VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!(updated 8-1-12)

[krb1093]

Hello,
me again! I know I've posted a lot about my eggs and sorry for all the posts, but people have given me GREAT advice. About an hour ago we found what I think is a male eastern in our long dirt driveway. He looks to be very sick! His eyes are swollen shut he's tried to open them but can only crack them and from what I can see there very hazy and very red and inflamed. He tries rubbing at them and seems to be very painful. Also there has been a little amount of I guess a foamy liquid coming from his mouth and seems to be taking deep breaths. I myself do not own any turtles but know that he is sick! Should I take him back where he was or is there anyway I can try to bring his health back? He was just standing there with his head held high as if saying PLEASE help me . Could it be that he's just old or does it look like he's sick. Should I try to nurse him back to health, what would you recommend. I know he wont make it in the wild. He's pretty much blind right now. Here's the pics

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

He's probably got a respiratory infection. I wouldn't put him back out in nature. Set him up in a hospital tank. By "hospital tank" I mean a smaller version of an indoor habitat that you can keep overall warm, like 85F degrees. Soak him every day in warm water. I usually start with Terramycin water soluable soaks. You can buy it at feed stores. You use a quarter teaspoon per quart of warm water. Leave him soaking in this antibiotic water for an hour. After that the strength of the antibiotic starts to dissipate. Soaking really helps box turtles perk up. You should see a noticeable improvement in three days.

 

[krb1093]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

Thanks emysemys, your the bestest!!!! lol. Will his eyes get better? from what I could see inside they looked horrible!

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

Yes, the swelling and redness will go down as he gets better. To help sooth the eyes you could use this product:

 

[jojodesca]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

I applaud you for being so caring!!I have the same advice as the above posters...keep him warm and hydrated....get some worms and mealworms to feed him and some veggies and fruits..we are all here to help you if you have any other questions..and on that note..welcome to being a turtle owner..b/c once you have this little guy for a few days you will be hooked..wink wink!!!

 

[krb1093]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

I applaud you for being so caring!!I have the same advice as the above posters...keep him warm and hydrated....get some worms and mealworms to feed him and some veggies and fruits..we are all here to help you if you have any other questions..and on that note..welcome to being a turtle owner..b/c once you have this little guy for a few days you will be hooked..wink wink!!!

lol, I sure I will. I can't stand to see sick animals. If I can help them in anyway I do. Thanks jojodesca. I will be getting the powder tomorrow, however I can't seem to find the ointment anywhere online. Guess I'll try some worms. I tried some rasberries and kale I had here, but he wont eat.

 

[jojodesca]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

Guess I'll try some worms. I tried some rasberries and kale I had here, but he wont eat.


it might take time unless he is so sick that he might pass on, however they are shy eaters, and with his eyes so swollen he can't see where he is which adds to his fears...as long as you keep him calm and comfortable and allow access to the food....i have a boxie with 1 eye so i have to basically put the food near her mouth and with yours being "blind" right now you might have to hold it near his mouth so he can smell it....

heres a link to the eye cream

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...-keywords=terramycin&sprefix=terramyc,aps,413

 

[krb1093]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

Yeah, I tried that. I'm thinking he's just swore out right now. He loved the soaking (just soaked him in regular water till I can get the powder). He put his head down and just laid there with only his nostrils sticking out. Poor guy hard telling how long he'd been this way. Yes, I know what you mean by getting addicted to turtles!!!! I found some eggs 2 months ago and I'm now addicted lol. A lady just posted a tread on turtles needing to be adopted and she's only an hour and a half away, so hopefully she'll have one or two left. They all have a few problems but I don't mind. If she ends up finding homes for them before contacting me I will be start looking. They are wonderful animals and would love to own a few of my own.

---

Yeah, I tried that. I'm thinking he's just swore out right now. He loved the soaking (just soaked him in regular water till I can get the powder). He put his head down and just laid there with only his nostrils sticking out. Poor guy hard telling how long he'd been this way. Yes, I know what you mean by getting addicted to turtles!!!! I found some eggs 2 months ago and I'm now addicted lol. A lady just posted a tread on turtles needing to be adopted and she's only an hour and a half away, so hopefully she'll have one or two left. They all have a few problems but I don't mind. If she ends up finding homes for them before contacting me I will be start looking. They are wonderful animals and would love to own a few of my own.

Geez, I should reread my posts before posting. swore/wore and I will began to start looking

 

[jojodesca]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

while soaking him make sure the water is not too deep...i usually on soak half way up their shell...

 

[krb1093]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

while soaking him make sure the water is not too deep...i usually on soak half way up their shell...

I put it to just over the lip of the shell. Thanks for letting me know cause it wasn't sure. I'll make sure I fill it a little more

 

[lynnedit]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

I had trouble finding the Terramycin eye ointment earlier this year as it was on back order at our Feed Stores.

Any antibiotic eye ointment will help: Bacitracin, Erythromycin. See if you can find them online, a lot of Pet/Vet supply sites can have these products.

The soaking sounds imperative: he may have gotten lost and not had access to water for several days or more.

Good for you!

 

[l0velesly]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

It sounds like he could have overheated or is very dehydrated. Definitely keep up with the soaks. I hope his eyes will heal up.

 

[pryncesssc]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

Good luck on helping him ! That's great that u want to help . I hope his eye will get better . It sounds like the soaks are helping

 

[jojodesca]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

I wanted to ask if you would please keep us updated with a daily pic of his eyes....and hopefully he is submerging his head in the water...poor little guy!!

 

[Saloli]

RE: VERY SICK EASTERN BOX!!!!!

Hopefully the antibiotics work though ranavirus has similar symptoms. If the antibiotic doesn't work take him to a wild life vet. I hope it is just a r.i. If it isn't then all the boxers and many other turtles are in trouble.

---

If you can't find the antibiotic powder you can use melafix it is a melaleuca based antibiotic it is usually sold for humans and fish but I've used it for turtles as well. It smells funny but works well.

 

[krb1093]

UPDATE on sick boxie

here's the little guy I found. He was going across a busy road. When I picked him up to move him to the side he was heading I noticed something wrong with his eyes. They were swollen shut he could slightly crack them and they looked hazy white and red. No color at all actually I was afraid he was blind. Anyway 1 day later and 2 soaks ( one was baby food carrot and another green bean) the swelling has gone down and you can see his pupil and color. His breathing isn't as labored as well. Here's a before and after

 

[tyler0912]

RE: UPDATE on sick boxie

Wow...Amazing Job! Are you going to release him back? <3

 

[wellington]

RE: UPDATE on sick boxie

Great save. You may want to keep him. I am not about taking from the wild, but this one may need to kept.

 

[Laurie]

RE: UPDATE on sick boxie

Good job!

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: UPDATE on sick boxie

Just a quick note of explanation: You use the red baby foods, like carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. The reason being the red ones have the most vitamin A. Vitamin A helps the eyes.