Vinnie update and more questions

[Macheteslaststep]

Ok, so we like Reptomin baby! BUT the pellet is still too big for him. I can get 1/4 of it in his mouth, then he swims around until it softens and swallows the 1/4 bit then leaves the rest I've tried softening it first (it just falls apart though), I've tried breaking it into smaller peices but then I can't grasp it right with the tweezers/feeding tongs. What do I do? I still have to bump him inn the nose a couple times before he opens his mouth real wide for it, so he won't take it on his own by scent yet.

He's also stopped swimming lopsided, taking his antibiotic injections well, and is a tough little thing! He prefers to spend most of his time resting in the shallow water on one of the "steps" un the waterland tub though. Is that from the blindness? If I put him on the land part he's more active and keeps his head/legs out of the shell now instead of staying tucked in...but still won't go from water to land or vice versa. I guess that'll come in time?

 

[dmmj]

Reptomin actually sells a smaller version (baby) size. Pet stores should sell it I know because I have 2 bottles of it someone donated to me when I took in some baby RES. they are about this big (-) a Little thicker though.

 

[Macheteslaststep]

It's the baby ones that are too big lol. He's a tiny tiny thing. I need to get pictures...I'll do that this morning.

This morning I went down and turned on all the lights (really really need to get a timer!), switched the clothes, then got a pellet for him. I was holding it in the water with the tongs letting it soften just a little and he...he...

He came off of his step, swam over and put his little hand on my finger while lifting his head up in the air towards me! He's never come to me before now!

 

[dmarcus]

can you cut the pellet's in half without crushing them? Thats good that he came to you like that, definitely an awwww moment...

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

What about crushing, adding a little water and dropper feeding?

 

[Macheteslaststep]

If I break up the pellets smaller, I can't grasp them with the feeding tongs and leave him something to grab.

Hmm...dropper feeding. I may have to try that one.

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Got pictures! In the first one...can you find the Vinnie?

 

[african cake queen]

whos better then him! how sweet! cute. lindy

 

[hali]

oh my so tiny - what a cutie

 

[dmarcus]

That is tiny, very nice looking turtle...

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Macheteslaststep:

I don't believe I've ever learned your name?

That turtle is SO tiny! I see what you mean about making the Reptomin smaller. Wow!

 

[Macheteslaststep]

My name is Saranna. I know he's so small you can feel him moving through his shell -.- My fiance is scared to hold him for his injections lol. He had 2 "bites" of pellet today...maybe we'll try 3 tomorrow. And he moved from the basking area to the water on his own today! I was very happy to see that one

I've only had him for a week and 2 days...but he's accomplished so much already.

 

[tortoises101]

I'm very glad to hear on your accomplishments. Maybe you could try soaking the pellets to soften then and then cut it into smaller pieces? Vinnie looks awesome btw.

 

[Macheteslaststep]

He now voraciously tries to eat the pellet when I put it in his mouth lol. He can still only eat a bite of it, but he's trying!

Oh and he gained a full gram since last week

Tony - I do soften them a little first, but if I try to cut them while soft they turn to mush. He's getting better at it and hopefully in another few weeks he'll be up to half a pellet.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I am good at giving injections...but after seeing him just now I can't imagine injecting something so tiny. Are you using an insulin syringe?

 

[Macheteslaststep]

Yes Maggie, I'm using insulin syringes. He is so small and to have to hold his little leg still and inject sub-Q is just...gah! O.O

But I'm getting goof at it!

 

[LindaF]

Have you tried river shrimp? I had some babies that were difficult to feed. They never liked pellets or sticks, but they liked those freeze dried river shrimp and meal worms. You would even be able to hold the with the tweezers.

 

[Macheteslaststep]

So Vinnie has now been climbing onto the basking area every day unassissted. He also know his way back into the water. He's very good for his antibiotic injections (has 3 left...yay!). He has become great to hand feed needing only a little prompting now before opening wide for a bite of reptomin.

I think the best part though is I finally found out something small enough for him to eat...and he just ate 3 of them!!! Anyone guess?

It's...baby guppies! I have a whole self sustaining colony in my 150 gallon set up and just thought while fishing at the lake this morning after catching a male northern redbelly and sending him off hookless and with an extra snack (minnow which he took eagerly) I thought hmm...turtle eats fish. Duh! Lol. He sucked down those three babies so easily that between them and the bite of reptomin 1-3 times a day, he should start growing like a weed right?

 

[SnakeyeZ]

Tiny! So cute.

 

[tortoises101]

Congrats on the progress!!! It would be good to continue feeding Reptomin though, as they have extra nutrients the guppies lack. But yes, he should be growing at a steady pace, not too fast or too slow.

 

[MichelleCarrigan78]

I had a baby RES that needed injections when he had the respiratory infection. He wasnt quite that small, but he was maybe silver dollar size. The vet and I agreed that he was too small to inject properly. We ended up going with nebulized medicine. It worked great. He made a full recovery and is growing well now. I cant imagine trying to inject a little guy like that!