tips on force feeding

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looneybug

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My baby is sick and is not eating I took him to the vet and she force fed him and told me to continue till he ate on his own. She gave me a critical care powder food mix that I mix with water till its apple sauce consistency. I was able to use a small seringe and get some food in him but he is resisting me more and more with each drop. I gave him about 0.1cc over about a half an hr but was not able to give him any more because he clamped his little mouth shut. Any ways I'm wondering if any onee has any advice
 

wellington

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One thing that might help with his appetite is to soak him in a puréed carrot baby food and warm water. As for the force feeding, others will be able to help better on that. Good luck, hope all turns out well.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Leilani:

The most common cause of a baby tortoise not eating is that he isn't warm enough. Bump up your temperatures. And if you don't have a thermometer, get one. It's very important to know the temperature in your baby's enclosure. Even if you think your temps are warm enough, bump them up a bit more.

You can harm a very small tortoise by trying to get his mouth open, so be very careful.

If it were my tortoise I would start out with the baby food soaks for three days. If he doesn't start eating after that time, I would try to force feed him.

Using a small tub with high sides and small floor space, add warm water until it comes up to the middle of the baby's sides. Add a half jar of Gerber strained carrots and mix well. Put in the baby and leave him there for at least 30 minutes. You can position a light over the tub but take care to not over heat him. Keep your eye on him so that he doesn't tip over upside down.

In order to open the baby's mouth, gently grasp him behind his jaws with the index finger and thumb of one hand, then using the index finger and thumb of the other hand, place your fingers on either side of the lower jaw and press down towards the plastron. In weak tortoises and babies this usually results in an open mouth. Then, with an eye dropper, place a bit of the Critical Care gruel at the back of the mouth and let him close his mouth to swallow. It may take several times to get the whole dropperful into his tiny stomach.
 

Tom

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They can go a long time without eating. Force feeding ignores the CAUSE of his lack of appetite. THAT is what needs to be addressed, discovered and corrected. Fix the problem and the symptoms will go away. It could be that this problem was created before you even got the baby, and nothing you do will help. The correct temps and environment, daily warm soaks and baby food soaks are your best bet and about all you can do. Forcing food into a system that is shut down or not working properly is not going to help and your baby doesn't need the added stress.

Just my opinion.
 

looneybug

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I tired for at least 5 days to get him to eat. I raised the temps added humidity. Soaked him 3 times a day in baby food & water then I took him to vet she thinks its vitamin A deficiency and that it was caused by the breeder or pet place I got him from. Force feeding is my last resort but I can't just watch him starve to death. I have a straong suspicion that he is partially blind and that is probly part of the reason he is not eating.


I agree with you tom but I can't find the problem if he dies and trust me I am working day and night trying to find any explination. At this point he might just be too weak to eat


I want to appologise if I seemed for lack of a better word bitchy or unfriendly. I am trying so hard and I love him so much. I didn't expect this to be my first experience with a sully and what sucks even more is that its that its not something I can change. I don't know what they did to my poor baby but if I give up ill never know if I could have saved his life
 

looneybug

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his eyes are the same he isn't opening either one his left looks like it might b swollen shut I can't even see the line between his eyelids its almost like it fused and his right eye has some small discarge and looks loike it mite be alittle scabbed but I can't really tell
 
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