Baby Sulcata Activities

[Jrperry]

Hello to all:

My apologies for being such a nervous new tortoise mama!

So I was wondering if anyone who has experience with baby Sulcatas could give me a run down on their activities? What is normal? What is not?

Panda does not move much in front of me, but I know he moves because he is sometimes under the lamp and sometimes on the other side of the tank. He has been eating. I have been soaking him everyday. When I soak him, sometimes he moves his little legs and head like he wants to swim or move but can't. Is he enjoying this or should I worry? Sometimes he opens his eyes but sometimes they are closed. They are closed more than open when I am looking at him it would seem. Sometimes he sticks his little head out but it seems like his head is heavy. Is he just sleepy because he is a baby or is something wrong? I don't know how people have baby humans - this is so stressful!! What is normal? What should I worry about? Right now I am worrying about everything

Please help!

Thank you!

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I have never had a baby, but might be some help! Are his eyes clear? No runny nose? Now wheezing? Has he been eating? Pooping? Does he look alert?
When did you get him? It take a bit for tortoises to 'settle' in and get comfortable around a new person! Now, he is a baby, so if nothing is off, he's just sleeping.
Tom's threads are very good for sulcata vare.

 

[Tom]

What are you using for heating and lighting? UV? Coil type?

What are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking area and night?

Where did you get this tortoise? Was it started wet or dry?

 

[Jrperry]

Using a porcelain heat emitter, 100 watt, natural light, going to get UVB tomorrow, basking 90, hot side 85, cool side 75, night is about 80 because I read it is good to keep it hot the first few nights for immunity. Got him from our local fish store, he was in a dry cage with carpet bottom. (I don't know what wet or dry means?). He is eating, he pooped at least once (in his bowl). Tonight's soak I think he drank some water but then he was gnashing his little beak!? Made me worry. He is only like 3 or 4 inches across so I know he is just a baby but what is normal?

 

[Tom]

If he was started dry and housed on carpet, I would consider taking him back. Read this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hatchling-failure-syndrome.23493/ Explain to the seller why you are asking for a refund.

Here is how to set them up and care for them:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Feeding:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

What not to do:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Jrperry]

Thank you Tom, I read most of your posts above a few days ago! You are very knowledgeble and I appreciate your advice and help. Just read the article you wrote on dry hatchlings and omg I had no idea - I am so sad for panda

 

[Tom]

Thank you Tom, I read most of your posts above a few days ago! You are very knowledgeble and I appreciate your advice and help. Just read the article you wrote on dry hatchlings and omg I had no idea - I am so sad for panda

Some of these "dry" raised babies make it through and are fine. Others live and seem fine for a few weeks or months and then die. No amount of money or vet care can save those ones. I call them ticking time bombs. Then the seller or breeder will tell you that the baby was fine while they had it 6 months ago, and you must have done something wrong to kill it. How's that for adding insult to injury?

Set your baby up with the guidance in those links. Keep them warm and humid and soak them every day. There is no way to predict which ones are not going to make it, so just do your best and hope. Weigh your baby on a kitchen scale weekly. Young sulcatas that are housed correctly grow pretty fast. Steady weight gain will be your best indicator that your baby is fine and will make it through. If your baby barely grows at all over the next few weeks or months, you will at least have a clue about what is going on. Being able to show a weekly weight chart to the seller might also convince them that YOU were not the problem, especially if you make them aware of all of this from the start.

 

[Jrperry]

I had decided to keep Panda before I read your last post but that does make me feel better. I figure even if he does not make it at least he can be happy and well cared for until then. BUT hopefully he will be one of the lucky ones! I could not just take him back for them to dump him somewhere or live in that little cage again. I will get a scale today when I go to the store. How much should he be gaining?

 

[Tom]

I had decided to keep Panda before I read your last post but that does make me feel better. I figure even if he does not make it at least he can be happy and well cared for until then. BUT hopefully he will be one of the lucky ones! I could not just take him back for them to dump him somewhere or live in that little cage again. I will get a scale today when I go to the store. How much should he be gaining?

Weight gain varies a lot, and it ramps up over time. Just look for nice steady gain from week to week. If he stays the same week after week despite eating a lot and acting "normal", you'll know you have a problem.

 

[DeanS]

three to four inches can be anywhere from 6 months to 2 years...so unless you know the breeder and were told exactly when it was born (or at least month and year)...and given that it came from a store leads me to guess that it is underdeveloped and kept in harsh conditions...i.e. too dry! Night time temps should be well over 80ºF and at least 75% relative humidity!