Box turtle Diagnosis

[caudatadude28]

I am worried about my three toed box turtle. Okay, I dont know much about box turtle diseases or disorders but I am in the process of researching them right now. The place where the carapace and plastaron meet seems soft and as you will be able to see discolored. Is that shell rot?!!? The two circles on the bottom of the shell are kind of like they flaked off. They are sharp on the edges of where they flaked or chipped off. The shell seems firm there. I wonder if it is brittle. The toe nails are not formed well and the beak is overgrown but is getting better. It seems to be grinding down on its own now that it eats from a non-glazed food dish and eats a little harder foods. I feed the boxie boiled sweet potatoes, zuccini, carrots(fresh and boiled), spring lettuce mix, blue berries(frozen), mango(fresh and frozen), peaches(frozen), kiwi(fresh), strawberries(frozen), earthworms, waxworms(rarely), cuttlefish bone(grinded), calcium/vit. D powder, multivitamin powder(he hates the taste and tries to advoid food with it). I may have missed some of the diet. My grandpa and I are almost done with the turtle cage.

 

[freves]

You need to have it checked out by a qualified herp vet. Is it still housed with the bearded dragon?
Chip

 

[ferret_corner]

Hi! I'm sorry to hear your turtle isn't doing well. And I'm anxious to hear your answers to Chips' questions.

In the mean time...

.. that diet sounds heavy on fruit. From what I've read on the 'net - there is fruit in the diet, but I don't see enough other vegetable matter.

Reptile diets always seem to be up for debate and its difficult deciding whats best. Usually I have a few sources I consider reliable - I go to each site, take all the information, put it together and use the common overlaps + some of the extra bits of info that make sense to me.

When I was rehabbing iguanas Melissa Kaplans site was an invaluable resource. And even though I am not into reptiles any more I still refer people to her site.

I browsed the 'net and found these sites for you.

http://www.anapsid.org/box.html

http://www.anapsid.org/boxheal.html

http://www.wheatonparkdistrict.com/pgs/parks/cosley/animals/descriptions/three_toe_boxturtle.html

http://www.tortoise.org/archives/terrapen.html

The first two are Melissa Kaplans. The third is a zoo. Fourth was just a random choice from someone who gave a good account of his personal rearing of three toed box turtles. Not sure I agree with his diet plan but if what he says is true, then he's doing something right!

Anyway - as the owner its up to you to do more research and make some decisions. When I kept box turtles, usually half drowned specimens thrown up from the AZ deserts during monsoon season, I have 12 x 12 ft pens and 10 x 10 ft pens. I used Melissa Kaplans diet while they were recupperating.

Good luck.

Sharon

 

[Jennewt]

If the turtle rejects vegetables and vitamin powder, you should make the turtle's food into a "chopped salad" where you mix together the fruit, veg, and vitamins, all in very small pieces. Do you have a good strong UVB light for it now?

 

[caudatadude28]

Unfortunately the two are still together. I do have a repti-sun 10.0. It is very high in UVB.

 

[oregon newt]

Remember the link I gave you? Please email her if you have any questions. She is probably one of the most experienced people out there.

 

[caudatadude28]

Sorry Will, what was it again?