Hi everyone,
I’ve had Buddy for a little over 16 years. When I was 7 or so, my family and I legally obtained him after spending a long while studying up on turtle husbandry. He set up a sizeable terrarium for him, and for years he’s seemed pretty happy in his new home
However, five or so years ago, I went off to college and was unable to bring him with me. The responsibility of caring for him was left to my family, and though they kept him fed, I don’t think they were the most diligent about monitoring his humidity levels and UVB / Heat lamp rotations. Also, from what I heard from my father, his diet consisted mainly of mealworms, Zilla land tortoise food, and low-fiber greens
He is officially back in my care now, and while he doesn’t look too bad or seem to be in any kind of pain, he is definitely showing signs of MBD. His beak is also fairly overgrown (This is being taken care of currently). Also, he seems a bit small for his age, but I’m not entirely sure
I built him a new terrarium over the summer, and have been extremely diligent about maintaining his humidity and UVB / heat lights. I’ve also been implementing much more fiber into his diet, which now mainly consists of Collard Greens and Chard alongside mealworms, red bell peppers, boiled eggs, and the occasional fruit. However, I’m worried about the long terms effects of his sub-optimal care.
Are there any other steps I can take towards helping to lessen the effects of MBD and the diet / UVB deficiencies besides diet adjustment, humidity monitoring, and proper light balance? Any tips from any other turtle caretakers who have been in similar situations? Thank you all for your input. I love the little guy and just want to give him the best care I can now that he’s back in my hands.