Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My turtle was always fine, but all of a sudden his backlegs stoped working. And a week or so later, his eyes are always closed. He still has an appitite because if he can feel a nightcrawler near his face he will snap it up and eat it.

Has anyone ever heard of this?

Thanks in advance for any reply.

There are several posibilitiews...all bad.
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find a herp vet now:
arav

have you had a UVB light on your boxie?
what about supplements or cuddle bones? It sounds to me like a fairly advanced form of metabolic bone disease. Unlike mammals who show signs of illness fairly quickly, reptiles seemingly remain fine until they are very sick. It takes sometimes months or even years for a reptile (especially turtles) to show signs of illness, and when they do it is often too late. Fortunately, though, it sounds like you caught it in time. He is not yet refusing food. Most likely, though, he is in pain, and you should get him to a qulified vet as soon as humanly possible.
He will probably need calcium injections and oral calcium lactate. hope this helps.

Many possibilities for sure; whatever the case it's advanced and needs a vet visit ASAP! Don't look for diagnoses online. If you happen to live in an area where a herp vet is not available withen traveling distance then any vet will have to do.
Good luck

I'm not sure about the rear legs, but one of my H.spinosa eyes were always closed even though it still tried to eat. I took it to a vet and the vet said it had a vitamin A deficiancy. It got a vitamin A injection and was given these eye and nostral drops (Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Dexamethasone Opththalmic Suspension) by Falcon Pharmaceutials. I gave it the last eye and nose drop treatment tonight (treated for ten day) and it is absolutely fine now.