Sharpjayhawk
New Member
Hello Tortoise Forum,
This is my first official post, as I am new to the group, but have been looking at the threads for years. I've visited the site often with many questions about how to care for the 3 older wild box turtles that have lived in our yard for the past 7 years.
Anyways...I came upon a baby eastern ornate box turtle hatchling (it couldn't have been more than a few months old) towards the end of the summer. After consulting with my parents, we thought it best to keep the tortoise - named Bunnyscotch - under our supervision for the next few months so he might have a chance to get bigger and be protected from the many dangers in our backyard while he is still so little - including one of my dogs.
Until about two weeks ago, we kept Bunnyscotch in our backyard underneath the porch in a rather large Rubbermaid (pictured below) with fresh water, food, and multiple areas deep enough to burrow.
After further thought, my dad and I decided to build a more permanent enclosure in our backyard that could house Bunnyscotch through the winter and hibernation (pictured below as well). We were going to keep him there until he got big enough to stand a chance in the wild, and if he burrowed underneath the 10 inch border we buried on all sides that would be our sign he was ready to go back into the wild.
Tragedy stuck just one day after we put Bunnyscotch in the permanent enclosure as one of the dog's nudged off the rocks protecting the cover and got him. I was devastated when I came home and found the cover off, but quickly saw him lying on his back - arms and legs outstretched - alive. I checked over his shell and appendages for damages, but besides a few small dents in the shell there was no visible injury. I put Bunnyscotch back in the enclosure with more big rocks to protect him and have had no problems with the dog since.
Yesterday I got Bunnyscotch out to clean him off and check to make sure the few places that were dented on his shell were doing ok. That's when I noticed he has no movement in his back legs.
I have read many other forums about this and how it could be malnourishment, lack of sunlight, etc. so I put him in a warm bucket of water to test if he could use his back legs at all to swim and sadly they never moved.
I am considering bringing him inside and putting him under a "natural sunlight lamp" which is supposed to simulate the UV rays of the sun. It's for humans but I thought if the reason Bunnyscotch isn't using his back legs is because of poor environment this might help.
If I do keep him inside what would you guys suggest I use as "bedding" or "terrain" inside his enclosure to ensure he can get around but also simulate his natural habitat?
Obviously a veterinarian's opinion would be ideal...but do you think it's more likely my dog paralyzed him when she was "playing" with him and that he will never regain function again?
Any and all suggestions regarding this situation would be very helpful and appreciated.
I want to do what's right and help him survive, but I know in the wild without the use of his back legs he would more than likely die.
Please help
This is my first official post, as I am new to the group, but have been looking at the threads for years. I've visited the site often with many questions about how to care for the 3 older wild box turtles that have lived in our yard for the past 7 years.
Anyways...I came upon a baby eastern ornate box turtle hatchling (it couldn't have been more than a few months old) towards the end of the summer. After consulting with my parents, we thought it best to keep the tortoise - named Bunnyscotch - under our supervision for the next few months so he might have a chance to get bigger and be protected from the many dangers in our backyard while he is still so little - including one of my dogs.
Until about two weeks ago, we kept Bunnyscotch in our backyard underneath the porch in a rather large Rubbermaid (pictured below) with fresh water, food, and multiple areas deep enough to burrow.
After further thought, my dad and I decided to build a more permanent enclosure in our backyard that could house Bunnyscotch through the winter and hibernation (pictured below as well). We were going to keep him there until he got big enough to stand a chance in the wild, and if he burrowed underneath the 10 inch border we buried on all sides that would be our sign he was ready to go back into the wild.
Tragedy stuck just one day after we put Bunnyscotch in the permanent enclosure as one of the dog's nudged off the rocks protecting the cover and got him. I was devastated when I came home and found the cover off, but quickly saw him lying on his back - arms and legs outstretched - alive. I checked over his shell and appendages for damages, but besides a few small dents in the shell there was no visible injury. I put Bunnyscotch back in the enclosure with more big rocks to protect him and have had no problems with the dog since.
Yesterday I got Bunnyscotch out to clean him off and check to make sure the few places that were dented on his shell were doing ok. That's when I noticed he has no movement in his back legs.
I have read many other forums about this and how it could be malnourishment, lack of sunlight, etc. so I put him in a warm bucket of water to test if he could use his back legs at all to swim and sadly they never moved.
I am considering bringing him inside and putting him under a "natural sunlight lamp" which is supposed to simulate the UV rays of the sun. It's for humans but I thought if the reason Bunnyscotch isn't using his back legs is because of poor environment this might help.
If I do keep him inside what would you guys suggest I use as "bedding" or "terrain" inside his enclosure to ensure he can get around but also simulate his natural habitat?
Obviously a veterinarian's opinion would be ideal...but do you think it's more likely my dog paralyzed him when she was "playing" with him and that he will never regain function again?
Any and all suggestions regarding this situation would be very helpful and appreciated.
I want to do what's right and help him survive, but I know in the wild without the use of his back legs he would more than likely die.
Please help