LK-KLC-12-09-24-01 Kemp’s Ridley 10.56 lb.
10/1/12 Hernando was force-fed 28.7 gm of shrimp by Christian Legner and Kristin Clark. Christian held his beak open with a metal instrument
while Kristin inserted the shrimp carefully and far enough into the esophagus that the food reached the cilia. The cilia in the esophagus are pointed towards the stomach, thus preventing the food from being spit out.
He was left in 5 inches of water for five hours and checked every 15 to 20 minutes during that time. This routine of leaving him in 5 inches of water most of the day has continued. He swims a little, raises his head to breathe, then settles into a period of rest with both eyes closed. This is an improvement. At end of day, his tank is drained to 1 inch, so he will not have to raise his head to breathe, and his carapace is covered with a wet towel to keep it damp.
10/3/12 Hernando started to receive fluids to avoid dehydration; a vitamin B injection and Amikacin (antibiotic) were given. On 10/8/12 he was force fed again, this time 63.8 gm of shrimp. That will probably be repeated weekly for the time being. He has defecated twice since being fed, is more responsive to touch, and is moving a little more. He is our mystery turtle. Tomorrow marks the beginning of his 4th week in Rehab and he has spent most of that time eyes closed and resting. He will have another lung xray this week and we will proceed from there. In the meantime, we are trying to keep his environment stress-free which means minimal human interaction and quiet.