Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just rescued a hingeback from a petstore. They were feeding it IGUANA food and had no uv or a place for it to soak. It has parasites, metabolic bone disease, vitamin A defincency, bubbly eyes (prob from vit def, but might be URI) and dead bone visable on its carapace. He also has no muscle, all gone, is only 197 gms, but prob full grown.

Good news, exotic specialist vet says prognosis fair to good for full recovery, though will always be stunted. The biggest problem is getting him to eat. He won't/can't chase crickets, has eaten some superworms and will eat some dandelion greens. I would really like to get him eating more, he eats 1/4 of what my russian does. Anybody got any suggestions? If, in a month, he still isn't eating well, we will be putting in a feeding tube. I would like to avoid that.

Thanks for the help,
Brett
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The Zoo
1.0 Amel Cornsnake Pulcher
1.0 Russian Tort McCarthy
0.0.1 Crested Gecko Kruschev
0.0.1 Nile Monitor Scipio
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor Mandela
0.0.1 Forest Hingback Tort Mineta
3.0 Cats Ragnar, Pluto, and Nyord
To be added
0.0.2 Beardies
0.1 Cornsnake morph to be determined

Two suggestions for you.

First, as for food go to a local bait shop and get 6-9 of the smallest minnows they have. Put one or two in a small dish so they can splash around and put it fairly close to your tort. Forest hingbacks love minnows, Erosa and Homeana are akin to a African version of a Box Turtle.. Banana is a fall back food, however use it sparingly as they can and will get hooked on it...to their long term detriment.

Second, contact Paula Morris at the World Chelonian Trust. You can reach her at PaulaMorris@chelonia.org. Also, give Darrell Senneke a try at Director@Chelonia.org.

Paula's forgotten more about Forest hingeback's than most of us old time keepers can remember.

Good luck!

I am using Paula's caresheet, I think. Mineta, the tort, does have an outside enclosure, a kiddie pool. I am hoping the natural light does some good, better than just a uv light. He does come in during the night.

I will deffinately go to the bait shop tomorrow. Pick up some for the nile monitor I rescued from the same place. Do you think bloodworms would be good too? What about tortoise pellets?
Really anything to get him to eat...he is so pathetic. However, he does have spurts of energy and can still huff at me ;D, so all hope is not lost.

Brett
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The Zoo
1.0 Amel Cornsnake Pulcher
1.0 Russian Tort McCarthy
0.0.1 Crested Gecko Kruschev
0.0.1 Nile Monitor Scipio
0.0.1 Savannah Monitor Mandela
0.0.1 Forest Hingback Tort Mineta
3.0 Cats Ragnar, Pluto, and Nyord
To be added
0.0.2 Beardies
0.1 Cornsnake morph to be determined

Stay away from manufactured food. 99% of it is junk.

If you've never had an Erosa or Homeana here's some advice from someone who has resurrected a few. First, they need muted light. Think deep, damp, warm forest. Temps in the mid to upper 80's, and humidity in the 80-90% range. And don't change that range from night to day. Unfortunately they also come loaded with parasites. Get a fecal done ASAP, because all your good deeds in nailing the husbandry will go down the tube if you don't get the parasite load eliminated.

If you can bring this one back from the brink consider yourself blessed. In my opinion, they are without a doubt (not including Manouria Impressa) the WORST WC tort to keep. Bell's are a snap, Erosa and Homeana ugh....

Good luck

I'd just like the readers to know that not all tortoise keepers feel this way about prepared diets. The vast majority that actually use prepared diets still do. As time goes on there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with using such diets as a supplement or as a staple. There are many good prepared commercial diets available.
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Ed
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Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care