Hey ,

My young sulcata fredrick.. im concerned that there may be an issue..

He always seems to keep one eye shut for the first while of being awake.. rubbs at it then he'll open it.

thats one,

2nd.. he's only awake 10 - 15 minutes at a time most of the time, less he's out for a soak in which case he'll remain awake.. and eat etc.. until he's placed back in his enclosure then its lights out again.

and 3rd.. he doesnt really seem to regulate himself by moving into the basking area.. then out of it.. doesnt use his hide at all... just kind stays in the 1/2 in 1/2 out range of his basking area.. and ive read that could be a sign of an illness coming in.


If anyone could let me know what their humidty %'s are in basking area, just outside the basking area, in their hide... etc..

i dont know if it could be dehydration.. cuz i soak him.. and i mist his place down..

my humidity levels are are 23% in the basking area, 43% in the mid range areas.. and 52% in his hide.


temps range from 72 degrees -> 85 degrees in most of the enclosure.. except for the basking area which is at 95.3 degrees currently.

just concerned for the little guy, i know they sleep alot.. but it seems excessive.

he does eat though, even if we do have to wake him up to do it.

Blair Ill take temps and humidity readings in Squirts enclosure Sat. and post them for you. she is up and wonders and is doing well. When I got her she had an RI and had to get shots but is doing fine now. I do try and get her outside on the weekends and after work weather permiting for real sunshine.

Thanx,
im just concerned as he sleeps SO much.

None of the signs of an RI though, no wheezing , wet nose , bubbles..

just sleeps alllll day.. he was up for about 20 minutes.. wandered over toward the food dish.. pulled on some hay.. dont think he actually managed to eat any of it.. then wandered back to his sleeping spot ( 1/2 in the basking area 1/2 out... in about 87 degree temp range ) .. then zonked back out

that was around 10 - 11 this morning.. its now 5:40pm where i am.. still sleeping...

this is his daily routine.. unless I wake him up for a soaking , in which case he remains awake and pretty active.. eats from my hand , and eats alot typically.. but soon as he's back in his enclosure.. 2 - 3 steps and lights out again .. most of the time right through till morning if i was to do it around this time of day.

This post was last modified: 03-21-2008 01:38 PM by bdoyle.

Mine sleeps all day too! She is little active early in the morning the she parks herself under her light, stretches out her legs and she's out! I check on her several times a day and its really funny because she'll always be in a different spot when I check on her. So, I know she's moving around I just never catch her. Then in the early afternoon she's up and searching for her food. I let her search a little so she gets her exercise, then I feed her. Sometimes she just passes out on her food dish. Then she's back to be under her light. Eventually she retires to her hide and that is that for the day.
My humidity is lower than yours is. The humidity thing is still confusing to me because no one really knows what % is right.

Yea,

well i decided that I was going to mist a little more then i was,

and about 45 minutes ago he woke up a few min after i misted.. and roamed around for a good half hour, ate some food and some hay..
and is now back to his usual spot on the hay sleeping.

Good to see him out and about though..

So today is day one of raising humidity to 35% ambient and 60% in high humid spots. ( cool end corners , and inside hide whic is 60% of the length away from the basking spot @ 76 degrees )
and i'll see if he'll start to burrow or if he'll use his hide now.

as i type this message he's gotten up and done another lap around the enclosure. even ventured to the far end , i didnt think he knew that area even existed lol.

fingers are crossed.

I read a very informative blurb on some random pet site, that appears to come from sulcata station.. the url for what i read is here:

http://www.practical-pet-care.com/turtle...0719205259

The issue at hand isnt the same as mine, but the details of humidity are dicussed in detail. Definately makes some sense with activity levels vs. heat vs. humidity.

This post was last modified: 03-21-2008 02:56 PM by bdoyle.

That is a very informative link, thank you.

My humidity is currently at 16% this is where I worry. If its too low there are risks of dehydration, too high there are risks of RI. Mine had an RI once already which is why I have the humidity lower now. I did use the coco fiber for substrate but I changed it to hay. At least yours will eat it. Mine says no way!

I hear ya,
So much info out there, and its hard to know whats right for you.

So all I can do is try the more frequent mistings.. and make his area have more humid options for him to goto if he wishes..

fingers crossed!

Glad your tort's RI cleared up. how did you spot it?

She had bubbles coming from her nose.

Blair, first of all sorry for calling you Brian in a few posts. Squirts hide spot is 69 degrees and 42 humidity the opposite end is 78 and 30 humidity and under the basking lamp it is 106 and 7 humidity.
Squirt spends quite a bit of time in her hide (self made). She come out in the morning warms herself and waits for her food. Eats roams around the enclosure then takes a nap in her hide. She will come out again later in the afternoon. and sit in the heat then roam around again and eat then go to bed for the night. She is usually in bed before I get home at 5 pm. When I take her outside she is non stop. She investigates everything. She is now nibbling on greens in the garden.
So It sounds that a little humidity had helped Fredrick perk up.
Melissa I have heard that cold and wet is the combination disaster for torts and they will get RIs from that. So upping the humidity a little at a time may be just the trick. I know I stumbled on these and they seem to be working for Squirt.

well he's not really so perky again, humidity is still raised,

temps are up a bit now too w/ the addition of a 60 watt ceramin heaters,

so a larger portion of the enclosure ranges in the mid 80's , and mid 70's in the coolest part now.

still sleeps n' sleeps..

soak him.. he falls asleep while soaking.. take him out.. he'll chomp then sleep again..

sigh...