So frustrated. E. box turtle hasn't eaten in over 2 weeks!

[tiffew]

I'm thinking seriously about sending him to Sandy Barnett, the turtle rehabber in New Mexico. I feel out of options and don't know what else to do.

 

[Eric Phillips]

I'm thinking seriously about sending him to Sandy Barnett, the turtle rehabber in New Mexico. I feel out of options and don't know what else to do.

I would talk to cmac3 on here and see if he might help you out on the matter...

 

[tiffew]

I sent him a message.

 

[lisa127]

Another

He looks good.

 

[tiffew]

I took him to the vet today. He said he looks good, but is much too thin. He gave him metronidazole in case he has worms and a shot of Vitamin B to hopefully stimulate his appetite. If he goes back to eating we don't need to do another metronidazole, but if he doesn't we are supposed to go back in two weeks for a repeat dose.
When I got him home we soaked him and he tried to get out, flipped himself over. We righted him and then he tried to climb out and got stuck. It was adorable. Unfortunately he didn't eat though.
I'm thinking I will probably send him via reptile express to the rehabber in New Mexico because I don't know what else to do.

 

[tiffew]

Trying to escape his soaking. He was so alert after the vet today.

 

[tiffew]

Still not eating. Today we tried a slug and he had no interest. In fact, the slug crawled on his shell after each time we put it back in front of him. Ugh.

 

[cmacusa3]

Still not eating. Today we tried a slug and he had no interest. In fact, the slug crawled on his shell after each time we put it back in front of him. Ugh.

I took this picture this morning with you in mind, this little guy is about the size of a quarter. I will put him in this little bowl every morning with food in it and leave the room for about an hour. He ended up eating one and a half dubia today. I will put different things in there daily and then I also put food in the enclosure and pellets in his soak. Each one is different and it's a matter of just figuring out what works.

 

[tiffew]

Thank you. What a cutie. You are lucky he eats! Ours just looks at the food. But we don't leave him in his soak with food for an hour, only a half an hour. Maybe we should leave him with the food for a longer period. The problem with live food is the bugs end up crawling on him. The worms wrap around his legs, the crickets and slug climb on his shell.

 

[cmacusa3]

I smash the heads, I disable them enough so they are alive but can't get away.

 

[tiffew]

ok we will try that.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I personally think handling him for soaks is good because, he will start to understand you aren't a predator.

Nobody is annoyed, we want to help you with your frustrations.

When I put crickets in I remove the large legs, it makes it much easier for them to hunt them down and eat. Just leave them in the enclosure and don't worry about looking for them. If the turtle is still pooping some during soaks its eating.

I hold all my rescues, trying to make them easier to maintain. I don't believe they stress out as much as the gossip is saying. I have a 7 month old 3-toed who peed on me every time I picked him up. 4 or so months later, I put him on my chest and after he walks around a bit he curls up under my hair and naps.
I believe their lives are our responsibility to make the best possible. And you achieve nothing by leaving them alone. Then all you are doing is feeding and cleaning a tank. I play with all my chelonia. I taught my 125 lb. Sulcata to play soccer with a 5 gallon bucket. He'd actually aim the bucket in my direction
and ram it at me.
To me there's a lot more involved in keeping tortoises and turtles than just feeding.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

He still won't eat any kind of earthworms?

Lay a few things on your grass tonight. Pieces of wood bricks etc.Then first thing in the morning get a container and collect all those slugs under the stuff you laid on the grass. They cannot resist slugs. I never pay for turtle food in the summer. But I confess the slugs are icky, but I can pick them up bare handed now ick

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I know this sounds odd, but put his food down, him in front of the food, then leave. I have numerous adults and 3 yearlings, I have had the adults since they were hatchlings. They KNOW me.....but they still won't eat if I'm watching.