Baby sulcata not growing - please help

[Torts4Maylin]

I got my 1 - 1.5 month (age at purchase) old hatchling sulcata back in June and he has hardly grown since I got him. Currently he fluctuates at 31 - 35 grams.

Background info:
I got him from a couple who breeds them more as a hobby. They seemed very knowledgeable and friendly and concerned that he was going to a good home. I also have his info and ask him questions here and there about care. I've sent a message and am currently awaiting his reply.

He lives in a standard sized tortoise table that I keep 75% covered to keep in the heat and humidity. Humidity ranges from about 50 - 80 (I know it's a wide range but I work so it's hard to constantly spray the enclosure to try to keep it consistent).

Hot spot is kept around 100, elsewhere is around 80 degrees F. The substrate is coco coir and he has places to hide and access to water 24/7. I soak him about 5-6x a week for 15-30 depending on his interest.

He primarily eats weeds and grass. I've try offering other things such as wet and soft mazuri and some tortoise pellets that have various mixture of veggies and he's never interested although I keep trying. Occasionally he eats cactus. I do spray a reptile calcium supplement on his food. He has one mealtime daily but he has access to grasses and weeds whenever he wants.

He has a basking light and UVB lighting on during the day and at night he has either a ceramic heat emitter or a purple heated night bulb. I do also take him out a couple times a week in the sun and to roam but he also has lots of space to roam in his enclosure. He does take some munches here and there outside but he doesn't seem to be as active and sleeps a lot. He poops too and that looks normal as well. His shell seems to be too soft. I know babies have soft shells but his seems way too soft and flimsy, almost as if his plasteron could tear.

I've done a LOT of research and feel like I'm going by the book, but I just can't figure out what the problem could be, or if there is a definite one. Of if it could even possibly he Failure to Thrive syndrome. I'm so worried about him and would appreciate any insight or advice aside from a vet because that is in the works as well.

Thank you in advance!

 

[JoesMum]

Hello and welcome.

Unless the book that you are going by is up to date it is likely that your tort is not getting the care it needs.

There is much conflicting and outdated information on the internet, in books and from pet stores and , sadly, from some pet stores and breeders too.

I recommend that you go by the TFO guides written by species experts working hard to get the most up to date information about the correct care of Sulcatas.

Beginner Mistakes
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

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

For those who have a young Sulcata
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

In terms of raising humidity, spraying is not enough. Take all the decor out then tip water in from a jug and mix it in thoroughly with your hands. Repeat this until all the substrate is damp, but not wet. You will have to do this every few weeks to maintain dampness.

Photos of your enclosure and lighting will help us to help you further

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Well I do spray the substrate to the point where it's very damp and stir it and I use nearly the entire spray bottle per spray.

Aside from that is there something else you see wrong? Thanks.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Bedding is primarily coco coir with some chips to help his footing because he seems to get stuck otherwise

 

[JoesMum]

Spraying alone does not help. You need to properly wet the substrate.

To diagnose further we need to know diet, soaking regime, temperatures (warm side, cool side , overnight minimum and directly under the basking lamp)... and as I said photos will help us to help you.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

I have 3 gauges you can't see, one temp guage near the hot spot, one on the other end, and one to gauge humidity.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Well as I stated, hot spot 100, other areas 80.
He has a hot spot around 90 at night and about 78 elsewhere.
I soak him 5-6 x a week for 15-30 min in warm water (about the temp you'd bathe a human baby)

 

[JoesMum]

Our posts have crossed in some sort of internet time warp. I'll take a look at the photos now

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Also stated lighting is a basking light and a UVB I keep on in the day, 100, maybe a little higher, directly under and 80 in other areas of enclosure.
Night he has either a heat emitter Or a purple night bulb that keeps the direct area around 90 and the rest is about 78.

 

[JoesMum]

The substrate does look too dry.

What are you feeding your tortoise? How much and how often?

How frequently do you soak your tortoise?

 

[Torts4Maylin]

I give him a meal once a day though he has weeds and or grasses I keep in his enclosure every day. I change it daily. Also change the water daily.
Soaking is 5-6x week for 15-30 min
Access to water 24/7 I change daily.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

At meal time I offer softened mazuri, some tortoise veggie pellets, sometimes cactus, and grass and weeds I spray with calcium supplement but he doesn't seem to care for anything other than the grass and weeds. I still offer daily though and he also has access to grass or weeds all the time.

 

[JoesMum]

I give him a meal once a day though he has weeds and or grasses I keep in his enclosure every day. I change it daily.

Can you give more detail?

It's 1am here in the UK and I must turn in for the night. Hopefully somone in the USA wiill pick this up, otherwise I will be back in my morning

 

[Torts4Maylin]

No worries I appreciate your replies. Weeds are primarily dandelion greens. Not sure the type of grass, just regular backyard grass lol but we do have a vast array of weeds and clovers and grasses but he seems to be partial to dandelion greens!

 

[Big Charlie]

I think you need to completely cover your enclosure. Leaving a opening like you are lets all your humidity escape. You can use foil to wrap around the lights. Are you soaking your baby daily?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Two things I noted 1. You are trying to maintain the humidity levels, but don't have the tort table completely enclosed. You really need to work on keeping substrate warm and moist 24/7, fully enclosing will help tremendously. 2. The CHE should be on a timer, and not substituted with the night bulb. CHE's work so very well on a timer to maintain nice even, not fluctuating enclosure temp.

• Id work on getting your enclosure fully enclosed, and the light.

• Your diet seems good and varied...encourage the Mazuri pellets too.

• Like Big Charlie says...daily soaking, nice warm water.

I would also offer to not "mess about" with your young tort too much. Let it settle into a good routine. Lights on timers, early morning soak, back into enclosure with a nice pile of greens, grass, mazuri. Nice secure moist hide for your tort to snuggle into to feel safe.

Hope that helps.

 

[Maro2Bear]

One more thing is that I really don't see a dark, humid hide inside the enclosure? You might have one, i just can't see one in the box.

 

[Tom]

What type of UV bulb have you got?

Which type of Mazuri, have you got? Original or LS?

The CHE should be on a thermostat, not a timer.

The lack of growth and the soft plastron point to a lack of hydration at hatching. If this is the case, there is nothing you or a vet can do about it. In most cases vets make things worse with all their injections. Babies can't handle all that. Best thing to do is offer the best conditions possible and hope for the best. When they are started too dry as hatchlings, some survive and some don't.

Here are the questions for the breeder:
How often was the baby soaked?
What incubation media did they use and how long after hatching was the baby left in the incubator?
Did they use a brooder box, or go straight from the incubator to the enclosure?
What substrate was used for the first enclosure?

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Sorry for the delay, been a lot going on with work, kids, and caring for the torts. I read your post about hatchling failure syndrome atom and it peaked my interest. I feel like I've been going by the book with setup and whatnot. But here's the answers to your questions:

UV bulb is powersun
Mazuri is LS, although he's never been into the mazuri.

I'll ask the breeder those questions and get back to you although I do know he used coco coir.

Thanks everyone for the response!