does appear to look thinner to me. He also has been shedding quite a bit. I also haven't seen his poops in a good while

He has been spending his time outside most of the day so not sure if he is eating outside and pooping outside.


His enclosure is too big to go looking for his poops.

He has a large bowl outside his enclosure which he soaks in everyday

I have been feeding him meal worms more than usual since I noticed that's what he's been going after lately. Don't know if that has perhaps made him constipated?

He still is his normal self as far as being active. He is just not eating and is shedding more than I have ever seen him do.

He is a rescue so don't know how he acquired all injuries to his shell in the past. ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1470621694.852451.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1470621722.804702.jpgImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1470621733.907055.jpg

Should I be worried?
 

BrianWI

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Does he have access to enough water to get into in his outdoor pen? He looks really good, a real warrior from those scars, but healthy. He might be getting a lot of protein outside, which may make him less interested in plant matter.
 

gabby.santana

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He does have enough water and his nitrates are always soft. But to be honest I don't really see much bugs out there other than cockroaches and perhaps the occasional spider. But it's been so hot I hardly ever seen slugs or snails anymore. He's does appear to be thinner to me.


Is there anything I could do for his shedding? I've been applying aloe Vera and coconut oil
 

BrianWI

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He does have enough water and his nitrates are always soft. But to be honest I don't really see much bugs out there other than cockroaches and perhaps the occasional spider. But it's been so hot I hardly ever seen slugs or snails anymore. He's does appear to be thinner to me.


Is there anything I could do for his shedding? I've been applying aloe Vera and coconut oil
Just soaking is about all. They do get ragged. The high heat may be playing a part too. My three-toeds pretty much hide away during the 90 plus temps.
 

JoesMum

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Do you weigh your tort?

If not then you should be. There's 'looking a bit thinner' and knowing what's normal for your tort and whether it is gaining or losing weight.

Weigh weekly at roughly the same time of day each time for consistency. A tort's weight varies through the day, just like yours does, so consistency is important.

As you are concerned about your tort, soak daily for at least 30 minutes for the time being. Torts can go a long time without food, but not water.

I have most success first thing in the morning before my tort has warmed up properly.

Use a high sided bowl that he can't see through. Have the water warm and so that it just comes up over the join between the plastron and the shell.

Finally, take a fresh poop sample to a vet and get it checked for worms.
 

Eric Phillips

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Hello Gabby....just like the previous posters stated I would start giving longer soaks. However if at all possible I would make sure to take a garden hose and give the enclosure a good soaking too:). The temps been in the 90's with no rain for awhile here. I soak my outdoor enclosures daily and my 3 toeds come out dancing:) I might also try changing of giving mealworms on a regular diet. They're alittle high in fat, alittle bit of fiber, protein, and not much of anything else. Get him a good earthworm and see how he reacts:) if you don't have any, pick a good spot outside where you could regularly water to help bring them back to the surface. Collect them at night or dig them up. I know right now my guys are voraciously eating to get ready to start winding down next month.
 

GingerLove

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Again, I agree that soaking should solve the problem. Do some warm water, and if you keep soaking consistently, I've found that it helps with the peeling and also the pooping. If he doesn't poop in the water... try feeding him some pumpkin and aloe plant. That should get him going. He looks healthy in the pictures. :) What kind of tortoise is he?
 

GingerLove

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Aghh!! My bad... I thought he was a tortoise. He's a turtle, isn't he? Sorry, I didn't realize this was in the box turtle thread until too late.
 

gabby.santana

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Haha yes he is a 3 toed box turtle. But no worries, both species need to be soaked :)

Thanks for all the help everyone! I wish he would eat more plant matter tho. I do water down his enclosure before I put him in it. I'm going to just keep soaking him and cut out meal worms for a while
 

Loohan

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I have read that mealworms have so much exoskeleton that one shouldn't feed too many as they can impact the intestines.
The pupae and beetles are fine, though. I am growing some for the beetles.
 

Gillian M

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So for a while now, maybe a lil over a month I have noticed Oliver hasn't been eating like he usually does. He just picks at his food. I have noticed that he does appear to look thinner to me. He also has been shedding quite a bit. I also haven't seen his poops in a good while

He has been spending his time outside most of the day so not sure if he is eating outside and pooping outside.


His enclosure is too big to go looking for his poops.

He has a large bowl outside his enclosure which he soaks in everyday

I have been feeding him meal worms more than usual since I noticed that's what he's been going after lately. Don't know if that has perhaps made him constipated?

He still is his normal self as far as being active. He is just not eating and is shedding more than I have ever seen him do.

He is a rescue so don't know how he acquired all injuries to his shell in the past. View attachment 182817View attachment 182818View attachment 182819

Should I be worried?
Your box turtle's looking great! I think you ought to soak him twice a day if it's that hot, back there. I live in Jordan and about a week ago a HEAT WAVE "visited us." Goodness, the heat! I would give Oli (my beloved Greek tort) THREE soaks each and every day.
 

Eric Phillips

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I have read that mealworms have so much exoskeleton that one shouldn't feed too many as they can impact the intestines.
The pupae and beetles are fine, though. I am growing some for the beetles.

There is one issue with the darkling beetle though, it does give off a chemical in defense. I will be honest with you, my box turtles put a nose up on them a good portion of the time.
 

Loohan

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There is one issue with the darkling beetle though, it does give off a chemical in defense. I will be honest with you, my box turtles put a nose up on them a good portion of the time.

Is that so? I hadn't noticed any lack of enthusiasm the few times i have fed them.
But i see that here
http://animals.mom.me/darkling-beetles-6318.html
it says
"When they are threatened, they raise their rear ends and spray a cloud of natural chemicals called quinones, according to the San Diego Natural History Museum. These compounds smell bad and discourage would-be predators from attacking the beetle."

And pubmed says
"From a toxicological perspective, quinones possess two principal chemical properties that confer their reactivity in biological systems. Quinones are oxidants and electrophiles, and the relative contribution of these properties to quinone toxicity is influenced by chemical structure, in particular substituent effects."
Er, whatever.

And Britannica https://www.britannica.com/science/quinone says
"Quinones occur as biological pigments (biochromes), for example, including the benzoquinones, naphthoquinones, anthraquinones, and polycyclic quinones. The quinones are found in bacteria, in certain fungi, and in various higher plant forms, but in only a few animals. Those animals in which they do occur—e.g., sea urchins, aphids, lac insects, and certain scale insects—obtain their quinone compounds from the plants they eat. The K vitamins are naphthoquinones..."

I guess i won't rely on the beetles as a mainstay of their diet...

Maybe they can be "milked" of their quinones by "threatening" them a while before feeding?
 

Eric Phillips

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Is that so? I hadn't noticed any lack of enthusiasm the few times i have fed them.
But i see that here
http://animals.mom.me/darkling-beetles-6318.html
it says
"When they are threatened, they raise their rear ends and spray a cloud of natural chemicals called quinones, according to the San Diego Natural History Museum. These compounds smell bad and discourage would-be predators from attacking the beetle."

And pubmed says
"From a toxicological perspective, quinones possess two principal chemical properties that confer their reactivity in biological systems. Quinones are oxidants and electrophiles, and the relative contribution of these properties to quinone toxicity is influenced by chemical structure, in particular substituent effects."
Er, whatever.

And Britannica https://www.britannica.com/science/quinone says
"Quinones occur as biological pigments (biochromes), for example, including the benzoquinones, naphthoquinones, anthraquinones, and polycyclic quinones. The quinones are found in bacteria, in certain fungi, and in various higher plant forms, but in only a few animals. Those animals in which they do occur—e.g., sea urchins, aphids, lac insects, and certain scale insects—obtain their quinone compounds from the plants they eat. The K vitamins are naphthoquinones..."

I guess i won't rely on the beetles as a mainstay of their diet...

Maybe they can be "milked" of their quinones by "threatening" them a while before feeding?

Trust me I thought the same as you until I searched the nutrition value. That's when I read about the chemical defense fart then it hit me and made sense. I noticed they just didn't go after them real hard like they do a super or cricket. One of my older female 3 toeds (578 grams)won't go after them at all but I put down one of those big black crickets and she chased that thing like she was a hatchling.
 

dmmj

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Is that so? I hadn't noticed any lack of enthusiasm the few times i have fed them.
But i see that here
http://animals.mom.me/darkling-beetles-6318.html
it says
"When they are threatened, they raise their rear ends and spray a cloud of natural chemicals called quinones, according to the San Diego Natural History Museum. These compounds smell bad and discourage would-be predators from attacking the beetle."

And pubmed says
"From a toxicological perspective, quinones possess two principal chemical properties that confer their reactivity in biological systems. Quinones are oxidants and electrophiles, and the relative contribution of these properties to quinone toxicity is influenced by chemical structure, in particular substituent effects."
Er, whatever.

And Britannica https://www.britannica.com/science/quinone says
"Quinones occur as biological pigments (biochromes), for example, including the benzoquinones, naphthoquinones, anthraquinones, and polycyclic quinones. The quinones are found in bacteria, in certain fungi, and in various higher plant forms, but in only a few animals. Those animals in which they do occur—e.g., sea urchins, aphids, lac insects, and certain scale insects—obtain their quinone compounds from the plants they eat. The K vitamins are naphthoquinones..."

I guess i won't rely on the beetles as a mainstay of their diet...

Maybe they can be "milked" of their quinones by "threatening" them a while before feeding?
I do the exact same thing when threatened I release a cloud of toxic chemicals. :)
 

dmmj

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Question. Can I try feeding sardines and or canned tuna or canned salmon ?
Fish can be part of their diet. But I'll be honest most of mine don't like fish.
 
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