Urgent Care :: Update on George and Weezy - "Turtle Eye Drop". I

[Spiritualjoy]

Well, Weezy couldnt open EITHER one of her eyes this morning, and George was beginning to have issues with his left eye so I whisked them off to the vet and here is the prognosis. They both have a RI, both have a vitamin A deficiency and are a little malnourished because they haven't eaten for almost 2 weeks. They each got a Vitamin A & D injection AND they each got an antibiotic injection. I have to take them back in every other day for a week for more injections. They also got ointment for their eyes, and I have to put that on them twice a day and dry dock them for 5 hours a day. WOW. (Dont even ASK what all that costs!)

My problem now is with their eating. I have the pickiest turtles in the world who rarely eat anything on a regular basis. They do NOT like live food and wouldn't eat a live fish to save their lives. They have always turned their noses up at pellets and could care less what I soak them in beforehand. I have NEVER seen them eat a pellet. The vet said it was obvious they were eating SOMETHING (I do have frogbit floating in their tank and see pieces of it floating around), but whatever it is, it is not enough to give them the proper nourishment. Some days they will eat some freeze dried shrimp, and the next day they dont want them. One day they will eat a piece of tuna, and then the next day they dont' want THAT. Its a never ending cycle to see what they are going to eat that day. With that said - they are starving, I am sure. They need to eat something, but WHAT? They have no appetite at all. How can I expect them to get better, when they aren't getting any nutrition in them? Any advice???

[megcornell]

Part of their lack of hunger could be the antibiotics. If they are getting baytril, that can stunt their appetite. For now, get them to eat whatever they will, whether it's tuna or even moist cat food, because you're right they need food in their systems. And once they get off the antibioitcs you can worry about getting them on a balanced diet, but the RI would be the main concern right now.

I hope they feel better soon!

[Spiritualjoy]

Yes, they are getting Baytril injections. I have never heard of moist cat food - how do you give it to them since they need to eat IN the water? Wont that make a mess?

[megcornell]

I've never fed it myself, so I don't know about the logistics of it but I do know that some turtles find the seafood flavors irresistible.
I would put a little dollop in the water and see how they like it. You can always scoop out what's uneaten.

[marisa]

Are their eyes open enough so that they can see the food? If so, you might try offering them an earthworm (or pieces of one to make it easier to eat).

[Spiritualjoy]

Thats part of the problem now - their eyes are hardly open at all. I am going to go to the pet store tomorrow and buy some earthworms to try to feed to them. They are both sound asleep right now - one in the water and one out of the water. Its horrible to see them so ill like this! Of course I want the medicine to work RIGHT NOW and I am trying to understand it takes a little time. If the Baytril is diminishing their appetite, I may not get them to eat until they have had their last injection on Monday the 21st. The vet said I had to figure something out to get them to eat. Weezy has a little concave spot on her shell that he said is coming from malnutrition. Is there a liquid vitamin that I could give them to make sure they get what they need when they go through their not eating phase?

[marisa]

Baytril does tend to supress the appetite while a turtle is on it. If they can't see the earthworms and if they're weak, they're not likely to eat them (try them when they're healthy, though). If you hold a little sardine, tuna (something smelly) in front of nose in the water, will they try to nibble on it a little?

For liquid vitamins, you could try Poly-Vi-Sol (it's for babies and children, but people have used it with turtles) and put a few squirts in the water (use a separate feeding container for this, it will foul the water). They'd hopefully get some of the nutrients when they drink the water. You could also try (in a separate feeding container) plain Pedialye and mix it 50/50 with water; they'd get some electrolyes from drinking it as well. Even doing these things, I'd still try to get them to eat.

[Spiritualjoy]

I tried putting some tuna under their noses this morning and they could have cared less. Didn't even react to the smell of it. I will try the vitamins and the pedialyte tomorrow. Maybe as they get better, they will get hungrier. Then I will start my series of food tests. Mealworms, earthworms, cat food - whatever it takes! It would be so much easier if they would just eat a pellet! I own a container of every type made at this point and they have not eaten ONE of them!

[steve]

Something I would not normally recommend but you can also try dried shrimp (gammarus) and raw shrimp. If they are having a hard time with the live food, perhaps you can hold it in front of them and let them see it wiggle...

[Spiritualjoy]

Sometimes they do eat the dried shrimp but its basically hit or miss. One day they like it, then they wont eat it again for a week. I did give them raw shrimp once but they just took one bite and that was it. They will taste stuff, but generally don't eat more than one bite. Its finding something they actually LIKE that is the trick.

Their eyes are opening better tonight. I just put more ointment on them and dry docked them for an hour to let the ointment soak in. They are both sound asleep again on the bottom of the tank. I just ordered some liquid vitamins and appetite stimulant to be delivered, along with some other mineral supplements - so hopefully they can help get their tummies rumbling! I dont take them in for more injections until Wednesday, so tomorrow I am going to tackle finding something they will eat. Thanks for all the input - it is really helping!

[steve]

How long have you had these turtles? I'm not totally familiar with what has been going on or what their setup is like...

[Spiritualjoy]

Oh ok. I will fill you in. I got them as babies last May. Had them flown in from Florida. They said they were raised on pellets, but from the second they came in my front door they refused to eat pellets ever. I have been feeding them hit and miss this whole time. Sometimes shrimp, sometimes raw fish, sometimes frogbit (they do love it), they have eaten a couple of earthworms, but its never anything regular. I think they ate ONE cricket one time....Each day is a new challenge. They have always been healthy though. (Or so I thought until the Vet said that their shells weren't forming right because they were under nourished!)

Then we moved into a new house less than a month ago and they both recently got sick with RI. I think its because I set them up in my kitchen in front of the window. There are alot of windows and a door near the tank and I think the drafts got them. I just moved them into my office today where there are NO windows and its nice and warm. They have a great set up with all the bells and whistles and the top of the line UVB/Heat lamp combo with the acrylic turtle ramp. I have the water temp set at 80 for right now while they are sick, and I really havent had the lamp on because their eyes are so swollen and sensitive. Besides the obvious focus of getting them through the RI - I need to figure out long term how to get them to EAT, and to eat on a regular basis. They used to "beg" for food all the time, but no matter what it is I gave them, they turned their nose up at it! I even have fish in their tank with an algae eater and the algae eater rides along on their shells! They have never tried to eat it! I cant figure them out one bit. That's the novel - any ideas??

[mikee]

S-Joy -- I do realize that when you got your turtles that they were under nourished, however, if you withhold food for a few days: they will become less picky. If you keep the water warm and not feed them for a few days, they will come around. If mine could they would have me getting boiled lobster every night from the local restaurant. If they are healthy otherwise, give that a try.

[Spiritualjoy]

I was hoping that very thing would happen! Maybe when they get over this illness, they will be ravenous and eat whatever I put in front of them! That could be the silver lining to this dark cloud! (I dared not read the "boiled lobster" part out loud for fear they would hear me and get a bright idea like that! LOL)

[Spiritualjoy]

FYI - I just posted pictures of George and Weezy in the gallery!