Oxbow fine grind

[ayS]

I have a few tortoises I am nursing back to health due to an overheating and now dehydration as a result. And force feeding has come to the need, now my questions are, is the oxbow fine grind okay to feed the tortoises? How quickly could I start seeing
A turn around? Anyone with any experience with this? Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[Yvonne G]

I only use Oxbow for tube feeding. If a tortoise isn't eating on its own, after I've tried all my other tricks, I will make a slurry of Oxbow and Gerber strained carrots or squash and tube feed the tortoise. But I can usually get them eating on their own before that becomes necessary.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I used Oxbow herbavore powder recently for my ill tortoise, but didn't start to see any real improvement in activity until I began to ad baby food to it. (Tube fed)
At any rate, it took about a week to see any difference at all.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Yeah, I've used the Oxbow, but agree with the others already responding here that the addition or complimentary use of babyfood is critical. The thing is the use of both, The babyfood is so soft and wet that it can just sit in the gut, and not move so well. The ground grasses are good for making sure the food moves through the GI. As babyfood is cooked and very absorb-able it is digested well it is a much faster to effect the animals nutritional state.

They work well as a combination. Babyfood for nutrients that get taken up right away, and the OxBow for gut movement and a slower nutrient up take.

 

[ayS]

Great idea guys and gals! I will mix some baby food with the oxbow and keep you guys posted!

 

[ayS]

I used Oxbow herbavore powder recently for my ill tortoise, but didn't start to see any real improvement in activity until I began to ad baby food to it. (Tube fed)
At any rate, it took about a week to see any difference at all.

Was the difference gradual or all at once?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

She got very alert all at once. It seems there was a point that the nutrition flipped a switch.

 

[ayS]

What is more effective? Carrot juice or carrot baby food?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

What is more effective? Carrot juice or carrot baby food?

For me?
I only used carrot or sweet potato baby food.
I'm experimenting with pure juice soaks now that she yanked out her tube.
No experience or opinion on juice.

 

[Lyn W]

@Yvonne G @ZEROPILOT
I know this is an old thread but my leopard tort is not eating much at the moment and losing weight. I am waiting blood results from the vet and desperately trying to find something to perk him up. I have just found the Oxbow Critical Care Fine Grind available in UK and wondered

• is it suitable for a leopard?
• and would I be able to use it with a syringe? (not at the tube feeding stage yet

or should I wait until the results are back? I probably won't get them until the vet is back in work on Tuesday and it will be a week from the time they were taken so I'm worried I could be doing more than using Reptoboost in his water.
Any other suggestions gratefully accepted.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Oxbow critical care is not designed just for tortoises....Or for just one type of tortoise. In fact, it's the same formula for herbivorous small mammals!
I also don't know if you can successfully feed your tortoise with a syringe. I could not.
My Bertha had a surgically placed tube through an incision into her stomach. And I ejected the Oxbow twice a day. Sometimes mixed with a high caloric extra. Like mashed mango or baby food and water or Pedialite.
IF your tortoise isn't eating AND has lost a lot of weight AND you can get a syringe (plasic) deeply into her mouth, I'd try.
And I would do so even sooner if she is not drinking water.
Bertha went over 4 months and ate virtually nothing. But she continued to drink.
As you may remember, she survived. And is fine today.
Best of luck to your Lola!

 

[Lyn W]

Oxbow critical care is not designed just for tortoises....Or for just one type of tortoise. In fact, it's the same formula for herbivorous small mammals!
I also don't know if you can successfully feed your tortoise with a syringe. I could not.
My Bertha had a surgically placed tube through an incision into her stomach. And I ejected the Oxbow twice a day. Sometimes mixed with a high caloric extra. Like mashed mango or baby food and water or Pedialite.
IF your tortoise isn't eating AND has lost a lot of weight AND you can get a syringe (plasic) deeply into her mouth, I'd try.
And I would do so even sooner if she is not drinking water.
Bertha went over 4 months and ate virtually nothing. But she continued to drink.
As you may remember, she survived. And is fine today.
Best of luck to your Lola!

Thanks Ed. I'll order some.
I've managed to get Lola to open his mouth by dipping the end of a syringe into a cucumber, whether he gets wise to that will be seen, but I'll try.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'd grind food into a superfine pulp, mix it with water and inject right away.(if you can)
At least once a week to see if it would stimulate his appetite.
I wish I'd had that option.

 

[Lyn W]

I'd grind food into a superfine pulp, mix it with water and inject right away.(if you can)
At least once a week to see if it would stimulate his appetite.
I wish I'd had that option.

Hi Ed, thanks very much for the advice.
The OCC arrived today so I made some up this evening to try Lola with it.
I wrapped and spread it on romaine leaves first to see if he'd take it and thankfully he ate it without a problem so didn't have to use the syringe after all.
Lola is still eating but not much, so I'm hoping it will supplement his diet until I know whats going on.