Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey gang, new to the site but not herps. Our recent rescue mission to the local major chain pet store brought an extreamly sick Ornate to our house, not to mention two starving anoles (they are doing better now). We knew it was ill that is why we bought it, my other half took it straight to her work (she is a vet tech and a great clinic and yes they know turtles well) She was given injections of vitamins B, C, D, eyes cleaned up. She has an abscess behind each eye, one in the mouth(huge), shell issues and the runs. Being the major COrporation we saved her from she was in low humidity, eating basically only mealies and who knows how long they had her and where she came from. Anyways, to the point she is set up in a large rubbermaid type container for now with ecobark (deep enough to burrow), large bark pieces to climb under, water dish, uvb lighting, temps ranging from 85/88 to 70/72. She will recieve an outdoor enclosure this spring/summer once the snow leaves and the temps rise and then will be able to hibernate each winter. However due to her condition now is not the time to go in to a deep sleep and since we brought her home 2/23/07 she has wanted nothing to do with food (mango/apple/shredded carrot/shredded broccoli stems/grapes/mealies/waxies/crickets/etc) she just wants to stay burrowed. Any advice????? I have tried soaking her but she just leaves the water and heads back and burrows down. I have tried placing her in warmer locations to stimulate her, but again back to digging.
Sorry for the length of the post but I wanted to include all the info I could
Thanks
Brian

Just a few months ago I came to this forum with the same problem. I had built a pen in my yard for my Ornate, but it wasn't finished and she knew it was time to hibernate. She (Nora) wouldn't eat, just wanted to dig under and sleep. Well I made the mistake of letting her sleep, and after a week, I took her out to see how she was and her both eyes were swollen shut. I brought her to the herp vet in my area, and he hydrated her (she was very badly dehydrated), and gave me vitamin A ointment and triple antiseptic ointment to mix and put on both her eyes once a day. Also Baytril 20MG to be given once a day. I hated doing it (giving shots), but had to. He also told me to soak her in very warm water twice a day. I did all this for 7 days. That's when I finished the Baytril that he gave me. I continued to soak her twice a day. I had to dig her up. I also raised the temp. in her vervarium, and added more plants for humidity. After about 4 more days, she started to come out of her hide box on her own, but still wouldn't eat. I am still soaking her now once a day. Her eyes are clear now, she is eating well, and basks in the "sunshine", goes in her water bowl on her own. So she is doing fine now. I will put her out in her new pen in the Spring. Good luck. There are many people on this board, that are experts to help you. Nora is my first Box turtle.
Terry

thanks nora, glad yours turned out all right, hopefully this little girl will come around as well.
Thanks for the info
Brian

I got most of my boxies because they were sick or hurt.
I don't let them burrow when they are sick. I keep them on old clean towels in a heated enclosure.. like a hospital cage.

I had one sick last year & another this year.. kept them both this way. They took their medicine every day & wouldn't eat.
With both of them I got them back onto food by using wax worms.
With both of them they went about 3 weeks without eating.. if they go too long they usually need a feeding tube placed in them.
I got Chip the fall of 2005- he was badly injured by a dog, the feeding tube saved his life.
If you can't get this one eating soon, your vet may need to consider doing this.
Good luck I sure hope you can turn this one around & get it well again.
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PHRatz

He is actually getting tube fed today, it is very helpful having an other half who works in a clinic, with our crew we would be broke. He was interested in food yesterday but just wouldn't bite it, she took him in to be safe. His eyes have cleared up and the abscess in the mouth has shrunk, but still there. The vet wasn't to worried about the burrowing with everything she has been through and since we are going to tube him for a couple days it was no big deal right now.
Thanks for the thoughts and advice
Brian

Sorry I meant She not he is getting tube fed, sorry Ohana

Sounds like she is getting the right treatments. You mentioned she just walks away when you try to soak her. Soak her in tepid water in a plastic tub or bathroom sink (of course clean it before and after), that way she cannot run away. If she is on antibiotics it's imprortant that she gets plenty of water to flush by-products from her kidneys.

Try feeding her in a smaller, opaque plastic bin with a top over it. Use earthworms, cold stunned crickets, waxworms. Skip the fruits and veggies for now-get her eating protein first.

How did the tube feeding go?
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Tess
Kingsnake.com Forum Host

Great glad she's going for tube feeding.
I've found that with tube feeding they tend to get a lot stronger, a lot faster. When you can get enough nutriion into them it usually doesn't take too long for them to start feeding on their own.
Keep us updated on this one please & good luck!
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PHRatz

Update, ohana is doing better, she was much more active last night after being tube fed, it was nice to see her exploring her enclosure, being curious, looking and acting like a boxy should. She is going back tomorrow for another batch of tube feeding and some x rays just to make sure she is not egg bound, impacted or anything, just to be on the safe side.
thanks again everyone, I am so glad I found this forum
Brian and ohana

Yay Brian!
Sounds like real progress is being made. I'll keep my fingers crossed for her.
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PHRatz