Bobby died last night

[kellya31]

thanks for everyone’s help during the time we had Bobby.
I have no idea what happened.
He had a uvb light, a heater emmiter, bought gauges for humidity and heat, monitored them, bought him all kinds of different foods that I got advice from here and scouring the internet.
Soaked him everyday put him outside (we don’t use pesticides) I just had ordered him mazuri to try anything to stimulate his appetite.
I really don’t think he ever ate that well when he arrived. The first week he would nibble and eat, maybe the first 5 days I would say, he ate the way he should have but after that he didn’t show much interest in food. Just nibbles. I looked at videos of tortoise eating and he never ate like that from the beginning. I spent everyday at least 45 minutes with him, to care for him..
I would not recommend anyone getting a hatchling when they have very little experience. If someone wants a tortoise they would be better off spending extra money for an established baby at least.
I’m really very sad about it, he lived 29 days.
He was 2 months old when I got him.

 

[kellya31]

I wanted to add, the first 2 weeks, he would yawn a couple of times every time I soaked him. He did this from the beginning.

 

[Bee62]

Hello, I am very sorry for your loss.
What tort specie was Bobby and where do you get him from ?
When babies are not well started ( means humid and warm ) they can get kidney problems very quick. Kidneys are not able to recover themselves. When you buy such a baby there is nothing you, a VET or meds can do.
Most of these babies die early. A few make it a little bit longer but do not thrive.
When you followed the advices here on the forum how to keep a baby it may be not your fault that your Bobby died.

 

[katieandiggy]

I’m so sorry for your loss. You followed all of the Recommendations from here.
I just think some tortoises are not meant to make it. It’s terribly sad. [emoji170]

 

[Maro2Bear]

Sorry to hear about Bobby.. Bee62 provided some great information.

 

[kellya31]

I’m so sorry for your loss. You followed all of the Recommendations from here.
I just think some tortoises are not meant to make it. It’s terribly sad. [emoji170]

Thank you.

 

[kellya31]

Hello, I am very sorry for your loss.
What tort specie was Bobby and where do you get him from ?
When babies are not well started ( means humid and warm ) they can get kidney problems very quick. Kidneys are not able to recover themselves. When you buy such a baby there is nothing you, a VET or meds can do.
Most of these babies die early. A few make it a little bit longer but do not thrive.
When you followed the advices here on the forum how to keep a baby it may be not your fault that your Bobby died.

He was a baby red foot. I got him from Redfoot Ranch.
I tried very hard to take proper care of him. I’m a novice so I know there is such a variable of things that I could have done wrong. It wasn’t from lack of trying though. We really wanted him.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Tiny babies are indeed much more difficult to keep alive than a robust sub adult.
However, some just don't survive because of any number of things and it may have been nothing in particular that you did wrong.

 

[Bee62]

He was a baby red foot. I got him from Redfoot Ranch.
I tried very hard to take proper care of him. I’m a novice so I know there is such a variable of things that I could have done wrong. It wasn’t from lack of trying though. We really wanted him.

I don`t know how good the reputation of Redfoot Farm is. Maybe some others soon come in and share their opinions, but when they start on this farm a lot of babies and sell a lot of babies it is very possible that they don`t take good care for the babies. It is more making money....
Please don`t punish yourself that you lost Bobby. It often happens to people when the baby they got is already sick.
Search for a breeder and ask him how he starts his babies. When he keeps them in closed chambers with high humidity and warmth you can buy a baby there. When he says his babies live on rabbit pellets avoid to buy there.
Maybe you can get a little Redfoot from someone of the forum. I know that there are some that breed redfoots tortoises.

 

[kellya31]

I also wanted to add, I felt the under carriage of his shell felt soft. I don’t know if that means anything.

 

[kellya31]

I’m so upset about it, I won’t be getting another for awhile if I do at all.
If I do, I will buy a juvenile from a breeder on here.
Everyone on here seems very passionate and very concerned about the care of the tortoises.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have did that in the beginning.
I am sure the breeder didn’t mean to send me a sick tortoise if he did. It could have been that or an error of my care.

 

[Yvonne G]

What you call yawning may have been gasping . Tortoises don't breath through their mouth, so if his nose was plugged due to a respiratory infection, he would just not breathe until he absolutely needed air, then he would open his mouth and take in air. This would also explain the not eating. They don't eat if they can't smell.

I'm so sorry you lost Bobby.

 

[Bee62]

I also wanted to add, I felt the under carriage of his shell felt soft. I don’t know if that means anything.

Babies have a little bit softer shell but:
When torts have damaged kidneys the kidneys are not able to get the metabolic waste out of the body. In order that the blood will not get overacidified the body takes calcium from shell and bones and add it to the blood. That is why the shell gets softer when a baby tort is suffering kidney problems. But in the end the tort dies. There is no way back when kidneys don`t work well any longer.
I think that happend to your Bobby.

 

[vladimir]

@kellya31 I'm so sorry to hear about Bobby. It sounds like you did everything you could to provide for him. I hope when the time is right another tortoise can find its way into your life.

 

[kellya31]

So hard to tell. Thank you.
I had never heard of the kidney failure.
I bought him one of the cuddle bones but I never saw him touch it.
I had posted a yawn video and put up a post too, and someone said watch for excessive yawning. He didn’t seem to do it a lot but he did do it routinely. He would bat at his eyes off and on. I couldn’t see drainage. He also would lay his head down low the last week in this soak and blow a few bubbles. I saw him do that twice. Slow to open eyes in the am, but once he did his eyes looked clear.
I saw a post from a poster that their baby tortoise had died and before he did, he was crawling more in his enclosure and bumping into things. Bobby did this yesterday.
I know dogs and tortoises are light years apart, but I used to raise a few yorkies. One baby got very sick started running into walls and circling. She was seen by a vet and she died of liver shunt and kidney failure.

 

[Bee62]

So hard to tell. Thank you.
I had never heard of the kidney failure.
I bought him one of the cuddle bones but I never saw him touch it.
I had posted a yawn video and put up a post too, and someone said watch for excessive yawning. He didn’t seem to do it a lot but he did do it routinely. He would bat at his eyes off and on. I couldn’t see drainage. He also would lay his head down low the last week in this soak and blow a few bubbles. I saw him do that twice. Slow to open eyes in the am, but once he did his eyes looked clear.
I saw a post from a poster that their baby tortoise had died and before he did, he was crawling more in his enclosure and bumping into things. Bobby did this yesterday.
I know dogs and tortoises are light years apart, but I used to raise a few yorkies. One baby got very sick started running into walls and circling. She was seen by a vet and she died of liver shunt and kidney failure.

Dogs and torts may be light years apart but from what you describe the signs of kidney and liver sickness can be similar.

Edit: Running into walls and circeling is a sign that the body gets more and more poisend from the metabolic waste in the blood.

 

[kellya31]

Hindsight is 20/20. Of course I am not a vet.
Considering all Bobby’s symptoms from the start I really think he had a respiratory infection, stressed him and ultimately died of kidney failure.
Based on everyone’s input this really makes sense.
I asked my son if he wanted another tortoise later and he said no I never do after that.
I wish you all happy, healthy tortoises.
Great forum, keep up the great information.

 

[EdMurphy]

@kellya31 I'm sorry you lost Bobby.
There are a lot of torts out there that could use a good caring owner like you, I hope you meet another that steals your heart.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Oh my god @kellya31 I am so sorry. That's terrible, you were doing everything you could right. Don't beat yourself up, this is not your fault. SO SORRY

 

[TammyJ]

Hindsight is 20/20. Of course I am not a vet.
Considering all Bobby’s symptoms from the start I really think he had a respiratory infection, stressed him and ultimately died of kidney failure.
Based on everyone’s input this really makes sense.
I asked my son if he wanted another tortoise later and he said no I never do after that.
I wish you all happy, healthy tortoises.
Great forum, keep up the great information.

I am very sorry Bobby did not make it but I feel it is no fault of yours. How old is your son? It's normal for him to say "never" at this time as he tries to deal with it, but we adults know that we should never say "never"! All the best in the future whatever you decide and thanks for caring so much!