Poorly Horsfield
Poorly Horsfield
Hi ladies I'm after a bit of advice. Tort has been on a course of anti biotics after blood tests showed he had an infection, then he was on treatment for pinworm which has cleared but now he's on treatment for coccidia (thinks that's correct spelling) and also due to his twisted spine he's also on long term metacam, all prescribed by vet from your list.
Brave little chap is taking all in his stride but he's not terribly interested in food, if I persevere he'll have sow thistle which I have in abundance in the garden and lavatera / mallowflowers. His favourite at the moment is red baby gem lettuce. Gone right off cucumber and plantain leaves. My question is, do I persevere and let him almost starve himself or do I let him eat the one thing he's prepared to eat I.e. baby gem on the premise that once he's through his latest lot of meds and hopefully feeling a bit better, I can wean him back on to a more healthy diet? Sometimes he just won't eat any other stuff so i have to leave him and he'll ignore it all day, unless it's baby gem. Dilemma. Thanks
Brave little chap is taking all in his stride but he's not terribly interested in food, if I persevere he'll have sow thistle which I have in abundance in the garden and lavatera / mallowflowers. His favourite at the moment is red baby gem lettuce. Gone right off cucumber and plantain leaves. My question is, do I persevere and let him almost starve himself or do I let him eat the one thing he's prepared to eat I.e. baby gem on the premise that once he's through his latest lot of meds and hopefully feeling a bit better, I can wean him back on to a more healthy diet? Sometimes he just won't eat any other stuff so i have to leave him and he'll ignore it all day, unless it's baby gem. Dilemma. Thanks
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Have you tried going back to basics?
Finely chopping the plantain and adding it to the wet baby gem so he gets some of each?
Lin
Finely chopping the plantain and adding it to the wet baby gem so he gets some of each?
Lin
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Poor little chap! Ooh, this is a dilemma, and I expect you'll get different opinions from different people. First of all, some questions:
Have you been keeping a records of his weight? If he has maintained his weight or even gained a bit then I don't think he is starving himself. The problem with food like baby gem is that it is 'easy' wet food that goes through their digestive system too quickly and they do get addicted to it, to the point where they don't want anything else.
If he is losing weight then I would use the tried and tested method of getting him to eat things besides baby gem lettuce (which doesn't have a lot of nourishment). Cut the baby gem up into tiny pieces and thoroughly wet it. Cut some of the food you would prefer him to eat up into teeny tiny pieces, wet that too, and add a small amount to the baby gem. Because it is wet the pieces of the good stuff should stick to the baby gem pieces and he will get some good stuff by accident when he eats the baby gem. Only add a tiny amount of the good stuff to start with. If he eats this then very gradually increase the amount of good stuff and decrease the amount of baby gem until he is eating mostly good stuff.
Even if he isn't eating, remember that it's really important that he stays hydrated, so keep up the baths in warm water.
I hope that technique works for you, and do let us know how you get on -- and lots of little wishes from all of us at TTT to Tort!
Nina
Have you been keeping a records of his weight? If he has maintained his weight or even gained a bit then I don't think he is starving himself. The problem with food like baby gem is that it is 'easy' wet food that goes through their digestive system too quickly and they do get addicted to it, to the point where they don't want anything else.
If he is losing weight then I would use the tried and tested method of getting him to eat things besides baby gem lettuce (which doesn't have a lot of nourishment). Cut the baby gem up into tiny pieces and thoroughly wet it. Cut some of the food you would prefer him to eat up into teeny tiny pieces, wet that too, and add a small amount to the baby gem. Because it is wet the pieces of the good stuff should stick to the baby gem pieces and he will get some good stuff by accident when he eats the baby gem. Only add a tiny amount of the good stuff to start with. If he eats this then very gradually increase the amount of good stuff and decrease the amount of baby gem until he is eating mostly good stuff.
Even if he isn't eating, remember that it's really important that he stays hydrated, so keep up the baths in warm water.
I hope that technique works for you, and do let us know how you get on -- and lots of little wishes from all of us at TTT to Tort!
Nina
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Thanks ladies I 'll give it a go again. It's almost as though he recognises the baby gem and thus eats it but I 'll try cutting things up into a nice salad for him and see what happens. He has lost weight, vet has been weighing him too but didnt seem too concerned and I wondered if some of the weight loss apart from not eating is due to the worms no longer being present (he had lots of them!)
The weather isn't helping , i ve got some lumisol sheeting from BCG and using it on a temporary basis till the new build so it's nice and warm but i'm loathed to leave him out as the substrate has got damp so don't want this to add to his problems.
Will let you know how we get on. Thanks
The weather isn't helping , i ve got some lumisol sheeting from BCG and using it on a temporary basis till the new build so it's nice and warm but i'm loathed to leave him out as the substrate has got damp so don't want this to add to his problems.
Will let you know how we get on. Thanks
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Hi just a quick update. He's not eaten a thing since my last post. It could be a protest at his coccidia treatment but last one was Wednesday and I d hoped he would have found his appetite again by now. Hoping to get him an appointment with the vet tomorrow. Fingers crossed although I m a bit worried.
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Oh dear, I'm so sorry about that! I think a visit to the vet is a good idea, and it's possible that he could need tube feeding for a short time to get him going again. You and he have had such bad luck -- I do hope that something is found soon to bring him back to full health and appetite -- keep us posted.
Nina x
Nina x
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Oh no.
We have our fingers crossed here to for you both. Please keep us posted on what the vet says.
Lin
We have our fingers crossed here to for you both. Please keep us posted on what the vet says.
Lin
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Thanks both, I'll let you know.
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Any news yet Teddy28. I have been thinking of you both today.
Lin
Lin
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Hi so sorry I didn't see your message Lin. Just on way back from vets now, they kept him overnight so they could put a tube into his oesophagus (not sure if spelling is correct) this morning. He looks like a mini incendiary device. Liquid food, milk thistle and antibiotics to administer via the tube and hope he gets his appetite back.
Will keep you posted and fingers crossed he doesn't dislodge his tube although he's trying his best
Thanks for the advice and support ladies
X
Will keep you posted and fingers crossed he doesn't dislodge his tube although he's trying his best
Thanks for the advice and support ladies
X
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Oh poor little fella.
Fingers crossed he will now start to go in the right direction and remember how to eat.
Please let us know how he goes between now and when he has to go back.
Good Luck
Lin
x
Fingers crossed he will now start to go in the right direction and remember how to eat.
Please let us know how he goes between now and when he has to go back.
Good Luck
Lin
x
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Lin / Nina
May I 'private message' you both please?
Teddy
May I 'private message' you both please?
Teddy
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Yes, of yourse you can. You can contact us directly via contact@thetortoisetable.org.uk and we will both get it.
Lin
Lin
Re: Poorly Horsfield
Oh dear -- so sorry that he still isn't better (for some reason I didn't get notified of any posts here since the 4th of August, so Lin has just pointed it out to me). Yes, please do contact us directly at the contact address Lin gave (or you can also just write to nina@thetortoisetable.org.uk and lin@thetortoisetable.org.uk, so that Jon and Emma don't think this is something they need to deal with).
Nina
Nina
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