I’m afraid my Greek tortoise is drying . Please help

[Mom2va]

I want to cry I don’t know what’s going on with my Greek tortoise. He isn’t eating , eyes are closed and his shell is soft in some spots. I was informed his enclosure was not hot enough and I switched to a ceramic heat emitter . His enclosure is at 90 now . He is barely moving , his poop is pasty brown. I put calcium powder in his food. However he’s not eating . I don’t know if I should be doing anything else. I was advised to just wait it out since a vet will only give him possibly a calcium injection but it may not help because he’s so small. I’m so lost . Should I continue to wait it out at this point ?

 

[TammyJ]

He needs to be in the correct conditions of temperature, humidity, lighting and diet for that species. Light may be hurting his eyes, etc. Stop the calcium for now until you get some expert advice here! @wellington @Tom @zovick

 

[TammyJ]

Hang on! Help is coming.

 

[Gillian M]

Sorry to hear that your tort is not well.

Give him a soak in warm water.

Try to keep calm. The experts here will hopefully help you.

 

[Gillian M]

I want to cry I don’t know what’s going on with my Greek tortoise. He isn’t eating , eyes are closed and his shell is soft in some spots. I was informed his enclosure was not hot enough and I switched to a ceramic heat emitter . His enclosure is at 90 now . He is barely moving , his poop is pasty brown. I put calcium powder in his food. However he’s not eating . I don’t know if I should be doing anything else. I was advised to just wait it out since a vet will only give him possibly a calcium injection but it may not help because he’s so small. I’m so lost . Should I continue to wait it out at this point ?

Did you give him a soak yet?

 

[wellington]

The whole ensure should not be 90. He needs 90-100 for basking with a regular flood bulb. Then the rest of the enclosure should go from 70/75 to 80 with 80% humidity. He needs a uvb tube florescent bulb for uvb. Night temps should for now not go below 75.
Now put him in a warm water soak and mix in some baby food pured carrots and some baby Pedialyte.

 

[Tom]

I want to cry I don’t know what’s going on with my Greek tortoise. He isn’t eating , eyes are closed and his shell is soft in some spots. I was informed his enclosure was not hot enough and I switched to a ceramic heat emitter . His enclosure is at 90 now . He is barely moving , his poop is pasty brown. I put calcium powder in his food. However he’s not eating . I don’t know if I should be doing anything else. I was advised to just wait it out since a vet will only give him possibly a calcium injection but it may not help because he’s so small. I’m so lost . Should I continue to wait it out at this point ?

Sorry you are having trouble. Let's see if we can help.

You have a good type of enclosure and the right substrate, so that part is good.

Those coil type bulbs are not effective and sometimes burn their eyes. They should not be used. How long have you had him? Has the tortoise ever gotten direct sunshine? This might be MBD.

That water bowl isn't suitable for a tortoise. Do you soak him regularly?

Where did you get the baby and how was it started?

Read this, and toward the bottom is a heating and lighting breakdown and a care sheet for your temperate species. Read through all of that to find things you can improve.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[wellington]

Also that double disc gage is no good and to high. You need a digital thermometer and even a temp gun and it needs to be tortoise height.
As Tom said that water dish is no good either. Replace it with a shallow side clay saucer that goes under flower pots.

 

[Mom2va]

Did you give him a soak yet?

I have been giving him warm soaks everyday.

 

[TammyJ]

Please try to follow all the advice and answer the questions, and if it's not too late, he will recover! Good luck and keep us posted on the progress, please!

 

[Mom2va]

The whole ensure should not be 90. He needs 90-100 for basking with a regular flood bulb. Then the rest of the enclosure should go from 70/75 to 80 with 80% humidity. He needs a uvb tube florescent bulb for uvb. Night temps should for now not go below 75.
Now put him in a warm water soak and mix in some baby food pured carrots and some baby Pedialyte.

Thank you sooo much. Please let me know if I need to do anything different . I bought some baby food carrots. I have attached some
Photos

 

[Mom2va]

Please try to follow all the advice and answer the questions, and if it's not too late, he will recover! Good luck and keep us posted on the progress, please!

Thank you I definitely will keep you posted

 

[wellington]

Yes that coil bulb needs to be removed and the temp and humidity gauge needs to be replaced with a digital and placed at tortoise height.
Do the carrot soaks 2x day with Pedialyte. For now do not let enclosure go below 75 even 80 but do not keep the whole thing at 90, that should only be the basking area that should be 95-100.

 

[Mom2va]

Did you give him a soak yet?

Not today but I’ve been soaking him everyday then it changed to every other day. After doing some reading on here I’m going back to soaking him everyday

 

[Mom2va]

Yes that coil bulb needs to be removed and the temp and humidity gauge needs to be replaced with a digital and placed at tortoise height.
Do the carrot soaks 2x day with Pedialyte. For now do not let enclosure go below 75 even 80 but do not keep the whole thing at 90, that should only be the basking area that should be 95-100.

Sorry you are having trouble. Let's see if we can help.

You have a good type of enclosure and the right substrate, so that part is good.

Those coil type bulbs are not effective and sometimes burn their eyes. They should not be used. How long have you had him? Has the tortoise ever gotten direct sunshine? This might be MBD.

That water bowl isn't suitable for a tortoise. Do you soak him regularly?

Where did you get the baby and how was it started?

Read this, and toward the bottom is a heating and lighting breakdown and a care sheet for your temperate species. Read through all of that to find things you can improve.

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

I purchased him from a reptile store . I have had him for a month and a week. He has never gotten direct sunlight . I have been soaking him everyday however about a week ago I switched to every other day . But I’m going to go back to everyday . He started off in this enclosure same bulbs however I just switched to the heat emitter 100w yesterday evening. Prior to that , the enclosure was 75-80. Now it’s 90 after switching to the heat emitter .

 

[Mom2va]

Yes that coil bulb needs to be removed and the temp and humidity gauge needs to be replaced with a digital and placed at tortoise height.
Do the carrot soaks 2x day with Pedialyte. For now do not let enclosure go below 75 even 80 but do not keep the whole thing at 90, that should only be the basking area that should be 95-100.

What temp should the non basking area be ? Should I leave the right side of the enclosure a tad bit open?

 

[Mom2va]

What temp should the non basking area be ? Should I leave the right side of the enclosure a tad bit open?

I apologize in advance for this question . For pedialyte soaks , should I buy the clear one? I see all these different flavors and I don’t want to get the wrong one

 

[Mom2va]

I have been giving him warm soaks everyday.

Sorry every day then I switched to every other day . Now I’m going to switch back to everyday

 

[Ink]

No flavor on the Pedialyte.

 

[Mom2va]

I had another question. How will I know if it’s too late? How much time should I give to see if he improves. Im afraid of seeing him get worse. I want to make sure he gets a chance and I’m so mad at myself for not finding this place sooner. Instead I did my research on google and YouTube and I have so much regret . I wish I would have found this tortoise forum sooner.