# Urgent help save a sulcata, rare case



## Rustyiron (Mar 10, 2013)

*Uegent Help, Sulcata sick, rare case.*

Dear sulcata experts,

I am in Asia, I am a high school student, I have saved poor school kids' land tortoises in the past couple years, because they had no money to go to the vets.

I have recently a rare case with me, very strange, need your urgent advice: 

A kid's sulcata, 7.5cm bottom shell, 93.5g 3 days ago (today 96.5g), very thin, body shrinks into the shell, hasn't been eating for 35 days now. The sulcata poos jelly poops, clearly a sign of protozoan infection, but this kid mistakenly gave the sulcata parasite medicine, rather poisonous one, then this kid force-fed the sulcata with Mazuri feed. Then Sulcata poos Mazuri out exactly in the same shape when it eats - a sign of no digestion.

I took over 3 days ago, I injected it with water and saline, force-fed it with glucose and electrolyte water. Then I gave it Metronidazole 4mg yesterday.

The sulcata is very actively, no sign of sickness at all, no signs of respiratory infection, but it is very very thin. Now it is pooing Mazuri food in orginal form when I soak it. What should I do now? Please help, I am totally lost, it doesn't eat, and seems no digestion function at all. Should I feed it with yeasts and vitamins?

Thanks. please help me to save it, it is very cute and very active even without eating for 35 days, it seems wants to survive.


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## Rustyiron (Mar 10, 2013)

Dear experts,

I am in Asia, I am a high school student, I have saved some poor school kids' land tortoises in the past couple years, because they had no money to go to the vets.

I have recently a rare case with me, need your urgent advice:

A kid's sulcata, 7.5cm bottom shell, 93.5g 3 days ago (today 96.5g), very thin, so thin that body shrinks to the shell, hasn't been eating for 35 days now. The sulcata poos jelly poops, clearly a sign of protozoan infection, but this kid mistakenly gave the sulcata parasite medicine, rather poisonous one, then this kid force-fed the sulcata with Mazuri feed. Then Sulcata poos Mazuri out exactly in the same shape when it eats - a sign of no digestion and no lower gut flora.

I took over 3 days ago, I injected it with water and saline, force-fed it with glucose and electrolyte water. Then I gave it Metronidazole 4mg yesterday.

The sulcata is very actively, no sign of sickness at all, no signs of respiratory infection, but it is very very thin. Now it is pooing Mazuri food in orginal form when I soak it. What should I do now? Please help, I am totally lost, it doesn't eat at all, and seems no digestion function at all. Should I feed it with yeasts and vitamins?

Thanks. please help to save it, it is very cute and very active even without eating for 35 days, it seems want to survive. its little eyes watching me so cute and so helplessly.


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## sissyofone (Mar 10, 2013)

I pray someone that can help sees this. Thank you so much for helping these torts and kids. Hopefully someone like Tom replies soon, They say he's the one of the best for advice. Good luck


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## Rustyiron (Mar 10, 2013)

sissyofone said:


> I pray someone that can help sees this. Thank you so much for helping these torts and kids. Hopefully someone like Tom replies soon, They say he's the one of the best for advice. Good luck



OK, thanks. this kid said that he gave up, just return him the corpse if dies.


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## wellington (Mar 10, 2013)

Maybe send Tom, the dog trainer or Yvonne, emysemys a pm refer them to your thread. They are two that I know of off hand that may be able to help. I wish I had answers for you other then sending the pm's. Good luck. I will send good healing vibes your way. Please keep us posted.


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## Rustyiron (Mar 10, 2013)

wellington said:


> Maybe send Tom, the dog trainer or Yvonne, emysemys a pm refer them to your thread. They are two that I know of off hand that may be able to help. I wish I had answers for you other then sending the pm's. Good luck. I will send good healing vibes your way. Please keep us posted.



Thank you. don't worry, I can wait, it's 3:47am here now, I sleep now.

BTW, that kid, the owner mistakenly gave 2 times to the sulcata with Levamisole HCL for protozoa infection. 

Levamisole HCL is rather poisonous, it is not for treating protozoa but parasites. 

could Levamisole HCL killed off the digestion functions?

I treated it with Metronidazole 4mg yesterday.

I don't have any probiotics or Nurti-BAC with me, all I have is a probiotic-Beer Yeasts for treating human diarrhea. Is this ok? Can I also give lactic acidophilus milk to the sulcata? I don't know if they can take milk.

Thanks.


Normally tort babies die quickly if infected with protozoa and not eating for a while. this sulcata is so strong and so active, still walking and climbing after 35 days of not eating! it so wanted to live. I'm amazed.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 10, 2013)

*RE: Uegent Help, Sulcata sick, rare case.*

Parasite infestation is the first cause of undigested food in the stool. Then comes low fiber. Perhaps you can get some grass or weeds into the tortoise?


It sounds like you have your head on straight where treating tortoises is concerned, Sebastion. Keep up the good work! You might try soaking some Mazuri until its mushy then add some chopped up hay or grass to the mush and get that into the tortoise either by force or if he'll eat it on his own.

I don't know if tortoises can take yeast or acidophilis.


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## AZtortMom (Mar 11, 2013)

Hi and welcome! How's he doing?


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## Rustyiron (Mar 11, 2013)

Chainsawkitten said:


> Hi and welcome! How's he doing?



The tort is still not eating, but still active. Tonight I soaked it for 1 hour in very very warm water, it pooped out all of the force-fed foods that owner previously gave it. I want to flush out all its intestine clean. 

Then I force-fed it electrolyte water + glucose + Mazuri mush water.

Tomorrow I will force-feed Zoomed grass powder + Mazuri mush water, in order to build up its lower gut flora.

Thanks.




emysemys said:


> Parasite infestation is the first cause of undigested food in the stool. Then comes low fiber. Perhaps you can get some grass or weeds into the tortoise?
> 
> 
> It sounds like you have your head on straight where treating tortoises is concerned, Sebastion. Keep up the good work! You might try soaking some Mazuri until its mushy then add some chopped up hay or grass to the mush and get that into the tortoise either by force or if he'll eat it on his own.
> ...



I am following your way now. thanks. 

You are right, there are so many vitamins and yeasts and good stuff in Mazuri, why don't I soak Mazuri in water and feed the mush water to the tort. 

May I ask why feed grass to sick tort? Why they need so much fiber? Is it because soluble-fiber in grass can build lower gut flora? Thanks.


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## AZtortMom (Mar 11, 2013)

I'm so glad you are taking so good care of this little baby! Mazuri and hay are so good for them


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## Yvonne G (Mar 11, 2013)

Grass for the fiber. More fiber = less runny/undigested stools


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## Yellow Turtle (Mar 12, 2013)

Rusty, I'm delighted that you take this sick sulcata and try to treat it.

Hope everything's going well and he can recover. Please keep us updated of his progress.

Thanks.


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## AZtortMom (Mar 12, 2013)

Good morning Rusty!
How's the little patient?


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## Rustyiron (Mar 13, 2013)

emysemys said:


> Grass for the fiber. More fiber = less runny/undigested stools



thanks, I see, will forcefeed more fiber to the tort gradually. 




Yellow Turtle said:


> Rusty, I'm delighted that you take this sick sulcata and try to treat it.
> 
> Hope everything's going well and he can recover. Please keep us updated of his progress.
> 
> Thanks.



OK, will do 




Chainsawkitten said:


> Good morning Rusty!
> How's the little patient?



It is still very active, but very thin, and I keep him warm and 70-80% humid, forcefeed everyday water+glucose+Mazuri mush+grass powder, its weight fluctuates between 94g and 96g, not gaining much weight.

I think it will live, but still not eating by itself.


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## l0velesly (Mar 13, 2013)

I'm sorry that it's not digesting properly. Maybe getting an x-ray of its intestinal functions might help diagnose what's wrong. I hope he makes progress!


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## AZtortMom (Mar 13, 2013)

Me too


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## Rustyiron (Mar 16, 2013)

IT EATS by itself - after 40 days of not eating!!!

It started eating just a little bit of lettuce last night, and then now 18:30, it eats a piece of lettuce leaf!

Amysemys's method worked, I gave it total 3 times of Metronidazole 6mg, and forcefed it with Glucose water + Eletrolyte water + Mazuri mush water + probiotics + Psyllium husk fiber powder(has both soluble and insoluble fibers in it).


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## AZtortMom (Mar 16, 2013)

That's fantastic news!


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## mctlong (Mar 16, 2013)

Good to hear that he's eating a little by himself!

You're a good person to take care of him like you do.


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## Eloise's mommy (Mar 16, 2013)

Yippy!!! good work!!! that tort is one lucky lil guy!!!


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## sibi (Mar 16, 2013)

I'm so thrilled to see this lol guy survive, especially when he's fighting so hard to live. Regular mazuri feed will help him to gain weight. Keep up the good work.


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## Yellow Turtle (Mar 17, 2013)

That's really nice to hear. Please keep up the good work that you've done and keep updating us too


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## Rustyiron (Mar 20, 2013)

It eats lettuce, then it eats Mazuri by itself !!!













BUT its poop is still light green, what should I do? Should I give it Metronidazole again? (I fed it 3 times before already, each time 6mg, with interval of 2-3 days). Thanks....


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## Yvonne G (Mar 20, 2013)

That looks like a pretty good poop to me. I wouldn't give any more de-wormer.


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## wellington (Mar 20, 2013)

Looks just like my torts normal poop.


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## Rustyiron (Mar 20, 2013)

emysemys said:


> That looks like a pretty good poop to me. I wouldn't give any more de-wormer.



really? looks like good poop? wow. OK, many thanks!

PS. are u sure? it looks a bit transparent, no more metronidazole?

PS2. you have helped save it, thanks, I listened to you, and I will listen to you again ~stop de-wormer now.




wellington said:


> Looks just like my torts normal poop.



really? it looks brownish green, and a bit transparent outside.


I have never seen a fellow with so much strong will to live, 40 days of no eating, wow.


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## Laura (Mar 20, 2013)

get more fiber into the diet.. grasses, weeds, if you can chop up hay and mix with greens.. that would help. 
good job!


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## x-sully-x (Mar 20, 2013)

I hope he recovers - seems like a little fighter... Good luck and keep us updates with progress


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## Rustyiron (Mar 21, 2013)

Thanks everybody, Its poops become more greeny tonight, no more transparent coating, yay!


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## Tortoise (Mar 21, 2013)

wow so glad this is working out well for this fortunate baby-you saved its life
keep up the great work!!!!


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## sibi (Mar 21, 2013)

The light green color was that way because of only the lettuce in his intestines. The darker brownish green is because now it's digesting the mazuri, and as it starts to eat grasses and greens, it will be like all other torts. You are amazing! You saved this baby tort. Now, it can begin to gain weight and grow normally. How old do you think he is? I have a sulcata that was rescued from a bad situation. He came to me at 3 years old weighing only 4 oz. Now, 5 months later, he weights over 12 oz. He's also a fighter. I love those fighters!!!


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## wellington (Mar 21, 2013)

Rustyiron said:


> emysemys said:
> 
> 
> > That looks like a pretty good poop to me. I wouldn't give any more de-wormer.
> ...






Mines poop is the same shape, color dark green/brownish, but not transparent. The more dark greens and Mazuri he eats, it will/should be less transparent, and darker. It all is looking and sounding good.


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## Shannon and Jason (Mar 21, 2013)

Wow you are amazing everything you've done to save this tort. Hoping the lil one keeps getting better


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## ottosmom18 (Mar 21, 2013)

You are one of the coolest people ever! And you're in high school? That's amazing!


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