Turtle 911 NOW NOW NOW

[johnandjade]

probably holding out for christmas dinner

 

[CarolM]

Jacques isn't a tortoise- she's an aquatic turtle. She had a near-drowning because she got stuck and couldn't reach the surface to breathe. I NEVER brumate her: she lives in an aquarium in our dining room year round.
And she seems to be getting better every day!!!!

View attachment 224996

Ahhh. She is really beautiful. Such a sweet face.

 

[Moozillion]

Ahhh. She is really beautiful. Such a sweet face.

Thank you so much!
I think so too...but I may be a bit biased!

 

[CarolM]

Thank you so much!
I think so too...but I may be a bit biased!

Aren't we all. That is part of the job description of being a parent.[emoji4]

 

[Tara E]

So happy to see she is doing better!!!

 

[Moozillion]

So happy to see she is doing better!!!

Thank you!!!
I will FINALLY relax when she starts eating again. The accident was on the 8th and it's now the 14th- she won't touch anything I offer.
I haven't put in the live food that Baoh suggested because my tank nitrates are still really off. Any snails or things I put in will die pretty quickly, and not likely be useful as a tempting food source.
I put in some more salmon today and she's at least LOOKING like she's interested...here's hoping!!!

 

[mark1]

do you ever feed her worms ?

 

[cdmay]

Thank you!!!
I will FINALLY relax when she starts eating again. The accident was on the 8th and it's now the 14th- she won't touch anything I offer.
I haven't put in the live food that Baoh suggested because my tank nitrates are still really off. Any snails or things I put in will die pretty quickly, and not likely be useful as a tempting food source.
I put in some more salmon today and she's at least LOOKING like she's interested...here's hoping!!!

The one mud turtle that 'drowned', or at least nearly drowned and was revived, didn't eat for 2 months after her ordeal! She acted kind of spaced out for a while and would look at food, but not eat it. Then she only picked at first.
Be patient! Keep her warm (even though it's winter) and keep trying. Follow Baoh's advice.

 

[Moozillion]

The one mud turtle that 'drowned', or at least nearly drowned and was revived, didn't eat for 2 months after her ordeal! She acted kind of spaced out for a while and would look at food, but not eat it. Then she only picked at first.
Be patient! Keep her warm (even though it's winter) and keep trying. Follow Baoh's advice.

THAT'S EXACTLY HOW JACQUES ACTS!!!!!!
She acts spaced out and LOOKS at the food- often quite intensely for 20+ minutes!!!!!!!! But doesn't eat.

 

[Moozillion]

do you ever feed her worms ?

I tried when she was very little.
I'll try again.
Thanks!

 

[Moozillion]

I am glad she is doing well. Maybe add some basic live prey like ghost shrimp and smaller-bodied snails like tadpole/bladder snails and ramshorns and let her go without supplemental feeding for a while (or providing one feeding every few days). Then work it back in until you hit her previous normal rhythm. To reduce agitation during her return to normalcy.

Will my high nitrates kill the ghost shrimp or snails?
I've been making 50% water changes weekly, but it's still high. Ammonia and nitrite are 0.

 

[Moozillion]

OK.
I had no idea that it could take Jacques 2 months to get better enough to eat again, so I'm turning her tank into a sort of hospital tank.

I did a 50% water change and REMOVED all the sand that I could. There's a very small amount in the corners, but to get all the sand I would have had to drain the tank.
I've increase the temperature of her tank from 80 to 84*.
I removed her cave because she had gotten big enough that she almost filled it, and I don't want her to get trapped again.
Now that 2 inches of sand has been removed, it's SIX INCHES from the floor of the tank to the top of the filter intake. If the water is any lower, then the filter is just sucking air.
So for now, I have put in all my extra driftwood and all my extra plastic plants to try and give her lots of things to stand on. I'll buy extra plastic plants and maybe add some live moss balls.
I will be adding ghost shrimp and some snails as well.

I greatly appreciate all the suggestions!

 

[Moozillion]

I am glad she is doing well. Maybe add some basic live prey like ghost shrimp and smaller-bodied snails like tadpole/bladder snails and ramshorns and let her go without supplemental feeding for a while (or providing one feeding every few days). Then work it back in until you hit her previous normal rhythm. To reduce agitation during her return to normalcy.

The only snails our local stores have are Mystery snails and Nerites. I'm guessing these will be too big to be prey for Jacques?
Am hoping to pick up some ghost shrimp tonight.
Thank you very much for your suggestions!

 

[Moozillion]

I got 10 ghost shrimp from PetSmart. Did NOT get any snails because they were all too big. So the shrimp are now in her tank; I dropped in a couple Hikari Sinking Carnivore Wafers for them, although they can probably find plenty of stuff to eat for a while.
Since Jacques' tank is 30 inches long, I might add a powerhead to get more even temperature distribution.
I set the heater to 84* but nothing reads higher than 79* with my temperature gun.

 

[Moozillion]

The ghost shrimp are really very interesting little guys to watch!
I think once Jacques is fully recovered and in her bigger tank, I may put fish and shrimp in her old 20 gallon tank!

 

[AJK Aquaria]

Glad to hear she's doing well, despite not eating yet.

What are your nitrite tests reading?

 

[cdmay]

I got 10 ghost shrimp from PetSmart. Did NOT get any snails because they were all too big. So the shrimp are now in her tank; I dropped in a couple Hikari Sinking Carnivore Wafers for them, although they can probably find plenty of stuff to eat for a while.
Since Jacques' tank is 30 inches long, I might add a powerhead to get more even temperature distribution.
I set the heater to 84* but nothing reads higher than 79* with my temperature gun.

Mooz, 84 degrees is a tad on the warm side. Shoot for 80.

 

[Ellen & Toby]

Really hope Jacques is feeling better soon!

 

[Moozillion]

Mooz, 84 degrees is a tad on the warm side. Shoot for 80.

Ok. Thanks! [emoji2]

 

[Moozillion]

Really hope Jacques is feeling better soon!

Thank you![emoji173]️