baby sulcata (2.5-3 months)

[Maggie Cummings]

yeah so pretty much, if you need any sort of advice or help, just go straight to the forum and avoid vets unless you need a prescription. haha. well thank you all for your help. he is improving. he does keep scratching at one eye more than the other, which may be causing a bit more of a problem for him. but as long as hes moving around and has his eyes are open is good enough to show me signs of improvement. i have a feeling hes going to get better in no time. but without everyones help, i wouldnt of even thought that this stupid light would be causing the problem and id still have it on...
i did take him outside today for a little sun. it was really cloudy out so we didnt stay out long. its a decent temperature out right now...a little windy though. he did start to eat some fresh grass while he was out there.

Get some terramycin eye ointment and put it in his eyes 2 or 3 times a day and he'll get better right away...

 

[hollymc]

we ordered his light. we will be getting it wednesday. right now we just have him under heat lights.but we havent noticed him eat in a while so nick had a good idea to put him in a little food container with just his greens and hay so i did just that. we did see him eating about 1 hour later. it was really a relief because he hasnt eaten for about 2 days now. i did put him under his heat light while he was eating. it was around 80 on the warm side and 75 on the cool side but he hung out on the warm side to eat. so yeaaa!!! i cant wait till his light comes in! we purchased 5 of them for all of our animals!!! woot

 

[hollymc]

well i have sad news. Turtle passed away last night. We did everything we could to get him back to health. The vet said we were doing a good job. But the vet didnt know anything about anything. As soon as I thought he would be ok because he was eating and drinking a little everyday...he stopped for about 4 days. He didnt move. He could barely get his eyes open. He developed a RI. We bought some calcium with d3 medication, and a herbivore 911 kit for dehydrated and malnourished sulcatas. Nothing worked. Then yesterday he peed in our hands 3 times. I knew it was a bad sign because his muscles were weak. Then he would open his mouth really wide like he was eating for a few seconds at a time. He put his head back in his shell and passed away. So yeah. It was was a rough night and a rough morning. So what I had originally thought of Turtle when he was sick with dehydration. Which I think still was the problem. Yeah im sure the uvb bulb had to do with his death also but he had a bit of a soft under shell before he got sick from the uvb. I would water him everyday. Just let him soak. I would take a shower and id have him in the sink (no water or hed get fussy) and soak up the humidity. I think a big part was when i read that people only used hay for the bedding. Which i did for about 3 months before we got the kiddy pool and dirt. So that may have been the problem there. But now Im thinking of how and where I want him buried.

 

[Crazy1]

Holly, I am so sorry to hear Turtle has gone. My thoughts are with you and yours. Hugs.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Oh Holly...I am so sorry. It is so hard to lose a pet after working so hard to make him better. Please know that my thoughts are with you and those of us on the forum sure know how you feel...

 

[tortoisenerd]

I'm sorry for all you've gone through. Best wishes.

 

[galvinkaos]

Sorry to hear about Turtle. It is hard to lose a friend you worked so hard to make happy and healthy.

Dawna

 

[hollymc]

well today is the day we bury Turtle. I put him in a little tupperware bowl with some of his dirt and hay. My husband and I wrote him goodbye letters and put it in there with him. I have 2 turtle necklaces from when i was a kid. Im wearing one and one is in there with him. That way well always be reminded of eachother. thank you all for your help and support.!!!

 

[Mysulcata Franklin]

I'm so sorry to hear about your lost...To read your story and see what you & your turtle had to go thru is just so sad brings tears to my eyes. Best wishes to you!!!

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm sorry that Turtle didn't make it. That's always a hard thing to have to go through. If you ever decide to get another tortoise, search around and try to find a vet that cares for turtles and tortoises before your tortoise needs one. Most vets are "up" on the mammal end of veterinary medicine, but there are a few out there who keep up with the reptile end of the spectrum too.

This is a heads-up for everyone who has a turtle or tortoise: Look for a reptile vet right now. Go visit with him/her and see if you think they are a good fit for you and your tortoise. Be Prepared!

Yvonne