Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I really didn't think anything was wrong with my female 3-toed today until I went to put everyone up for the night. She was really lethargic, not retracting her legs or head when I picked her up. The thing I'm not quite sure on is she soaked in the water dish ALL day, practically from noon to seven thirty. The only symptom I could think of for prolonged soaking is if she was about to lay, but she hasn't been anxious, was eating as of yesterday, and is doing no digging.

Her eyes and nose were clear, but like I said, she's just really lethargic and a couple times I found her head just laying down with her nose on the ground. I soaked her for about 30 min. in some warm water before I put her up for the night. I'm not TOO concerned, but I guess I just want to know what everyone thinks and if I should be looking out for anything specific besides the obvious tomorrow.

dont know what your weather is but may be heat related
-----
Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

How hot is it where you are?

Mine stretch out their legs in the warmer weather in order to cool off, and some will also take turns soaking for hours in their little pond, even staying completely submerged. It's actually normal behavior during heat spells. It's not normal if it persists when the weather cools or gets rainy, if she limps or drags her legs or has swelling.

Have you palpated her to see if she's gravid?

It's just about as hot as it normally has been the last month plus. Also, none of the other turtles, including the Easterns, showed any signs of having trouble. I tried to palpatate her, but had little luck; not too experienced at that yet.

I fed everyone this morning some earthworms and June bugs and she was the only not to eat. She just walked away from an earthworm wiggling in front of her face. She has been buried in the leaf pile the whole day so far.

I really hope this is gravid-related behavior. She's just moving around so slowly. Maybe she is a LOT older than I would have thought.

The only way we know our turtles are sick is by outward signs-not eating well, acting abnormal, and of course runny nose or sealed eyes. If your turtle does not return to her normal behaviors in a few more days you may want to take her to a vet for an x-ray to see if she is egg bound and to check her stools for worms and other internal parasites. Good luck! Tess

That was my first thought, that it could be heat related. My redfoots and my easterns do the same thing (act lethargic) when it gets too hot and dry. But I don't think the ornate has any concept of heat or not: she hides when its kind of nice and breezy out, but basks out in the hot sun when its 90 degrees, but feels like 180 degrees.

Well, my female 3-toed, Olive, didn't wake up this morning. It's an empty feeling, but at least the time she was with me she ate like a pig and got a good home, I feel. I suppose she was quite a bit older than I thought and her slowing down the last two days was her way of preparing. Still, sad.

She was such a sweetheart. She was calm, let me handle her without squirming, and was always the last to go hide out in the morning. I suppose my solace can be that I won't have to go through this again anytime soon since I have two juvies and an inmature male 3-toed.

I'm so sorry to hear that.

That's horrible to hear. Sorry about your loss. The only bad thing with keeping reptiles is that most, if not all, can't tell you if anything is wrong with them. It's just a matter of observation, and even that sometimes won't work, because they can play it off like there's nothing wrong with them for the longest time.

I am very sorry Olive has died. It is always heartbreaking to lose a pet. I feel for you...she sounded like a perfect turtle. Tess

Sorry to hear that! Maybe it was just her time to go and she was lucky enough to have you help her through it!
-----
0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.11.0 chickens
1.0.0 Dutch(rabbit)
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband

n/p
-----
Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

N/P