Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This girl is 12+" @ 11.5 lbs.. makes beautiful babies.. and I raised her from a 10/98 hatchling.

It's been something like 2 weeks since she has eaten well. At least a week now since not much more than a feeble nibble.. and today wouldn't even eat a strawberry! She does drink some when I place her near the dish. Her weight is good.. but it seems to be dropping. Don't have scales. Clean nose.. no discharge.

We did the Oxcytocin treatment last Sat. She did lay 5 eggs within an hour.. not sure if she's "clean" yet. Am considering another treatment no later than next Tues. 2/19.. have Vet. appointment then. I can get in sooner if need be.

We need to get her eating again and healthy. Any ideas on vitamin injections/dosage, etc. would be most appreciated.

I've never had any issues with any of my tortoises for the past 10+ years. Totally perplexed. I know more about tortoises than my Vet. - but he will prescribe what is needed which is a good thing.

Help please...

Terry

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Terry E. Kilgore
Turtletary.com

I apologize..

THANK YOU for any advice and/or insight!
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Terry E. Kilgore
Turtletary.com

sorry to hear you are experiencing this difficulty and wish I could give you concrete advice about medications and dosages -
female obstetric problems are always tough -
I have had a male cherryhead for twenty-plus years who is active and eats heartily all summer outside, inside overwinter barely touches food -
he required nursing back to health on arrival and I spent a great deal of worry because he was such a poor eater. But this seems to be his natural rhythm -

Of course, in your situation with a treasured pet and the danger of egg binding, there is cause for anxiety, but I have suffered losses from vitamin injections, Vitamin A toxicity in particular, which manifests initially as epithelial breakdown and skin lesion.

Sometimes contractions brought on by oxytocin administration will force a mishappen, ruptured, overly calcified or otherwise deformed egg into the cervical canal with resultant complications. I am lucky to have a long-term collaborative working relationship with a specialist vet. His advice has always been to leave it alone unless obvious straining and distress are present. In your case, x-rays seem warranted.

My females sometimes skip a year, season or switch from one season to another and keep me guessing. So I am generally in a state of constant worry.

I wish you the best of luck.

Thank you for your kind words domalle.

The most perplexing about this situation is no "pre-conditions".. at all! She laid 34 eggs last "season".. like clock-work!

She sat in her water dish about the time she should have been nesting.. about mid-Jan. Her sister laid 7 nice eggs 2/13.. not too far off schedule. But then the drought of '07 has everything out of whack. Something like a 17% hatch rate so far for '08.. umph!

I'm seriously considering an X-ray and/or another dose of Oxyctocin.. just to be sure.

Thanks all...

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Terry E. Kilgore
Turtletary.com

just noticed this thread -- i don't have any expert advice, but i just wanted to say that i was thinking of you and i hope your girl is okay. i was very upset over junior's health recently (he's better now), so i've been there lately too, and it's a bad/sad place.

keep us posted...

UPDATE:

Thanks all for your concerns.. Tim, Kelly, Larry, Carl, Bill and all you others here!

Went to the Vet a couple of hours ago and took a couple of X-rays.. totally clean! Nothing in there.. no signs of any eggs. I hope we're reading it right. I mean couldn't be cleaner. I'll see if I can scan the X-ray next week and post for all to see.

When she was set in front of chopped strawberry she actually took a few bites. And she seems to be drinking more also.

This has to be a good sign!

Thanks again.. y'all!
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Terry E. Kilgore
Turtletary.com

Glad to hear it Terry. Hopefully it was just the egg binding and nothing more. My prayers are still with you and the girl though.
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Kelly Wood

Our big girl ate quite a bit of strawberry and then got excited about curly endive.. ate more this morning than has in 2 weeks! And then later this afternoon was seen drinking hardily. Thankful again!

Again thanks to all for your concerns!!!

Terry
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Terry E. Kilgore
Turtletary.com