blind box turtle hatchling

Question
QUESTION: I need help encouraging this baby box to eat. The vet says it was born without eyes and may not eat. I need help fast.
thank you.
sabra

ANSWER: Hi Sabra

You don't happen to mention when this turtle was hatched. New hatchlings will feed off the absorbed yolk for the first week or even two and don't tend to eat right away. Young boxies are also primarily carnivorous so if you are trying to feed mostly greens, fruit and veg then you may not have much luck even with a sighted baby.
I have noticed that my own box turtle (a three toed) and tortoises are very scent oriented when feeding. You may have to use something like a small amount of good quality chicken based canned cat food which would have a strong scent to trigger feeding. You can then start mixing well chopped or grated greens and veg/fruit or commercial box turtle diet into that. I have found this method to work well with reluctant boxie feeders. If you can find small earthworms or have the stomach to chop some up, then they are usually quite irresistable to boxies. I assume that it is not only the movement but the scent of earthworms that they detect.

Good luck with your special needs baby, I really think he should be able to adjust to this handicap with a little extra help from you. I have a red foot tortoise that hatched with only one eye and I always have to place his food on his good side or he just walks through and over the dish and then can't find it!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much Thea. This baby hatched around 9/25/09. It still had the little chipping tooth to peck out of it's shell and a prominent navel. Do you think it must be eating something to live this long? I have tried everything under the sun. Now I mostly soak it in turtle vitamin powder water. I offer food twice a day, a meat and fruit/veggie. I have never seen it eat. Live worms just crawled over it's head as it just sat there. I have held food right at it's mouth and nothing happens.  It was suggested to hibernate it but I think that would be a death sentence.

Frustrated but determined,
Sabra

Answer
Hi Sabra, It sounds like you are doing all you can at home to save this little guy. I agree that hibernation would likely be a death sentence in his current state. He just does not have the body resserves to get through it. I assume that you are providing an optimum warm area for him? Something in the upper end of the optimal range (90 - 95F) would be suitable at this stage provided he can get away from it as well. Reptile appetites are very temperature dependent.
The only other thing I can suggest is a vet visit. He likely will need a vitamin A shot if he continues to refuse food and if memory serves I believe one of the the B vitamin shots also acts as an appetite stimulant. If all else fails the vet may likely tube some food into him and show you how to perform the same procedure. (I have had to do this and it is not quite as frightening as it sounds). That will at least give him his best chance and buy him some time.

I hate to see animals that are endangered and capable of living so long losing their battle so young. Best of luck to both of you.