Baby sulcata wont eat after trauma

Arielle

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My baby sulcata Scarface will not eat, recently ( in the last month) he was attacked by my cat, He lost an eye and was treated with antibiotics, The vet I go to gave me some critical care food to force feed him, but lately he wont even take his force feedings, I soak him in baby carrot water everyday so he gets some nutrients but he just wont eat since his traumatic experience with the cat, When I first got him he ate great, any advice on how to get this little stubborn guy to eat ?


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Zeko

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What's his temps at? Usually if they are not eating, it is much too cold for him. Perhaps boost the temps a bit if they are below 85~.
 

Arielle

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What's his temps at? Usually if they are not eating, it is much too cold for him. Perhaps boost the temps a bit if they are below 85~.
his low side is at 87 where his hide is his high side is about 92-95
 

Arielle

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Before his cat encounter he was eating timothy hay and chopped carrots, but since his accident he refuses to eat.
 

Levi the Leopard

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Timothy hay and chopped carrots huh?

Might I suggest you offer the more appetizing greens?
Start with:
Romaine lettuce, spring mix, red leaf lettuce..etc. Hardly any tort babies turn this stuff down. Once he's eating again you can add other, fibrous foods into it. Like fresh grass clippings, edible weeds, herbal hay, Mazuri etc.

From what I hear, the hay will play a part in the diet once he's grown up ;) and the carrots can become a rare (if ever) treat.
 

Arielle

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Timothy hay and chopped carrots huh?

Might I suggest you offer the more appetizing greens?
Start with:
Romaine lettuce, spring mix, red leaf lettuce..etc. Hardly any tort babies turn this stuff down. Once he's eating again you can add other, fibrous foods into it. Like fresh grass clippings, edible weeds, herbal hay, Mazuri etc.

From what I hear, the hay will play a part in the diet once he's grown up ;) and the carrots can become a rare (if ever) treat.
thank you for your advice I will try more appetizing greens!
 

tortdad

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Which antibiotic? Some are very hard on them causing them to no eat. The smaller hey are the harder the meds effect them. @Yvonne G may have some helpful tips for you.
 

Arielle

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Which antibiotic? Some are very hard on them causing them to no eat. The smaller hey are the harder the meds effect them. @Yvonne G may have some helpful tips for you.
im not sure of the antibiotic now, its been a few weeks since he has been on it now, ill have to look back into his paperwork and look to see, it was such a small amount for a week, I would think by now it would be out of his system.
 

Levi the Leopard

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Is only been 2 days... Don't give up. Keep offering the greens and give it more time. Start with a week... If after a full week he's still not trying them, we can try some other tricks.
 

ascott

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My baby sulcata Scarface will not eat, recently ( in the last month) he was attacked by my cat, He lost an eye and was treated with antibiotics, The vet I go to gave me some critical care food to force feed him, but lately he wont even take his force feedings, I soak him in baby carrot water everyday so he gets some nutrients but he just wont eat since his traumatic experience with the cat, When I first got him he ate great, any advice on how to get this little stubborn guy to eat ?View attachment 123458 View attachment 123459

Regardless to species...the details you described would warrant some down time....I mean, being nearly devoured by a fanged and clawed beast--losing an eye in exchange for its life...then injections--then physically violated and a tube forced in and food forced in---alot of invasive and highly stressful events for such a private creature....I would be sure to offer some mixed greens (like an organic spring mix) in a warm quiet sheltered part of the enclosure and then walk away and let the tortoise become secure again....
 

Zeko

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Regardless to species...the details you described would warrant some down time....I mean, being nearly devoured by a fanged and clawed beast--losing an eye in exchange for its life...then injections--then physically violated and a tube forced in and food forced in---alot of invasive and highly stressful events for such a private creature....I would be sure to offer some mixed greens (like an organic spring mix) in a warm quiet sheltered part of the enclosure and then walk away and let the tortoise become secure again....

Not to mention he lost an eye. How would you feel without an eye?
 

HankTT

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Hi I am going to suggest something, you can try it if you want to (but I am not a professional)

Get some dried timothy hay or, either mazuri or zoo med tortoise pellets and blend them up in a blender real fine into a powder. Have a good amount of powder, then mix it into some slightly warm water. Don't make the water too warm so that it can be pleasant to drink. Next, fill your torts soaking container so that it is EXACTLY below his mouth and then try putting him in and keep a close eye. I'm thinking if it can get the nutrients from taking even a small drink of the water then it will be content. Just a thought here, but your sulcata might not be able to see anything from losing its eye and from being traumatized.

I don't think anything bad could happen here, but I don't know exactly the extent of injury it had taken so I don't want it to get an infection from being soaked in this mixture. So take caution and don't slash the mixture into the face.

Keep this in mind, and try to help it however you can.
 

Arielle

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It has officially been a month and three days since Scarface had his unfortunate encounter with my daughters cat, He still has not eaten but soaks daily and still poops every few days, I offer him fresh food everyday but still shows little interest.
 

ascott

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It has officially been a month and three days since Scarface had his unfortunate encounter with my daughters cat, He still has not eaten but soaks daily and still poops every few days, I offer him fresh food everyday but still shows little interest.


If he poops then he is eating something somewhere.....
 

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