Tube feeding horse field tortoise

This forum covers all aspects of tortoise diet and nutrition, including mineral and vitamin supplementation and foods appropriate for different species.
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Misty666tortoise
Posts: 13
Joined: 27 Oct 2019, 15:41

Tube feeding horse field tortoise

Post by Misty666tortoise » 22 Apr 2020, 17:26

Hi can I please please have some advice on what is the best food to tube feed, I've tried everything from pellets to blended weeds and I can't get my little girls health back I've been tube feeding for a week which was advised by my vets she's had 2 vitamin boasts she has no infections but won't open her eyes now for 3weeks or more visits to the vets x-rays blood test nothing I'm really struggling it's upsetting, she is active won't eat by herself bathing in repoboast, outside in the sun in the day and then in at night, she's roughly 3 I'm was told to try veg baby food. Please help.😊🙁🐢🐢🐢

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lin
Posts: 1034
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Tube feeding horse field tortoise

Post by lin » 22 Apr 2020, 19:46

All the info you need is covered in here Misty. Have a read and get back if you have questions that you need answered.
https://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/nursing.html
Can I ask if the tube is already inserted or you have to do it.
Has your vet told you how much and when you need to feed and finally it is better, rather than risk blocking the tube, to use liquid nourishment as in this article.
Let me know what you think of it and we can answer any questions you might have after.

Lin

Misty666tortoise
Posts: 13
Joined: 27 Oct 2019, 15:41

Re: Tube feeding horse field tortoise

Post by Misty666tortoise » 23 Apr 2020, 08:02

Hi the tube is not in her I'm manual doing it as the vet showed me.she seems ok with it, I'm doing 5ml twice a day she has got more active but her eyes are still sunk she's opening them a little bit but just not enough, I rescued her in November and she wasn't very well then but I managed to put weight on her and she was doing really well but she then went back down hill in the last month, that link you sent me was good thank you I'll have a look into that oxbow critical care. 😊🐢🐢🐢🐢

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Tube feeding horse field tortoise

Post by Nina » 23 Apr 2020, 09:53

Hi Misty,

Well done for rescuing this tortoise! Did the vet say what he thought was the cause of her problem? Regarding the vitamin injections -- do you know which vitamins they were ? It's just that tortoises usually should not have vitamin A injections, because that can cause problems. In rare cases this might be necessary, but often if there are eye problems vets who are not reptile specialists will recommend vitamin A injections and this should not be done except in rare cases.

Just checking other things, what sort of set-up do you have for her (tortoise table, vivarium, etc.) and what are the temperatures in her table, directly under the heat source and also at the cooler end of the table. Could you send us a photo? What type of UVB light does the tortoise have (either a mercury vapour combined heat and light bulb or a UVB fluorescent tube). Sometimes little tweaks in a set-up can bring about a big difference.

It sounds like you're doing a good job with the feeding and hopefully this will bring her back strength and she will soon be eating on her own. Could you just clarify how you are tube feeding? Are you putting the tube into her mouth or inserting it all the way into her stomach?

Cheers,
Nina

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