Chloebark
Member
Please help!!!
My sweet baby Rhae does not seem to be doing as well as when I first got it. I purchased Rhae in the beginning of May at 1 month old from a reptile expo, and it seemed in very good health like the others there. I have other turtles and a tortoise so I was very excited to raise a baby. I did a lot of research and learned that it is so much work, with needing so much extra care than my other turtles needed. Here is Rhae’s current set up:
40 gallon fish tank with closed top to keep in heat and moisture. 1 100 watt mercury vapor bulb on for 12-14 hours a day, and 2 ceramic heat emitters on 24/7. Heat throughout tank is a minimum of 80 degrees, with the basking spot around 95. Humidity stays around 85%. The substrate is coco choir that I keep moistened to help with humidity. There is a small terra cotta tray for water and one humid hide, 1 half log cover, and a few fake plants for extra hiding spots. Rhae is given food daily which includes spring mix, weeds and grasses from outside, cactus pad, hibiscus leaves, and rarely mazuri or Timothy hay (doesn’t seem to eat either no matter how I try to give it to it). I sprinkle calcium powder on the food 1-2x per week.
I was away for two weeks on a trip in June and had someone taking care of Rhae (they stayed at my house and cared for all of my pets). They seemed to have done a wonderful job! One week after being home however I noticed Rhae’s plastron feeling softer and Rhae has also seemed lethargic. I soak him everyday for 20 minutes and he seems fine, he poops in the water and moves around a lot, he eats right afterwards, then he just wants to sleep. I have scheduled an appointment for the vet on Thursday but can anyone help me before then?! Any ideas what on earth I’m missing here? I have weighed him when I first got him with a digital food scale and he was 19 grams, and his weight hasn’t changed either. I’m so afraid I will wake up tomorrow and he may not be alive.
My sweet baby Rhae does not seem to be doing as well as when I first got it. I purchased Rhae in the beginning of May at 1 month old from a reptile expo, and it seemed in very good health like the others there. I have other turtles and a tortoise so I was very excited to raise a baby. I did a lot of research and learned that it is so much work, with needing so much extra care than my other turtles needed. Here is Rhae’s current set up:
40 gallon fish tank with closed top to keep in heat and moisture. 1 100 watt mercury vapor bulb on for 12-14 hours a day, and 2 ceramic heat emitters on 24/7. Heat throughout tank is a minimum of 80 degrees, with the basking spot around 95. Humidity stays around 85%. The substrate is coco choir that I keep moistened to help with humidity. There is a small terra cotta tray for water and one humid hide, 1 half log cover, and a few fake plants for extra hiding spots. Rhae is given food daily which includes spring mix, weeds and grasses from outside, cactus pad, hibiscus leaves, and rarely mazuri or Timothy hay (doesn’t seem to eat either no matter how I try to give it to it). I sprinkle calcium powder on the food 1-2x per week.
I was away for two weeks on a trip in June and had someone taking care of Rhae (they stayed at my house and cared for all of my pets). They seemed to have done a wonderful job! One week after being home however I noticed Rhae’s plastron feeling softer and Rhae has also seemed lethargic. I soak him everyday for 20 minutes and he seems fine, he poops in the water and moves around a lot, he eats right afterwards, then he just wants to sleep. I have scheduled an appointment for the vet on Thursday but can anyone help me before then?! Any ideas what on earth I’m missing here? I have weighed him when I first got him with a digital food scale and he was 19 grams, and his weight hasn’t changed either. I’m so afraid I will wake up tomorrow and he may not be alive.