2month old Sulcata undeveloped jaw. HELP!

[GrootB]

Hi, I am new here and my husband just bought a 2month old Sulcata Tortoise. This is the first time that we got one, and our seller scammed us by giving us a tortoise with an undeveloped jaw. We already went to the vet and have been told that there's low probability that the tortoise will survive. But... we will not give up on our baby. He can't eat properly.. How can we help him eat? What to give? What to do?

Also, when we got him, his eyes are open but for the past few days his eyes are just closed.

Please help us [emoji17]

 

[katieandiggy]

He does not look well.
Has it been eating at all?
Do you soak him?

 

[GrootB]

He does not look well.
Has it been eating at all?
Do you soak him?

My husband and I have been syringe feeding him with soaked pellets that the seller gave us.

No we don't soak him. How do you do that?

 

[katieandiggy]

A tortoise of that size should be soaked in a shallow high sided tub for around 30 minutes daily. The water should be around 85-95f. This way they hydrate themselves by drinking, and they also absorb some water through the cloaca.
How is feeding going?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings. Your poor Sully does not look good. Any reason you can’t go back to the seller....

In the meantime, please read through this care sheet. It provides a great deal of information on the care and feeding of Sulcatas

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Note this section on Soaking

Soaking:
I recommend hatchlings be soaked in 85-95 degree water for 20-30 minutes once a day. I use a tall sided opaque tub and keep the water depth about a third of the way up the body. If you have a humid enclosure with a humid hide and a water bowl, it is totally fine to skip a day here and there. Soaking only once a week and using a dry enclosure is not enough in my opinion, and I would not buy a hatchling that had been started that way. Once the tortoise gets to about 4" I relax a bit on the soaking routine and gradually taper it down as they gain size. How often I soak older tortoises depends on a lot of factors, the current weather and season being two big ones. I soak more often when its hot and dry. If you live in a warm, humid, rainy climate, and your tortoise is exposed to these conditions, soaking less often is probably fine, but it still wont hurt anything to do it.

 

[GrootB]

A tortoise of that size should be soaked in a shallow high sided tub for around 30 minutes daily. The water should be around 85-95f. This way they hydrate themselves by drinking, and they also absorb some water through the cloaca.
How is feeding going?

Okay will do that. We feed him every 2 hours.. Is that okay? Are there any other food options that can be syringe fed?

 

[GrootB]

Greetings. Your poor Sully does not look good. Any reason you can’t go back to the seller....

In the meantime, please read through this care sheet. It provides a great deal of information on the care and feeding of Sulcatas

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Note this section on Soaking

Soaking:
I recommend hatchlings be soaked in 85-95 degree water for 20-30 minutes once a day. I use a tall sided opaque tub and keep the water depth about a third of the way up the body. If you have a humid enclosure with a humid hide and a water bowl, it is totally fine to skip a day here and there. Soaking only once a week and using a dry enclosure is not enough in my opinion, and I would not buy a hatchling that had been started that way. Once the tortoise gets to about 4" I relax a bit on the soaking routine and gradually taper it down as they gain size. How often I soak older tortoises depends on a lot of factors, the current weather and season being two big ones. I soak more often when its hot and dry. If you live in a warm, humid, rainy climate, and your tortoise is exposed to these conditions, soaking less often is probably fine, but it still wont hurt anything to do it.

Thank you very much! Will read this and do soaking. I just hope and pray that he will survive.. [emoji17]

 

[katieandiggy]

When you syringe feed, does he actually eat? Can he physically not eat with his jaw?

 

[katieandiggy]

Sorry just another thing.
There lots of problems that can cause a tortoise not to open their eyes.
Two of the main causes that we see on here:
1. Coil type UVB lamps- can you show us what lamp you use
2. Sand as a substrate. In your picture I thought I could see some sand on your baby? Sand can cause irritation to the eyes.

 

[GrootB]

When you syringe feed, does he actually eat? Can he physically not eat with his jaw?

Yes he opens his mouth. Sadly, I haven't seen him eat by himself since we got him..

 

[GrootB]

Sorry just another thing.
There lots of problems that can cause a tortoise not to open their eyes.
Two of the main causes that we see on here:
1. Coil type UVB lamps- can you show us what lamp you use
2. Sand as a substrate. In your picture I thought I could see some sand on your baby? Sand can cause irritation to the eyes.

We have not used lamps. We bring him outside in the morning. I think what you saw was soil. Is it okay to wash it with water? Or just wipe it off? Sorry... I'm such a newbie [emoji17] [emoji17]

 

[Maro2Bear]

Soak in nice warm water...

• .....soak in 85-95 degree water for 20-30 minutes once a day.
• So yes..soak now, and then daily maybe twice per day

 

[katieandiggy]

Have a good read of those links that Maro2bear has linked. It will tell you the type of environment that a baby should be kept in.
Please feel free to ask as many questions as you need. That’s what everyone is here for.

 

[GrootB]

Have a good read of those links that Maro2bear has linked. It will tell you the type of environment that a baby should be kept in.
Please feel free to ask as many questions as you need. That’s what everyone is here for.

Thank you very much! What other food options can I syringe feed him?

 

[GrootB]

Soak in nice warm water...

• .....soak in 85-95 degree water for 20-30 minutes once a day.
• So yes..soak now, and then daily maybe twice per day

I'm soaking him now [emoji4] What should I do with irritated eyes?

 

[Maro2Bear]

There were two recent very similar postings here on the Forum. Here is one of them. Read through this..

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...jaw-fell-off-please-help.162027/#post-1543363

 

[katieandiggy]

I’ve never syringe fed a tortoise. But I’m sure there are people on here that have.
@Yvonne @Tom can you help please.

With regards to the eyes mane bathe them gently with a cotton Bud (Q Tip)

 

[GrootB]

I’ve never syringe fed a tortoise. But I’m sure there are people on here that have.
@Yvonne @Tom can you help please.

With regards to the eyes mane bathe them gently with a cotton Bud (Q Tip)

Okay will do this. Thank you so much for all your help. I hope he gets better soon.

 

[Yvonne G]

That tortoise looks pretty darned sick. Have you ever seen his eyes open? It's very unusual for the eyes to be closed when a tortoise is being held.

Far as the beak is concerned, that looks like another tortoise took a nice big bite out of it. It will grow back if the bed hasn't been damaged. In the meantime you need to cut the food up into very tiny pieces. Place the pile of chopped up food up against a wall so it doesn't get pushed away when he bites at it.

But, if the eyes always look like what's in the picture, that's a bigger problem than the beak. What did the vet say about the eyes?

 

[GrootB]

That tortoise looks pretty darned sick. Have you ever seen his eyes open? It's very unusual for the eyes to be closed when a tortoise is being held.

Far as the beak is concerned, that looks like another tortoise took a nice big bite out of it. It will grow back if the bed hasn't been damaged. In the meantime you need to cut the food up into very tiny pieces. Place the pile of chopped up food up against a wall so it doesn't get pushed away when he bites at it.

But, if the eyes always look like what's in the picture, that's a bigger problem than the beak. What did the vet say about the eyes?

The vet did not say anything about the eyes.. He just said that there's a big percentage that he will not survive [emoji17]

I am planning to go to another vet..