Strange health issue

[MichaelaW]

I have a strange problem going on with one of my female 11 year old Terrapene that has me stumped. I recently moved them all back outside now that the weather has warmed up significantly. They were all pretty dormant for most of the winter even though the temperatures were very warm here in deep south Texas. I recently noticed that specific female is very stiff and reluctant to move ever since they went outside. It's like her limbs aren't functioning properly. She is reluctant to walk although she has been eating if I place food in front of her. If I put her in the water she will eventually climb out but then go into a corner. Her movements are very slow and unlike her normal self. When she does walk, it's as if she is struggling to move her limbs and won't extend each one fully with each step.

She is housed with one male and several other females; however, the male has never shown any interest in her whatsoever for some reason. She is 12.5 cm SCL.

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this before? She has never laid eggs before. Could she possibly be egg-bound? She has always had a very adequate, complete, and varied diet so I can't imagine it's any sort of deficiency.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[ColleenT]

i would try a soak with warm water and see if that helps at all. otherwise, you might need to see a vet.

 

[wellington]

I just read a short article about making an appropriate egg laying space for a tort. In this article it mentioned sighs of a tort being egg bound. I though of your Boxie.
This is the portion that I think might pertain to your Boxie
(develops a noticeable limp, gets lethargic or loses the use of her back legs there is no recourse but to get her to a vet)

 

[Yvonne G]

My sister had some box turtles a while back that had what we ended up calling "the paralysing disease." It seemed like they couldn't move, yet seemed fine otherwise. She finally traced it back to one particular turtle that seemed to be the carrier for the disease. We never figured out what or why. Let's send her a shout-out because I can't remember what we did to help them - @maggie3fan

 

[Maggie Cummings]

There was nothing to do for them. One by one I'd move them to the food and if I didn't move them again, that's where they'd stay all day. I used Naxcel on them and gavage every other day or so using Critical Care. But once a turtle in my bunch stopped moving, they'd die in a week or so. No matter what the Vet or I could do they'd die. We blood tested who I had left and we narrowed the 'carrier' was a blind Ornata. So 8 or 9 years have passed, and as long as the carrier lives alone not one turtle has died, and most of them live together. I wish my memory was better, sorry. One difference tho, mine didn't move at all.
The original carrier laid 4 sterile eggs ever year. Never been with a male....

 

[MichaelaW]

I work as a vet assistant at a small animal clinic so I'll probably run a fecal float and direct smear to rule out any parasites, do a CBC, and then if that comes up clear, then x-rays. Fingers crossed it's nothing serious! I'll keep you posted.