Calcium injections

[philipgreece]

Ok as I told you all before my Danny has a flexible belly and it's shell in some spots! My vet told me to start tomorrow calcium injections! One per day for 3 days!He eats everyday,he basks but compared to my wilma he seems a little bit weak!please guys i hope he is going to be alright after injections! I read in some other groups and from Internet that soft shell can be caused from bacterial infection or from parasites! In Monday I have arranged to send feces samples! Is it necessary my vet to take blood sample? Also I wait from a friend to come from England and bring me arcadia basking lamps!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I haven't heard of calcium injections before. And if they can be helpful in any cases, where normal calcium intake is disturbed (like renal failure)..

Maybe @zovick or @Yvonne G can give some advice... (Danny is russian tortoise, 3+ years old)

 

[Tom]

Ok as I told you all before my Danny has a flexible belly and it's shell in some spots! My vet told me to start tomorrow calcium injections! One per day for 3 days!He eats everyday,he basks but compared to my wilma he seems a little bit weak!please guys i hope he is going to be alright after injections! I read in some other groups and from Internet that soft shell can be caused from bacterial infection or from parasites! In Monday I have arranged to send feces samples! Is it necessary my vet to take blood sample? Also I wait from a friend to come from England and bring me arcadia basking lamps!

What does Danny eat?
Do you use a calcium supplement? How often?
Does your calcium supplement have D3 in it?
What type of UV bulb are you using?
Does the tortoise get sunshine in an outdoor enclosure in warm weather?

 

[philipgreece]

What does Danny eat?
Do you use a calcium supplement? How often?
Does your calcium supplement have D3 in it?
What type of UV bulb are you using?
Does the tortoise get sunshine in an outdoor enclosure in warm weather?

What does Danny eat?
Do you use a calcium supplement? How often?
Does your calcium supplement have D3 in it?
What type of UV bulb are you using?
Does the tortoise get sunshine in an outdoor enclosure in warm weather?

I use arcadia t5 pro 12%! I give him calcium 3 days per week and I give him sun outside about 1 or 2 hours almost every day! I feed him hibiscus,sow thistles, hawkbits,endives,radicchio,2 days per week cucumber and opuntia cactus! I don't have a large indoor house that's why I give him practise outside! So if I give him calcium and sun do I need calcium with d3? Do you think to avoid injections? My vet told me it's injections in liquid form! I have sun almost every day! When in touch the shell is warm from the sun!

 

[philipgreece]

I haven't heard of calcium injections before. And if they can be helpful in any cases, where normal calcium intake is disturbed (like renal failure)..

Maybe @zovick or @Yvonne G can give some advice... (Danny is russian tortoise, 3+ years old)

Yes he is 3 and half years old! Do you think to avoid injections?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Yes he is 3 and half years old! Do you think to avoid injections?

I have no relevant experience and medical background to justify vet's prescription. That's why I mentioned members, who certainly know better. And I'm glad that Tom has chimed in.

You provide him enough calcium through supplements and diet and enough UVB, from what I see. There is a "root cause" why his shell is soft and we need to address it first, not to stuff him with more calcium.

 

[philipgreece]

I have no relevant experience and medical background to justify vet's prescription. That's why I mentioned members, who certainly know better. And I'm glad that Tom has chimed in.

You provide him enough calcium through supplements and diet and enough UVB, from what I see. There is a "root cause" why his shell is soft and we need to address it first, not to stuff him with more calcium.

The truth is that when I took him as a baby I wasn't informed for tortoise diet and lamps and all these! I didn't gave him all these! Not lamps in winter and not good diet! He was eating without the proper temperatures and sun!Calcium sometimes! I feel so sad! The last one year I try everyday to give him the best! Lamps,soaks,calcium,sun! He was always active! But now I see him a little bit weak! I don't know with diet and calcium can fix his shell time after time! I hope it's not too late!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

The truth is that when I took him as a baby I wasn't informed for tortoise diet and lamps and all these! I didn't gave him all these! Not lamps in winter and not good diet! He was eating without the proper temperatures and sun!Calcium sometimes! I feel so sad! The last one year I try everyday to give him the best! Lamps,soaks,calcium,sun! He was always active! But now I see him a little bit weak! I don't know with diet and calcium can fix his shell time after time! I hope it's not too late!

Many people here were caring about their tortoises the wrong way and then made the changes. It's not your fault, it's just too little of correct information available. I know, you are doing your best now.

Tortoises heal slowly, eventually his bones will be recalcified. As he seems less active now, you may try common measures to help him: raise temperatures a little bit (about 80F day and night), longer warm soaks to help him stay hydrated and prevent possible constipation (in the morning and after walks outside).

By saying "weak" what do you mean, by the way? Poor appetite, not moving around actively, does he walk with his body fully lifted off the ground?

And let's see what Tom, Yvonne or zovick say. I'm afraid I might underestimate the problem.

 

[philipgreece]

Many people here were caring about their tortoises the wrong way and then made the changes. It's not your fault, it's just too little of correct information available. I know, you are doing your best now.

Tortoises heal slowly, eventually his bones will be recalcified. As he seems less active now, you may try common measures to help him: raise temperatures a little bit (about 80F day and night), longer warm soaks to help him stay hydrated and prevent possible constipation (in the morning and after walks outside).

By saying "weak" what do you mean, by the way? Poor appetite, not moving around actively, does he walk with his body fully lifted off the ground?

And let's see what Tom, Yvonne or zovick say. I'm afraid I might underestimate the problem.

Maybe my mistake! When I say weak I just see him not to have strong walking! He wakes up everyday he basks he eats Normally and he eats all his food in once! I give him soaks 3 soaks per week for 40 minutes! He poops a lot! I'm afraid to use ceramics now because I don't want him to dehydrated! An night temperature is in 21-23 degrees!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Maybe my mistake! When I say weak I just see him not to have strong walking! He wakes up everyday he basks he eats Normally and he eats all his food in once! I give him soaks 3 soaks per week for 40 minutes! He poops a lot! I'm afraid to use ceramics now because I don't want him to dehydrated! An night temperature is in 21-23 degrees!

So he can't lift the body of the ground when walking? Hard to guess without pictures or video (you can make one, preferable not from top, but from the ground level, upload to YouTube or other site and post a link here).

If he eats all the food - give him more! He must have something to munch all the day.

Nighttime temperatures are fine for the healthy tortoise, you might raise them a bit to 24-25C and see if it helps. Don't be afraid to use a ceramic heat emitter - it doesn't cause dehydration and if mounted at safe height in a wide dome and hooked on a thermostat it will not cause overheating either.

 

[philipgreece]

So he can't lift the body of the ground when walking? Hard to guess without pictures or video (you can make one, preferable not from top, but from the ground level, upload to YouTube or other site and post a link here).

If he eats all the food - give him more! He must have something to munch all the day.

Nighttime temperatures are fine for the healthy tortoise, you might raise them a bit to 24-25C and see if it helps. Don't be afraid to use a ceramic heat emitter - it doesn't cause dehydration and if mounted at safe height in a wide dome and hooked on a thermostat it will not cause overheating either.

 

[philipgreece]

Yes he can't lift his body from the ground so good!to my wilma that she walked normally! Could it be from mbd? I wait also 1 month and more to see that rocks he has! But he poops and urates normally! Also he basks more than my Wilma!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Yes he can't lift his body from the ground so good!to my wilma that she walked normally! Could it be from mbd? I wait also 1 month and more to see that rocks he has! But he poops and urates normally!

Yes, this could be a symptom of MBD. But since you have made all the corrections to his care it should not progress. Can you post some photos of his shell? From the top and from the side?

 

[philipgreece]

Yes, this could be a symptom of MBD. But since you have made all the corrections to his care it should not progress. Can you post some photos of his shell? From the top and from the side?

In the first photo is my Wilma! And the other is my Danny! You can see the difference!

 

[Sarah2020]

I have no idea re the injections but you live in a great part of the world (Greece) for it to have a lovely outdoor enc with shade , water and fresh food as well as a proper indoor enc for cooler months. Keepong tortoise together is not recommended as they can bite and 1 gets dominated. Please purchase a cuttlefish to help calcium intake similar to what is provided to parrots and place that in the enc. It looks like the MBR is the problem. Please read this care sheet (written by a breeder) and check and update your setup and care....

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

In the first photo is my Wilma! And the other is my Danny! You can see the difference!

Yes, I see.... Can you post of photo of Danny from the left or right side? If it's a MBD, there is usually a shell deformation.

 

[Tom]

I use arcadia t5 pro 12%! I give him calcium 3 days per week and I give him sun outside about 1 or 2 hours almost every day! I feed him hibiscus,sow thistles, hawkbits,endives,radicchio,2 days per week cucumber and opuntia cactus! I don't have a large indoor house that's why I give him practise outside! So if I give him calcium and sun do I need calcium with d3? Do you think to avoid injections? My vet told me it's injections in liquid form! I have sun almost every day! When in touch the shell is warm from the sun!

If he went without these things for 2.5 years, then MBD is possible. If he's had these things for a year now, then MBD is highly unlikely. Is the shell somewhat flexible like a plastic butter tub lid, or does the shell feel like a sponge when you push on it?

If he previously swallowed rocks, then intestinal impaction is a more likely cause of the inability to walk or lift himself. An x-ray will confirm or deny this possibility.

 

[philipgreece]

If he went without these things for 2.5 years, then MBD is possible. If he's had these things for a year now, then MBD is highly unlikely. Is the shell somewhat flexible like a plastic butter tub lid, or does the shell feel like a sponge when you push on it?

If he previously swallowed rocks, then intestinal impaction is a more likely cause of the inability to walk or lift himself. An x-ray will confirm or deny this possibility.

Thank you Tom! I have xray yes and I had posted in a different post! It's not like a sponge! It's flexible! Yes my fault! My mistake I left them without the proper care! Please can I know if the shell by time will become hard? Is it too late? Are they going to live?

 

[philipgreece]

Yes, I see.... Can you post of photo of Danny from the left or right side? If it's a MBD, there is usually a shell deformation.

Yes he has like pyramiding! My Wilma has only in one spot flexible!

 

[philipgreece]

I have no idea re the injections but you live in a great part of the world (Greece) for it to have a lovely outdoor enc with shade , water and fresh food as well as a proper indoor enc for cooler months. Keepong tortoise together is not recommended as they can bite and 1 gets dominated. Please purchase a cuttlefish to help calcium intake similar to what is provided to parrots and place that in the enc. It looks like the MBR is the problem. Please read this care sheet (written by a breeder) and check and update your setup and care....

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

That's my problem! I share the house with another guy and I can't have all the space I needA that's why I take them outside under my surveillance and they walk under the sun and exercise for 2 hours per day! In future when I find space I will fix them a big house! I have to soak them all the time and give them the food wet because they don't drink water from the bowls! But they pee and poop normally everyday!