Baby sulcata possibly sick

Nicole edwards

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I have had my baby sulcata for about a month now. He is very tiny and will fit in the palm of my hand. When I first got him I couldn't give him enough food he would eat so much. That lasted for about 3 weeks, the past week or so I've noticed his jaw clicks very loudly when he bites and it seems to hurt him. Since it started he has not eaten much at all (1-2 bites a day) and he is not active at all he constantly sleeps. His stool has also started becoming clear instead of colored. I've got to figure out what's going on before it's too late. I do not have a vet anywhere near me that will look at him. Thanks!!
 

Jodie

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How are you housing him? Type, size of enclosure, basking temp, warm side temp, cool side, and night low? What substrate and heating, UVB equipment? What are you feeding him? Does he have water, do you soak him?
Read the care guides in the Sulcata section. You probably need to tweak your enclosure.
 

Nicole edwards

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How are you housing him? Type, size of enclosure, basking temp, warm side temp, cool side, and night low? What substrate and heating, UVB equipment? What are you feeding him? Does he have water, do you soak him?
Read the care guides in the Sulcata section. You probably need to tweak your enclosure.


He has a large wooden enclosure 36"x18" basking temp was in mid 90's but I've raised to to around 100, I've also started to leave his uvb lamp on longer trying to get him active. Cool side around 75. I use loose coconut zoo med substrate for the humidity. He eats a mixture of kelp, fresh untreated grass, and turnip greens. He has two bowls of shallow water and I soak him in warm water for about 10 minutes every other day
 

Jodie

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All I would suggest is bumping the low up to 80F. I have leopard little ones but not Sulcatas. I soak every day for 20 to30 minutes. I don't know about the clicking though. Others should be a long shortly with more info.
 

Nicole edwards

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I have had sweet Rocky for about a month. The first few weeks I couldn't give him enough food he ate so good. He was very active and happy. The last week or so he has almost stopped eating (1-2 bites a day ) and I have to make him do that. He is very sluggish and always sleeping. I'm not sure what to do. I've got to figure out what I'm doing wrong before it's too late. He has a large wooden enclosure 36"x18" basking temp was in mid 90's but I've raised to to around 100, I've also started to leave his uvb lamp on longer trying to get him active. Cool side around 75. I use loose coconut zoo med substrate for the humidity. He eats a mixture of kelp, fresh untreated grass, and turnip greens. He has two bowls of shallow water and I soak him in warm water for about 10 minutes every other day
 

Tom

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Your cool side is too cool.
In the pic it looks like your substrate is too dry.
He should be soaked every day.
The diet needs a lot more variety.

What type of UV bulb are you using?
What are you using for night heat?
How was your baby started? Wet routine or dry routine?

Care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

This is one possibility to consider:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/

Here is how your baby should have been started, or close to it. Is this close?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/
 

Tom

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I answered you in your other thread asking this same question. Take a peek over there?
 

Nicole edwards

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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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Your cool side is too cool.
In the pic it looks like your substrate is too dry.
He should be soaked every day.
The diet needs a lot more variety.

What type of UV bulb are you using?
What are you using for night heat?
How was your baby started? Wet routine or dry routine?

Care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

This is one possibility to consider:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/

Here is how your baby should have been started, or close to it. Is this close?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-incubate-eggs-and-start-hatchlings.124266/


I have started using a different substrate since I took that picture. I'm using a zoo med uvb bulb. I do not use a bulb at night? And I'm not sure if he was started off wet or dry. What should I add to his diet?
 

Tom

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What type of ZooMed bulb? Mercury Vapor that makes heat, light and UV all in one, or the coil type cfl UV? The coil types sometimes burn their eyes and can cause the symptoms you are seeing.

Baby sulcatas need night heat, but it still needs to be dark. A ceramic heating element set on a thermostat will keep your ambient temps up 24/7.

Read the links above for care and diet info. This is all explained in more detail there.
 
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