I purchased a (they said) 3.5 or 4 yr old Sulcata on the 1st of the month. He has been in the house now 3 days. Ive read up and am pretty sure I'm providing him with everything he needs, but what has me worried like a new parent is that he has not eaten anything that I can tell since I have had him. So far he has not defecated. He has good steady vents, (I can feel his breath) no bubbles, or foaming, and appears to be in good health. He has been active by moving around the house, and in his quarters. But he also rests a lot. He has a firm shell (a little bumpy but I am confused as to what bumps are normal and what is pyramiding) and he has strength, as he has no problem rearranging some of the items in there. He has made a couple of sounds or chirps, but not in a stressful way, and he was not arching his neck with his mouth open when he did it. so I don't think its respiratory. Last night he was less active, and today Tanya my wife said he has had his eyes closed today. he does crack an eye when picked up but the other stayed closed. when they were or are open they are bright, and clear. So am I just a worry wort and need to give him time to acclimate to his new home, or should I be concerned. Oh, we do keep the room he is in at 75 and his quarters has a 50watt red light warmer for added heat. Plus we keep a small space heater nearby to insure the room stays at a min of 75. Again the three things that concern me is his lack of eating, lack of discharge, and closed eyes. Sorry so much, but I am full of questions.
Hi, congratulations on your new tort. I know how it feels to worry. I've had mine for three months and I still worry!
Im a newbie to this too but he probably needs time getting used to his new surroundings.
Im sure someone here will be able to help you more. I ask a lot of questions too so don't be sorry. Everyone is very helpful here.
Roamingbull, what type of substrate do you have him on. What are his day and night temps are they the same 75? What is the temp under his heat lamp? When you said he is roaming where? Where are you located? how long is teh sulcata? measure him in a straight line from front of shell to back of shell. What is its weight? Can you post Pics? If so please post (top) capreace and (bottom) Plastron. Where did you purchase him/her from?
I know this is a lot of questions. But it will help identify potental problems. Do you have a uvb bulb? Torts often stress when moved to a new enviornment. Mine didn't eat for over a week.
Welcome Roamingbull
. You've come to the right place for answers! I too am a newbie and learn something from here everyday! Does your guy have a spot in his enclosure that is at least in the mid 80s for thermoregulation? 75 is fine at night but during the day he should have an area that is warmer. It will encourage him to eat and to become active. Everyone is right in that he may just be a little stressed from the new environment, but he really needs a warm area, and ideally an area that is cooler in the enclosure so he has a choice of being warmer or cooler. As for defacating torts don't usually do it on daily basis. You can try giving him a warm soak to help encourage it, but more than likely he will go on his own, especially if he has a soaking area he can get to himself. Good luck on your sulcata! Once again welcome
WOW thank you everyone for the quick replies.
Tanya gave him a soak last night and said that he sparked right up, not sure if he has eaten yet, but he trucked around the room a bunch. We got him at a Red Bluff CA. Pet store that I knew has a history with torts.
I'm at work right now, (I work 48 hour shifts) so I don't have the exact answers to some of Crazy1's questions, but He is in some coconut wood substrate, in a large but soon to be larger 36X15 inch Tupperware container for now. This is a temp set up but gives him lots of room. He is about 6.5 inches. The room actually is hotter in the day due to the convection. Its upstairs so it runs about 78 at night and without the main heater on it is about 75. Not sure of the weight yet, Ill get that later tonight when I get home. I think the heat under the lamp itself is hotter, but we are going to get a temp gage to make sure. Ill post some pics soon.
Thanks again for the replies. Great to feel instantly welcome. Looking forward to learning from everyone here.
-Tony
Tony, sorry for the barrage of questions. Actually sounds like you've been doing your homework. Good for you. Yes a temp and humidity gage is really important to make microclimates for these guys. suitable temperature ranges during both the day (80 F (27 C) with a basking area (100 F (39C)) and night (72 F (22 C)).. And yes they need an area that is a little humid. In the wild they will burrow to find the humidity.
You can use Long Strand Sphagnum Moss to create a humid hide area. Even if you just use it in a corner of the cage and keep it misted daily he will probably burrow down in it. A terracotta clay pot with an opening dremeled (Dremel tool) out of it to let him go in and out of it will work, and you can hot glue a sponge to the inside of the pot and keep it moist to create a humid hide area as well.
Are you letting him roam the floors of your home? It could be a little drafty along the floor for him and the temps will be lower down there as well.
No problem for asking the questions. Thanks I have plenty. To follow up, he weighs 709 grams so he may be younger than we thought. We took him to the vet yesterday. DVM Dunlap specializes in torts so we lucked out there. He is only 15 min. away. Turns out he is a little underweight, has a good shell, but does look like he has a resp infection as I sort of suspected. He got a Vitamin A shot as he was deficient, and an initial antibiotic shot. He gets another antibiotic every other day till hopefully he gets better. He still has not eaten, been five days now, and has not pooped (of course nothing has gone in).
It was really warm yesterday, so we got him outside for a little bit, and he really liked that. Was very inquisitive and almost took something in. But we did not keep him out too long as we were afraid it would be too much right now.
So that is my update for now. Still need to download some pics but I will do so soon.
Tony, I am so happy for you that you have a tort vet so close, and thorough and even happier that your little one is going to do just fine. I'm sure as he feels better he will begin to eat and poo. Anja is right watch those cold drafty floors. My foster sulcata (Squirt) I take outside when the weather permits. She moves most when outside and tend to like to find things to chomp on.
I'm not sure I even welcomed you to the forum but Welcome Are you sure it is a HE? and have you named your little Sully yet? Can't wait to see pics of him.
Hi Tony: It's not good enough for you to keep the room he's in at 75 degrees. 75 feels comfortable to you because your body temperature is 98.6. If your tortoise is kept in a room with a temp of 75 then the tortoise's temp is 75 degrees. If YOU are 98.6 degrees wouldn't you think that a tortoise might be more comfy around that temp? They need to be at least 80 degrees for the food to start to digest. A turtle or tortoise realizes that its too cold to digest and won't eat unless he's warm enough. He needs to be in something large enough that you can have a warm side and a cool side. The cool side being the room temp side. So on the warm side you would have your UVB/UVA light or your red warming light, but you need to test the temp under the light to be sure its warm enough. You also mentioned that you let him roam around the house. I know lots of people practice this, but it is strictly against my religion!! You should lay on the floor in the nude and see how long it takes you to get cold in a room that is 75 degrees. Especially on the bare floor of say, the kitchen (and tell your wife it's for research and not to get any ideas!). There are too many things that get a tortoise in trouble on the floor. Cat hair, dust bunnies, small toys...Think of Kevin Costner: If its there, he will eat it!!
About that Vit a injection: If the vet performed a test that showed your tortoise was defficient, then that's perfectly fine, but some vets will give this shot because they think it will improve the tort's appetite. I've seen too many turtles and tortoises with their skin sloughing off due to an overdose of Vit a and I will NEVER allow a vet to use this on my animals. There are many natural foods that you can feed your tortoise to get Vit a into him without an injection.
Good for you that you have made a good home for a sulcata! and good for you that you are researching to try to give him the best home possible!
Keep us informed of his progress.
Yvonne