6Month old sulcata tortoise Sleeping Alot

Alcapone12

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Lately these past few days no matter what my 6month old sulacata tortoise once inside its enclosure it goes in a corner under it's Timothy hay & sleeps ALL day. 3 weeks ago I brought my torotise to the vet cause I noticed bubbles coming from it's nose. Vet said tortoise had a R.I & also a soft shell on the sides & belly area. Gave torotoise antibiotics & liquid calcium. Just yesterday went back to vet for follow up & they said torotoise improved but tested positive for worms in stool & gave me more medicine. Also torotise went from .52 grams to .49 in weight but took a dump before getting weighed.Vet suggested that I do not need to keep enclosure humid as long as i soak my torotise for 1hr in warm water twice a week. I've changed my torotise enclosure to a smaller wooden box & keep temps between 85F-90F day & night with night bulb. Tortoise eats fine & is very active once outside but as I soon as I put it back in the enclosure goes right into its corner & sleeps ALL DAY. I have a 26w 150 UVB bulb from exo terra. What is wrong??? Can the UVB bulb be too strong & make it hide & want to close its eyes? Please help
 

Ben02

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Lately these past few days no matter what my 6month old sulacata tortoise once inside its enclosure it goes in a corner under it's Timothy hay & sleeps ALL day. 3 weeks ago I brought my torotise to the vet cause I noticed bubbles coming from it's nose. Vet said tortoise had a R.I & also a soft shell on the sides & belly area. Gave torotoise antibiotics & liquid calcium. Just yesterday went back to vet for follow up & they said torotoise improved but tested positive for worms in stool & gave me more medicine. Also torotise went from .52 grams to .49 in weight but took a dump before getting weighed.Vet suggested that I do not need to keep enclosure humid as long as i soak my torotise for 1hr in warm water twice a week. I've changed my torotise enclosure to a smaller wooden box & keep temps between 85F-90F day & night with night bulb. Tortoise eats fine & is very active once outside but as I soon as I put it back in the enclosure goes right into its corner & sleeps ALL DAY. I have a 26w 150 UVB bulb from exo terra. What is wrong??? Can the UVB bulb be too strong & make it hide & want to close its eyes? Please help
I’ve never kept a sulcata but youngsters generally have soft shells that can take months maybe years (depending on conditions) to harden fully, also what I mean by “soft” is that the shell should have almost Tupperware consistency, not spongy or mushy.

What do you feed your tortoise?

Do you supplement calcium via calcium powder on food and a cuttlebone?

You should be soaking your tortoise daily in luke warm water daily!!!! Babies especially get very dehydrated in those warm conditions.

Some may suggest the “closed chamber” approach, I don’t know a lot about that but @Tom knows a lot about sulcatas and torts in general.

Hope this helps:)
 

Tom

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Lately these past few days no matter what my 6month old sulacata tortoise once inside its enclosure it goes in a corner under it's Timothy hay & sleeps ALL day. 3 weeks ago I brought my torotise to the vet cause I noticed bubbles coming from it's nose. Vet said tortoise had a R.I & also a soft shell on the sides & belly area. Gave torotoise antibiotics & liquid calcium. Just yesterday went back to vet for follow up & they said torotoise improved but tested positive for worms in stool & gave me more medicine. Also torotise went from .52 grams to .49 in weight but took a dump before getting weighed.Vet suggested that I do not need to keep enclosure humid as long as i soak my torotise for 1hr in warm water twice a week. I've changed my torotise enclosure to a smaller wooden box & keep temps between 85F-90F day & night with night bulb. Tortoise eats fine & is very active once outside but as I soon as I put it back in the enclosure goes right into its corner & sleeps ALL DAY. I have a 26w 150 UVB bulb from exo terra. What is wrong??? Can the UVB bulb be too strong & make it hide & want to close its eyes? Please help
Hello and welcome. A lot is wrong there, to answer your question. Not trying to be mean when I say that, but you need to know what is wrong if you are going to fix it.

  1. Warm temps are good, but dry conditions are not. Frankly, your vet is wrong. Most vets don't know much about tortoise care, and almost all of them still parrot the old wrong dry info that is found on almost every website and book. A closed humid chamber with warm temps is the best thing for them.
  2. All those medications are really hard on little babies. You probably could have corrected the problem without the meds.
  3. Warm night temps are necessary, but colored night bulbs are not the way to do it. Use a CHE or RHP set on a thermostat for ambient and night heat.
  4. Cfl type UV bulbs are not effective UV sources and some of them burn tortoise eyes. They should not be used. This might be why he hides all the time indoors.
  5. There should be hay in the enclosure. It molds when it gets wet, and babies won't eat it. Hay is great for older larger sulcatas, but it no place for babies.
Here is all the correct care info in one place for you:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
 

Alcapone12

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As far as the shell it's hard all on top when I say soft it's not mushy or spongy it's a little flexy on the belly area.

I feed him a variety of things. Mazuri, romaine lettuce, carrots, peppers.

Right now Hes on liquid calcium perscribed by the vet but I also provide powdered calcium with no D3 vitamin 2- 3x a week. Vet said to provide the calcium without d3 cause he's getting it from the uvb bulb & sunlight.

Thank you for the reply! Hopefully I get this resolved.
 

Tom

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As far as the shell it's hard all on top when I say soft it's not mushy or spongy it's a little flexy on the belly area.

I feed him a variety of things. Mazuri, romaine lettuce, carrots, peppers.

Right now Hes on liquid calcium perscribed by the vet but I also provide powdered calcium with no D3 vitamin 2- 3x a week. Vet said to provide the calcium without d3 cause he's getting it from the uvb bulb & sunlight.

Thank you for the reply! Hopefully I get this resolved.
That sounds like a normal shell. Over supplementation with calcium will cause problems. They only need a small amount a couple of times a week, if fed the right foods.

Your UV bulb isn't giving the tortoise UV. Those don't work and they sometimes damage their eyes, so it needs to be turned off ASAP since your tortoise is acting like its burning his eyes. Get a T5 HO type instead. Safer, much more effective, and longer lasting. How much sun is the baby getting and how often?

The Mazuri is good for your tortoise a couple of times a week as a supplemental food, but the other items you are offering are not good tortoise food. Please read this one: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
 

Alcapone12

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That sounds like a normal shell. Over supplementation with calcium will cause problems. They only need a small amount a couple of times a week, if fed the right foods.

Your UV bulb isn't giving the tortoise UV. Those don't work and they sometimes damage their eyes, so it needs to be turned off ASAP since your tortoise is acting like its burning his eyes. Get a T5 HO type instead. Safer, much more effective, and longer lasting. How much sun is the baby getting and how often?

The Mazuri is good for your tortoise a couple of times a week as a supplemental food, but the other items you are offering are not good tortoise food. Please read this one: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Thanks for all your info Tom

As far the the UV bulb you're telling me, where can I buy that? What's the name?

He gets sun 3x a week for 30min to an hour. I've had him for 6 months purchased from a pet store.. I know that's not the smartest but I was not educated & love torotoises brotha don't want to quit on him
 

Cheryl Hills

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Your vet is wrong, as most are. Your baby needs a closed chamber with humidity at or above 89%. Heat needs to be above 80 at all times and throughout the whole enclosure. Babies should be soaked every day. Please go to the top of this section and read the sulcata care sheets. These were written by species exsperts
 

Alcapone12

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Update. Just came home now he's in his food..
 

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Tom

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Thanks for all your info Tom

As far the the UV bulb you're telling me, where can I buy that? What's the name?

He gets sun 3x a week for 30min to an hour. I've had him for 6 months purchased from a pet store.. I know that's not the smartest but I was not educated & love torotoises brotha don't want to quit on him
You can get the Arcadia 12% HO tubes here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com

I don't have first hand experience, but I'm told the ZooMed 10.0 HO tubes are good too, and you can find those in lots of places.

Sun 3x per week is great. That alone should be enough UV, but no harm in running some inside too.

I hope he pulls through.
 

Alcapone12

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You can get the Arcadia 12% HO tubes here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com

I don't have first hand experience, but I'm told the ZooMed 10.0 HO tubes are good too, and you can find those in lots of places.

Sun 3x per week is great. That alone should be enough UV, but no harm in running some inside too.

I hope he pulls through.
Might just stick to taking him out 2-3x a week for 30min to an hour & not get a bulb.
 

Alcapone12

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You can get the Arcadia 12% HO tubes here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com

I don't have first hand experience, but I'm told the ZooMed 10.0 HO tubes are good too, and you can find those in lots of places.

Sun 3x per week is great. That alone should be enough UV, but no harm in running some inside too.

I hope he pulls through.
Also does cypress mulch as bedding cause respiratory problems ? Or bacteria if they pee in it etc
 

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