Turtle people, HELP

[Solid Snake]

So, I have found an injured eastern box turtle. I need to know if I should let him/her be, give medical care, or put it down.

Im not sure what chewed it, but I would guess a cat or possum.(it wasnt the dog in the photo)









Im posting on a turtle forum as well, but trying to get as much advice as possible.
It has all it limbs and such, but its shell has been chewed away quite a bit.

I had to kill an anole, and a snake this week that were injured, and am really not wanting to have to do the same with this poor guy. I just dont know how bad these injuries actually are.

 

[Chameleonmaster]

The bad of the shell look really bad I just don't want the turtle to suffer. I'm sorry but to me I think you should

 

[Trillian]

They recover quickly from shell injuries, and can survive to live to their natural life-span with some really horrific shell injuries. Have you had any luck from the other forum?

 

[Lancecham]

Looks like it would heal from the injuries. It looks worse than it probably is.

 

[Trillian]

Having looked at the photos more closely, I would say medical care. Are there any wildlife rescue places near you? The wounds themselves look bad, but are reasonably superficial, there's a chance he might even be able to be re-released once he has healed. The main problem with turtle wounds like this is keeping them clean. You've probably found stuff on Google by now, seems a good tip until you can get him to an animal hospital is to keep him dry most of the time, and soak him for half an hour a couple of times a day in clean water, and treat his wounds with some dilute betadine. When my tortoises had a fight one had some nasty gashes on his leg and I put him in a dish with dilute betadine (strong tea-coloured) for 15 minutes a few times a day and it healed nicely.

 

[Solid Snake]

Thanks guys! I appreciate it!
I feel real bad for it, but its walking around fine, and a close inspection showed no damage to its "flesh", just on its shell bits. It does look really awful.

It ate some worms for me, so I figure thats a good thing.

I dug the ground/long grass up that he was hiding in, and put it in a 5gallon bucket, and placed him inside it for now. He snuggled back down, and Ill leave him be for the nite. I contacted a local reptile rescue about him, and am waiting for their answer of what would be best for him. The other forum wont let me post anything, anywhere
I contacted a mod there, and have not heard back yet.

Thanks again, Ill keep you all posted.

 

[reptilover]

Use a diluted iodine solution soaked Into a cloth and lay It on the wound for a few mins then rinse let dry and then apply a generous helping of antiseptic ointment over the infected area. I recommend harboring him till the soars are gone feeding him relativity wat ud feed your crickets and then release him imo

 

[reptilover]

And trust me when a wound gets down through the shell and u can see flesh it Is flesh and its horribly painful. a pain killer ointment would help as well.

 

[Solid Snake]

Thanks!

I plan on cleaning them up, and giving him some tlc tomorrow.

I figure he should sleep tonite, or are they active at nite?

If he wont be asleep/resting anyhow, I could do it tonite.

Some of the parts look "fleshy" to me.

There are pain killer ointments? Ill have to look into this.

Yes, my plan is to get him recovered a bit, and I will likely release him, if he recovers fine. I can make him his own house outside tomorrow.

 

[Hoj]

Really nice of you to help him out. I dont know much at all about turtles but it looks like a sore that aloe could possibly help with. Just an idea??

 

[Chameleonmaster]

My turtle was in my pond and I found him similar to yours not as bad and he died of infection i miss bubbles

 

[Solid Snake]

My turtle was in my pond and I found him similar to yours not as bad and he died of infection i miss bubbles

Infection is what I am really worried about.

Sorry about Bubbles.

 

[Lancecham]

Infection is what I am really worried about.

Sorry about Bubbles.

If you provide some TLC as some mentioned, you will void off any infection. If you can do this, it will recover fine.

 

[Mredhorse]

If you set up a pen in your yard and keep it protected, the injury will heal on its own (put a little antibiotic cream on to protect and help heal). Just make sure he/she doesn't get to hot and has a nice place it can burrow. The shell did its job by protecting the body inside.
Get some nice earth worms and let it eat-eat-eat. (when I had mind, they loved blueberry muffins)
Triple Antibiotic First Aid Ointment - Is pretty good and does not cost much.
I use it on my reptiles and amphibians with quick healing results.

Just a little...
Make sure you put boxxie in an area that the ants will not attack.
Good luck...

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Don't euthanize him!! It looks bad but they recover from these kinds of injuries very well! You've been given great advice already about keeping the areas clean and dilute iodine soakings/cleanings. Unfortunately pain control is mostly unknown or ineffective in reptiles as far as we can tell so there's not much you can do on that end. Keep them clean and they ward off infection pretty well. Also keep her indoors for a while because flies love to bite at that nice fleshy part that's been exposed and lay eggs. Nothing grosser than maggots on a live animal... Those area will harden and have a skin-like layer grow over them eventually to protect them.

PS - they are not active at night. It's a young female.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I recommend harboring him till the soars are gone feeding him relativity wat ud feed your crickets and then release him imo

It will take months for them to heal. Also interesting to note that in multiple studies of box turtles you must release them in their native home territory that they've established, and if you do not they aimlessly roam for months looking for it, often into roadways and suburban areas where they get into dangerous situations. It's actually best to not just go out and release them. Better to get them to a rehabber who can get them to an established 'soft release' site if available - where they are enclosed in the wild for a long enough period that they recognize that area as their home territory, so when the Wallace are removed they stay in that area.

 

[Solid Snake]

Again, thanks everyone!

Ill clean her up tomorrow, and figure out a safe place for her to live while shes with me.

ferret, anyway you could school me on sexing/aging?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I can tell it's not an adult because of her size compared to your hand. Probably around 5 years old (young for turtles). My 3 year old box turtles are a little smaller than she is. It's a she because she has brown eyes. Males have red eyes. Juvies have grey eyes. Hers look pretty brown on the picture, but if she's young they could still change later. Definitely an eastern so good job there! The shell is in great shape beside the obvious. Probably wild because captive box turtles rarely have a shell that looks that good, but possibly an escaped pet. They are master escape artists!

 

[Solid Snake]

Eye color? Really?!

Thats crazy!

Thanks though!

Yeah, the info I found says they can live to 80-100+ years!

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

The eye color sexing is very cool isn't it! It only applies to box turtles too. Not other types of turtles. Yes they can live a very long time! I have one female who I've had since I was little, and she was at least 20 when we got her, so that puts her over 40. She got one foot bitten off by a raccoon a long time ago but she still trucks around like nothing changed! I also have her son, now over 10 years old. I expect to have them and the other boxies I've gotten from a turtle rescue for a very long time! My 3 year old boxies were hatched from an injured rescue also. They are so stinkin cute!