Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had my ornate box turtle (Bubba)for about two months. He/she seems to have one broken nail (the last one on the outside of the paw) and one crooked nail in the middle of the same paw. This looks very unpleasant to me. I just noticed it. There has been no change in his/her behavior, which has been good for the time he's stayed here with me. Is this something that I should seek vet help immediately with? Please help.

Hey,

Do you have a photo/pic you can post to show us what it looks like? Nonetheless, you can take your turtle to the vet in case the claw is due to an inherent deformity or injury that you didn't notice. In the wild, the turtle will have to deal with it and sometimes it's not a problem. Box turtles like to dig and I hope the claw is not affecting yours drastically.

One of my male painted turtle's nail got bitten off and I had to disinfect it and watch it slowly heal. It's all good now but yea he's missing a claw.

Johnny

Is it front or rear foot? Middle nails on rear feet are very curved, or are you referring to something different altogether?
I would make sure to keep the broken one clean, make sure its diet is well balanced, and it should grow back ok.
After having nursed a turtle through a foot amputation (exposed bone, etc.), by just keeping the wound clean and the turtle well fed, I can vouch for their amazing ability to heal. That particular injury was completely healed (tissue regrown, etc.) within 16 weeks.
Its great that you're so observant: thats the best way to detect differences in behavior, too, which may be the only way to tell if something's if something's wrong.
Stephanie

I will upload a photo as soon as possible. The nails in question are on the front paw, I believe it is the left side. He/She has had no visible problems digging. The diet consists of dusted, gut loaded crickets(which he/she darts after)and some fruits and veggies. Some additional info: Bubba stays in a tank with Oliver, a Three Toed Box Turtle. Both are (to the best of my knoweledge) about 4 months old. Tiny!! The enclosure is definately large enough for them and they seem to get along nicely. I also share a bathroom with 2 RES, Mortimer(M) and NewGuy(F). I am, however, new to the realm of Box Turtles. Thank you for such speedy responses, I will post a picture very soon, I need closure. My babies are an integral part of my life, as Im sure yours are too. Thanks so much!!

Since the turtle is with another turtle and they are both very small, there may have been a case mistaken identity. I used to keep my baby turtles together and I still do with some, but as soon as I see any sign of aggresstion during feeding or if one looks at the toes and tails of his tankmate with relish, I separate them immediately. One of my baby turtles had the tip of his tail nipped off by a tankmate. I'm not asying that is what happened here but it is something to consider. For now keep the toe clean and put on antibiotic cream and watch for aggressive behavior.
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Tess
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