Bubba, a three-toed box turtle, came to a GCTTS rehabber on July 12, 2008. This rehabber who has seen many, many deformed turtles over the years was horrified when she saw Bubba. Bubba has the worse case of Metabolic Bone Disease she has ever seen. After recovering from the shock of seeing this turtle, she immediately gave her a thorough exam and set her up outdoors in a protected area. This poor turtle obviously hasn't been outside in the sunlight for several years, if ever. GCTTS looks upon this case as a case of abuse. If a dog or cat with equal deformities came into the SPCA, an investigation would be launched. Why is it such deformities are accepted and over looked with turtles? The owner surely had to be wondering why the turtle was developing in such a way, especially since they also had another turtle which wasn't nearly as deformed. The owner must not have cared or this case wouldn't be so far advanced.

So you can follow Bubba's progress, here are comments written by Bubba's rehabber:

(Click on each thumbnail for a larger photo)

22 July 2008 Update from her rehabber
You know, I have seen a LOT of nasty looking captive turtles in the last 15 years (always raised indoors) so little shocks me anymore. When I checked the drop off container that first morning, I could not have stayed calm when I saw one of those turtles. Again, I have seen a lot. This made me nauseous. I will put it number 1 of well over 1000 on my nasty land turtle list. This took me a while to calm down. When you read or hear me blasting someone for keeping a turtle indoors, you should understand better why we here at GCTTS have been adamant about outdoor housing ONLY.

Bubba was put in a 4 ft kiddie pond on my picnic table (fully shaded porch) with clumpy dirt. She can move a bit although I have not seen her maneuver yet. Her back legs work in and out horizontally so if they hit a high dirt clump she can push herself around some. Fortunately she does not have rubber jaw as I feared she might - that would have made tube feeding difficult. Biting me hard confirmed good use of her jaws. She is still not eating and has a light runny nose. She received her 4th antibiotic injection yesterday - turtles that respond quickly to antibiotics usually start showing an interest in food by the 3rd shot and she did not. So I tube fed her yesterday. Hopefully the vitamins and minerals in the mixture will help her as her diet has not been sufficient.

So far so good but she needs to start feeding and responding to the antibiotic. I have brought many nasty looking younger turtles around and had them long term afterward. Those did fine, but tended to not hibernate successfully even years later. I lost one out of well over 20 that were grossly deformed juveniles, and that was during hibernation the second year I had it. Deformed adults do fine but I have never had one this bad (if it is an adult). They too tend to not hibernate successfully.

If she is not full grown, her bones are still forming and there is hope that with sunlight and a proper diet they will strengthen. If she is a dwarfed adult, the prognosis for her is poor in that regard. She will not be able to dig in when we get cool nights in the spring and fall to stay warm, and will get a chill and have constant respiratory infections. She also should not be kept in 7 months of the year due to her MBD and need for sunlight.

28 July 2008 Update

Bubba received her 5th antibiotic injection yesterday and passed a solid stool the day before (from her prior tube feeding) She was only tube fed twice, 3 days apart and started eating on her own today. She will receive 3 more injections. Internal parasites are unlikely to be a problem.

One of our members experienced with caring for such turtles ask to foster Bubba so Bubba will go to her when she is good and stable. Thank you so much for others offering to help with her. Things look very good for Bubba at this point.