Baby sulcata not growing - please help

[Torts4Maylin]

Also, The other hatchling that we adopted from the same breeder at the same time because he had his own issues as well. As of now he seems to be active and eating and what not Now, but after reading your post on failure to thrive, I'm growing weary for that ones condition remain stable.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

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.

Yes he has a humid hide you can see it in the very far right side in one of the photos.

He got soaks 5-6x a week in baby bottle warm water but I've upped that to every day and started taking him out everyday, even bringing him to work sometimes because I leave for work before the sun comes up and now there is no direct sunlight by the time I get home so I'll take him out in my lunch break. (My colleagues think I'm crazy and passerbys give me strange looks. I work in downtown dallas where you don't see many tortoises! Lol)

I took him to the vet and he suggested the daily sun and also gave him antibiotic shots to take. He's had one dose and I'm supposed to give him one today but my gut instinct is telling me that isn't the problem and will only make it worse for his little and already fragile system. So I'm wondering do I take my vet advice or go with my gut as far as the shots go. I know that initially sounds stupid but I almost feel like that was just a guess because it's nearly impossible to accurately diagnose a 32g hatchling.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Here he is now currently soaking in a pedialite/water mix. I saw him blow some bubbles in the water so I hope he drank some. He moved around a bit but eyes stayed closed. Maybe I should soak him a couple times a day?

 

[Big Charlie]

Yes he has a humid hide you can see it in the very far right side in one of the photos.

He got soaks 5-6x a week in baby bottle warm water but I've upped that to every day and started taking him out everyday, even bringing him to work sometimes because I leave for work before the sun comes up and now there is no direct sunlight by the time I get home so I'll take him out in my lunch break. (My colleagues think I'm crazy and passerbys give me strange looks. I work in downtown dallas where you don't see many tortoises! Lol)

I took him to the vet and he suggested the daily sun and also gave him antibiotic shots to take. He's had one dose and I'm supposed to give him one today but my gut instinct is telling me that isn't the problem and will only make it worse for his little and already fragile system. So I'm wondering do I take my vet advice or go with my gut as far as the shots go. I know that initially sounds stupid but I almost feel like that was just a guess because it's nearly impossible to accurately diagnose a 32g hatchling.

Why did the vet give antibiotics? Were there symptoms of an infection? Is it a reptile vet? I was also be afraid to continue with the shots, and be afraid they could do more harm than good. If your vet isn't experienced in reptile care, he may not be the best to handle your tortoise. The warm soaks might help.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Why did the vet give antibiotics? Were there symptoms of an infection? Is it a reptile vet? I was also be afraid to continue with the shots, and be afraid they could do more harm than good. If your vet isn't experienced in reptile care, he may not be the best to handle your tortoise. The warm soaks might help.

He suspected that by my keeping the coco coir bedding moist it irritated and caused infection by breathing it in 24/7. He is supposedly experienced, he seemed to know a lot about reptiles in general amongst other animals. But he wasn't a primary reptile vet only. He sees animals of all kinds.

I've always soaked him 5-6x a week but started everyday and am thinking about maybe even 2x. My instincts is telling me dehydration but I didn't originally consider that because I did soak and keep his enclosure moist.

 

[Big Charlie]

Respiratory infections are caused by being kept in moist environments that are too cold. Moist and warm is good for your tort. If you kept his temperatures warm, I doubt he has an infection. If he had an infection, you would probably see bubbles coming from his nose and possibly hear squeaking.

Having his eyes closed isn't a good sign. How long has he been like that?

 

[Torts4Maylin]

The temps have been warm, never below 80 in ambient. Their enclosure makes my room hot! I've seen no bubbles nor heard him squeak. My instinct is telling me not an infection. I thought I've been reasonably spot on as far as their temps, enclosure, diet, and fairly reasonable humidity. That's why I've been stumped and thought that it may be just "one of those things" and nature. [emoji25]

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Eyes have stayed mostly closed for a few days now. Within this past week. He's been slowly getting worse and I'm so afraid and sad that there's nothing I can do. [emoji25][emoji25]

 

[Big Charlie]

You said you have 2 hatchlings? Are they being kept in separate enclosures?

 

[Torts4Maylin]

You said you have 2 hatchlings? Are they being kept in separate enclosures?

Sometimes and sometimes no. They have separate enclosures but I would put them together to see if they could coexist, since they did live together prior to me adopting them. They certainly eat separate and soak separate.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

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?

RE: the questions to ask the breeder, idk it sounds pretty legit to me, what do you think?

"They are soaked the minute they come out of the incubator and twice daily for the time they are in the brooder.
They stay in the incubator 2-3 days after they hatch, then they move to the brooder for a week before they go to the enclosure. That is when they are on coconut coer for the first time.
I have to maintain very high humidity levels for the first 10 days so the yolk sac gets absorbed and they get a healthy start."

 

[Big Charlie]

Sometimes and sometimes no. They have separate enclosures but I would put them together to see if they could coexist, since they did live together prior to me adopting them. They certainly eat separate and soak separate.

Keep them completely separate now.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Keep them completely separate now.

Yes I have been

 

[Torts4Maylin]

For the last two days I've been force-feeding him with water and pedialyte mix and soaking him with this mix 2x a day. This evening he seemed more active, as he did open his eyes a couple times and was walking around his dish trying to get out of the bath. I haven't given his antibiotic shot.

 

[Big Charlie]

For the last two days I've been force-feeding him with water and pedialyte mix and soaking him with this mix 2x a day. This evening he seemed more active, as he did open his eyes a couple times and was walking around his dish trying to get out of the bath. I haven't given his antibiotic shot.

That sounds like good news.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

That sounds like good news.

I think so too but not getting my hopes up! Just doing everything in my power. I am leaning toward a dehydration diagnosis and trying to treat as such. I have raised the heat lamp from the enclosure more. The fact that the terra-cotta water dish literally dries up daily led me to think that this could be causing the inability to retain their moisture and water. Hopefully I will get somewhere on this hypothesis because it's all I got!

 

[Big Charlie]

Continue to keep them separated. Have you heard about tortoise bullying? It is common for one tortoise to fail when two are kept together even when there aren't overt signs of bullying.

If your enclosure is completely covered and the substrate is kept moist, your water shouldn't evaporate quickly. She needs the warmth and humidity so make sure raising the lamp doesn't cool the enclosure off too much.

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Continue to keep them separated. Have you heard about tortoise bullying? It is common for one tortoise to fail when two are kept together even when there aren't overt signs of bullying.

If your enclosure is completely covered and the substrate is kept moist, your water shouldn't evaporate quickly. She needs the warmth and humidity so make sure raising the lamp doesn't cool the enclosure off too much.

I have heard of tortoise bullying, and I am watching them constantly when they're together. Usually they act as if the other does not exist and goes about its business. I am keeping an eye on the temps since I've raised it, but I feel like the walls to the table aren't high enough, and I'd place the lamp on top of the metal screen. So the lamp is about 6-7 inches direct. That's the only reason I can see for the water to dry up. Going to add higher walls to the enclosure tomorrow (we made it ourselves). The enclosure is now completely covered aside from the small hole for the lamp. I just examined the substrate and it is always moist beneath the surface and I spray it daily. I'm looking into getting them a Che thermostat. Do you know if this is suitable?

 

[Torts4Maylin]

Also, thank you for your help. I appreciate it! Became a first time tortoise owner in June and its become a pretty big hobby/passion for me. Just trying to do what's best for my guys. [emoji173]️

 

[Big Charlie]

I have heard of tortoise bullying, and I am watching them constantly when they're together. Usually they act as if the other does not exist and goes about its business. I am keeping an eye on the temps since I've raised it, but I feel like the walls to the table aren't high enough, and I'd place the lamp on top of the metal screen. So the lamp is about 6-7 inches direct. That's the only reason I can see for the water to dry up. Going to add higher walls to the enclosure tomorrow (we made it ourselves). The enclosure is now completely covered aside from the small hole for the lamp. I just examined the substrate and it is always moist beneath the surface and I spray it daily. I'm looking into getting them a Che thermostat. Do you know if this is suitable?

View attachment 220961View attachment 220962

I'm not familiar with that one. It would probably work, but I would prefer one with exact temperature settings. The one I use has digital settings. This is mine: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01486LZ50/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20