# Leopard Tortoise with crooked nails, nonactive, not eating



## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Feb 22, 2019)

The last few weeks my young leopard tortoise has stopped eating much, and is always keeping her head in her shell. I also noticed her hind nails are intertwined so I clipped one and it started bleeding a tiny bit. She has a humidifier, heat lamp, and uvblight in her cage so I am not sure what the issue is. I was just unsure what to do and how to help her.


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## wellington (Feb 22, 2019)

Pick of her and her nails and enclosure. List all Temps, humidity, diet.


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Feb 22, 2019)

wellington said:


> Pick of her and her nails and enclosure. List all Temps, humidity, diet.


For some reason it will not let me post a picture. I do not know the temp, my thermometer just broke because it fell and was filled with substrate. The humidity is in the green, and I have a 100 watt bulb. She eats maziru and ocassionaly letucce, watermelon and strawberries.


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## Lyn W (Feb 22, 2019)

Leopards should not eat fruit they cannot handle the sugars. They like it but it isn't good for them.
Mazuri should be OK , but lettuce especially stuff like iceberg doesn't really have that much nutritional value.
Have a look at the care sheet for leopards to see what you should be feeding.
Do you soak her at all? Have you tried a shallow hand warm soak to see if that helps perk her up?
You need to get a decent thermometer such a a digital temp gun as soon as possible so you can check the temps at her level because
right temps + humidity = healthy tort
too cold + humidity = sick tort
Be careful with the nail clipping - maybe let a vet do it for you.
If you can get someone else to take pics and upload them that will really help members give you the right advice to help your tort. I am worried she has been like this for a few weeks so the sooner the better.[/QUOTE]


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Feb 22, 2019)

Lyn W said:


> Leopards should not eat fruit they cannot handle the sugars. They like it but it isn't good for them.
> Mazuri should be OK , but lettuce especially stuff like iceberg doesn't really have that much nutritional value.
> Have a look at the care sheet for leopards to see what you should be feeding.
> Do you soak her at all? Have you tried a shallow hand warm soak to see if that helps perk her up?
> ...


[/QUOTE]I think the temp is high enough because when I had it before it was around 100-115 degrees at the warmest and 85 at the coldest. She gets weekly soaks and has a water dish for to bathe in even though she doesn't much. I gave her a soak today.


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## Lyn W (Feb 22, 2019)

You still need to check the temp regularly as it can change and be affected by the temps around the enclosure; you don't want it too hot to fry her either.
I soak my leopard (approx 8) several times a week as I rarely catch him in his water.
Without pics of your set up we can't see if we can help you make changes to keep your tort safe and healthy so do your best.


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Feb 22, 2019)

I am only at my moms 3-4 days a week plus I have school. I am trying to get pics, for some reason this site will not let me upload them.


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## Lyn W (Feb 22, 2019)

Louise&Fluffybabytorts said:


> I am only at my moms 3-4 days a week plus I have school. I am trying to get pics, for some reason this site will not let me upload them.


can you copy and paste them into a thread.
That's what I do, but I use my laptop so you may not be able to do that on a phone.


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## Lyn W (Feb 22, 2019)

Did she drink when she was in her soak?
Maybe you should take her to a vet to find out what's going on.
The longer she is like that the sicker she could be getting.


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Feb 22, 2019)

Fixed it


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Feb 22, 2019)

The cage


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## Lyn W (Feb 22, 2019)

I would say those back claws need the attention of a vet who knows how far to clip them, if you go too short you will hit the blood supply.
They could be making it painful for her to move.
If you can - order a digital temp gun off Amazon they are not too expensive and will make sure she is not too hot or cold.
Do you have night heat for her?
I use a Ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat which keeps the temps even.


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## Lyn W (Feb 22, 2019)

Maybe @Yvonne can suggest other things to help.


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## Lyn W (Feb 22, 2019)

Louise&Fluffybabytorts said:


> I am only at my moms 3-4 days a week plus I have school. I am trying to get pics, for some reason this site will not let me upload them.


Does your Mum look after her when you aren't there?


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## Louise&Fluffybabytorts (Feb 22, 2019)

Lyn W said:


> Does your Mum look after her when you aren't there?


Yes, she feeds and waters them


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## wellington (Feb 22, 2019)

You really need to read the closed chamber thread and leopard care threads. Your feeding wrong, you have an open enclosure and you need a reliable thermostat to always know the temps. 
What is used for night time heat? The temps should never go below 80 day or night and basking spot should be 95-100. Read the threads improve the diet, humidity and temps and enclose the enclosure and things should improve. I wouldn't worry much about the nails when you have the other more important stuff to improve.


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## TortoiseRacket (Feb 22, 2019)

It looks like one of the nails is bent and broken...you will need to cut it. It is most likely causing your tortoise pain and stressing it to the point where it stopped eating. I will messsage you through the forum on what and how to do it.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 22, 2019)

I think the nails might be your first indication that the tortoise isn't getting enough calcium and vitamin d3 (UVB). I've seen that a lot with box turtles, but never with leopard tortoises.

The light you have sitting on the floor outside the enclosure and under the lid isn't set up right. The wood resting on the lamp might get hot and might cause a fire. Also the bulb is pointing horizontally, and the heat from the light isn't doing the enclosure any good. If that's the UVB light, the UVB isn't reaching down into the enclosure, it's pointing to the opposite wall and isn't doing the tortoise any good.

You need to make a lot of changes in order to keep this baby healthy. I know it's hard because you're going to school, but if you want the baby to thrive, he needs your help.

Please read the care sheets and do what you can to change his care. But most importantly, UVB and calcium right now.

Once you get the enclosure covered and more heat and UVB, you should see an increase in his appetite.


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