# Why do my tortoise keep dying



## jamiewale (Mar 29, 2021)

Hi good morning im all new to this and we have had 3 baby's all together 2 died about a month ago within a few days if each other then tge breeder brought us another all seemed to be going well no issues then this morning I have woken up and her head was in her shell which I found strange to start with so I checked her out and realised her eyes were open but I think she has passed away during the night she was eating well be4 I went to bed so I know she was eating fine she had a good appetite 
I just can't put it out of my mind that we have lost all 3 of them now something not right


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## Jan A (Mar 29, 2021)

jamiewale said:


> Hi good morning im all new to this and we have had 3 baby's all together 2 died about a month ago within a few days if each other then tge breeder brought us another all seemed to be going well no issues then this morning I have woken up and her head was in her shell which I found strange to start with so I checked her out and realised her eyes were open but I think she has passed away during the night she was eating well be4 I went to bed so I know she was eating fine she had a good appetite
> I just can't put it out of my mind that we have lost all 3 of them now something not right


I'm so sorry. Do her legs react if you gently tug on them? Have you tried soaking her in shallow water? There's a slight chance she could still be alive. Do you have easy access to a reptile vet with whom you could consult? 

If you could tell us a little more with some photos of your enclosure & tort, we might be able to help or make suggestions for your next tort, if you decide to get another one. It may be that your breeder is at fault for not starting the hatchlings the right way.

We have current & always updated care & feed sheets. And there is always someone to answer questions. Again, I am so sorry.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 30, 2021)

It's very important to have baby tortoises in the correct environment. Our care sheets educate you on how to do this.


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## JoesMum (Mar 30, 2021)

There are two things:

First is that you aren’t providing the care they need. This varies with species and unfortunately pet stores and breeders can’t be relied on to give you the correct information.

Here on TFO we have species experts trying desperately to correct this misinformation. This thread from @Tom, for example, is about he best way to raise species like Horsfield, Hermann’s and Greek





The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise


I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...




www.tortoiseforum.org





Second is something called Hatchling Failure Syndrome. With the best will in the world, some hatchlings are not destined to live to adulthood. There’s no telling which ones will fail and all you can do is reassure yourself that you did your best.


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## Lyn W (Mar 30, 2021)

Hi and welcome and sorry you are joining in these circumstances.
Sometimes torts will go into a trance like state and look dead so soak and keep the last baby warm for awhile yet as she may not have died. One of our members was about to bury his tort when he noticed it hadn't died and it went on to make a good recovery.
What sort of torts are they?


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## Tom (Mar 30, 2021)

jamiewale said:


> Hi good morning im all new to this and we have had 3 baby's all together 2 died about a month ago within a few days if each other then tge breeder brought us another all seemed to be going well no issues then this morning I have woken up and her head was in her shell which I found strange to start with so I checked her out and realised her eyes were open but I think she has passed away during the night she was eating well be4 I went to bed so I know she was eating fine she had a good appetite
> I just can't put it out of my mind that we have lost all 3 of them now something not right


If you give us more details, we can help you solve the mystery. Most breeders don't start babies correctly, and then they give terrible care advice. Pet shops are worse, and most vets know little or nothing about tortoise care either.

Tell us what species you had and then give us the care and housing details and we will figure out what went wrong. Its very possible that it was no fault of yours.


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## wellington (Mar 30, 2021)

Along with all the other info requested in order for us to help you, what do you know about the breeder?
How does the breeder hatch them and then how does he house and care for them before selling them? 
Without a bunch more info we can't really help.
So sorry this has happened. I hope you dont count this last one out yet without being 100% plus positive its gone.


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