Update: Baby Avocado
- jjfurrykiddos
- Jul 6, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 7, 2020
The first thing we did for Avo was to get it a new home! We got it from a local aquarium store, just a simple transparent plastic tank. I chose a bigger tank instead of the typical small red eared slider tank all pet shops would recommend. The best tip I usually follow is to go with the biggest tank I can get for my pets!
Clean tank set up, with a rock for basking, and added some greens.
Problem 1: Avo was not eating pellets...
Problem 2: Avo was not basking
I rang up the vet clinic I visit for my small animals to ask if they had any tips / recommendations on how to care for this 3.5cm RES. Even though they do not specialise in seeing exotics, I still brought Avo down for a check-up two days later! I trusted them as they had recently hatched a RES, and had already lasted them for almost a year.
(Here's Avo in a small paper basket I used to transport it to the vet.)
The Vet's diagnosis were as follow:
Avo had a really soft shell = lack of calcium
The faint green overall appearance indicated it was lacking calcium, and other essential vitamins
Avo might not be as young as we think... the doc gave an approx. age of 18 months (WOW)
Avo may not be eating due to stress...
The Vet recommended we try to:
Mash up pellets, place Avo in a small bowl to feed
Entice Avo's appetite with fish/shrimps
Use a UV lamp to help strengthen Avo's shell and overall health (10 to 12 inches from basking spot)
(If still not eating after 4 days, attempt force feeding.)
The doc was nice to loan me their UV lamp as the baby RES that they hatched had recently passed away due to an unfortunate biting by a dog... :(
We took the advice the doc gave and immediately made the necessary changes to Avo's tank! (I placed the shoe box as I initially thought that placing the lamp right above the tank would heat the tank too much... However I later found out I was wrong...
3 to 4 days after placing Avo in a bowl for feeding, using the UV lamp, I realized that Avo was still not eating nor was it basking.. It was worrying. I messaged the vet clinic for advice... and sent the vet nurse this image (above). That was when she told me that the lamp had been placed at too high a position, causing the basking area to be of similar temperature as the water. As such, Avo was not motivated to bask.
I realized what the nurse said was true because the moment I moved the lamp directly above the tank (removing the books, and shoe boxes), Avo went straight for the rock! And that was the first time I ever saw Avo climbing it voluntarily!
Then again, Avo kept hiding under the space beneath the rock, so I removed that rock ornament and replaced it with my mini rocks from the garden. Seems like Avo quite likes it too anyways! :)
Avo doin' a soak in the water~ right before this moment actually, I thought I saw Avo eating a small little pellet. Sadly, I failed to capture it on camera. :(
One week after Avo's first visit to the vet, we went back for a review as Avo was still not eating!
We had to try force feeding. Avo was so scared (not sure if we were more scared though...) Due to Avo's extremely fragile shell, the Doc and nurses handling Avo had to be super careful.
Here's a video of the Doc and nurse struggling to get Avo to open its mouth.
The doc also recommended that I soak Avo in some cat/dog food paste mixed with warm water and some veggie juice! This is because RES have porous skin and are able to absorb nutrients via their skin. Of course, the best way to get the nutrients in is by eating... but this works for now!
I've also attempted at home to force feed Avo, It's been really challenging. It's a 3 people job to force feed a baby RES! Will try to get a video up soon :)
Avo swimming in cat/dog food mixture.
Avo scooped up with some vege juice and cat/dog food mixture!
Yummy! Avocado soup anyone?
It's been over 2 weeks since we found Avo in our flower pot... still wondering who left it there, and also wondering when will Avo start to eat on its own too..
Please eat my baby Avo, please!
Comments