I bought a scale today. Just a little ounce/gram scale. Because last time I was at the vet he said that my tort had lost some weight. Well, I weighed her and she was about 1.5 ounces. She's still losing!!! I have no idea why. She eats everyday but I'm concerned that she isn't eating enough and I don't know how to get her to eat more. She's been active everyday for a few hours a day. "Seems" healthy but obviously something isn't right because of the weight loss. Any suggestions? Also, I noticed if I tap on her shell it sounds hollow. Is this normal? Should it sound more solid? Thanks for any help and suggestions.
It seems to me that no matter what I do and how hard I try I just can't get it right and I'm so frustrated.

Just a thought, is she getting enough water intake and are you soaking here? How much is she eating and what?

Some of these lil guys just have a hard time thriving. It isn't you.

With lil guys I was told by a few long time keepers to keep a bit warmer temperature at night. You can hang a black light bulb or red heat lamp bulb above/near his sleeping hide to provide the additional heat in that area without disturbing his sleep. Make sure you are chopping his food into tiny, tiny pieces so it is easier for him to eat. Soak him a few times a week to keep him hydrated. As soon as it gets warm enough outside get him in the sun.

Misty :o)

I keep a shallow water dish in her enclosure and soak her 10-15 minutes 4-5 times a week.
She eats cactus, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, I've also given her Escarole and turnip greens. These are all rotated each week. I have grass I grow and clip it and add it to her greens. I give her about 1/4 a cup a day, she usually eats half to 3/4 of it. All of this is sprinkled with calcium usually 4 times a week.

Misty- I do have it warmer at night. I use an infrared red light so it doesn't disturbed my daughter because the enclosure is in her room. Daytime temps are in the 90's and nighttime low 80's. My house is a bit drafty so I've been doing this to make sure that she doesn't get too cold.

Melissa, I read back over some of your eailier threads. Did you get sparkles from the same place you got the other one from? What are you using for a uvb bulb? is it still the ReptilSun 5.0? How long do you leave this light on for?

You may need to vary her diet even more. I would use collard greens only occasionally maybe add some dandilions rose pedals or leaves, spring mix or leaf lettuce, just a little to wet her appitite. And succulants if you can. Does your calcium have D3 or phosphorus in it?
You might want to cut back on her soaks. Since torts tend to poo and urinate when they are soaked (which causes the loss of nutition when done too often) , 4-5 times a week may be too much. Also when you soak her try adding vitasol (bird vitamins) to her water. Try soaking 2 to 3 times a week for 15 minutes.

I know you had her checked and started treatment of pancu for worms then switched to parazap is this correct?
Have you had her rechecked for worms? Did they check for bacteria or protozoa?

Oh and I know you said she is now 1.5 oz or 42.52 g but how long is she? And you said she is still losing weight. How much has she lost in what amount of time?

This post was last modified: 03-06-2008 08:57 PM by Crazy1.

Melissa, Don't feel to horrible, I have a sulcata that I got back in november and I can not get him to grow..I have done everything. Vitamins, vitamins and more vitamins, bird vitamins in his soaks, outside time almost daily now, mixed foods every week, hay run through the coffee grinder, mazuri. Nothing will get him to grow, vet says he does know but he sees this frequently in sulcatas. So keep doing what you are doing and vary her diet and hopefully she will get on the right track.

No, I didn't get her from the same place. The last one I bought from a pet store and this one I bought from a local reptile breeder. I am still using the RetiSun 5.0 uv bulb. I turn it on every morning at about 7:30 a.m. and it stays on until about 8:30p.m.
I had given her dandelion but my grocery stopped carrying it and I didn't want to ask them to order if just for me because I'm going to be moving next week. That's why I placed the order with Reptile Eats..so she could have the variety of things. But I didn't get that. I would love to give her some rose petals or hibiscus but I don't know where to get them. Succulents...what falls in this catagory?
My calcium does not have phosphorus or D3.
You are correct about the worms...I did use the parazap. I haven't had her rechecked for the worms. I've been checking her poo and i don't see a thing. No they did not check for bacteria.
She's lost approx: an ounce.

Thanks. She really seemed to me that she was doing well. She's been more active during the day, her nose has healed, she looked good to me. I'm hoping she will be ok at least until it warms up and I can get her outside.

I would have her checked for bacteria, protozoa, and tapeworm type parazites. Panacur type wormer don't touch these bugs. How old is your uv bulb? Such a note, I use 8.0 bulbs on my stars which I understand have similar requirements to sulcattas as far as being arid grassland. Succulents are plants such as cactus, hens&chicks, euphorbias, and other dryland type plants.