Gastric Tube Feeding with Lafaber Products

Assist Feeding Eastern Box Turtles

 A. LaFeber® Emeraid Psittacine-Omnivore Care: Add one dry scoop (it comes with product – be careful not to pack the powder) to 10 mls tepid water. Shake well in tube provided.  B. LaFeber® Emeraid Carnivore Care: Add one dry scoop (it comes with product – be careful not to pack the powder) to 10 mls tepid water. Shake well in tube provided.  Add 25% of A to 75% of B. Mix well.

Make sure animal is already well hydrated before feeding. Begin feeding at 0.5% body weight in divided doses for first three days, then increase to 2% body weight in divided doses.

Assist Feeding Hatchling Eastern Box Turtles

 Hill’s Prescription Diet® a/d® Hill’s Prescription Diet® Hill’s Prescription Diet®Critical Care (high calorie, easily digested) or  ROYAL CANIN Veterinary Diet® canine and feline RECOVERY RS™

These hatchling enterals may be initially diluted up to 1:1 with Pedialyte or plain water. The product is delivered into the oral cavity in small amounts once daily. Ideally, the turtle should receive meals daily at the same % body wt as adults. However, hatchlings are particularly prone to emptying their bladder when distressed (such as when repeatedly taped on the beak to elicit an open mouth threat so a feeding tube can be inserted). This can defeat efforts to maintain a good hydration level in the turtle and to keep the stress level down. In my experience, four small mouthfuls of diet per day (all delivered at the small sitting, or divided up if the animal has to be handled multiple times to receive medicine), will result in slow, steady weight gain.

Every effort should be made to introduce solid food as soon as possible. (Finely minced earthworms, redworms, blackworms, cooked chicken, and Reptomin served floating in water (so the pellets move as the turtle moves around) are favorites.